Chapter Twenty
Lucian
Today, I marry the love of my life. Our road has never been easy and has in fact been hell again recently. I can hardly believe what has transpired in the last few weeks. Cassie—our once childhood friend turned twisted, dark woman—almost succeeded in taking Lia’s life. By the time the firefighters were able to enter our apartment, Cassie was dead. The fire chief said the nursery door was locked from the inside. Aidan swears it was open when he left with Lia so we can only deduce that Cassie locked it. Possibly not wanting to face the reality of what she’d done.
Monique also seemed to have a moment of clarity; she was attempting to flee to Mexico when arrested by airport security for attempted murder. She’s currently in prison awaiting a preliminary hearing. Max has assured me the judge will not set bail for her since she’s proven to be a flight risk. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure that she serves the harshest sentence possible. She is the perpetrator of so much of the evil that nearly destroyed us. There is so much we may never understand about what transpired between her and Cassie. What we do know is that she preyed on a mentally ill woman and used her for her own sick purposes. I truly hope the devil has a special place in hell reserved especially for her.
Lia spent two days in the hospital before being released. She had a mild concussion and needed five stitches for the wound on the back of her head. The baby was fine and the doctor saw no reason for alarm. We’ve been staying with my Aunt Fae since leaving the hospital and we’re to be married in the pool area here in just over an hour. We had agonized over whether we should postpone the wedding until after the baby was born. With all that had happened, it was difficult to imagine moving forward, but in the end, we’d decided that a new beginning was something we desperately needed.
I turn from the window I have been staring out when I hear movement behind me. I turn, my mouth dropping open in shock as I see Aidan standing there. I fully expected he wouldn’t come today and assured him that I understood. He had been holed up in his apartment—drinking heavily from what Max and I had gathered—since Cassie’s death. I know he blames himself that he couldn’t save her—yet when the decision had to be made, he knew he first had to get Lia and our child to safety. I’ll never be able to repay him for that—knowing what it cost him to leave Cassie behind.
He realized as she’d fought him, determined to kill Lia, that she’d never really gotten better. It had all been an illusion. She was still a danger to herself and everyone in her path. But love is not something you can suddenly turn off, and he’s suffering her loss greatly. I study him as he walks closer, noting that his liquid diet has left him thinner—almost gaunt. His expression is bleak as he stops before me. I pull him into a hug, holding him for longer than I ever have before. He doesn’t return the embrace, nor does he pull away. There are no words of comfort I can give him—nor do I try. What can I say when I’m marrying the woman I love today while his lies in the ground? While I can’t fathom the gamut of emotions he is dealing with, and while I know he wasn’t in love with Cassie anymore, I have no doubt that he grieves for the woman he thought he saw emerging from Cassie’s shell. Aches for how fooled we’d all been, and how unwell she truly was.
He steps away and rocks back on his heels. Anger flashes across his face. “I talked to Monique yesterday,” he spits in disgust. His voice is hoarse as if he has barely used it in days. “At first, she refused to say anything, but when I went into graphic detail of what was going to happen to her in prison, she finally broke down and started begging for my help. I guess her daddy has even refused to come visit her. I told her that I needed some answers before I could even consider it.”
Shocked, I ask, “Surely to hell you’re not going to help that bitch?”
“No! Fuck, no way,” he hisses. “I just needed to know what happened. I mean, Cassie’s doctors were so certain she was getting better. I had just talked to them right before Monique signed her out for the trip to Colorado. They had no reservations at all about it. Then she’s…trying to kill Lia in the next breath?”
No matter how much I’d never like to hear Cassie or Monique’s names again, I’m as hungry for answers as he is. I know from what Lia has recounted that Monique likely spun some elaborate tale to send Cassie back off the deep end. And in all likelihood, she was probably never as far from the edge as Aidan and her doctors had hoped she was. I straighten my shoulders and brace myself. “What did she say?”
“What we already suspected. She told Cassie that Lia was trying to take her baby away from her. Convinced her that with Lia gone, she could have you and her baby back. She also told her that Lia had been the one who had been screwing around with you behind her back in college.” I grimace at the last part, grateful I’d finally told Aidan about cheating on Cassie the night that everything had imploded eight years ago. “She is fucking insane. Cassie was unstable and Monique recognized that fact and used it to her own benefit.” Turning, he brings his fist down on a nearby table, almost toppling it. “And I was sleeping with her. You tried to tell me to get away from her, and I didn’t listen. I mean, I knew she was a bitch, but I never saw the evil within her. If I had, I could have prevented all of this. Instead, I signed Cassie over and maybe a part of me was even relieved to let Monique handle things.” Fuck, he blames himself? What the hell?
“Aidan. Fuck, man, this isn’t your fault. You’ve done nothing but try to help Cassie. Monique played us all. I had no idea what she was up to, either. I figured she was just playing games as usual. I certainly never guessed what was really going on.” Now it makes sense why she sought Lia out at Leo’s that night. How does someone become so evil? I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him, but he’s rigid—filled with inner pain and rage. I’ve been there. My brother…
A throat clears nearby and I look over Aidan’s shoulder to see Max. “Everyone is ready. Shall we?”
