Novels by Julia Davis

Gerrard was completely captivated by Murphy’s story. He sat forward, his eyes locked onto the older man, hanging on every word he spoke about my past. “Tell me more,” Gerrard urged, his voice full of curiosity. “What was Lily’s life like back then?”Murphy’s eyes flickered to me for a moment before he continued. “Back then, Lily was just a little girl, always so guarded. Her father kept her close. Overprotective, some would say. But who could blame him? There were a lot of evil people around ”I felt a lump form in my throat. I knew what he was doing. He was painting a picture of my childhood, a lie that Bruno had conjure, he knew Gerrard was interested in my past and he was giving him exactly what he wanted.I forced myself to keep still, my fingers clutching the edge of the table. Murphy went on, his voice steady, weaving the lies into a seamless narrative.“She’d always be hiding behind her father’s legs, barely a word out of her mouth. Too cautious, too scared to trust. There was

The next morning was quiet. Peaceful. Almost too peaceful. I woke up still wrapped in Gerrard’s arms, warm and safe, like the storm from last night had never happened. We were still tangled under the sheets, not ready to move. I didn’t want to leave his warmth. Not yet. Maybe not ever. But my stomach had other plans. It growled, loud and clear. Gerrard chuckled and ran his hand slowly down my arm. “Well, someone’s alive and kicking,” he said gently. “Come on, let’s get up and find something to eat.” I didn’t move. The moment felt too good to end, but deep inside, I felt heavy again. The thoughts came rushing back, my father, his sickness, the cage he was stuck in, also, the lies, the pretense, it all pressed hard on my chest, like a weight I couldn’t lift. “I’m not really hungry,” I said softly. Gerrard pulled back just a little so he could look at me. He brushed some hair away from my face. “You haven’t eaten much since you got back. You need to eat, Lily.” I didn’t answ

I stared at him, heart thundering. My mouth opened, but nothing came out at first. “I… I did go there,” I finally stammered. “To Columbia. To where I grew up. But it wasn’t what I remembered.” Gerrard didn’t respond, he just watched me with stormy eyes, waiting. “The place was different,” I continued, my voice shaking. “It was like… like time had erased everything. There was no trace of my home. There’s a new building there now. Some sleek modern thing; cold and empty.” I swallowed, pressing a hand to my chest. “No one recognized me. Not even the neighbors. But then again… I’m not the little girl who left that town. I’ve changed. I'm all grown now, with a change of identity and appearance. And I guess they’ve moved on too.” Then softly, he asked, “So why didn’t you just come home? I was here waiting for you." "I know, but I needed some kind of closure." I looked down, blinking back fresh tears. “So I went out of town to find someone, an old friend. The only person I thoug

When I walked into the house, the staff greeted me warmly, Gilmore, Luke, even Brenda. Their faces showed surprise, but there was happiness and a bit of relief in their eyes. “Welcome back, Miss Lily,” one of the maids said with a kind smile. Luke stepped forward and gave me a small nod. “It’s good to see you. Finally, we can all catch a break." I stopped in my tracks. “What do you mean?” I asked, feeling my stomach tighten. Luke rubbed the back of his neck like he was unsure how much to say. “After Gerrard came back alone from your trip, the casino ran into some trouble. Police trouble... Don't worry, it’s all been taken care of now. The boss has powerful connections, you know.” I just nodded. I already knew Gerrard wasn’t the type to fall apart, even with Bruno stirring things up. Still, I felt a strange unease settle in my chest. Luke continued, his voice a little softer now. “But Gerrard hasn’t been himself, he was so worried about you when he couldn’t reach you. He was

We were trapped. Thaddeus had given the order. The guards were moving in to grab me. My heart was racing, I couldn’t let them take me to Bruno. Not like this. Not without a fight. But then, Tim stepped forward. His voice was calm, but strong. "You might want to think twice before you do that." Thaddeus raised a brow, amused. "Is that so?" "I know what you did Thaddeus, I know the old man didn’t steal from Bruno. You did." I turned to look at Tim, shocked. What was he saying? Thaddeus’s smug smile didn’t fade. In fact, he chuckled and looked straight at me. “Wow. That’s what we’re doing now?” he said. “Throwing ridiculous accusations?” I could feel my blood boiling. Tim didn’t back down. “It’s not a lie. I have proof.” That made Thaddeus pause. Just for a second. His smile twitched. Tim pulled out a small recording device. “This was recorded a few months ago. When Thaddeus was supposed to be overseas on a mission. Melissa his girlfriend is my cousin, my uncle, he

The moment I stepped back into Milan, memories rushed over me. The streets, the buildings, even the smell in the air, it all looked the same. The city was busy, full of life, with trams moving and people rushing by. But something felt different. It wasn’t the city. It was me. Everything reminded me of the past I had tried to forget. I kept my hood up, my face down, and stayed hidden during the day. Sir Bruno’s men were everywhere. If they knew I was back, I wouldn’t last long. My first stop was my father’s house. The moment I saw it, my chest tightened. It was abandoned, lifeless. The white paint had peeled away, leaving dark stains. Dust covered the windows, and the porch looked ready to collapse. My father. What had he been going through all this time? Tears filled my eyes. We didn’t have much before, but we were happy, until Bruno destroyed our lives in an instant. I cried for my father, for everything we had lost. But I couldn’t stay long. It wasn’t safe. As I ope