Easter's Lilly Read online

  Months went by. I had officially been without Maxwell for seven months. I was so lonely. John was happier than I had ever seen him and Dieguito was now calling him daddy. There was still no word from Max or Hector and no sign of life. I was still nursing, much to John’s glee and he got up with me every night and every morning to feed the baby. Sometimes he gave him formula just to give me a break. “You know you can stay asleep,” I told him. “You don’t have to listen for me.” He was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for us.

  “I wish you’d let me sleep with you,” he said. “At least on the floor.”

  “I don’t want to cross any boundaries,” I reminded him. He walked over to me. I could feel what his body was trying to say before he even touched me. I put the baby down into his bassinet. He took my face into his hands. Before I knew what had happened he put his lips on mine. He lifted me up off of the couch and pulled my body against his. I tried to stop him then but I was unable to. He moved deeper into me and I couldn’t break free and I could feel him getting aroused. I was finally able to free my hand so I pushed him back violently and slapped him as hard as I could across the face. I started wiping my lips to try to remove his kiss. “It’s still there,” he told me. “I know it’s still there.”

  “Do not tell Max about this,” I said. “I mean it, John.”

  “I don’t have a death wish,” he assured me. “Besides, I want you to kiss me again sometime.”

  “I didn’t kiss you, let’s get that straight. You kissed me.”

  He smiled and turned the television to the news, searching for information on Diego and Jorge like nothing happened.

  “Jorge Montiago has been spotted in the Las Vegas airport by FBI early this morning,” the anchorwoman reported. There was a picture on the screen of Hector hand- cuffing him.

  “Turn it up, turn it up!” I yelled.

  “Police chief Michael O’Hara, who has already been arrested by the FBI months earlier, is believed to be responsible for Jorge and his brother Diego fleeing from the state penitentiary. An FBI agent shot Mr. O’Hara during what appeared to be a break-in a few months ago at the home of the third oldest Montiago brother, Hector Montiago in Sedona, Arizona. No word on what Police chief O’Hara was doing in the home at the time of the break-in. No word on the whereabouts of Diego Montiago at this time. He was not with his brother Jorge at the airport. Any information on this man needs to be reported right away. He is assumed to be armed and dangerous.”

  “That’s not good,” John said. “Diego is missing and no word on Max. I don’t like it.”

  I’m glad he still thinks Max is dead.”

  “Don’t count on that,” John said. “Mick knows.” We were quiet for a few minutes. “If Mick was dirty, who knows who else was,” he continued.

  “I still can’t believe it,” I said. “My dad, a dirty cop. I thought that was why Diego married me in the first place, to keep dad in line.”

  “And it worked quite well,” he pointed out. I suppose he was right. Dad did and had continued to do everything that Diego had asked him to do. I was still in shock.

  Time went by slowly. We had been living there for too long. The news about Jorge made me think that it wouldn’t be long now before Max caught up with him. I hadn’t heard Max’s deep, Latin, accented voice in so long. I continued to replay it in my head so I wouldn’t forget the sound. Johnny cooked all of our meals for us every day and my son continued to keep a close eye on his newly found father. John made no further attempts to get me into bed but he was still watching me ever so closely.

  “Still no news?” I asked John and Dieguito as I started yet another new day.

  “Nothing,” he said. “I could so get used to this.” John smiled and passed me some eggs. My phone rang and I looked down at it for the caller ID. It wasn’t Max.

  “Did you hear about me on TV?” the voice said. “I’m famous now, you know.” I didn’t say anything. John looked up at me. “Lilly, who is it?”

  “I hope you have enjoyed your time screwing my brother,” he continued. “I’m on my way to come get you and my baby. He’s dead!” and the voice was gone. I dropped the phone and started screaming. Johnny picked up his cell and called the FBI from next door to come over. They raced inside.

  “What’s going on?” Miranda asked.

  “Mommy, mommy!” Dieguito was pulling on my sleeve. All the noise started running together and I couldn’t think. John picked me up the way he saw Max do and he put me on the couch. “Lilly, who was on the phone?”

  “Is Max dead?” I asked Miranda. “Is he dead?” I demanded an answer. She dialed the phone and said, “You all right?” I waited with my heart beat racing. “He’s fine, Lilly.”

  “Diego,” I said. “He called. He said Max was dead and he’s coming for me and the baby.” I swallowed hard. “For me and his baby.”

  “Max,” she said. “Diego knows you’re alive. Mick, you know. Diego called Lilly.” She handed me the phone. “He wants to talk with you.”

  I grabbed the phone from her hand. “Maxwell! You have to come home.”

  “Baby girl,” he said calmly. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes, of course.” I answered.

  “I’m going to find that dog. You have nothing to fear. He doesn’t know where you are. You are covered. I’ll ask Miranda and Steve to monitor the house more carefully at night, okay?”

  “I’m scared, Max. And I miss you.”

  “I know,” he said. “It’s almost over.”

  “Max?”

  “Look at your finger, Lilly.” I looked at the diamond on my finger. “Remember that you promised,” he said.

  “I promised,” I agreed.

  “I love you. I’m fine and I have not seen Diego. Everything is all right.”

  “Tell Hector I’m worried about him too,” I said.

  Max laughed. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll tell him. Get Hector out of your mind, got it?” He always made jokes to ease the tension.

  “I’m just messing with you,” I said.

  “I know,” he added. “Get Miranda for me,” he said. “And Lilly?”

  “Yes daddy.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you more,” I answered.

  “Not possible,” he said. I handed the phone to Miranda.

  “I told you that I’ve heard you call him that,” Johnny said. He smiled and grabbed my hand. “It’s gonna be all right. Max is tough. Iron Man we used to call him. He isn’t easy to kill, trust me, I know.” I smirked at him.

  Miranda hung up the phone. “I’ll need to hook your phone up to a trace,” she said. “Steve and I are going to intrude for the next 48 hours. Max wants to make sure you stay alive, will you be okay with that?”

  I looked at Johnny. I knew he was disappointed. I was thrilled. “Thank you,” I replied. “I’m worried, this time.” My little boy curled up on my lap. “Uncle Max is the best in the business,” he repeated. Something he had heard Max say a hundred times. “He won’t let anything happen to us or the baby.”

  “I know,” I said, “I know.”