Easter's Lilly Page 23

“Lilly, let’s talk about having a baby.” I looked at him trying to find the strength to look positive about this. “You did promise to love and obey me and you’re not doing a very good job.” He was half kidding but looked a little serious.

  “Now?” I asked. “You want to try now?”

  “Why not?” he answered.

  “Have they left yet?” I asked. He seemed disturbed by my question. He picked up the radio and said something in Spanish over it.

  “They’ll call me when they go,” he answered. He walked away for a few minutes and my stomach began to feel sick. When he came back in, someone on the radio said, “Max and Hector have left the property.” They said it in English, which surprised me. I have never heard Max or Hector speak in English on the radio. He took my hand and walked me to his bedroom. Our bedroom.

  He put me on the bed and undressed me rather quickly. He got on top of me and started kissing my neck. He was calling my name out when the door opened and I heard Max say, “Diego, what is so important, I have to go…” He looked up and saw us and I screamed bloody murder.

  I grabbed a blanket and shouted, “Oh my God Max, I’m so sorry!” I tried to push Diego off of me but he wouldn’t free me.

  “You pig!” Max said to him and looked away from us. “I should have left you on the floor bleeding.”

  “But you’re not that kind of man Max,” Diego replied. “She’ll be pregnant by the time you get back. So, don’t even think she’ll be waiting for you.”

  “Don’t you have any respect for her?” He shook his head. “I have to go.”

  His head was still looking away from us when he said, “Lilly this doesn’t change anything between us.” Then he looked up at me for a second and in a weak voice said, “I love you,” and he closed the door.

  I could hear his footsteps walking away from our bedroom in the hall when Diego got violent with me and started pinning me down. I began to scream and I could hear Max’s footsteps coming back. I know he said he would never get involved in the bedroom but I think he was changing his mind. “Diego, stop!” I said. “Diego don’t! You promised!” He stopped immediately and collapsed beside me on the bed.

  “You’re right,” he agreed, “I did promise. I always keep my word. It just makes me so mad when I hear him tell you he loves you. You are my wife.”

  He turned to me and took a deep breath. Then he wiped the hair from my face and kissed me. “If we’re going to have a baby together, there’s only one way to do it you know,” he said with a smile.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” I scolded. “You didn’t have to call him in like that.”

  “I want him to have that image in his head while he’s away.” He started stroking my hair. “I want him to move on and get over you.”

  “Please don’t do that again,” I asked. “Please, if you want me to treat you like a husband, you have to treat me like a wife.”

  “Is sleeping with my brother, treating me like a husband?” he asked.

  “Is smacking me around, treating me like a wife?” I asked.

  “I guess it depends on whose wife,” he answered with a smirk. Then he got serious and said, “You’re right. But Lilly, once you’re pregnant you’re mine and it’s over with him.”

  “I know,” I said. “I know.” He was much more gentle with me when we finally started to touch and I heard Max’s footsteps go away from the door. It was breaking my heart and I was in absolute pain knowing he would be gone for three days. I still couldn’t believe he was going to kill someone. This whole life was unbelievable sometimes.

  We made love so many times in those three days that I was sick all the time. He wanted to be absolutely sure that I was pregnant before Max got back. I was supposed to be ovulating during those days, so he was pretty confident. When the three days were over Diego, Jorge and I were waiting in the kitchen for their eminent return. They walked in and Jorge said, “Is it done?”

  Hector replied, “Done.”

  “Did he suffer?” Jorge asked.

  “That son of bitch, got what he deserved,” Max answered.

  “Yeah, Max was not in a good mood, to say the least,” Hector told them. Diego smiled. Max pulled a beer out of the fridge and walked out the back door without even a glance at me. The three brothers started talking in Spanish and I slipped out the side door and tried to catch up with him. It was dark and the property was large. The stars were shining brightly and the sky was lit by the full moon. “Max,” I called. “Max!” He slowed down and looked back at me. He smiled and held his hand out for me to take it. “I’m sorry querida,” he answered. “I just wanted to spend some time by the creek before I was banished.”

  “Without me?” I asked. “You do hate me,” I continued. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes and my heart rate accelerate.

