Page 40

Roughly two months later…

“Put those boxes over there,” Lily told Shane as he struggled down the stairs with two medium-sized packing boxes.

“Damn pack rat or what?” Shane teased her.

“I left most of my stuff in storage, so be thankful,” Lily said with a laugh.

Shane placed the boxes in the corner of the basement.

Michelle came running down the stairs with a squeal and wrapped her in her arms. “I’m so glad you’re staying here.”

Lily smiled and hugged her friend before the woman darted back up the stairs saying something about dinner.

Lily glanced around. Moving in with Max had been a big step. First, they were renting Michelle and William’s basement apartment and if things worked out, they would rent a house together.

Lily had just wanted to buy one after she sold her Skye at Belltown apartment back to her grandfather, but Max told her no.

When they bought a home, they would buy it together.

It was during that time that Chris’ crimes had come to light. A couple of weeks ago, Detective Ward told Max that Chris had been the one to travel to Montana and commit the crimes against her ex-boyfriends. The reason the authorities had missed it was because Chris had used an alias.

The case against Chris had been closed not long after his death.

Lily had spent the past two months talking with Max and working on her trust issues and his problems with his past.

Max told her what had happened between his parents and admitted that it had colored his opinion on getting married while in the military. Lily finally understood what Max had been dealing with. It helped her a great deal knowing that she hadn’t been the cause.

“None of that was your fault,” Max had assured her.

“I knew, but I still felt like it was me, you know?”

“I’m so sorry,” Max said, drawing her close and Lily had changed the subject. God knows it felt good to talk that shit out, but enough was enough.

The only sadness was that Sara had closed up her hair salon and disappeared after a brief text saying she was hitting the road and would message when she could.

Sara hadn’t even spoken to her after the incident and Lily knew her friend felt guilty. Lily had sent numerous text messages to Sara trying to get a response, but she only very rarely got two words. I’m okay.

It was maddening. On the one hand, she was so damned happy but on the other, she was sad for her friend.

After the violent incident with Chris, Lily had started having nightmares, so she was seeing a therapist. It helped.

For the past two months, Lily had remained at Sara’s place. She couldn’t fathom going back to her apartment.

It was there that she and Max had done most of their talking. Occasionally, she would come to his basement apartment, but not too often.

Now though, she’d be living here with Max.

They had a chance at a fresh start.

They had a life to live.

“Hurry, Lily!” Michelle called down from the top of the stairs and Lily found she’d been alone in the basement. Shane had come and gone.

“I’m coming,” she called out and came up the stairs, down the short hall that led to the massive living room area that sat adjacent to the game room.

The rooms were noisy, but there was a reason for that.

It was game night.

There had to be close to twenty-five people there.

Lily found Max immediately and ran her gaze over him. He was seriously hands down the sexiest man alive.

Max wore blue jeans that hugged his hips and powerful thighs, a button-down gray dress shirt that fit his wide shoulders perfectly, and black combat boots to give him that bad boy look she adored.

Next to Max stood the equally stunning Levi Huxley. And the man was certainly gorgeous in a rugged alpha male way, but nothing compared to her Max.

When her boyfriend nodded in her direction, Lily found herself under the penetrating gazes of both men.

“What?” she mouthed to Max, who gave her a wink and started making his way toward her through the large living room. Levi brought up the rear.

It was rare that Levi made any type of appearance and Lily wondered why he was there tonight. Did they have a job that was going to take them away from game night?

She hoped not, but it was Max’s career and she supported him. As for her own career, she had quit her job and was going to open up her own novelty shop. Right now, her grandfather was in the middle of purchasing a small space in Pike Place Market.

Max reached her and she threw her arms around his neck. He bent over and scooped her close and nuzzled his face into her hair.

“Levi needs a haircut,” Max said, straightening up.

“So do I,” she quipped and glanced at Levi.

“What?” Levi looked confused and Lily turned to Max.

“You didn’t tell him?”

