: Chapter 33

Lia

Nerves rattled me, and I approached the aircraft hangar, half wanting to turn tail and run away from this. But I couldn’t. The conversation was long overdue, and I was no coward.

Putting power into my legs, I strode the distance until I was under the high roof. Across the concrete expanse, Gabe waved from beside a helicopter. I waved back and kept on going until I found the offices at the back.

“Lia?” a voice hailed me.

I twisted to peer back the way I’d come.

Rory approached, her dark hair spilling over her shoulder in soft waves. “Hey, how are you? How’s Evie? From what I heard, yesterday was terrifying.”

“It really was. We’re okay. It was a wrench to leave Evie this morning, but it isn’t for long, and I know she’s safe with her dad.” I chewed my lip for a second. “I’m here to see your man.”

She widened her eyes. “Oh. That explains the message he sent me. He asked if I could come by to give him a hug. I’m early. Oops.”

My heart melted a little. “I won’t be long. This…just needs to be done.”

Rory nodded gently, then pointed me in the direction of a closed door. I approached it and knocked, entering at Maddock’s call.

My stomach tightened to a ball.

He looked up from a laptop, so similar to Max it stole my breath. The same auburn hair, identical green eyes, and the same build and shape. Except, I knew them apart now. I felt the difference just from his presence alone.

In the darkened bar of my hotel a lifetime ago, I’d made a huge mistake. Drunk-Maddock had done the same. Never again.

“Thank you for agreeing to see me.” I pushed the door closed behind me.

A pale and tense-looking Maddock leapt to his feet. “We’re going for a walk.”

“We are?”

“Aye. All conversations are easier when walking.”

He rounded the desk, and we left the room. I followed him in the opposite direction down the hall until we emerged out of the back of the hangar.

We fell into step, and I considered my words. “I have something to ask you,” I began.

Maddock dipped his head, listening.

“I want to marry your brother.”

He stumbled in his footsteps then twisted to stare at me. “Holy shite.”

I hid my grin at his reaction and started walking again. “I think that you and Rory stayed away so I would be comfortable on my visit here. I’m grateful for that, but the thing is, the visit is about to become a permanent thing, at least I hope it is. You and I share an unfortunate history—”

“The worst. A terrible mistake. Something I regret every day,” Maddock yammered.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his awkwardness. “Right? Let’s not dwell on the details, but it’s unbelievable that even happened. One thing for sure is that I’m not going to let it affect life from now on. I don’t want you and Max to be at odds. I want us all to be friends.”

He sucked in a breath. “I want that, too. I’m not the same man now as I was back then. I want ye to know that. After… It happened, I told Max immediately, and seeing the hurt in him broke me.”

“He was already hurting from me leaving him. I want his forgiveness for that.”

“I want your forgiveness, too.” Maddock rounded to face me and halted. “I used to treat sex like sport. It was a fun pastime with little meaning. I was so wrong. I see that now. More so now I have Rory and understand a real connection.”

His words reminded me of Effie and how she described the way she treated sex. In the other corner, there was me, wholly inexperienced and making it into a huge deal in my head.

Events were only as important as the power given to them. There was no injustice here, no right or wrong. Just a mistake and horrible coincidence.

“I forgive you if you forgive me for the damage done to you and Max.”

He flapped a hand. “Nothing to forgive. I’ve learned a hard lesson from it and am pretty much desperate to move on.”

I took in a deep cleansing breath of fresh mountain air. “A new start.”

Maddock gave a relieved laugh and stuck out a hand. “Hi, I’m Max’s brother. Pleased to meet ye.”

My own laugh bubbled up, and a new lightness filled me. I shook his fingers and pulled him into a hug. “Great to meet you.”

Maddock hugged me back awkwardly, but then he tightened his arms. A brotherly, protective hold that fixed all the bad between us.

We separated and continued our walk around the side of the huge building.

“I also want ye to know I didn’t hurt your da,” Maddock added. “I told him the plan, and he played along. We knew his health and wellbeing was more important to the men than anything else.”

“I know. Thank you for your part in it.”

“Tell me more about the wedding thing. I need ideas,” he said.

I peeked up at him. “Why? Are you and Rory…?”

Maddock swung a look around us as if making sure no one was in earshot. “I told Max yesterday, but Rory and I are going to have a bairn. We just found out, so we want to get married soon.”

My hand instantly went to my belly. It was far too soon to tell if Max and I had created life in the same way, but previously, I’d fallen pregnant after just one go. The possibility was there, and I wanted it so badly. Not as a repeat of our past, but a symbol of our future.

“Congratulations, you must be over the moon. Evie will love being a big cousin.”

“She’ll lead the way with the gang of kids on the estate,” he replied.

Up ahead, Gabe’s helicopter had been moved outside, and he stood next to it talking with Rory.