  He stopped walking and put his free hand on the side of my face. “Baby girl, you are my whole world. I don’t hate you because of Diego.” He took my hand back into his and we walked to the creek side. “I’m going to miss you,” he said. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. He put his beer down on the rocks and picked me up into his arms. He carried me to a wooded area and put me in the grass as he lay down beside me. He pushed me underneath him, put one hand under my hair behind my neck and one on my back as he pulled me close. We kissed like it would be our last time. He moved his lips slowly down my body and rested them on parts never touched by Diego. I moaned in pleasure, which only inspired him more. He continued to caress me with his lips and I prayed that the moment would go on forever. He traced his lips down my body undressing me as he moved being careful not to miss a spot. As his lips reached the inside of my thighs, I shivered with excitement. He made me feel things I didn’t think possible and he made love to me right there in the dark, under the stars. He brought me to heights over and over and I held onto him with my last breath. He covered my mouth with his to keep me quiet but it was to no avail. I had never reached the places he took me before that night. I was so overwhelmed with emotion that there were tears running down my face. When he was done loving me he helped me get dressed again. It was hard to do. We knew he was leaving soon. We saw three figures in the dark as Max was getting himself dressed. “Oh no!” He grabbed my hand and pulled out his gun with the other. “I’m sorry Lilly.” He put me behind him. It was Jorge, Diego and Hector.

  “Do you think they saw us?” I asked.

  “I think they heard us,” was his reply. He smiled and kissed me one last time. “Lilly if they shoot me, let Hector take care of you.”

  “Max,” I whispered, “don’t say that.”

  It wasn’t long before they were right there upon us. Jorge pulled out a gun and pointed it at Max. “In the air, half-breed!” Max pointed his gun right back at Jorge. “Diego, a gun?” Max asked. “Come on…”

  “Making love to my wife five minutes after you get here. I can’t believe the nerve you half-breeds have,” he responded.

  “How long were you standing there?” I asked.

  “Long enough that he paid me back,” Diego answered. “Lilly, when you’re having an affair, silence is a virtue.” He tried to walk around Max to grab me but Max moved me out of reach.

  “Look,” Diego said. “Jorge, they’re faster than us and we can’t beat them.”

  Jorge continued to hold the gun up at Max. Max still unwavering with his gun pointed at Jorge.

  “Come on boys,” Diego continued. “We all have guns here. Lilly is probably pregnant with someone’s baby. She’ll end up being the one who gets hurt. Drop the guns.” Jorge lowered his weapon. Max did the same.

  “Did you use protection?” he asked Max. Max said nothing. “Did you use protection? I have a right to know.” Max still said nothing. “I have to send you away, Max.” He looked a little disappointed. “I don’t want to kill you, so Mexico is the only way. We can’t live together anymore.”

  I think I lost my sanity for a minute. I threw myself at Diego’s feet and began to beg. “Pleas
e Diego, please don’t send him away. Please… I’ll do whatever you want. I won’t ever see him again. Please…”

  Max started to approach me when Diego said, “No, take him to the house.” Jorge pulled Max by the arm and shoved him in the direction of the house. Diego tried to pick me up off the ground but I kept pleading with him. Hector scooped me up off of the ground; I put my arms around his neck and buried my face in his chest. Diego led us back to the house. Hector let me back down and we were standing behind Diego. Jorge put his gun up to Max’s temple and cocked it. Max closed his eyes. I think he was giving up. Hector pulled his gun out so fast I didn’t see his hand move. “I swear to God if you kill him, I will drop you before he hits the ground!”

  “Boys, put the guns away,” Diego ordered. But no one listened. I had to do something. I remembered that Max kept his gun in his waistband in the back of his pants. I wondered if Diego did the same. I reached in front of me and grabbed for Diego’s gun and that is exactly where it was. I held it up and pointed it at Diego. Hector and Jorge instantly lowered their weapons.

  If I had known that pointing a gun at the favorite brother would have such an effect, I would have done it a long time ago,” I said.

  Then at the same time Hector and Max both spouted, “He’s not my favorite brother.”

  “This is not funny!” I screamed. “I am trapped in this house and I have no choices!”

  “Lilly,” Max said. “Don’t shoot Diego, shoot Jorge.” I continued to point the gun at Diego. Although I had always found Max’s humor charming, right now, I was not laughing. Jorge hit Max in the back of the head when he said that and I shouted, “Don’t tempt me Jorge, I’d rather see you dead than anyone else here!”

  “Max, get the gun,” Diego said calmly.

