Page 95 of Claiming Lily

I’m not that fragile.

Matt stops several feet away, maintaining distance. Smart man.

“What are you doing here?” My voice is sharp as a razor’s edge, but I don’t apologize for it.

His face pinches. For a moment, I catch a glimpse of the man I’d fallen for all those years ago peeking through the bitter shell he’s become. The vulnerability in his expression catches me off guard.

“I owe you an apology.” The words come out rough, like they’ve been scraping around in his throat for weeks.

I cross my arms over my chest, creating a barrier between us. “You do. But you also owe Hudson, Gage, and Cole apologies too.”

He flinches like I’ve slapped him and nods, ducking his head. “You’re right. I know you’re right.”

The admission hangs in the air between us. I watch him struggle with something, his jaw working like he’s chewing on words he can’t quite spit out. I wait. I won’t make this easy. He might not have been the stalker, but he pulled a lot of terrible shit after we broke up. The man deserves to suffer through his apology.

“I never meant for things to get as bad as they did.” His voice breaks slightly on the last word. “I was angry and hurt, and I took it out on everyone around me. Especially you. I hate that everyone thinks I was capable of that stuff.”

I exhale slowly, some of the tension leaving my shoulders. At least he’s not here to pick a fight again. Holding on to this anger is exhausting. Standing here at Sarah’s grave reminds me how quickly life can spiral out of control. How precious it is not to waste time on grudges that eat you alive from the inside.

“I accept your apology,” I say finally. His relief is visible, but I’m not done. “But Matt, you can’t treat people the way you treated me. The way you treated them. Your anger doesn’t give you the right to hurt other people.”

He looks properly chastised, his gaze dropping to his shoes. “I know. I’m getting help. Therapy and . . . other things. I’m trying to be better.”

We stand there awkwardly for a few moments; the weight of our shared history and all the damage we’ve done to each other settles between us like dust. The wind picks up, reminding me that winter is creeping up on Big Ridge, and I wrap my jacket tighter around me.

Matt glances at Sarah’s grave. When he speaks again, his voice is raw and broken. “I’m glad she didn’t hurt you. When I found out what she’d been doing, what she’d planned . . .” He shakes his head. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too.” I came here hoping to get closure with Sarah, and now that I have it with my ex as well, there’s nothing more to say. “Goodbye, Matt.”

He nods, understanding the finality in my tone. “Goodbye, Lily. Take care of yourself. Take care of them.”

“I will.” I turn and walk away, the weight lifting off my shoulders with each step. The gravel crunches under my boots as I make my way across the cemetery toward the parking area where the guys are waiting. They’re leaning against Hudson’s truck, all three of them watching Matt with the focused intensity of guard dogs ready to spring into action if needed.

I’m grateful they trusted me to handle it, to set my own boundaries and fight my own battles when I needed to.

Cole straightens as I approach, that ever-present smirk replaced by genuine concern. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” I surprise myself by meaning it. “Everything’s okay.” This time, I’m certain it’s true.

Gage pushes off from the truck, his brown eyes searching my face. “What do you want to do now?”

Hudson moves to open the passenger door for me, always the gentleman, always thinking of the small gestures that make me feel cared for. The three of them wait patiently, ready to follow my lead wherever it takes us.

I climb into the truck, the answer easy and on the tip of my tongue. “Take me home.”

The bathroom is filled with steam. I open the door and some of it billows out as I step into my room. I pause, finding the guys waiting for me, hyperaware of every droplet of water rolling down my skin, the cool air whispering against my heated flesh, and the towel that clings to me.

Their gazes lock onto me like prey, and my breath catches in my throat. I trust them implicitly, more than anyone else in this world. They’re the only ones who’ve ever truly seen me, who’ve held me in my most vulnerable moments, and who’ve loved me fiercely in return. An unspoken question hangs in the air as they devour my almost naked form.

Can we all have you?

Desire shoots through me. The room is charged, alive with the tension simmering between us. These are the only three men I’d ever let have me this way.

Without hesitation, I let the towel drop, the fabric pooling at my feet. Their eyes darken with hunger as I sway my hips, stepping closer to Hudson first. His gaze traces down my body, taking in every curve, every inch of exposed skin. Heat radiates from him as I close the distance between us.

My lips crash against his in a deep, passionate kiss. His hands immediately find my ass, smoothing over the curves and leaving trails of fire in their wake. I moan into his mouth, the sound swallowed by his eager lips. When I pull away, Hudson’s breath is ragged, his eyes blazing with need.

My core pulses with that same urge.