Gotta give it to Lisandra. She doesn't just know Max but she also knows Emilia. Previously, I had readers complaining about this visit being unnecessary. What do you guys think? Are they both right or wrong for going to see Lisandra?
Lisandra still couldn't believe it. She'd spent all night turning and tossing, replaying her conversation with Max over and over again. She had never seen him so angry with her, there was even hatred in his eyes directed towards her. The man she'd loved all her life now hated her and wanted to kill her. If that wasn't punishment enough, what was it? Him living happily with Emilia. Above everything else, that was the one thing she couldn't stand. It was okay for him to hate her, maybe she deserved it, but she wouldn't let that bitch be happy with him. No one was allowed to be with him. Scrubbing the toilet she was cleaning with vigor, she thought of ways to make that bitch pay. Even from behind bars, she could still do something. Isn't that why she'd asked her aunt to find a job in that house? So she could find a way to hurt her? What was the easiest way to get rid of her? Poison? That would surely kill her but it wasn't a guarantee. If someone took her to the hospital, they could giv
"Haven't you done enough?" "Fuck no. We both know I wasn't the one who killed Zander. You were the one I wanted dead, not him. I also didn't shoot you but I'm still in here, aren't I? What right do you have to come here and ask if I've done enough? I haven't even started..." Whack! Her head snapped to the side due to the slap Emilia had given her. "I will kill you if you even think about touching my daughter" Without thinking, Lisandra stood up, trying to slap her back but the guards were there in a flash, holding her back "Don't you ever think you have won you fucking bitch. I will pay you back for everything you've put me through, you hear me? I will pay you back. Even if it's the last thing I do!" she screamed as they dragged her away. She kicked and yelled at Emilia until she was out of sight. Damn that bitch. "It looks like you've missed solitary confinement, Martinez. Do you wish to spend the day there?" One of the guards asked with a sadistic smile. "Fuck you" she spat
"Say something" "Like what? What do you want me to say, Max?" "I didn't tell you because I knew you would be scared" "Just take me to the hotel. I need to make sure my daughter is fine" Max sighed. Every time she got angry she would start thinking that Gaby was only hers, forgetting that he was her father too. She used to do that with Zander too. He wondered what he could do in order for her to trust him. He'd tried to tell her that keeping the matter about Lisandra's aunt was so he could protect her but she wouldn't listen. This was one of the reasons he hadn't wanted her to see Lisandra in the first place. That woman knew how to get inside her head and make her doubt a lot of things. He should have seen it sooner. Every time he mentioned Lisandra, her back would go up, as if she was getting ready for a fight. He couldn't understand it though. To him, she was so much more than that woman. In his eyes, no one could come close to what she meant to him. Why couldn't she trust i
"Did you meet someone new with the same name? Because if you tell me you guys are fighting over someone who is behind bars, I'll knock off your teeth" "Why me? I didn't do shit. Emilia insisted on going to see her and next thing I know we're fighting" At his raised eyebrow, Max filled him in on the events that had taken place the day before. When he was done, Preston shocked him with his reply "She's right. It is your fault" "Excuse me?" "You know I was there when you brought her home. You also know that I had fallen in love with her too..." "Yeah, not the time to remind me about that, asshole" Max cut him off gripping his glass harder. "Anyway, I saw the way your actions affected her. Every time Lisandra would do something that would take you away from her side. I saw her disappointment whenever you left and I tried to reassure her that she shouldn't be worried because she was your wife but that wasn't something she wanted to hear from me" Max looked at him incredulously
Emilia was angry at herself for letting Lisandra get into her head like that. It was as if that woman knew her weaknesses and pounced on her whenever she had the chance. God, it had felt so good to slap her. If they had been in a different place, she would have resorted to a full-blown catfight and tore the rest of her hair out. But since they were in there with guards everywhere, she hadn't wanted to do something that could have landed her in the same cell as that bitch. They would have definitely ended up killing each other. She wasn't the kind of woman who picked a fight with others. When someone tried to get a rise out of her, she always took a step back to avoid any conflicts. However, when it came to Lisandra, she turned into someone else. The fact that she even knew Gaby existed made her blood boil. How had she known that? Max knew and he hadn't told her. What was he thinking? That was what he'd been hiding from her and as much as she tried, she couldn't help but think if he d
Emilia came to, slowly peeling her eyes open, only to find Max lying beside her running a hand up and down her arm. His gaze was lowered between them and she figured he was deep in thought so she took a moment to study him. He'd aged over the years, especially in the last two but not so much. There were still traces of the boy who'd gone to Freddie's restaurant and left her big tips because she'd told him she wasn't a charity case. That boy had been sweet, caring, and in love with her. How could she accuse him of trying to be a hero? Why was it that whenever she lost her temper, she accused him of outrageous things? And he'd gone back. He always went back to her."Hey," she said adjusting the pillow under her head. He peered up at her. "I'm sorry" he muttered still moving his hand up and down hers "For being so blind and making you feel insecure. It seems that I haven't done enough to show you just how important you are to me. You're my life, Emilia" "Why didn't you tell me about