  “I can’t do this anymore,” I continued. “I don’t want to have sex with my husband and make love with my lover anymore. I can’t do it!” My hands began to shake. “You can’t take him from me! I need him! You can’t take him from me!”

  “Max,” Diego said, “do something.”

  “I don’t want to live anymore,” I told them, and I moved the gun from Diego and pointed it at my temple. I heard all four men gasp and say, “No, no, no…”

  “Oh my God,” Hector gasped. “I think you two have pushed her as far as she can go. Max, get the gun.”

  “Lilly…” Max walked over to me and had a very calm tone in his voice. “Remember, you might be pregnant. We’re talking about a baby.”

  “I don’t want to have Diego’s baby!” I shouted. I started to feel overwhelmed and confused. I had been with Diego so many times over past few days; I was feeling disoriented, trapped and desperate.

  “Am I pregnant?” I asked him.

  “Lilly, hand me the gun,” he said.

  “Am I pregnant!” I began to lose control of my voice.

  “Baby girl. If you hurt yourself, you could hurt the baby.” He took a step closer. “Now, don’t move and I’ll take the gun.”

  “NO!” I screamed. “I want to die, Max.”

  “Lilly please…” His eyes began to fill with water. “Please do what I say and give me the gun.”

  “He’s making you leave me,” I reminded him. “You’ll have to move on with another woman and I’ll still be here, pregnant with Diego’s baby. I don’t know how you watch him touch me over and over again. I can’t watch you marry someone else.” I was losing control, I was aware of that. My emotional pain became physical.

  “Max…” Hector was beginning to panic. “Max, what’s happening?”

  “Lilly, there’s no one else. There will never be anyone else.”

  “That’s what Johnny said,” I answered. “That’s just what he said.”

  “Lilly, he will have to find someone else, he isn’t coming back,” Diego started and I cocked the gun.

  “Shut up you idiot!” Max shouted at Diego.

  “Max!” Hector said in a desperate tone.

  “I know,” Max replied, “I heard it.” He reached for the gun but I moved and he stopped. “Lilly, I’m not Johnny. You’re my everything.”

  “No,” I said, “I can’t live like this anymore. You’re leaving me here and I’m pregnant with Diego’s baby. I can’t do this without you.” I put my finger on the trigger. “It’s over Max.”

  “Diego, tell her she can have a few minutes with me before I go,” Max pleaded. Diego said nothing. “Tell her!” he shouted.

  “Lilly, you can have as much time as you need with him before he leaves.” Diego was scared; I could hear it in his voice.

  “Lilly…” Max’s voice was very calm and his hand was gently pushing the gun to the floor. “I’m going to take the gun away. Don’t move, Lilly.” He pulled the gun away and slipped it into Diego’s hand, who was standing behind him. “Good girl,” he said. There were deep sighs all through the room. “Come with me into the living room.”

  “No,” I said. “No, it’s over.” The truth was that I couldn’t move my legs. He picked me up into his arms and carried me into the living room. He sat on the couch and put me in his lap. Then he put his hands on my face and kissed me over and over until he thought I might be coherent again. I could see Diego, Hector and Jorge watching from the kitchen. Max lifted up my chin so I would be looking at him. “Lilly, whose baby are you carrying?” He said it almost in a whisper.

  “I don’t know,” I answered. “It’s him, then you, it’s him, then you…” I put my hands over my face. “I don’t remember.” I started sobbing.

  “Lilly, look at me.” I turned my face so I could see his eyes. “It’s my baby. You’re carrying my baby.”

  “How can you be sure?” I asked.

  “I’m very sure.” He reached up and brushed my hair from my sweaty brow.

  “Thank God,” I responded and I threw my arms around his neck.

  “You can’t fall apart on me, baby girl. You have to stay strong.”

  “I’m sorry, Max, but I know I’ll never see you again.”

  “I want you to pack a bag for you and one for the baby.” He kissed me and turned his head away so the men in the kitchen couldn’t see what he was saying. “I will be back in two months and we will have little time to get out, so you must be ready.” He continued, “If Diego sees the bag, you tell him it’s a pregnancy emergency bag, okay?”

  “Yes sir,” I answered. “I pack a bag for me and Dieguito and have it ready for when you return in two months.”

  “Good girl,” he said and he gently brushed my cheek with his fingers. “Whose baby are you carrying?”

  “Yours,” I answered. “I’m a little over two months now, right.”

  “I think so,” he replied. “You’re coming back to me now, that’s good.”

