Blue Ribbon

Chapter 21 - A fresh start

"A fresh start isn't a new place, it's a new mindset."

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Lilly's POV

He returned my words with silence. Utter silence.

A big part of me wanted to take back my last sentence. I wasn't ready to talk about that yet but I tried to stand my ground still. I need to make him look past the anger, past the rage that made him inflict this brutal horrific assault over someone who is partially...innocent.

Chills cascaded over my skin as I waited for him to say a thing. A low breath pushed out of his lungs and he looked away for a second. I swallowed past all the uncertainty when he muttered the next words, "I know," He said, his eyes falling back on mine, the light in them dimming a bit, the whole conversation beyond uncomfortable for the both of us.

He rushed a hand over his face, "I've seen them before."

Before?

"But that doesn't make him innocent," He added, shaking his head, "I can't just let him go, he hates me, Lilly, probably more than anyone ever did, and that hate could push him to do worse," He was right in that sense, it's what scares me still, "He already hurt you, I am not gonna give him a chance to do it again. Never."

"Then what, dad?" I asked weakly, still lost between what's right and what's wrong, "You really gonna kill him?"

"No, he won't," My head whipped to the other side as Nikolas came from the other side. He took a stop beside us, his words held a promise when he added, "I will."

I shook my head, "No, you can't," I shook my head again, bewildered at them both, "You just can't, he doesn't deserve to die!"

Lines etched between his eyebrows, "He hurt you, he literally kidnapped you, he threatened your life, and he is still protecting those who hurt Max," The muscles of his jaw worked, the anger in his eyes made him look dangerous, "What more reasons do we need to end his life, huh?"

"If that's how it works, then dad had a million reasons to end your life as well," I looked between them before my eyes settled on his green one, my tone challenging, "But he didn't."

"Oh, I did alright," Dad interjected, scoffing as he pointed at his brother, "It's not my fault he doesn't know how to die."

Nikolas shot dad a glare before he turned back to me, focusing all of his attention as he took another step forward, "Yes, Lilly, I agree, you're right in that sense, Christian's doing can't be compared to mine," He nodded, not shying away from my implied words, "I will always be the biggest monster in the room," His eyebrow raised, "But when someone dares to lay a hand on those that I care about," He edged forward, showing me his real face, "I will make their life a living hell," He shook his head, "No matter who they are or who I am now."

"But you said you are a changed man," I mumbled, my voice low, reflecting all of my doubts and fear.

He shook his head, "Not when it comes to this."

I tried to keep my tone steady and confident as I refused this whole situation, "I know that dad won't do this, he won't kill him," I looked at dad, my eyes pleading him to prove me right, "If you put aside your overprotectiveness over me, just for one second, you will see that Christian didn't do wrong, you know that he is innocent, dad, that he is hurt and you know this is not fair," Dad didn't interrupt me, he listened, "I know by heart that the father who raised me would never kill an innocent person."

I turned back to Nikolas, "But I don't know that about you," I shook my head, "I don't even know you," It was the truth, "But here I am, willing to give you a chance, a chance to know you better, to see if I can trust you," I was hoping to reach the compassionate caring part of him he showed me before, "My parents gave you a chance, so I thought maybe...maybe you deserve it," The harshness was slowly leaving his eyes, "You said I changed you, then prove those words right and don't kill him."