Preston was throwing a party to get out of talking about babies with Thea. A classic Nash move. Whenever a girl became too clingy in the past, he'd throw a party and then be all over other girls just to send a message to the clingy one. Max didn't understand his logic but then again, only a five-year-old would understand Preston's thinking. So he promised him they'd all go to his house and spend the entire day drinking and catching up before they went back. The idiot had been so ecstatic that he'd planted a kiss on him. Growing up with him meant he'd had to accommodate his madness. They had met during the first day of kindergarten and to this day, Max still didn't know why he'd picked him as his friend. There were so many other kids he could have chosen. Pretty girls he could have charmed into being his groupies. The fact that he'd ended up with Preston still baffled him. He could have done so much better. "What's on your mind?" Emilia asked coming out of the bathroom. She was wrap
"Hey Max," she said giving him a chaste kiss on his cheek and then stepping back. He ran his eyes over her. When was the last time he'd seen her? Talked to her? It had to be after Zander's funeral when she told him she was leaving. He couldn't remember what she'd said exactly, just that she needed to leave. "Gwen, when did you get back?" he moved to hug her properly but she took another step back away from him then TC was standing between them, asking how he was. "I hope we're not too late. Has the party started? Goodness, I'm thirsty. Where can I find a glass of water?" he knocked once then pushed the door open "Hey, do you want a drink?" he asked practically dragging Gwen inside. Max blinked then followed them, not understanding what was going on. Had he missed something? "Oh my God, Gwen, you're back" Darren exclaimed. If he hadn't been watching her, he wouldn't have noticed how she tensed when Darren picked her up and twirled her around. She was stiff and her hands were bunch
EMILIA & MAX He didn't have to worry about the kids. They loved staying with the Jennings, especially now that they'd adopted a little girl. Zander was fascinated by Blossom while Gabby treated her as her doll. Soon Max was sure they were going to have sleepovers and joint parties. He had an hour before his flight so he called Darren. Gwen's outburst had reminded him how he'd neglected them over the years compared to when they were young. He thought they were grown-ups and didn't need him anymore but they were still his siblings. Even when he was grieving, he still had to remember he wasn't the only one who'd lost a mother. They both had. Now three of them only had each other. There was also the fact that his girlfriend had lied about who she was and her actions had led to their mother's death. He couldn't imagine the kind of pain Darren was going through. "Hey, what's up?" "I brought the kids to the Jennings for the weekend and I have an hour. Wanna have a drink?" "No thanks. I
HENDRIX & SAWYER "Hey, have you seen..." "Shut it" Hendrix whispered "I finally managed to put her down for a nap. If you wake her up with your big mouth I will push you off the balcony" Sawyer bit back a laugh "My watch, I'm looking for my watch" "You have more than twenty watches, babe. Why do you bother looking for one?" "The one Em and Zander gave me when he was two. Remember?" "You lost it?" He screeched in a whisper. "I misplaced it. That's why I'm asking if you have seen it" "Why are you so careless? Have Cosima help you find it. I'm going to catch some sleep before that little devil wakes up" Sawyer watched him head to their bedroom thinking that he was thriving as a parent. It suited him. He loved being a dad and every time Blossom made a sound, he'd rush to see what their daughter wanted. The adoption process had been hard but it was worth it. He couldn't ask for anything more out of life. Well, except for having his friend back. No one could have expected t
THEA & PRESTON Thea looked around sighing. While newly married women were on their honeymoon, she was busy at the office trying to solve the latest crime which just happened to be a breaking and entering case. Because she'd held her wedding out of the blue, her boss had told her to first tie up some loose ends before taking her vacation days. She'd never wanted to punch the man so bad. It wasn't as if she was the only cop in the building and she was only taking two weeks off. At one point she'd even thought of resigning but she loved being a cop. So she was busy debating whether to ask for a transfer to another division. Could she be better at something else? Say traffic police or... The thought of it had her shivering. She would rather quit than join another division and start all over again. But as much as she loved her job, it wasn't fair to Preston. He was the one who had convinced her to get married hastily in an attempt to cheer up their friends. They'd only been engaged for a