  “I’m okay, Max,” I answered. “I just can’t imagine being without you for so long.”

  “Hector will take care of you.” He smiled. “But don’t get too attached. I know how you get with your bodyguards.” I laughed. “Oh and one more thing,” he added. “You’ll have to stop seeing Diego when I get back. I’ll be done sharing at that time, got it.” I laughed a little more. “Okay Lilly, who’s the father of your baby?”

  I smiled. “I’m all right Max. It’s you and only you.”

  “Am I coming back?” he asked.

  “Yes, in two months,” I answered.

  “Stay strong querida.” He took my face into his hands and kissed me.

  “If you don’t come back, I will end my life,” I told him, “after our baby is born.”

  “I’ll be back, I promise.” Tears started falling from his eyes. “Please promise me…” He paused. “No suicide.” He grabbed me and kissed me hard and pulled me close. I almost lost control. “Promise me Lilly, promise me.”

  “I’ll wait for you, Max,” I promised.

  “I’ll be thinking of nothing else,” he added. “When this is all over, we’ll get married and make it legal.” I kissed him again and Diego came out.

  “Okay, t
hat’s enough,” he said.

  Jorge came out and pulled his gun and pointed it at Max. “Let’s go, half-breed.”

  “No guns,” Diego told him. He pushed the gun to the floor much like Max did to me. “No guns, he’ll go.”

  “I’ll go,” he agreed. He kissed me one more time and got up. “Remember what I said.” He blew me a kiss as Jorge shoved him out the door. Hector and Diego stared at me with not a clue of what to do next. I sat on the couch feeling empty and cold.

  “Do you want me to handle this?” Hector asked.

  “She’s my wife, I’ll handle her.” Diego began to approach me.

  “I want Hector,” I said with little emotion in my voice.

  “Lilly let’s go,” Diego said calmly as he put out his hand.

  “I want Hector!” I yelled.

  Hector looked at Diego for a minute and said, “Let me take care of her tonight. You can trust me with her.”

  Diego backed up and said something to Hector in Spanish. Then Hector put his hand out for me to take it. “Come on Lilly.” I stood up and took his hand. “You can sleep in my room and I’ll sleep on the floor.” I realized that Diego had probably suggested the sleeping arrangement in Spanish.

  “That’s fine,” I agreed. “I don’t want to be alone.” We walked passed Diego who was watching me like he thought I might break. We walked in silence to Hector’s bedroom and he led me to his bed. I sat there motionless. He took out some covers and a pillow from the closet and laid them on the floor. Then he took off his pants right in front of me and slipped on some sweats. I was a little surprised that he was okay with my seeing him in his underwear but he seemed so at home with me just sitting there. Then he took off his shirt and revealed his marble-like chest. He put on a tee shirt and smiled. “What?”

  “How did you get to be so modest?” I asked sarcastically.

  “Sorry,” he said. “You’ve seen Diego and Max undress… what’s the difference?”

  “The difference is that I don’t get naked with you.” He laughed and threw me a pair of sweatpants that looked to be my size. “My emergency, girl pair,” he said with a chuckle. “Here’s a tee shirt. Get comfortable, I’ll be right back.” He walked out. I changed quickly so as not to get caught undressed and slid under the covers. He was oddly neat and clean like Maxwell. Everything in its place. The room almost smelled sterile. When he came back he had a pillow with him. “Here.” He put it under my head and moved the other to the side. “It’s Max’s.” I smelled it first thing and he smiled. Then he got himself set up on the floor.

  “Hector?” I asked.

  “Yes Lilly.”

  “Will you do something for me?”

  “Yes Lilly, anything.”

  “Will you hold me?” He looked at me for a minute, not sure what to say.

  “In there?” he asked, pointing to the bed.

  “Please Hector. I really want you to put your arms around me. Make me feel safe?” He thought about it for another minute. He stood up and locked the door.

  “If anyone asks, I slept on the floor… alone.” He crawled into bed with me and spooned me. He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and I let out a sigh. “Is this what you want?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I answered. “Thank you.”

  “This so has to stay between us, Lilly. My brother… you know the one… the psycho Iron Man?” I laughed. “He will shoot me first and ask you about it later. This is between us, okay?”

  “Between us,” I agreed. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  When I woke up Hector was staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head and I was wrapped around him with my head on his chest. “So totally inappropriate,” he said nervously. “If Max knew what I had wrapped around me right now, he would totally kill me.”