They looked our way, Rory’s gaze flicking between us in worry.

I grinned, and her expression resolved to a happier one.

A devilish gleam appeared in Maddock’s eye, and he tipped his head at his fiancée. “Ask Rory about the time she mistook me and Max.”

My jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

“People have been confusing the two of us our whole lives. Seems to be a rite of passage for our lasses before we settle down. Recognise this?”

He dragged down the neck line of his T-shirt, revealing a tattoo on his chest.

A robin, same as the one Max had.

I squinted at it. Max had implied there was a story behind it. “It’s…sweet that you have the same one?”

“Rory has it, too, on her hip. She and Max got them done at a festival long before I knew her.”

I took a shocked breath. “Don’t tell me they—”

Maddock’s expression turned conspiratorial. In the distance, Rory planted her hands on her hips.

“Nope. Whatever the intention, there was zero spark between them. It wasn’t meant to be, so they were just friends. Lucky for me.”

“Lucky for me, too,” I agreed.

Walking comfortably together, Maddock and I joined Rory. She guessed what he’d told me, no doubt from the tattoo reveal, and made a playful fuss at his indiscretion. But I didn’t mind. If anything, it made me feel better to not be the only one embroiled in a mess. The past was the past, and it had gotten us to a place where happiness reigned.

Putting my regrets firmly in the rearview mirror, I congratulated the happy couple once more, then turned tracks for home.

I was nearing the bottom of the apartment’s steps when my phone rang. I’d already seen a message from Max saying he was taking Evie to his parents’ for a visit, but I still couldn’t help the frisson of fear at getting an unexpected call.

It was Dad’s number onscreen.

In a rush, I answered. “Hello? Are you okay?”

My father’s warm tones filled my ears. “I am, daughter. I’m sorry if you were concerned. All is well.”

“Concerned? You were driven away by those assholes. I thought I’d never see you again.”

Dad sighed. “Stephen and Felix brought me to a location. I will employ a new assistant, and they will arrange for the rest of yours and Evie’s things to be sent to you.”

“But are they still with you? Are you…?” I wanted to say free, but the word didn’t seem right.

“No, I dismissed them both and they left me to continue my work. They are what I made them, including obedient when there is no reason to oppose me. I regret many things when it comes to them, but most that I couldn’t protect my family from the problems I created myself. That’s all I wanted after I lost your mother—for you and Evie to be safe. At least I know you are now, on that estate with your boyfriend. He has an army to raise on your behalf. It is better if I remain far away. I’m so sorry it came to this.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll be brief because I’m going straight into a task and won’t be contactable for several days at least.”

I swallowed, and tears stung my eyes. Dad’s whereabouts had been ever-present on my mind. I’d needed this phone call, yet a conflicting rush of emotions filled me. My father’s working life was back to normal, and he sounded…the same. Unflustered. Despite the family he’d kept close by no longer with him.

What was the word Stephen had used? Content.

Dad continued. “I’ve attempted to correct the error with the legal team, but I’m afraid it has thrown up some issues.”

“What error?”

He hesitated. “Are you not aware of this? Either Stephen or Felix listened in to our call and discovered the unpleasant business between you and the two McRae brothers.”

A tone played out in his voice.

After a morning full of emotions from moving on from that particular drama, I was not going to worry about Dad’s judgement.

“How does that relate to the solicitors? Stephen said something about it, but I didn’t understand.”

“It means that your boyfriend’s legal claim over Evie was rejected due to lack of DNA evidence. I’m so sorry. He was informed yesterday—”

My blood surged. “You have to be kidding me.”

And yet he hadn’t said a word. Dad’s solicitors had ruined his case to be recognised as Evie’s father, and not once had he used that against me.

“I’ll fix it,” Dad vowed.

“Do. Please. He’s the man I’m going to marry…”

Footsteps on the gravel alerted me to the presence of someone, and I peered up to find Max staring at me, Evie toddling along with both her hands in his.

His expression told me he’d heard my last words. Oh heck.

My father continued in my ear. “I have a proposal for him. Please give him my number and ask him to call me. If I’m unavailable, my new assistant has all of the information and will be able to relay it to him.”

I was hopelessly caught in the look on Max’s face. “Why don’t you just tell me?”

Dad snorted. “If this man is going to be my son-in-law, some things need to be done man to man. This is his responsibility to take from now on.”

He hung up, and I quietly cursed him.

Dad had gone back to his same old self. If this was how our relationship would work from now on, perhaps it was for the best that I understood it. Of all the outcomes that could’ve come about, at least in this, everyone seemed happy.

Evie squealed, spotting me, and Max slowly walked her over.

“My parents want to throw us a baby shower,” he said softly. “They mentioned it before, but I forgot. How does next Saturday sound to you?”

This was my life now, and I loved it. “Wonderful.”

Max’s gaze flicked over me. “How did it go with my brother?”

