The Broken-hearted She And The Icy He (Lily and John) novel Chapter 644

r 644 A Dream of Her Return

“If… if James ever dares to harm you, you must tell us immediately. We’ll protect you, no matter what it takes—even if it costs us our lives.”

Bodger and Taylor spoke with heartfelt earnestness, their eyes filled with genuine concern. Yet, Lily felt nothing but a cold numbness settling over her, an indifferent barrier shielding her from their words.

If only they had never hurt her, all for Mathilda’s sake, she might have always seen them as family. Their pledges of protection could have warmed her heart, moved her deeply. But after all the times they had led the charge in tormenting, bullying, and hurting her, every one of those promises now rang hollow, laced with bitter irony.

“You should leave.”

Lily’s voice was calm, distant, as she turned on her heel and walked away, heading toward the living room.

“Lily…”

Bodger and Taylor instinctively moved to follow her, but something in the air stopped them. They sensed the depth of her revulsion, the way she couldn’t even bear to look at them anymore.

Fearful that staying a moment longer would only deepen her disgust, they reluctantly retreated. Despite their reluctance, they climbed into their car and drove off, their spirits heavy with defeat.

Taylor had purposely driven slowly on the way there, hoping to spend more time with Lily. But James had arrived home nearly half an hour before her.

The door to the master bedroom was left slightly open.

Lily pushed it gently, and the immediate rush of alcohol hit her senses. The scent wasn’t unpleasant in itself, but as it enveloped her, her eyes stung sharply, a sudden ache that seemed to pierce straight into her heart.

Stepping fully inside, she noticed several empty bottles scattered across the table—all of them high-proof liquors.

And there, slumped against the sofa, was James, his eyes shut tight.

“James…”

Seeing him alive, real, the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over. Her eyes reddened as she moved closer, a desperate need to hold him overwhelming her.

“Lily?”

At the sound of her voice, James’s eyes snapped open. He was so intoxicated that night and day blurred together in his mind. Moreover, having witnessed that unrecognizable figure being devoured by sharks days ago, he had been certain she was gone forever. Now, to see her standing before him was almost impossible to believe.

He was convinced this must be a dream.

Even if it was, he thought, I have to hold her. I have to kiss her.

He missed her terribly.

This was the first time she had come to him—even if only in a dream—since she had been thrown from the cliff.

Now that he had finally found her here, he wished he could remain lost in this illusion forever.

Unlike Lily’s tentative steps, James sprang up from the sofa with the speed and grace of a cheetah, closing the distance between them in an instant and pulling her into a fierce embrace.

“Lily, why didn’t you come to me? Not even in my dreams…”

He was nearly crushing her.

Pinned against him with no space to breathe, his arms continued to contract with desperate intensity. Lily struggled to create some distance, but he wouldn’t relent. Instead, his burning lips found hers.

Her breath caught sharply.

Feeling the warmth of her lips, James’s body trembled slightly.

After a brief pause, he cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss—harder, more urgent, more desperate.

He kissed her as if drowning, clinging to the last breath of air.

His kiss was scorching, urgent, a wildfire blazing through her senses, instantly melting her thoughts into a haze.

It felt as if she were being pulled into a stormy sea, tossed by waves, on the verge of drowning.

But he gave her no chance to breathe.

She tried to pull back, but he pressed forward, trapping her completely, as if determined to consume her entirely in his flames.

“James, don’t… mmmph…”

She tried to protest, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he seized the moment to deepen the kiss even further.