Lily

"What took you so long?" Ruby demanded as Lily strolled to where she stood along the curve.

"This is the line to get into the movie?" Lily motioned to the streaming row of eager people leaning against the brick wall.

Ruby nodded, "Apparently we're not the only Brad Pitt fans in Cove Neck." She then turned towards her with a glowering face, "Don't be angry, k?"

Lily stepped back, suddenly uneasy. "When you put it like that-"

Ruby attempted a sweet smile to deter the blow, "I'm sort of, on a date."

"Ruby Carmichael!"

"That's not the worst of it."

"Please tell me that you didn't set me up?" She flashed a toothy grin as two men sauntered towards them. Lily cringed on the inside. Ruby was in for a strangling.

She immediately recognized the taller of the two; he was a regular at the Grill. His sandy colored hair and gentle eyes would have made any woman, even self-assured Ruby, swoon at his feet. The other however, was a mystery.

"Lily, you remember Grayson Reed?"

Grayson bestowed her with a brilliant white smile and extended a hand to her. She shook it reluctantly.

"This is my cousin." Grayson addressed the man to his left.

Lily peeked hesitantly at her date. He was of fair height and medium build; passably handsome with striking gray eyes that gleamed curiously at her as he offered his hand. "Seth, it's nice to meet you?"

"Lily." She said, taking his hand.

She stepped away and cast Ruby a lengthy glare.

"Shall we?" Ruby asked, taking Grayson's arm.

Lily felt Seth watching her and decided to walk ahead of him.

He can't have you.

She jolted where she stood and Seth came barreling into her. He grabbed her shoulders and steadied her when she would have toppled forward.

"You okay?" he asked.

She turned to look at him, "Yes, I'm fine, thank you."

She wasn't fine. She was certain she had heard the throaty growl but she wasn't about to expel that to him.

"You ready to go in?"

She nodded and together they followed Ruby and Grayson inside.

"We'll get snacks later." She heard Ruby say as they made their way into the cinema.

"Ruby." Lily hissed beneath her breath, knowing she deliberately tuned her out.

They made their way into the darkened theater and found a row with four empty seats. She was grateful when Grayson took the outer chair, allowing her and Ruby to settle in the center with Seth taking up the other end.

"Ruby!"

"Yell at me later, okay?" Ruby whispered, "Just enjoy yourself." She turned to Grayson before Lily could get a word.

"You didn't know, did you?" Seth asked, drawing her attention.

She peered at him sheepishly.

He chuckled lightly, "Its okay, I was sort of thrown into this my self."

She felt slightly relieved, "It was unexpected."

"I'm happy I came though." He said.

"Why's that?" "My date turned out to be beautiful."

She smiled despite the unexpectedness of it all. "Thank you."

The lights dimmed and the trailers flickered onto the black screen. Lily settled into her seat, attempting to make some effort of the night. Seth appeared well-rounded and genuine. Was she being a bit uptight?

Twenty minutes into the movie, Ruby grew antsy in her seat. "What is it?" Lily demanded.

"I want some candy."

Lily gave a soft laugh, "I'll get you some."

Ruby's green eyes glinted merrily in the theater. "Does this mean you're not mad at me?"

Lily resisted a grin, "Oh, I plan to scold you the minute we're free, but for the sake of the evening, I'm having a good time."

Ruby's smile widened, "Raisinets, please?"

She giggled, "Is it possible that you're just impossible?"

She moved to stand and immediately Seth followed, "Want me to come with?"

She shook her head, "Stay, you can fill me in when I return." She said with a smile.

He nodded and settled back into his seat.

She was surprised when she strolled into an empty hall and practically expected a tumble weed to come rolling its way down the carpet. Cove Neck was a seemingly small town but for it being a Saturday she had expected somewhat of a crowd.

Her strides brought her swiftly along the flush, red carpet to the crackling of fresh popcorn and a florescent display of candy boxes.

Two teenage girls stood lounging behind the counter; one in particular twirled a strand of hair around her finger as the other talked ardently of a boy from their school.

