It was 7.45 pm and Lilly was getting ready, after spending the rest of the day daydreaming about Stefan she was excited to welcome him home.
After applying one more coat of mascara and lip gloss, that Gemma was kind enough to let her borrow Lilly looked in the mirror.
She didn't recognize the woman starring back at her. Lilly's usual comfortable and modest clothing had been swapped for this gorgeous floor-length and strapless blue silk dress, that as Stefan predicted the baby blue shade perfectly matched her eyes, the dress as well as looking
ridiculously expensive looked so sexy as it's silk material molded to Lilly's curves showing off her large breasts, tiny waist, and womanly curves. To match the dress Stefan had added to the box a pair of metallic silver heels that had what Lilly hoped wasn't real diamonds on the ankle straps and a blue silk bag that was also covered in diamonds both were as stunning as the dress. To complement the beautiful dress Lily had tried to make an effort with her hair and she had washed it and brushed it until it shone and then
clipped it to the side with a silver clip Gemma was again kind enough to let her borrow and pinned a white rose behind her ear.
Lilly stared again at the unrecognizable woman her reflection portrayed- the woman looked so sexy and beautiful, two qualities that despite Matt and her Abby always telling her she was Lilly herself never felt - until now. 'I hope Stefan likes it' Lilly thought as she picked up her bag and made her way downstairs- graciously despite the height of the heels thanks to Abby's lessons.
As she descended the stairs Marcus and various staff members who were standing in the hallway all stopped and gaped at her captivated by her beauty. "Wow you look.... wow the Boss is a lucky man, he's waiting in the dining room can I escort you there?" Marcus asked graciously offering his
arm.
Lilly smiled at his compliment and blushed as she looked around the room and saw that everyone was staring at her admiringly " Thank you, Marcus, and please that would be appreciated." Lilly said again quickly scanning the room and giving everyone a quick kind smile before lowering her head shyly as she hated being the center of attention.
Lilly took Marcus's extended arm and he escorted her to the dining room and Lilly grew nervous with every step hoping she didn't disappoint Stefan.
When they finally reached the dining room doors Marcus smiled at her and kissed her hand but unlike when Mr. Sinclair did it Lilly didn't feel repulsed, she felt comforted almost as the gesture came from a father figure. "Have a nice evening Lilly, I will be outside if you or Stefan need me, " Marcus said with a fondness in his tone before he reached down and pulled open the doors revealing Stefan standing in the dining room in front of the
fireplace with his back to her.
Hearing the doors open Stefan took a nervous breath before he turned around and when he did he was so spellbound by Lilly's beauty that he dropped the glass of whiskey he had planned to drink before her arrival for dutch courage but never got too as his mind wandered off in a daydream about Lilly and he had lost track of time.
The glass fell and smashed on the floor staining the cream rug and made Lilly rush to Stefan fearing he was in some sort of pain and that was the reason why he dropped the glass," are you hurt? " Lilly asked
concerned.
Stefan just gazed at her opened mouthed and slurred a few noises unable to speak and Lilly misread that for a sign of a stroke, after all, she had dealt with them a lot in her last year in her job as a career in an old person's home " Marcus!!!!" Lilly screamed in panic shocking Stefan out of his daze at the same time as Marcus barged through the doors scanning the room for intruders.
"Call an ambulance. Quick he's having a stroke! " Lilly screamed frantically with her back to Stefan who rolled his eyes at himself- ' great she thinks I am having a stroke, that's really smooth and a great first impression for our first date' Stefan scolded himself before he gently reached out and took Lilly's hand to turn her to face him. " Lilly, I am not having a stroke, I am okay I promise." He said as he gently stroked her hand.
"But you dropped your glass and where staring open-mouthed drooling...and as I called your name you were unresponsive and were slurring your words, unable to speak - are you sure your okay?" Lilly asked worried as she searched his eyes to see if he was really okay.
"Marcus, it was a false alarm you can go." Stefan said dismissing his
friend who smirked at him knowingly - dam Marcus will enjoy taking the
mick out of me over this later Stefan frowned before he softened his expression and looked at Lilly, "I appreciate your care but I promise I am stroke-free and fine. I just... you look so beautiful tonight that I was so enchanted by your beauty, I guess all my focus was on you and forgot I was holding a glass and I couldn't help but gawk at you like an i***t open-mouthed- and drooling apparently embarrassingly- not a great first impression for our first dinner is it?" Stefan asked in a tone mixed with humor and embarrassment.
Lilly looked up at him with innocent doe eyes, "you dropped the glass because you think I look beautiful?"
"Yes, you looked beautiful from the first time I saw you but in that dress, you look... like the most beautiful woman in the world," Stefan said honestly and as Lilly looked into his eyes she saw the sincerity in his eyes and knew he meant every word and without thinking, she stood on her tiptoes and pulled Stefan into a passionate kiss.
