Easter's Lilly (32 page)

“
I couldn’t stand it, thinking about you playing house with that guy,” he said. “Give me everything, baby girl.” I got on top of him and he pulled whatever clothing was left off of my body. He pushed himself inside of me and I let out a cry. He quickly rolled me over and covered my mouth with his. “Don’t forget about the boys,” he whispered.

“
Oh daddy,” I cried. He began to kiss every inch of me. My ears, my neck, my leaking breasts and worked his way down to my toes. I don’t know how he expects me to be so quiet when he is driving me crazy like that. I whispered his name into his ear and he moaned slightly each time. I was alive. Every inch of me was on fire. We made love until we heard Hector and John come back in. He cried out my name one last time and collapsed beside me. I curled up on his even more muscular chest than I had remembered. He cradled me in his arms. “I so want to do more of that later,” he whispered. I kissed his chest a few times. “Stop that,” he said. “I have zero will power right now.”

Hector knocked on the door. “Hey you guys, are you coming back out?”

“
Yeah, yeah, yeah…” Max answered. “Give us a minute.” We got dressed and we kissed a little before we walked back into the living room. I set the monitor and he went for the door. Then he took my face and kissed me again. I think we’re going to have to talk about the last 8 months.” We headed out the door and I dreaded what I knew was going to be the new topic of conversation.

Hector and John were in the kitchen making some dinner. John looked at Max and said, “I meant what I said.”

“
I heard you the first time,” he told him. “You were alone for a long time.”

“
She kissed me back,” he said, smirking at me. I was remembering what he said about a death wish. It didn’t take him long to change his mind about that.

“
What happened to, ‘I owe you?’” Max asked. “Did you think she would leave me for you?”

“
I didn’t plan it. Here we were, husband and wife having a baby together. I missed the whole first time,” he said. He looked down at the potatoes he was cutting and abruptly stopped. “She loved me too once,” he continued.

“
What happened?” Max asked me. “You don’t…” He stopped. He couldn’t say it out loud.

“
No, no, don’t be ridiculous! I love you, daddy, only you.” He picked me up and put me on his lap on the couch. Then he kissed me right there in front of God and all His people.

“
She kissed me back,” he said again. “I may have started it, but she liked it.”

“
Shut up!” Hector said. “It’s over now, he’s back.”

“
You can shut me up if you want to, but she still has feelings for me.”

“
I don’t care,” Max replied. “Maybe you just caught her off guard, I don’t know. But she doesn’t love you. She’s been over you for quite some time now. She’s mine.” He kissed me again.

“
Tell him, Lilly. Tell him there’s a part of you that still wants me.”

“
Lilly,” Max started, “unless you’re planning on leaving me for him, tell me you didn’t kiss him back.” He grabbed my chin with his hand and made my eyes meet his. “If you are still in love with me, just tell me you did not kiss him back.” He looked over at John. “If you want to leave me, tell me you did. But I don’t want to hear that you were… I can’t hear that, Lilly.”

“
I didn’t kiss him back,” I said. “He grabbed my face, kissed me and I smacked him across the face.” Max laughed.

“
Oh yeah, that’s love,” Hector blurted. “Let me give it a try.”

“
Okay, boys that’s enough,” Max scolded. “No one kisses my girl, but me.” John, frustrated, left the room.

“
That’s all I wanted to know,” he resolved. But the elephant in the room was ever present and ever growing. “Whatever happened,” he continued, “I know you love me.”

I felt so guilty for even having John’s lips against mine, even if I didn’t want them there. But the man of my dreams was home, safe and that really seemed to be all that mattered.

We were all exhausted and went to bed almost immediately after dinner. We hadn’t made any plans yet for tomorrow, but Max and I had a lot of catching up to do. We made love all night; I’m sure to the dismay of Johnny and Hector who had to listen to it. When we woke, the house was full of the smells of breakfast. Only to my surprise it was Hector cooking. “Johnny’s pissed,” Hector said. “So, I cooked. I hope it’s to your liking.” He put a plate in front of me and one in front of Max.

“
You’re the best,” I told him.

“
You’re okay,” Max said laughing. “Thanks, man.”

“
I figured you’d be too tired to cook this morning.” Hector winked at me. “So, now that you’re nursing, I had better make sure you get some food into your system.” I think I saw Max blush. It doesn’t happen often, but he was red in the face, a little. “Nursing
the baby
,” Hector laughed. “I think I hit a nerve.”

“
All right, all right,” Max sputtered. “I need to talk to Steve about a lawyer. It’s time for Lilly to get a 180 pound Mexican removed from her life.”

“
A divorce?” I asked.

“
First,” he continued. “You need to get Johnny to agree to a DNA test with little Diego. I want to be sure we have proof he is not the real father. We don’t want his family somehow getting custody.”

“
I never thought of that. Where’s Johnny?” I asked Hector.

“
He’s outside somewhere. He’s still in love with you, Lilly.” He sat down and started eating some of his own creation. “You must cast quite a spell.”

“
I’ll go find him,” Max said. “He’s probably at the park.” He grabbed his jacket and blew me a kiss. “Make sure Dieguito eats, Lilly,” he reminded me. “Those video games can be addicting.” He left and Hector sat there eying me.

“
What?” I asked.

“
Did you kiss him back?” He sat there waiting for an answer. “Max may not want to know, but I do. He seemed pretty convinced that you wanted him.”

