37.

Aiden's POV

I left Lily's room with my thoughts in shambles. I was angry, worried, and scared, all at the same time.

Leaning against the wall opposite her door, I paused to catch my breath. There was the irrational urge to throw my hands against the wall, to scream and roar and channel my emotions, somehow.

It felt as though the harder I tried, the more my world teetered on a dangerous edge.

I was on the verge of losing Lily, and the thought of Ricardo's triumphant smile almost drove me nuts. Try as I might to ignore it, Lily meant more to me than just another woman meant to warm my bed.

My mind was a scattered mess of conflicting thoughts. Lily's persistence about the letter from Ricardo Gambino had stirred up a storm of emotions within me. I knew my protective measures were extreme, but I believed they were necessary in these circumstances.

If I didn't ensure her safety by keeping her in the house, Ricardo would keep coming and coming until he finally had her. At least, in the wa