Easter's Lilly (22 page)

“
Then hold your ears,” he said to me. “Sometimes you think to yourself, ‘how much time do I have left?’ I get that.”

“
Thank you, sir,” Max replied.

We heard the shower go off and my dad said, “Come on, let’s get to the kitchen. I don’t want him to feel self-conscious. Give him his privacy.”

When Hector finally joined us, Max poured him bourbon and I wrapped my arms around his neck from behind. He grabbed my hands and said, “I’m sorry about that Lilly.”

“
Sorry about what?” I asked.

“
You don’t think he slept with her, do you? Because I really have no doubts.”

“
No, Hector, I know better,” I assured him. “He loves me.”

Hector turned around and kissed my cheek. “I wish we had what you do. But now I’m not sure what we had.”

“
I am so sorry about the baby,” I told him.

“
Yeah, me too,” he said. “I’m not even sure it was mine.”

“
They will check the DNA when they examine her,” my dad reminded him. “We need to know who might have put the hit out… Diego or Jorge.”

“
Isn’t it the same thing?” I asked.

“
Well,” dad said. “I’m not sure anymore. What if Olivia and Diego were lovers? Isn’t this going to effect his relationship with his brother?”

“
It would effect mine,” Max added. Hector laughed.

“
Maybe Jorge put the hit out on Olivia, thinking the baby was Hector’s. Obviously she didn’t know you were having them both arrested.”

“
I should’ve told her what was going on,” Hector said in retrospect.

“
No, you shouldn’t have even brought her here,” my dad reiterated. “Just think about what would have happened if you told her the truth. One or all of you would be dead.”

“
I need to know,” Hector said. “I really need to know.”

I’ll call and put a rush on the results,” dad said. “Maybe we’ll know in a few days.”

My phone rang just after that. It was an unknown number from Las Vegas. “I think it’s the jail,” I told them. “What should I do?”

“
Go ahead,” dad said. “See what he wants.” I picked it up and said, “hello?”

“
Put me on speakerphone, baby,” was all I heard. I hit speakerphone and put the phone down on the kitchen table. “Max, you’re looking good these days.” It was definitely Diego. “Lilly, I always thought you looked lovely in white.” Max began to look around. He and Hector started checking the furniture for bugs or cameras. “My beautiful Olivia did a very thorough job. You will never find them all. I even planted some in Lilly’s bedroom.”

I sat down and covered my face. “Diego that is disgusting, even for you.”

“
I see the two of you couldn’t keep your hands off each other long enough to peel Hector away from his dead mistress.” Max grabbed my hand. And stood in front of me.

“
I think it’s sweet Max, that you are still so protective of my wife. But don’t worry; there are no guns. I want the baby alive and well when I take it from you.”

“
Olivia planted the bugs?” Hector asked. “How’d you pull that off?”

“
I discovered that she was going out there to be with you. I chose not to tell Jorge if she would choose to plant the cameras.”

“
Were you sleeping with her?” Max asked.

“
Were
you
?” Diego asked.

“
No,” he answered calmly. “Were you lovers, Diego?”

“
I hear the baby may have been mine,” Diego continued. “That was an unfortunate consequence.”

“
I have to know, Diego,” Hector asked. “Did you take it from her or did she give it to you?”

“
She gave it to me whenever I asked for it. She was most generous,” he continued. “I did not order the hit and we both assumed the baby was yours.”

“
Great job,” Hector said sarcastically.

“
I guess that makes you brother number three,” Diego said, laughing like a mad man. “I won’t let Lilly go, so please return her in tact. Oh and keep your hands off her.”

“
I’ll never go back to you, you bastard!” I screamed.

“
Sure you will,” he replied. “When I kill your lover and steal your baby, you’ll be begging me to take you back. Begging…”

“
Diego?” Max asked calmly. “Where are you?”

“
Right where you left me, bro.” He paused. “I can kill you from here, but I won’t. Not yet.”

“
Still in prison, making a phone call and watching us on camera… I don’t believe you.”

“
I’m a powerful man, mi hermano. Jorge is even more powerful than I.”

“
Just go away and leave us alone,” I cried.

“
Now what fun would that be?” he continued. “I think I may play with my little brother for a little while longer and then… I’ll come back for you. Don’t we all tell you that, Lilly? We’ll come back for you?” I lost all feeling in my legs; I could not stand or breathe. “Aren’t you our Easter Lilly?” Max looked at me for a reaction. “You still belong to me,” he continued. “Oh and Hector… watch your back.” Then he hung up the phone.

“
What the hell was that?” Max asked. “Olivia, cameras, death threats… I think he’s finally gone mad.”

“
I’m scared, Max. What are we going to do?” My hands were shaking and tears were falling out of my eyes. Hector came up behind me and hugged me. “We are the best there is, he doesn’t stand a chance.” Max and my dad had their heads together in the corner.

“
What about Olivia?” I asked. “That could have easily been me!”

“
She didn’t listen to me,” he answered. “If she had just listened to me and stayed here, she would still be alive.”

“
Oh crap,” he said. “Guys!” He called to my dad and Max. “We need to sweep the house for bugs.” They turned and looked at him. “Seriously Mick, we need to do it now.”

