Easter's Lilly (18 page)

He gave me the test and I looked at Hector for some kind of confirmation. He winked at me and gave me a reassuring nod. He and I both already knew I was pregnant. I went into the bathroom and took the test, came outside and handed it to Diego. He put it on top of a napkin on the counter and set a timer. Hector’s expression was grave. “Where’s Max?” I asked. No one said a word. I sat down on an empty chair next to Hector. He squeezed my hand under the table. The timer rang and Jorge went over to the test and smiled. “Congratulations, my brother!” He hugged Diego and Hector kissed me on the cheek. Then I got that bad feeling again.

“
We have to tell her,” Hector sighed.

“
Tell me what?” I asked. “Oh no, MAX!” I screamed.

“
He’s not dead!” Hector said quickly. “But it’s bad, Lilly.”

“
Is this some kind of joke?” I asked. “Easter Sunday and something happens to Max?”

“
He was shot in Mexico,” Diego started. “I’m having him flown out here for surgery.” He shot a look at Jorge that was not friendly.

“
Shot?” I screamed. “Who shot him? Where was he shot?” I started to feel off balance and Diego got up and grabbed me.

“
Three times,” Hector said. “I think it was a hit. He was shot in the stomach and once in the chest.”

“
Please Diego, please…” I was crying and begging. “Let me see him.”

“
You’re mine now, Lilly.” He was very sobering. “You are pregnant with my baby, so I will make a few allowances.” He picked up my chin as he often did when he was trying to make a point. “Even if Max is the biological father…” He looked at Jorge, who nodded at him. “This is
my
baby. Do you understand? And that is what you will tell Max.”

“
Yes sir.” I didn’t care. I just wanted to see Maxwell.

“
I will look the other way and you do whatever you have to do to get him to fight, do you understand? Whatever you have to do.”

“
Yes sir,” I answered again.

“
But when he lives through this,” he paused, “and damn it, he
will
live through this, you have to end it with him. Are we clear?”

“
Yes Diego. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do.”

“
You are weak,” Jorge said. “You should have let him die.”

“
I keep my word, “ he replied. “I made him a promise.”

I remembered that day when the promise was made. Max saved Diego’s life and Diego said if anything ever happened to Max he would do the same. They had the strangest relationship. But I was simply grateful that he was going to save him. We got into the limo and headed for the hospital. “Where’s Olivia?” I asked.

“
She’s riding in the plane with Max,” Diego answered. “She didn’t want him to be alone. She was right there when he was shot.”

“
Strange how she walked away without a scratch,” Hector responded. “How did anyone get passed your guards, Jorge? Your house is like Fort Knox.”

“
I guess every now and then, someone slips by,” he answered. Hector and Diego shot each other looks of disbelief.

By the time we got to the hospital, no one was speaking to Jorge at all. I think they blamed him for it somehow. We rushed inside and the nurse told us he should be here in another few minutes. “He’s still conscious,” she told us. “Apparently he still has his sense of humor and is asking for someone named Lilly. Is that you?” she asked me.

“
Yes,” I gasped. “He’s still making jokes?” I asked.

“
He’s in good spirits,” she continued.

“
He’s happy because he’s coming back here,” Diego explained. “Remember our deal.”

“
Yes sir,” I answered. “I will do as you ask. Thank you.”

The paramedics came pushing him in on a gurney and Olivia came running in behind him. Diego and I got up and ran to him. “Max, it’s us, we’re here,” Diego told him. He reached his hand out and put in on my belly. Then he grabbed my hand. Diego did not like that. He had an oxygen mask on and looked pale and weak.

“
Lilly?” he said under his mask. I pulled the mask away for a minute and leaned over to kiss him when I remembered that Diego was standing next to me. Diego caught my eyes and turned his head away from us. I kissed Max on the lips and he kissed me back. I put the mask back on him. “I love you, daddy.”

He lifted up his mask and said; “You know what that does to me, when you call me that.”

“
If you wanted to come back, all you had to do was say so,” I replied. He smiled at me and squeezed my hand. “Diego had you flown here from Mexico,” I added.

“
Gracias, mi hermano,” he said to Diego.

“
You’d do the same for me,” he answered.

“
I’ll be here when you wake up,” I told him. Then he said something to me in Spanish that I did not understand.

“
Are you his wife?” the nurse asked.

“
Yes,” I blurted. What was I thinking?

“
Sister-in-law,” Diego said to her. “It’s all right, they’re close.”

“
We have to take him now,” she said.

I squeezed his hand and let it go. He kept talking in Spanish. He was obviously woozy from something they gave him. “What did he say?” I asked Diego, hoping he would tell me the truth.

He sighed, took my hands and brought them to his face. “Lovely one, I live for you and you alone.” He looked very sad. “That’s what he said.”

Chapter 16

“
I Don't Know Lilly, Would it Have Made a Difference?”

We walked to the cafeteria and Diego got me a glass of water. “We need to talk, Lilly,” he started.

“
I will forever be in your debt for bringing him back here,” I offered. “You really do love him on some level, don’t you.”

“
Yeah, I guess so,” he answered. “We used to be very close.”

“
What happened?” I asked. His face got very grave. He took my hands and kissed them. “You happened, Lilly.”

“
Max says you would kill us both if I left you,” I added. Then I saw him pull out a small book from his pocket. “Is that a…” I paused, “Bible?”

