Easter's Lilly (36 page)

The boys left us alone while they went to see the FBI. I sat on the couch completely exhausted. Johnny followed me inside and sat next to me on the couch. He reached out and put one hand on my face. “I know,” he said. “Rule number one, no touching.”

I took his hand off of my face and took it with both my hands. “Thank you for everything, John.”

“
I hope they both get put away,” he said. “If Diego gets immunity, we could both be in trouble.”

“
When they get back, we’ll talk about the birthday party. I want you to be there,” I told him. “I’ll never forget how you were there for Chris. I will never forget you.”

“
Kind of hard with little Diego running around,” he said. “Although I am really mad about that name.” I laughed, and moved away from him a little on the couch. He was starting to get too close.

He reached for my face again and pulled me close. “I will miss you more than I could ever tell you,” he said. “I’m so glad we had some time together, even if it was only brief moments. And the kiss…” He breathed in deeply as though he was taking in my scent. “I will never forget the way you responded to me.” I knew I was blushing and that he was delusional.

Max walked in at that moment with Hector behind him. Hector looked at me with disappointment in his eyes. Johnny pulled his hands away quickly and Max said, “What the hell are you doing?” He grabbed John by his ponytail and hoisted him away from me.

“
He was just saying goodbye, Max, that’s all,” I told him.

Max pulled out his gun and pointed it at John. “Do it from here.”

“
I’m staying for the party,” John said. “But after the party, I’ll get out of your way. I was just telling Lilly how nice it was to be with them.” He sighed. “Max, I hope you will let me see Dieguito when you get back.”

“
We’ll see,” he said. Max put the gun away. ”I can’t leave you alone for one minute without him putting his hands on you.”

“
It’s okay Max, nothing happened.”

“
What if I was five minutes later? Would you have kissed him?” Hector looked at me as if he too were demanding an answer.

“
No, now stop acting all jealous.” I could feel the agitation showing on my face. “You are the only one for me. How could you doubt me?”

“
You kissed him
once
, didn’t you?”

“
He
kissed
me
,” I corrected. “Max, I love you, please…”

“
He’s just mad because Diego got immunity,” Hector chimed in. “Now there are all kinds of guys hanging around who you have slept with that he knows about.”

“
Weren’t there girls before me, Max?” I asked. “We never talk about it, but weren’t there a few here and there?”

“
A few,” he said. “I don’t like to talk about my indiscretions.”

“
Well, I don’t like to talk about mine!” I was starting to get upset about this unfair treatment.

“
You never told her?” Hector blurted. Max gave him a ‘shut up look’ if I ever saw one.

“
Max was a playboy before Darla. Then he quit cold turkey. So, yeah, there’ve been a few.”

“
Thanks Hector.” He blushed a little. “I’m not proud of my behavior,” he said. “But I don’t like this whole thing with you and Johnny.”

“
There’s no Johnny and me. Now tell me what happened at the meeting and how much trouble we are all in?”

“
I just can’t believe five years of torture was all for nothing,” he said. “I could have taken you out of there years ago.”

“
It’s not for nothing,” Hector said. “Jorge will never see the light of day. The organization will be shut down, and you will get a permanent restraining order on Diego. Diego will spill his guts.”

“
Oh no,” I said. I sat down on the couch so as not to lose my balance. I suddenly felt empty inside. “He’s never going to go away. He’s never going to leave us alone.”

“
Yes he will,” Max, said. “If I have to kill him myself, he will.”

“
Everyone take a deep breath. You’re going back to Arizona and Diego will go back to Nevada. You will probably never cross paths again.”

“
What about Dieguito? What if he fights me for custody?”

“
That was part of the deal. No custody.”

“
I don’t know Max, I have a bad feeling about this.”

“
I fought it Lilly, but they had already made up their minds. Diego knows things about Jorge that even we don’t know. Where he gets his supplies, his involvement with Olivia’s father… all kinds of things. This could be big.”

“
When is all of this supposed to happen?” I asked.

“
We need a few days. Diego has asked to see you, but you don’t have to go.”

Chapter 28

I Hated When They did That.

Max came with me, of course. We entered the hospital room where Diego was under heavy guard. Max sat on the chair by the window and I walked over to his bedside. “Where’s the baby?” he asked.

“
Christian is with his uncle,” I answered. “What do you want, Diego?” I was sure my tone was unsettling.

“
You look well,” he said.

“
Thanks.” I smiled. “Why did you want to see me?”

“
I’m sorry, Lilly.” He reached for my hand. I looked at Max first, almost for permission. Max gave me an approving nod and I took his hand. “I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for how I hurt you. I’m sorry for keeping you from Max. I’m just sorry.”

His face was very sincere. Max held up a Bible he found on the table. “Yours?” he asked Diego.

“
Mine,” he answered. “And now
she’s
yours. I won’t mess with that.”

“
Took you long enough,” Max replied, in his usual humorous way trying to lighten the mood.

“
I am especially sorry for those two nights,” he said, looking into my eyes for a memory.

“
Which two?” I asked. “Really Diego, I have more than just two bad nights tucked away in my memory.”

“
Of course,” he agreed. “The night you discovered John was alive…” He stopped and took a breath like he was in pain. “And the night in the hotel.”