“Maddock and I are going to be fine. But I want the full details on what went down between you and Rory,” I teased.

Max gave a bark of a laugh, then caught me around the waist and pressed his lips to mine. Still holding our daughter’s hand, he palmed my cheek then ran his fingers into my hair. I loved this. Our easy affection. Our passion and love. But our kiss was short-lived. Evie yanked on my skirts, demanding her share of affection.

We lifted her into our hug, then I carried her up the steps and into the apartment. Max made us lunch, then thankfully, Evie went down for a nap.

The moment she was in her cot and dozing, Max was on me. He kissed me, walking me backwards into the hall until my shoulders hit the wall.

I’d told him about Dad’s cryptic message, and he’d shared how his morning had gone.

Now, there was no need for words. Our kiss deepened, Max’s body moulding to mine.

But as I reached for his waistband, he drew away, breathing hard.

“Give me a minute,” he demanded.

“Are you okay?”

“Go sit on the sofa. I’ll be right behind ye.”

He released me, and I followed orders, taking myself to curl up on the sofa. On the coffee table, my journal waited. I hadn’t updated it since adding the picture of Max and Evie’s first meeting, yet a Post-it note sat on top with the words ‘read me’ on it.

“Max?” I called softly.

No reply came, so I opened the book.

It fell open on a photograph I hadn’t added. It was of the three of us together, taken by Max a few days ago. The caption simply stated ‘the happiest family.’

My heart swelled with love.

Then I realised the next page had also been written on. I turned it to find a simple message scrawled across the lines.

‘Will you marry me?’

I clasped my hands to my mouth, my heart full to bursting.

Then a sound came from my right, and I twisted to find Max on one knee. He held a ring box, a beautiful diamond solitaire displayed inside. Love and devotion shone from him, and he smiled at me, so handsome.

“Lia, from the first moment we met, I knew ye were it for me. I never met anyone so sweet, so beautiful, and so perfectly mine. We’ve had our trials, and we beat them. I don’t want to waste another minute of our lives. I want ye and Evie to become McRaes. I want our lives together to be unshakeable. Marry me, please.”

I half fell from the sofa in my haste to reach him. I slammed into his arms, and he caught me in a tight hold.

“Yes,” I agreed.

I’d told his twin and my father that I wanted to marry him, but Max had got there first. And I was all too happy for it.

He slid the ring onto my finger with a comment on how it had been his grandmother’s, then he stood, lifting me to the cushions. Our kiss was endless, and this time, he let me pull off his shirt. Likewise, he rid me of my blouse and bra, and the rest of our clothes followed to a heap on the floor.

We were all grasping hands and shaking need.

Max was already hard for me, and so I wrapped my legs around his waist and got him to where he needed to be. He nudged at my entrance and broke the kiss to stare into my eyes.

“I love ye.”

I opened my mouth and gazed back in awe.

“I’ve always loved ye,” he added. “It’s criminal that I’m only telling ye now.”

“I love you, too. Always did. Even if I didn’t know myself.”

He groaned and closed his eyes as if the emotion was too much for him. Then he thrust his hips and filled me.

I gasped a silent cry.

We made love for the first time as an engaged couple. Max was a man possessed, using his body to give me pleasure in every way he knew how.

I sought to show him how much he meant to me, loving him in the way he deserved.

We rolled from the sofa to the soft rug, desperate to be as close as we could. As giving and wild as we could manage. Our bodies knew the other. Fitted together in a way no other could. And when I came, Max followed seconds after, chasing me over that cliff, filling me so perfectly.

I clamped down on my need to yell my love to the whole estate.

He remained inside me, slowly moving though his climax was complete. Though only half-hard, he kept me filled.

We cooled, and giggles took over me. “How badly do you want me to be pregnant?”

Max gave up a happy groan and kissed my shoulder. “So badly. Not ill, obviously. But aye, carrying our second bairn. Pretty, and rounded, and letting me wait on ye hand and foot.”

I laughed all the more, my happiness too much to bear.

He pulled back to take in my blissed-out expression. “I know we’ve done what we’ve done, but if that hasn’t worked and ye want to wait, we’ll do it however ye decide. It’s always going to be your decision. This time, we’re doing everything right. And by that, I mean together.”

I brushed my fingertips over his cheekbones, so in awe that he belonged to me. “I meant what I said yesterday. My version of living a great life is to raise a family with you. To be happy and fulfilled as a mother then whatever else I want later down the line. Your sister taught me that it was okay to have that kind of ambition.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Please don’t talk about my sister right now.”

I cracked up, then Max rained kisses over me until we were both worked up and ready for round two.

Next door, our daughter slept on. We’d raise her to know only love. With Max, she was already speaking more, and if she needed help in time, we’d find a way to get it.

If this was my life from now on, I was the luckiest woman who ever lived.