“
You bet I would,” he said. “I’m not proud of it, but that is who I am. And now you’re carrying my baby, so we are connected.”

“
Then what the hell are you doing with a Bible?” I asked angrily.

“
I don’t know, Lilly. Maybe I need to be a better person.” He started flipping through the pages. “I’m going to take Max back,” he added. “And I’m keeping Hector but there have to be some ground rules.” I was so excited that my heart almost beat right out of my chest.

“
Okay,” I responded. “What kind of rules?”

“
Hector will continue to be your bodyguard, since I’m pretty sure he won’t ever want to change your relationship.”

“
I’m gross, remember?” I answered. He smiled.

“
That’s what I mean,” he replied. “He could never be with someone Max has been with.”

“
What else?” I asked.

“
Max will go back to doing my numbers and… the other things he did for me that you do not want to know about,” he explained. “But you have to break it off.”

“
I understand,” I answered.

“
Lilly, I mean it. No sex. If I find the two of you in any compromising positions, he’s gone.” He was very serious.

“
I understand,” I said again. “I will leave him alone.”

“
You can see him at the house and be friendly towards each other but that’s it.” He looked down at his little book. “I like it when he’s around, because you smile more.”

“
Does Jorge know you’re taking him back?” I asked.

“
Here’s the thing, Lilly.” He took a deep breath and held my hands. “I think Jorge put the hit out on Max. I think Max lived because of you. If I send Hector or Max back with him, he will have them killed. It’s just a matter of time.”

“
Why?” I asked. “Why would he do that?”

“
You and Max, Hector and Olivia… the betrayal.” I looked down towards the table. I suppose there is nothing more horrible than what we did to him. “But I don’t want them dead. Our world is full of murder and blood.” He paused. “We have to keep each other alive.”

“
I respect you so much for what you’re doing,” I added. “Diego, I wish you had given me the opportunity to know you when I first came to your home.”

“
I don’t know Lilly, would it have made a difference? Wouldn’t you have fallen in love with him anyway?”

“
We’ll never know now, will we,” I answered. “I think Max would have kept away if you paid attention to me.”

“
I think you’re right,” he answered. “But you have such a strong connection. I’m not sure it would have changed anything.” We sat quietly for a few minutes. Both of us thinking the same thing… That he should just let me go… but he wouldn’t do that.

“
You must be mindful of Jorge,” he finally admitted. “I’ll call Hector over in a minute. He’ll need to be with you all the time. I’m really afraid of what he’s going to do next. He may come after me once I keep the boys here.”

“
You mean, come after
me
, don’t you,” I asked.

“
He has no boundaries,” he answered. “Women, children… unborn children… brothers… he doesn’t care.” He squeezed my hands. “Please do not be alone with him.”

“
No problem there,” I said. “I do
not
like him.” Diego laughed.

“
One brother I don’t have to worry about.” We both laughed and then he picked up his phone and called Hector to meet with us.

Hector showed up right away. “Still no news,” he told him. “But he’s still holding his own.” I breathed a sigh of relief and Hector took my hand. “Thank you for being here,” he said.

“
Like I’d be anywhere else.” Then I looked at Diego and thought about that pregnancy test he made me take. “Diego, if I wasn’t pregnant, would you have let me come?”

“
No,” he answered. “See, I need to be a better person.” He picked up his Bible. Hector took it out of his hands.

“
You’re kidding, right? What are you going to do with this?”

“
I don’t know,” he confessed as he grabbed it back. “I think I should read it.” They were both quiet for a minute. Not sure what to say, Diego went back to our previous conversation. “Hector, I’m keeping you and Max with me. You will be Lilly’s bodyguard and Max will go back to being… Max.” Hector smiled.

“
Thank you Diego,” he said. “Thank you for reading that book.”

“
I think Jorge put a hit out on him,” Diego continued. “He’ll kill both of you if he gets the chance. I can’t let that happen.”

“
I’ve been in his house for years. No one has
ever
gotten onto his property uninvited, let alone into his house.” Hector shook his head. “And how did the intruder let Olivia live to tell the story? She knows the shooter,” he continued.

“
That’s what I think,” Diego conceded. “Look how bruised her face is. What the hell is he doing to her?”

“
I know,” Hector agreed. “I feel responsible. I thought we were careful.”

“
Just stay with me for a while and keep a sharp eye on Lilly. I suspect you are my safest bet right now.” He laughed and shot me a look.

“
I swear if you call me gross one more time, I will slap you,” I said to him.

“
Do not and I repeat, do not leave her alone with Jorge.” Diego was quite serious.

“
I already have a strict policy about that,” he answered. “Thanks Diego.”

“
I think he picked Easter to send a message,” Diego went on to say. He looked at me. “Easter’s Lilly and all.”

“
There’s no doubt about that,” Hector said. “That’s why you think he might go after her next?”

“
I think he’s going to go after
you
next.” Diego’s cell phone rang and he looked at it. “The doctor wants to see us.”

We quickly got up from the table and went back to the waiting room. The doctor sat down in front of Diego and Diego grabbed my hand. “How is he?” I asked.

“
He’s pretty tough,” the doctor said. “He must have a lot to live for.” Diego looked at me and shook his head. “He was strong and the surgery went well. He’s in recovery right now but I expect him to be out and about in a few days.” I jumped up off of the chair and jumped up and down. Hector got up and hugged me twirling me in the air. When he put me down Diego stood up and hugged me.