My body shuddered when I thought about the last one. “The hotel,” I repeated.

“
I was using that night. I know, no excuses, but I was. I was just so mad that you didn’t love me. I just wanted you to stop seeing him in your head when you were with me.”

“
I know.” I wasn’t really sure what to say.

“
Remember when we first started making love?” Max shivered a little when he said that. “You seemed to really like it at first. You would lay your head on my chest and I thought it might happen. You might fall in love with me. But the more we were together…” he looked up at Max, “the more you wanted me to be him. I should have let you go then.”

“
I’m sorry Diego. I spent the whole first two years depending on Max for everything. It was easy to love him.”

“
Are you happy, Lilly?” He looked up into my eyes.

“
Yes, Diego. I’ve never been happier.”

“
Good,” he said. “Finally, right?”

“
How are you feeling?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“
Alive,” he said. “A little sore but alive.”

“
I have to ask,” Max started. “Why all the sex questions? Didn’t you torture me enough while it was going on?”

“
It was just one last dig,” he said, trying not to laugh. “I just wanted to try to prove that there were moments of joy for her. Even if they were just fleeting.”

“
I’ll give you fleeting,” Max said, still entertaining himself.

“
What about Olivia?” I asked Diego. “Were you having an affair?”

He looked disgusted with himself when I asked him that. “You have the right to ask,” he said. “No, no affair. She was afraid of me and one night, while I was feeling sorry for myself, I took advantage of that.” He took another breath. I wasn’t sure if it was pain or shame. “I took her and she let me. It gave me a sense of… I don’t know, getting one up on Hector and Jorge at the same time.”

“
Yuck,” Max responded. “So, you were number three then, weren’t you.” He said it in a statement, not as a question.

“
Yeah, I guess,” he answered. “She didn’t really want me, but she didn’t complain either.” He smiled, almost proud of himself. “I think she was really too scared to say no.”

“
Did she plant the cameras?” Max asked.

“
Sure did,” he told him. “Between Leticia, Olivia and Mick, you were covered.”

“
The TV?” Max asked.

“
My little secret,” Diego added, smiling.

“
Last question,” Max went on. “Why did Olivia tell you she was coming with us?”

“
I only heard the part about her and Hector. I was unaware that you were taking my wife at the time.”

“
Yeah, sorry about that,” he said with a wink in my direction.

“
Where’s Johnny?” he asked. “Living with him has got to be fun.”

“
Nothing like an old boyfriend hitting on your wife,” Max said. “Go ahead and say it… karma.”

Diego laughed again. It was weird. They were getting along just like the old days. “You’re married now?”

“
Yes, finally.” Max said it with a huge amount of relief.

“
Okay, then,” he continued. “Time to move on. What are we going to do about the house?”

“
I guess keep it,” Max suggested. “It’s the only tie we still have to papi.” He paused. “I guess you can stay in it, if you want to.”

“
Yeah, I think I might just do that.” He smiled. “If I quit selling, how can I afford a new house?”

“
You better quit selling,” Max reminded him. “Are you planning on going into witness protection after you testify? Jorge will have you dead in five minutes, if you don’t, you know.”

“
You know better than anyone how easy it is to find someone you want to find,” he reminded him.

“
Consider it, Diego. I’ll hide you somewhere. I did a great job with Johnny, didn’t I?”

“
I’ll give it some thought,” he said. His eyes were starting to look sleepy.

“
What are you going to do, I mean for work?” Max asked him.

“
Maybe I’ll become a cop,” he said. They both laughed. “I really don’t know. I’ll be honest with you… it’s gonna be hard to walk away.”

“
I know,” he answered. “But you will.”

“
Lilly, do you forgive me?” he asked. “Please forgive me.”

“
I don’t know Diego,” I said. “That’s a lot of forgiving.”

“
I will pray that you change your mind,” he said as he squeezed my hand.

“
I’ll forgive you,” I answered. “Just give me a little time.” I reached down and gently hugged him.

“
Max,” he said. “Can I talk to you alone for a minute, before you go?”

“
It’s okay, Diego, I’ll probably tell her anyway.” Then he looked at me. “We have no secrets.”

“
I think you have one,” Diego said. I started to panic a little.

“
Lilly,” Max said. “Can we have a minute?”

“
I am so not leaving,” I said. “This is obviously about me.”

“
As you wish,” Diego agreed.

His eyes locked with Max’s and they started communicating in Spanish. I
hated
when they did that. I simply must learn that language. They talked for a while and Max was visibly upset. He threw his hands in the air at one point and walked around the room. Then they finally stopped and Max said, “Maybe you will change, after all. Thanks, man. I owe you one.”

“
She loves you, Max.” For some reason, he wanted to make that clear. “Don’t blow it. You know between the two of us…” He looked over at me. “She’s been emotionally battered. Keep that in mind.”

He hugged him. “I won’t let her go so easily,” he said. “It took me this long to get her.”

“
Goodbye Lilly,” Diego managed.

I walked over to his bedside. I searched his eyes for the story he told Max. “What did you tell him?” I whispered. “Should I hug you or did you just rat me out for something.”