“I haven’t told anyone,” Max said.

Lily really appreciated that Max wanted to keep Sara’s desperate run quiet. Drawing in a deep breath, Lily turned to Levi.

“Sara’s gone.”

Levi’s face turned to stone, and his piercing blue eyes became hooded. Levi didn’t ask why. When the man stayed quiet, Lily felt compelled to share more just in case.

“She can’t handle what Chris did and needs…time,” Lily said quietly, keeping the conversation between the three of them.

Not even Michelle, Ana, or Carla knew that Sara had taken off. They only knew that Sara needed time. They all thought that Sara was at her salon.

Oh, Lily knew she was going to have to come clean eventually, but so far over the past eight weeks, nobody had asked why Sara wasn’t around. Nobody had mentioned anything about her not being here at game night tonight either.

It was almost as if her friend didn’t even exist. Lily glanced at Michelle. Her airhead friend was so self-absorbed that it wouldn’t dawn on her to ask about Sara.

Lily gazed back at Levi. The man didn’t ask where Sara was or anything like that. The only thing Levi did was turn and walk out the door.

Lily turned and smiled up to Max.

“Happy?” he murmured softly, bringing their linked fingers to his lips and kissing her knuckles.

“Yes, you?”

His eyes gleamed. “I have you in my basement.”

She laughed. “That almost sounded creepy.”

“It did, didn’t it?” Max chuckled and she kissed the man’s lips.

Hell yes, she was happy, and being with the love of her life made it icing on the cake.

There were no regrets.

Max couldn’t stop smiling so much that his cheeks ached, but that was what Lily did to him. That she was here living with him was like a dream come true. A dream that he was going to hold onto for dear life.

“See ya!” a man said to Levi coming through the front door the same time Levi went out.

“Oh my God,” Lily said suddenly, latching onto his arm. “It’s Ryan.”

Neither Max nor Lily had spoken to Ryan since the man had been in the hospital. Ryan had apologized repeatedly to them for trying to listen in at their door. Ryan had also apologized for the part his sister played in Lily’s anguish.

Lily forgave Ryan because—as she put it, he wasn’t responsible for his sister’s actions.

“I had Steve pick Ryan up and bring him on his way here.”

“Do you think Levi is still mad that Ryan stabbed him?”

“I doubt it,” Max chuckled. “Levi did shoot the guy.”

Lily snorted a laughing sound behind her hands.

After Ryan walked slowly through the door, Steve had followed inside and shut out the cold January wind.

Lily curled her fingers tightly with his and pulled him through the crowded room to meet the two men. Lily gave both Ryan and Steve quick hugs and welcomed them into the house.

Steve Johnson worked for Max at Deckman Defense and Security, and the young bodyguard was on the fast track to a promotion. Once the history of Steve losing a client had passed, Max had given the man more responsibility. Steve had stepped up to the plate and Max saw great things in the younger man’s future.

Max’s eyes returned to Lily. She was never far from his mind when they were apart, but when they were together, he checked on her constantly. He didn’t crowd her, but he let her know just by being at her side that he was there.

And he made damned sure he didn’t control her or boss her around. Not that Lily would take that shit from him, but he made extra sure he gave her space.

Still, though, he couldn’t help but worry. She had come through so fucking much and was a real trooper. A few weeks after the incident with Chris, Lily had buried Blake Stevenson. Max had helped her with the arrangements.

Nobody came to the funeral except the two of them, not even Blake’s cousin in Montana. Jennifer had moved away with her young son and Lily heard from Ryan that she was living with their mother.

Max slid his arm over Lily’s shoulder as they approached Ryan and Steve.

Thankfully, Lily’s nightmares were coming less often. However, with her best friend in the wind, Lily still struggled at times and Max would be there to help her get through it no matter what.

One of his biggest regrets had been leaving her. Now, he had the rest of their lives to make it up to her.

And he planned on loving her every minute.

She was it for him.

The end of the line

The love of his life.

THE END