“
You’re right,” he agreed. Then my dad took his cell phone and walked out the door making the call. Max walked over to me and picked me up off of the chair so that I was standing in front of him. “Do you trust me querida?”

“
Of course I do,” I answered.

“
We will keep you safe,” he replied. “Do you believe me?”

My knees were weak. All he had to do was touch me and I was useless. He put his lips against mine and I let out a moan. “Gross!” Hector said as he walked out of the kitchen. We stood in there kissing until my dad came back into the room.

“
Trying to piss him off?” dad asked.

“
Maybe,” Max answered. “Maybe he should get what he pays for.”

My dad made a face. “Maybe you two should stay apart until we sweep the house,” he suggested. Max laughed.

“
I’m not going to let him see her, don’t worry. We waited almost four years, we can wait a few more days.” He kissed me. “Kissing is allowed though, right?” Max laughed, knowing very well the answer to that question. His smile could light up a room.

“
Kissing is fine if you must,” he answered. “But seriously, try to refrain.” Hector walked back in. “When will they be here?” he asked.

“
In a few hours,” dad replied.

“
Thank goodness,” I said, unaware that I said it out loud. Max gave me a knowing look of why I wanted those bugs cleared.

“
In the mean time,” Hector said. “Lets go out for a while.”

“
Aren’t you afraid someone will come after us out in public like that?” I asked.

“
Lilly,” Hector smiled. “You’re with Max and me. Even with four FBI agents standing behind us at the restaurant, you wouldn’t be safer than with the two of us.”

“
Especially me,” Max added.

“
If he doesn’t say so himself,” Hector replied.

“
I’m a sharp shooter,” Max reminded me. I remembered all the times I had seen Max and Hector decimate gunmen before. “I have uncanny reaction time.”

“
He means
no
reaction time,” Hector corrected him. “You know when you watch TV and some guy grabs and girl and puts a gun to her temple?”

“
Yeah,” I answered, waiting in anticipation.

“
All the people in the room hand over their guns in fear that he will shoot her.” He took a breath. “Then the crazy guy makes off with the girl?”

“
Yes, of course,” I answered.

“
Max is the guy who blows his head off before he actually has the girl.”

“
Thanks for the mental image,” I replied. It was actually a little disturbing.

“
Hector’s the guy who sweeps the cars and defuses the bombs,” Max added. “But don’t sell him short. Hector is an amazing sharp shooter too. I have never met anyone better than we are.”

“
Long story short,” my dad interrupted. “These egomaniacs are very good at what they do. You will be very well protected.”

I grabbed my purse and dad took us out for dinner. It was nice to feel safe, even if it was only for a few minutes.

Chapter 19

“
Right,” Max Said. “Focus...”

“
I’m just going to say what everyone is thinking,” Hector said. “How do we know for sure that it’s really your baby in there?” He looked at Max.

“
Not in front of her father,” Max answered.

“
Hector’s right,” dad said. “We should get a test done or something.”

“
I’m sure it’s Max’s baby. I’m sure!” I was starting to get a little mad.

“
How can you be sure?” dad asked. “I don’t mean to hit on delicate territory but weren’t you with both men continuously?”

“
Oh God,” I said, turning different colors of purple. “I can’t have this conversation with you.”

“
I
can,” Max, said. “Are you sure you want details, Mick?”

“
Yes, I’m sure,” he said. “Wait, I don’t know.” He stopped again. “Keep it simple,” he finally concluded.

I sat there looking at Max but he was just having way too much fun with this. “Lilly and I waited… almost four years,” he said. “Really, no kidding.”

“
That’s a long time, Max.” he replied.

“
One day Diego made this huge speech about how he wasn’t going to force himself on her anymore and that they were going to make a baby together.” My dad made a face and put his head into his hands.

“
At that point I realized that I had waited too long. She might fall in love with him and I had never….” He stopped. “Well… you know,” he continued.

“
Get to the point,” dad said, obviously embarrassed.

“
I hadn’t been with a woman since I met your beautiful daughter,” he went on. “So, I knew I would get her pregnant right away. After that day, he didn’t touch her for a little over three weeks.”

“
Did you use protection?” he whispered.

“
Mick it was either his baby or mine… be happy she chose me or things would be much worse.”

“
Okay,” he said. “Go on…”

“
He slept with her the day they were both shot. You remember; I called you?”

“
Of course,” he answered.

“
The doctor discovered at that time that she was three weeks pregnant. Sorry you asked?” he said with a chuckle.

“
A little,” he answered. “But what about the times Diego and she were together
before
that day?”

“
We always used protection,” I said.

“
Still, Lilly, there is no guarantee.” I started to realize that he might be right. Max sensed my panic and grabbed my hand. “Even if it isn’t mine, which it is.” He looked over at my dad, and then he looked back at me. “I will love it and care for it as though it were my own.” Tears formed in my eyes.

“
That is so sweet,” Hector said, pretending to cry.

“
Shut up,” I blurted, hitting him in the arm.

“
Anyway, test… soon….” Hector said. “Okay Max?”

“
I’ll call the doctor tomorrow,” dad agreed. “Both of you go with her and Max do not leave her side.” He looked at me. “Even during the test, he stays.”