"Hi." She called to grab their attention. "Can I get a box of raisinets?"

The girl did a slight roll of her eyes and pushed away from the counter. She swept a box from the display and punched a few keys on her register.

As Lily handed her the money, she saw Seth coming toward her from the hall.

She frowned, "Are you leaving?"

"I thought we could take a walk, you know, give them some space?"

She was reluctant, especially walking the streets with a man whom she'd just met, but she was anxious to get back into her old regimen of life.

"Okay." She said, "Let me just give Ruby her candy."

Once outside, she noticed Seth kept a respectable distance and her admiration of him grew.

"Do you live here?" she asked, sensing awkwardness. She was a bit rusty in this department, having not dated since 'what's his face', as Ruby referred him.

"I live outside of Cove Neck." He said as they made their way along the pavement, the town eerily quiet and strangely deserted.

"Oh, you came just to play 'wing man'?" He smirked, "Something like that." He cleared his throat and added, "No, actually I'm here on business."

"Really, what sort of business?"

"Just a job on the side, you know a little extra pay. I get a call, whatever the caller requires, I simply fulfill it."

She gave a nervous laugh, "What is the job?" As they turned the corner, she froze; sitting there, parked beneath a street light along an alley was the black Sedan. "You."

A hand slammed against her mouth, muffling the cry that arose with her hysteria. She erupted into a fit of struggles as Seth's arm clamped tightly around her waist, tugging her towards the car where three ogre types piled out.

She felt panic grip her as a burly, bear of a man came to loom over her. "We've been paid good money to deliver you to your father."

Her face paled behind Seth's hand and she renewed her struggles.

"She's a feisty one." Spoke the leaner of the three, lounging casually against the car, as if bagging women in allies was a nightly routine, as he observed her with an intriguing leer.

Seth's arm tightened beneath her breasts as she kicked in an attempt to escape his grasp. The ogre standing aside of her growled something out of frustration, and simply wrenched her squirming frame from Seth's hands. "If you resist, I will hurt you." He snapped, his heavy breath fanning her forehead.

A terrible fear coiled its way down her spine but her determination to flee was far more demanding and she inadvertently raked her nails down the length of his face.

He gave an animal-like snarl and twisted away from her nails, instinctively drawing his fist and delivering a damaging blow to her face.

There was an explosion of pain followed by an abruptness of light as she was swept fleetingly off her feet and flung over a burly shoulder.

Someone tossed her effortlessly onto the back seat and she moaned as bodies crowded in around her. Someone slid in behind the wheel and started the car.

She moaned as she pressed a hand to her already swelling jaw.

"Did you have to hit her?" Seth groaned from the front seat.

"I did what was necessary." The ogre growled.

"She clawed you good." 'Leering eyes' teased.

"Shut up, Cooper."

The car suddenly screamed to a screeching halt as something hard and solid slammed into the windshield, the sudden force wrenching them from their seats.

The abrupt jolt propelled Lily with a rush of adrenaline and she scrambled to get out of the car, instantly aware of doors jerking apart and bodies being torn from the Sedan.

She crawled out of the car and managed to get to her feet. She started into a mindless run and ran blindly into an alley.

Her heart sank with fear as horrific cries resounded through the night. She dared not look back, frightened of what she'll see but as abruptly as they started, they stopped, compelling her to turn around. What she saw made her blood run cold.

Bodies of men lay sprawled along the pavement, the windshield shattered and the doors hanging on the Sedan like tattered limbs.

Her mouth fell open on a gasp and she took an involuntary step back, colliding with something solid and very large.

A band of muscle whipped her around, crushing her flush against a frame made of steel. She felt another scream working its way up her throat as dark, brown eyes fastened hungrily on her throat. Her legs buckled as a hand spanned her throat, and than, ripped heedlessly at her blouse. She felt a heaviness closing around her as that hand gently stroked her bruised jaw.

"Give in to me, Lily." That voice, that sensual, black velvet lilt, whispered hotly against her throat, and then, a tiny prick followed by pain.

**********