78.

Lily's POV

The thought of Aiden being hurt or dead haunted me even hours later.

Now, I paced the living room agitatedly. The space felt confining, each tick of the clock echoing my anxiety. I glanced up at the clock, and my heart jumped as I looked at the time.

Forty-seven minutes past eleven. Almost four hours since I'd come back from the Gambino Suite.

"Oh, God. Please...." I whispered under my breath. I'd shed all the tears in my eyes and prayed all the prayers my head could think of. All I could do now was pace the room and hope against hope that the man I loved was safe and well.

Joe and the other injured men were being treated by the nurses who arrived about an hour ago. I had refused for them to treat me, insisting that I was fine, even though my joints ached from being tied up in that warehouse. There were bruises on my wrists and ankles from the ropes biting into my skin as well.

I couldn't shake the worry etched on my face. I wanted to believe in Aiden's strength, wanted to