Read Online Forever Lovers by Suellen Smith - Free Book Online

beach into the darkness. He
followed her as he spoke on the phone to his commanding officer
making sure she got back to the hotel safely.

CHAPTER 10
    Lily was just as frustrated as Quinn. She had
waited a long time for that special evening with her dream guy and
she felt dumped all over again. It should have been a memorable
night. Damn him! Damn the stupid SEALS! If it had been a western,
her guns would have been blazing and he would have been lying
horizontal on the dusty street in Dodge at high noon. “That I
should be so lucky,” she muttered to herself.
    Lily started to go into the hotel, but when
she got in the light from the establishments doorway, she looked
down at herself. She realized that one boob was dangling in limbo
due to a broken strap. The rip she'd heard as Quinn grabbed her
dress was the front split of her dress going higher. Now, it really
was up to her crotch. Even both of her black high top nylons had a
rip and a run.
    Lily had no intention of being the object of
speculation by appearing half-naked and going back into the party.
Although, it would serve Quinn right for her to do another episode
on the piano top right about now. She detoured back down the beach
toward the Slater home. It was not the smartest walk to be taking
in the middle of the night by herself wearing very little. But,
young women do not always use the best judgment – creeps are always
lurking in the shadows. That night was no exception. She got lucky.
By the time the lurker spotted Lily, she was already going in the
front door of the house. Fortunately, Lily had the presence of mind
to secure the house and set the alarm before going upstairs and
retiring to bed. It probably saved her life.
    The perpetrator waited until he saw a bedroom
light go on upstairs, identifying where the woman in the white
evening gown would be laying in her bed waiting for him. It made
him excited and aggressive. He tried the front door and circled the
premises hoping to find a door or window unlocked. He looked up at
the balcony, but the doors were sealed. He was not fortuitous in
finding an opening and Lily was a lucky lady that night. She never
knew. Before he left, he blew a kiss in her direction and
whispered, “I'll be back, now that I know where you live.” It never
happened, but only because he was caught and thrown in jail for a
life sentence a few weeks later.
    The “perp” returned to the hotel to watch the
revelers, but there was just way too much security and way too
risky to take a chance on nabbing someone. He got in his junky car
and left the area looking for prey in another part of Los Angeles.
He was a patient person. They always are as they enjoy the thrill
of the hunt as much as the actual kill. Hours before the morning
sun came up, he found what he was seeking. A young woman's body was
found washed up on Long Beach early morning by a retired couple
taking their morning stroll.
    Lily crawled into bed after dumping her
ripped dress and snagged nylons in the middle of the carpet of the
guest bedroom that used to be Quinn's, which just added insult to
injury oblivious to how close she was to being raped and murdered.
After leaving a message on Jade's phone, she settled down under the
covers and tried not to think about the twin’s dumb brother, but
the tears fell anyway.
    The air conditioner was on since all of them
left the middle of the afternoon. She normally opened her balcony
door as the screen was alarmed, but not tonight. She tossed and
turned only until the champagne kicked in and knocked her out. The
night was bliss, the morning was hell for more than one reason.

CHAPTER 11
    Lily woke up late morning to the incessant
pounding of not only her head, but of Jade pounding on her bedroom
door. “Lily, are you alright?” asked a concerned Jade from the
other side. Lily groaned as she began to message her temples
fighting a left over hangover of booze and Quinn.
    “May I come in?”
    Lily didn't say a word, she just