Stefan momentarily froze, he was scared to move in case this magical moment was just a dream, but as Lilly brazenly tugged his hair to deepen their kiss and her hips rubbed against him arousingly he knew as blissful as it felt that it was real and he grabbed Lilly by the waist and kissed her deeply in return.
Lilly groaned passionately as Stefan dug his fingers into her hips and claimed her with as much ferocity as she was claiming him. " Stefan ..." Lilly managed to moan against his lips before he answered her plea by thrusting against her and moving from her lips to her shoulder where he trailed kisses from her shoulder up to her elegantly long neck before reclaiming her full lips and Lilly shamelessly let her hand roam down his toned back to grab his
perfectly shaped arse.
"God Lilly..." Stefan moaned as he abruptly broke their kiss and they stared at each other panting wildly
"Did I do something wrong?" Lilly asked confused.
"No of course not, that kiss... I have never experienced anything like it
... in a good way I mean." Stefan said as he leaned in and kissed her chastely on the forehead.
"Oh, why did you stop then?" Lilly asked confused.
Stefan smiled at her lovingly as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind
her ear before he replied. " Honestly, if you were any other woman I probably wouldn't, I would have pulled up your dress and f****d you on the table but you are not like any woman I have ever met and I am trying to be gentlemanly. To be honest I have never really felt the need to stop myself before but with you... you deserve to be treated with more respect and I want our first time to be special ." Stefan said bearing his heart to Lilly like he hadn't to anyone else before and waiting nervously on her reply.
"Oh, I see." was all Lilly could manage to say as she blushed at his thoughtfulness and smiled at him adoringly making the painful throbbing in
his c**k worth it just to see that look of admiration in her eye.
"Well before I am no longer am to control myself which might be soon since your lips looked temptingly swollen and well kissed, I suggest we get you seated and start our dinner, allow me?" Stefan asked and Lilly who was still starring at him adorningly nodded.
Stefan guided Lilly across the dining room with his hand at the small of her back and he pulled her seat out and tucked her in before he took his own seat. "I had no idea Mob Boss's were so gentlemanly." Lilly teased with a mischievous twinkle in her eye making Stefan roar with laughter.
"Well I can't speak for all Mob Boss's but being gentlemanly isn't in my nature but I am making an effort to learn how to be...for you," Stefan replied in a loving tone that made Lilly's heart melt.
"I appreciate the effort...thank you." Lilly smiled.
The staff finally came out and served them dinner and poured them a large glass of red wine to compliment the delicious smelling beef dish. Thank you, Please tell the chef dinner smells amazing." Lilly compliment the young girl who had a name tag of Shelly and Stefan turned to the man who served him " thank you " Stefan said surprising both Lilly and the man." You asked me to try to be more polite to the staff who live here so I thought I would practice now- the food served tonight isn't made by our house chef I ordered it from my favorite Italian restaurant 'Amore', I would have liked to take you there but I can't at the minute due to security risks so I thought I would bring the restaurant to you," Stefan said surprising Lilly with his thoughtfulness once again- there really was a different side to him and Lilly was one of the rare lucky ones who was getting to see it.
"That's really sweet of you and thank you for the thoughtful clothes and this beautiful dress- I never got the chance to say thank you before as I
got...distracted." Lilly blushed thinking about the passionate embrace they
shared.
"Distracted is one word for it." Stefan teased " but your welcome and as promised tomorrow we will go shopping for more."
"We will? I thought you said I should write a list to give to the staff ?" Lilly asked.
"I did but I thought you might like to get out of the house for a bit, so I took the day off work so we can spend the day together, but of course if you'll prefer I can get Aiden to take Gemma and you instead," Stefan said not wanting to force Lilly into anything.
"NO!!... I mean no thank you... I would like to spend the day with you ...if your free still." Lilly said as she blushed at her keenness.
Stefan chuckled and then smiled, "I am just for you. We can go to the cinema and dinner afterward if you would like?"
"We can, I thought there was too much of a security risk?" Lilly asked confused.
"It was too risky to go to the restaurant as it's an open-aired restaurant but the shopping center I am taking you too will be safer," Stefan said assuringly satisfying Lilly's nervousness but not telling her that it would be safer as he owned the shopping center and he planned to close it tomorrow so they could shop privately-he didn't want to seem like he was
bragging.
"Okay, then but I have one request... no demand." Lilly said with a twinkle of mischief in her eye.
"You are becoming quite a demanding vixen... but since it's you I will as always entertain your demands." Stefan replied equally as amused "Thank you..." Lilly giggled, "Well my two conditions are that the
clothes are bought from an affordable store as this dress is beautiful but it must cost more than my yearly salary and I have no need for fancy clothes like this after this week and I don't want you to spend your money on me and secondly I want to buy you dinner... it might not be fancy like your used to but I could stretch to a nice pub meal and dessert if you're lucky." Lilly smiled.