I said nothing for a few minutes. Hector continued to wait. “I didn’t kiss him. He grabbed me. I didn’t like it.” He sat there staring at me as though he was sure I was lying. “It’s over between us.”

“
Okay,” he said. “I believe you.” He continued to stare at me.

“
What?” I asked again.

“
Why is he so mad?”

“
He told me he still loved me,” I answered. “I rejected him.”

“
Okay,” he replied.

“
Stop that!”

“
Stop what?”

“
Stop acting like you don’t believe me.”

He continued to stare at me. “Max loves you, Lilly. You’d better be sure.”

“
I
am
sure!” I insisted. “I wouldn’t want to breathe if Max wasn’t in my life.”

As I said that Max and John walked back into the house. “Now, that’s what I like to hear.” Max smiled and hung up his coat. “I found him. He’ll do it.”

“
Of course I will.” John looked over at me. “I still love you
and
our child. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you both safe.” Max glared at him when he said that. But I got up from the table and hugged him. He grabbed my chin and looked into my eyes. I wondered if he doubted me.

—

“
His name is Mark Franklin,” Steve said. “He is an FBI attorney. He does all our work for us. Make sure you give him all three paternity tests and… no secrets.”

“
Thanks Steve,” Max responded. He grabbed my hand like a silly little boy and said, “Almost free, baby girl.”

Hector stayed home with Dieguito and John came with us to Las Vegas, in case there was some kind of paternity issue. I was still nursing so I had to take Chris with us. I was rolling him around in a baby carriage. When we got to the courthouse Mark was standing outside waiting for us. “Do you have the tests?” he asked us. Max handed them to him. “Before they get here, is there anything else I should know?”

“
This is John Malone.” John shook his hand. “He is the biological father of the first born.”

“
That’s good that you brought him.” He looked at me. “I’m sorry Lilly, but Diego is fighting the divorce. He says you are abandoning him and he still loves you.” I looked at Max with an expression of panic.

“
Don’t worry, baby girl, it’ll be all right.” He stroked my hair. “Have I ever let you down before?” he asked.

“
No,” I answered, still in a state of shock.

“
Lilly, you must remain calm,” Mark warned me. “Even if the opposing council calls you a name, or insults your integrity, remain calm.” We walked into the courtroom. Vanessa Hernandez was always Diego’s attorney and she was sitting at the opposite table by herself. Mark and I sat together and Max and John sat behind us. We stood up as the judge walked in. She was blond and strikingly attractive. When she sat, we all sat down. She looked up and saw Max and smiled. This made me nervous.

“
To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” she asked. “I believe it is
Lieutenant
Montiago now.”

“
Yes, Your Honor.” he smiled that boyish grin and she smiled back.

“
Max, tell me you are not the Montiago contesting the divorce today.” She seemed concerned. “A baby in the picture? You wouldn’t do that, right?”

“
No ma’am,” he answered. “It’s my half brother, Diego.”

“
Oh, him.” she gave Max an unfavorable glare over the top of her glasses. “You’re here to speak for him?”

“
No, Your Honor.”

“
Excuse me!” Vanessa interrupted. “I’m sorry but since you seem to have a history with
the boyfriend
,” she became very patronizing, “I would appreciate it if you might consider removing yourself from this case.”

“
This is not a criminal case, counselor,” she answered in a very antagonizing tone. “I am sure I can be impartial in a simple divorce hearing.”

She looked back over at Max. “The
boyfriend
?” She smiled curiously.

“
It’s exactly as it looks,” he said, almost proud of himself.

She looked back at Vanessa. “Mr. Montiago is a high ranking FBI official. I think you will find it hard pressed to locate a judge in this town who does not know him or hasn’t heard of his work. I will be the judge on whether or not I can be impartial.”

“
Yes, Your Honor,” she answered reluctantly.

“
Since Ms. Hernandez seems to feel I may have trouble being impartial, we will let her go first.” She looked at my lawyer and said, “Will that be all right with you counselor?”

“
Whatever pleases the court,” he answered.

Vanessa started her defense. “My client, Mr. Montiago…”

“
This is not a criminal case,” The judge interrupted. “I think I already made that clear. Since the husband and
the boyfriend
,” she said boyfriend in a silly voice and looked over at Max, “have the same last name, lets use their first names for this proceeding.”

“
Yes Your Honor,” she continued. “Diego argues that she is abandoning him in his time of need. Diego took Lilly in when she was pregnant with another man’s child five years ago. He clothed her, fed her and gave her a place to stay. He paid all her medical bills for the pregnancy and took very good care of them for five years. Diego and Lilly have enjoyed a very physical relationship and as you can see, she just had his child three months ago. He wants her to stay and support him and he feels she owes him that. He has been faithful throughout the marriage and has chosen to forgive her for her indiscretion with his brother. The only thing he is requesting is a restraining order be issued for Maxwell to stay away from his wife.”

“
Those are some pretty good points, counselor,” she added. “Anything else?”

“
That is all, Your Honor.”

“
Okay, Mr. Franklin, what have you got for me?” She looked over her glasses again. “And it better be good.”

“
Yes, Your Honor,” he continued. “My client has suffered sexual abuse and beatings at the hands of Diego Montiago for the passed three years of their marriage. They have not
enjoyed
a sexual relationship, he forced her to have relations with him or he would remove Maxwell from the home, which he did at one time. Maxwell, as you know, is an FBI operative and needed to remain in the house to complete his infiltration of the organization. Mrs. Montiago did what she felt she had to do to keep Max on the property.”