  “I’m sorry, Hector, but I feel so safe with you.” I tightened my grip around his chest.

  “You feel nice,” he said. “I’m starting to see why they are both so desperate to have you.”

  “Am I arousing you?” I asked in a joking tone.

  “No Lilly, it’s just morning.” He laughed a little. “And keep your eyes up here.” He pointed to his eyes. I snuggled closer into his chest. I put my hand under his tee shirt for a second. I simply had to feel that chest. He grabbed my hand and moved it back to the outside of his shirt.

  “Lilly?” He put his fingers under my chin and pointed my face up. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

  “Sorry,” I answered. “It won’t happen again.”

  “I’m sure Max and the bronze God have just as hard a chest as I do.”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “You won’t let me touch it.” He laughed.

  “No, you can’t touch it.” He stroked my hair. “I’m only a man, you know. I’m strong, but let’s not see how strong.”

  I moved my hand back to where it was before so that I was wrapped around him. I sighed a little as I pressed my head back down on his chest. “He’ll be back for you, you know,” he told me. “It’s not over.”

  “I know that’s what he said,” I answered. “But they all say they’ll come back but they don’t.” I was trying to discretely feel his muscles from over his tee shirt. He suddenly rolled over on top of me and put his hands behind my back. He pulled me into him and pressed his cheek against mine. I could feel his breath in my ear and it was shockingly stimulating. I moaned slightly and when I did, he pulled away quickly and repositioned me back on his chest. I was breathless. He was smiling.

  “What was that?” I asked in shock. This was not something Hector and I would ever do. I was just messing around with him but learned better after that.

  “That, little girl is what you do not want to happen. So… watch your hands.” I was still breathless. “Did I get to you?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I answered bashfully. “It was both terrifying and exciting at the same time.” He peered down at me almost proud of himself. “I’ll bet you’re good at that.”

  “I’m sure I’m no better than Max,” he replied, reminding me not to get any ideas.

  “I’m just saying…” I paused. “Wow!”

  “Lilly, that is a part of me that I will never share with you.” He touched my face for a second. “At least I’m not planning on it.”

  “Well, if you don’t want to share that part of yourself with me, don’t do that again,” I said. He was red in the face and laughing.

  “You’re adorable.” He went back to stroking my hair. “This just feels very comfortable.”

  “I told you,” I replied. “I promise, I’ll behave. I just wanted to feel your chest.” He put his other hand on my back under my shirt. He slid his fingers up, between my shoulder blades and securely grabbed onto the back of my bra. I quivered a little. “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “If I let you touch mine, will you let me touch yours?” He had the most mischievous smile on his face.

  “Okay, okay… Max’s rule… no touching.”

  “That’s what I thought you’d say.” He let go and removed his hand.

  “Hector?” I looked up at him.

  “Yes Lilly, anything.” I smiled.

  “Thank you for making me feel safe.”

  “You’re welcome, anytime.” We lay there for a while saying nothing. He ran his fingers through my hair and I remained wrapped around him like a vine. “I think it’s time for me to deliver you to your husband.” My eyes filled with water. “I will be here for you.” He still didn’t let me go. “If you need me to hold you, I guess I can suffer through it.” He stopped stroking my hair and sat up. “I’ll get dressed in the bathroom this time.” He smiled. I pulled the covers over my head. I heard the bathroom door close and I quickly slipped back on yesterday’s clothes. He came out, took my hand and said, “Time to go.”

  He walked me down the hall to Diego’s room and knocked on the door. Diego opened it and Hector said, “She feels better now. Thanks for letting me take care of her.”

  �
��Where’d you sleep?” he asked.

  “He slept on the floor,” I quickly answered.

  “Thank you, Hector,” he continued. “I owe you one.”

  “I did it for Max,” he said. “I did it for Lilly.” He turned and walked away. I suddenly felt very alone. Diego closed the door behind me and said, “I’m going to go make you some breakfast. Why don’t you take a shower and get dressed.”

  “You don’t want to…” I stopped myself.

  “You need a little time. That’s okay. Go clean up. I’ll see you in a few.” He walked out and I sat down on the bed in shock.

  Diego didn’t try to get intimate with me for at least a week. But I wouldn’t respond to him as I did before and the emptiness became almost unbearable. I grew very depressed.