DARREN Even though he knew the streets of New York like the back of his hand, Darren felt lost. Every time he looked up, it took him a moment to remember where he was and why he was there. Sometimes he'd find himself in a place but not recall how he got there. If he'd listened to Preston and not rushed to fall in love, he wouldn't be in that situation. A few days after his mother's death, Nadia, no, Oksana had gone to him and confessed everything. She thought he needed to know who she was and why she'd approached him. As if knowing she was the one who got Lisandra out of prison would make him feel better. If he had known what she was going to say, he would have chosen not to listen. He would have decided to only know his Nadia and not the woman she claimed to be. He didn't want to believe she was capable of lying and killing. Or that she had family ties to a Russian criminal organization. He'd fallen in love with her because she was different from the women he'd known. Innocent, c
GWEN & TC "Am I allowed to ask where you're coming from?" "I would tell you but then I'd have to kill you" TC replied. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her, a light peck on the mouth, and then deciding it wasn't enough, he pried her lips open with his tongue. Gwen sighed, opening up to him. He needed to come up with new ways to distract her from asking about his job. Although she wasn't complaining. He had a way of making her forget everything with only a simple touch. She tried to remember if anyone had ever made her feel that way. Was there anyone before him? She couldn't recall. No one could compare to the way he made her feel. "How long until we can go on that vacation? I want to be able to do this all day without worrying about..." Her phone rang. He jerked his head back smiling but she knew he was annoyed. "Damn phone calls" "What happened to being a supportive partner?" He drew his lower lip between his teeth. A sign that his patience was thinning. She answ
It was easy to picture them having a girls' day out together with Gwen and Thea. Gabby too. They would go to spas, have their hair and nails done, and do all the girly things she'd missed out on doing with her mother. Her mind conjured the perfect family gathering. With all her friends and family. Wouldn't that be something? "I felt the same way about Max. He looks so much like his father. I couldn't believe it" "Honestly I always feel proud whenever people tell me how much Gaby resembles me. It's so satisfying to know she at least takes after me and not her father" "She does. Down to the shape of your nose. She will break a lot of hearts when she grows up" "Hush, don't let Max hear that. He's embraced this Texan lifestyle. Next thing you know he's going to buy a shotgun to keep boys away from his daughter" Emilia had no doubt he would do that in a few years. The thought of him fighting with teenagers over his daughter excited her. She couldn't wait to see who would win. "I don
Seeing that man had made her feel uneasy. All throughout yesterday she was nervous and kept jumping at the smallest sound. Sleep evaded her because she couldn't stop worrying about her children. What if someone broke in and hurt them? She just got Zander back. Losing him would destroy her. Max must have noticed how on edge she was because he took the kids and Mel out, telling her to relax. It was his way of giving her a day off. But all it did was give her more nerves. Instead of resting, she went around the house, looking for something out of the ordinary. A broken window or door. Anything to indicate she wasn't overreacting. Her search stopped outside Genevieve's door. Since Gwen went off on her, she hadn't left her room. Emilia wondered if the woman was repenting. That was if she was capable of repenting. She wasn't a saint but she knew she couldn't ignore her child, especially if he was in the hospital. How had she done it? Genevieve sure was one of a kind. Emilia couldn't believ
Lisandra's heart skipped a beat just as realization dawned on her. She wasn't free. Those guards had known the police were on their way and they had left after getting rid of any evidence that could point to any of them being there. That was why the house was so clean. They'd scrubbed down every inch of it, probably getting rid of evidence like fingerprints and stray hairs. Son of a bitch, her benefactor had really called the police on her. But why? Their deal was to distract the Carters while she took her revenge. Had she had a change of mind? Damn that bitch to hell. Spinning around, she ran the other way, swearing she would rather die than go back to prison. When she got to the road, her legs quickened, hoping the police cars wouldn't catch up with her. The second they realized the house was empty, they would know she had escaped and start chasing her. As she speed walked, she tried to think of reasons why her benefactor had cast her aside. Had she done something to change her min
The guards were acting strangely. Lisandra had been keeping an eye on them and that's how she knew something was up. Ever since she stepped foot in that house, they hadn't let her out of their sight. Everywhere she went they followed. Kitchen, living room, bedroom, and even the bathroom. Their excuse? Her benefactor had told them to keep an eye on her so she wouldn't escape. It didn't make sense that she'd want to escape when she had nowhere to go but that bitch had insisted on having her men there. But before going to bed she noticed how they all sat in the living room watching TV. She had never seen them all together in one place so she thought maybe they were celebrating something or they had come to trust her. However, before she could get to her room, one of them got up and made it there ahead of her. He checked the windows to make sure they were locked then stood outside her door, telling her to hurry up. Normally they just let her do whatever she wanted. Lisandra dragged her