Stefan didn't know what to say no one had ever refused his gifts, especially women every one he had met were all gold diggers, he knew Lilly wasn't of course but it was still a shock to hear her refuse them although a pleasant shock. Stefan couldn't remember the last time someone offered to buy him dinner either it was a nice feeling to know Lilly liked him or at least was warming to him for him and not his money, but he was also sad thinking about their week coming to an end.
"Deal on the condition that you let me buy you a ball gown and a cocktail dress along with accessories for events we will attend this week." Lilly nodded as she could never afford fancy dresses fit for those occasions and she didn't want to embarrass Stefan by turning up in something inappropriate. " Good and you might be surprised, I wasn't raised on fancy food you know my favorite food is macaroni cheese and apple pie," Stefan said laughing.
Lilly smiled, she loved that Stefan was starting to open up to her. " | thought you were rich growing up though?" Lilly asked wanting to get to know more about him.
"I was... or at least my father was my mother and I lived by ourselves in a modest two-bedroom cottage in the countryside most of the time and survived off a small allowance my father permitted," Stefan admitted with fondness in his tone as he remembered happy childhood memories in the
cottage with his mother.
"I am sorry I don't mean to pry, I just wanted to get to know more about you," Lilly whispered feeling guilty.
"Don't feel guilty, I usually don't like talking about my childhood but with you, for some reason, I don't mind. And it was part of our deal was it not." Stefan smiled at Lilly encouragingly and Lilly thought about her next question carefully.
"So was your mum a single parent and your dad completely out of the picture?" Lilly asked and she flinched as soon as she asked as Stefan's eyes
went dark with anger.
"I am sorry, I am not angry at your question but at the thought of my father," Stefan explained as he softened his expression so he didn't frighten her. "My father was a cruel man you see and the reason my mother and I often lived alone was that he liked to embarrass her my having numerous whores live in the family house and parade around like they were the lady of the manor in my mother's rightful place." Stefan said bitterly " My mother didn't mind however as she never loved my father as it was an arranged marriage to reunite two powerful Mafia families and my mother sadly was
collateral damage. My father soon figured out my mother was happy in our cottage and not suffering as he wanted so he would force her to come back to the family home often where he would beat her often in front of his whores and men to try and break her. My mother though endured his abuse knowing she had me to return to until I was about eight and my fathers abuse escalated..." Stefan stopped and his voice broke emotionally.
"Stefan I am so sorry, you don't have to tell me any more if it's too painful for you..." Lilly said as she was about to get out of her seat and go and comfort him.
"No, please...no one knows but Marcus and I want to tell you so hopefully, you understand why I am the monster I am today," Stefan said as he held out his hand to stop Lilly and she sat back down and nodded her understanding and waited patiently for him to continue.
"When I was eight, my father escalated his violence by raping my mother in front of his men whilst they laughed and eventually he let the men join in... my mother was never the same after that a little bit of her soul was losses but she always came back a little to her old smiling self when she was around me and so my father when I was ten noticing sent me off to boarding school to separate us. My mother kicked and screamed and I fought as best as I could but I was still just a child and I was no match for my father or his men and I got badly beat up for my efforts and when I woke a few days later I found out I was in a boarding school run for Ceo's, Billionaires and rich criminals kids and despite how often I tried I could never make it past the school's security so I could run back to my mother until I met Marcus when I was fifteen and he helped me. Marcus was a few years older than me and he was dumped at the school by his rich Ceo parents who neglected him and abused him too, together we escaped and
he even came with me back home to try and save my mother...we arrived at the family home a few months later and we arrived to the sounds of my mother's screams, my father and his men had just raped her and my father was beating her more violently than before and there was blood everywhere... and my father's men were cheering him on." Stefan said as tears slipped from his eyes and rage-filled his expression. "I saw red and I tackled my father who was drunk and i beat him ... I beat him to death Lilly as Marcus killed some of my fathers men and the rest seeing my fathers death ran like cowards." Stefan looked at Lilly fearing he would see judgment or fear in her eyes since he killed his own father but all he saw was understanding and love reflected in Lilly's eyes.
"I am so incredibly sorry you went through all that Stefan and I understand... anyone would have done the same, I would have killed anyone who hurt my mother the way your mother was hurt. What happened to your mother?" Lilly asked hoping she at least recovered and she and
Stefan had a few years of happiness before her death.
Stefan looked at Lilly in amazement shocked she was accepting of him still before he answered sadly," My mother died from her injures about fifteen minutes after my father did ... but I got to hold her hand and tell her I loved her before she slipped away. And that's how I got roped into the Mafia as in a state of grieving Marcus and I tracked down my father's men and I killed them all brutally and my uncles who are the head of the Italian Mafia and New York Mafia saw potential in me and promoted me to the head of the London branch rather than killing me." Stefan said telling Lilly his whole childhood.
Lilly had so many questions but she knew at the minute Stefan needed her so she went to him and pulled him up into a protective embrace and
allowed him to do something he hadn't done since his mother's death- cry.