Dragon's Second Chance Romance - Riley Storm Page 0,37

might be.

“Lilly,” he said, moving out from around the counter to answer it.

“What?” Claire yelped. “Why?”

“Because I invited her,” Pietro told her as he walked past.

“What on earth for? I don’t want to see her!”

Claire didn’t want to face her friend’s wrath. Nor did she want to deal with the embarrassment of being judged poorly in the eyes of someone whose opinion she valued so highly.

“Tell her to go away,” Claire said as Pietro reached the door. “That I’m not here.”

Pietro gave her a level glance and then pulled the door open wide enough that the two women could see one another and make eye contact. Lilly stood framed by the light streaming out from the house, beating back the descending darkness outdoors.

“You two need to talk,” he said bluntly. “You’re best friends.”

Claire opened her mouth, ready to rail against him, to tell him that she was pissed at him. That he’d overstepped his boundaries.

Before she could however, Lilly swept into the house, concern etched onto her face.

“Claire!” she gasped with relief. “You’re okay!”

There wasn’t time for Claire to fully process the reaction before Lilly swept her up in a hug, squeezing tight.

“Why aren’t you yelling at me?” she asked, awkwardly returning a hug she didn’t feel she deserved. “Aren’t you supposed to be pissed at me?”

“For what?” Lilly asked, stepping back so the two could look one another in the eye.

“Umm, not telling you about Pete and the stupid shit we did together? For not telling you that he was in town, threatening me with that video so that I’d get back together with him? That I knew I wasn’t going to give in, which meant I was going to go to jail?”

Lilly shrugged. “I think you’re stupid for not confiding in me, but Claire, I can see your regret. Besides, Pietro here told me everything. About how you were willing to serve time. Willing to make it right. That’s the Claire I know and love, and you being willing to do that tells me that there’s hope for you yet.”

“Oh,” Claire said.

“You’re my best friend,” Lilly said with a shrug. “You’re also a colossal idiot, but I’m not going to be mad at you. It’s not like I never did anything crazy, like run my life into the ground trying to save a business, losing my house and husband in the process, right? Who would do something so stupid?”

Claire winced at the recollection of the last few years of Lilly’s life, up until she’d met Trent.

“You seem to be doing okay now,” she pointed out to Lilly. “Things are looking way up for you. You’ve got a business and a new man.”

Lilly glanced pointedly at Pietro.

“Ahhh,” the dragon shifter said, clearly understanding the look. “I’m going to go to another room. Right now.”

And he did just that, departing into the bedroom, the giggles of the two women propelling him along even faster than he’d likely intended.

Once he was gone, Lilly turned a look on her. “I would have helped.”

Claire slumped. She knew that. She knew Lilly would have done just about anything for her. “Which is exactly why I didn’t tell you,” she said. “This is my problem, Lil. My responsibility.”

“So you didn’t take vacation to come back here, I take it?”

“No,” Claire admitted. “I came back for good. I was just…embarrassed, among other things. I didn’t want you to think less of me. I…I like being your friend.”

“You’re an idiot. If you think one felony grand theft auto is gonna make you stop being my friend,” Lilly said with a sigh. “Two? Okay, maybe we’ll have an issue. But everyone gets one.”

Claire knew that Lilly was joking and was thankful for it. For her friend.

“You’re a badass bitch, is what you are,” Lilly said with uncharacteristic language for her. “Telling Pete to shove it and that you’d go to prison instead of going back to him? Nice.”

“Thanks,” Claire said, putting on a brave face. “I’ll be okay.”

“I just wish you’d told me,” Lilly said.

“I didn’t want you to judge me,” Claire said quietly. “Like others have.”

Lilly frowned. Her eyes at first went to the room within which Pietro had disappeared, but she quickly spotted the pile of Claire’s belongings. The pile that had come with her from her parents’ place. Understanding bloomed.

“Your parents kicked you out?” Lilly asked quietly.

“I volunteered to go before they could say as much,” Claire replied, subdued. “But it was clear they wanted me gone. That they’re ashamed of the real me.”

Pietro emerged