Aidan looks at me with pain-filled eyes, and I feel conflicted knowing he is in a terrible place and I am, once again, moving forward. I know he wouldn’t want me not to go to Lia now, but I tug him to me for another brief hug, hoping he understands that I feel his pain. Thus, in solemn joy, we walk quietly toward my future with Lia. With Aidan, Max, and Sam at my side, I await the mother of my child and promptly lose my breath as she steps into the room. She is beautiful, elegant, and kind. She is the words to every love song I’ll never be able to write. She is the sun rising in the morning and the moon that lights the blackest of nights. She is my greatest strength and my worst weakness. She is everything I’ll never be, but together we are one against the world and today she’ll take my name forever. The beast in me roars in pleasure—the man in me wants to fall to his knees and thank her once again for loving someone who didn’t deserve a second chance. Through her, I’ve been granted salvation and I will gladly worship at her altar through every season—as our love eclipses that of even the brightest star.
Lia
I am Mrs. Lucian Quinn, and I am loved beyond measure by my husband—a true fact since he told me that very thing only moments ago. We were married in front of a handful of our closest friends in an intimate ceremony at Lucian’s family home. With so much pain all around us, this moment stolen in time seems to have affected everyone deeply. Debra is still dabbing at her eyes as Martin rubs her back soothingly. Rose and Max look very much like a couple as she curls against him in the circle of his arms. She told me earlier that nothing had been resolved between them and she would be going home for a while after today. She is troubled and I wish desperately she would let me in, but her feelings are as closed off as Lucian’s once were.
Fae was escorted today by her work colleague and friend, who, incidentally, was also instrumental in helping Lucian battle his addiction to cocaine. It makes me wonder if she wasn’t able to allow herself happiness until her beloved nephew found his own. I’ve come to associate just that type of selfless devotion with her.
Sam and Cindy are also here as a couple. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to attend their wedding in the near future. Lucian says it still gives him the creeps to ponder what goes on behind closed doors between two of the people he loves the most—but I know he’s secretly happy they’ve found each other.
And a joy I never could have imagined—my father being here to walk me down the aisle. Lee Jacks came into my life such a short time ago, but he has quickly become so very important to me. It hurts him deeply that he wasn’t able to save me while I was growing up. I know he battles both sorrow and rage over losing those years with me. For a man still so young, he looked close to tears earlier when I hugged him and called him Dad. He’ll always mainly be Lee to me, but sometimes I think he needs to hear me call him my father and I vow to do that more often as we continue to grow closer.
My uncle Peter is also here today with his wife Charlotte, and daughter, Kara. Their son, who I’ve only met once, was unable to come due to some schedule conflict. It feels better than I could have imagined having my own small family in attendance. People who I’m growing to love as we try to make up for the years lost.
Arms come around me from behind and I snuggle into the firm body of my husband. His hands cup our daughter through the fabric of my simple, white gown, and he nuzzles into my neck. “Hey, baby, what’re you doing over here by yourself?”
I put my hand over his and we both stare out the glass wall at the lone figure in the distance. “I’m worried about him,” I admit softly.
“Me, too.” He sighs. “He doesn’t want to talk about it, and I’m not going to push him. I was surprised he even showed up today. I certainly wouldn’t have held it against him had he not.”
I turn, looking up at him. “He’d do anything for you, Luc. As deeply as he’s hurting, you’re still his brother and he loves you.” We stand for a moment, both lost in thought as Aidan stands with his shoulders slumped and his head bowed.
When another arm encircles my shoulders, and a voice says, “I thought you’d be all over that big cake by now,” Lucian and I begin laughing. Leave it to Rose to break the melancholy mood.
I glance at the elaborate red velvet cake and feel—nothing. For once, I’m not starving. I feel kind of full, even though I haven’t eaten for hours. I shrug my shoulders and say, “I can’t believe it, but I don’t want a piece right now.” And then it happens—the ultimate humiliation. Pregnancy has me peeing constantly and there have been a few close calls, but I’ve never actually lost control and certainly not in public. And on my wedding day. OH, MY GOD! I begin backing up, trying to free myself from Lucian and Rose’s arms. “I…er…I’ve got to go inside for a moment.”
They’re both staring at me now. I keep walking backward, giving them both a bright, reassuring smile when Rose suddenly looks down and cringes. “What the hell is on my shoes?” Lucian automatically follows the direction of her stare and appears to notice the puddle they’re standing in.
Mortified, I stutter, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even know it was coming.”
Lucian looks bemused while Rose throws her hands up in the air. “You peed on my new Jimmy Choos? Shit balls, I’d shoot you right now if I didn’t love your leaking ass so much.”
I have to give Lucian credit for keeping a straight face. He comes toward me, looking as if he’s biting his lip to keep from grinning. “Come on, baby, let’s go inside and get you changed.”
A smile pulls at my lips just as intense pain stabs through my back. “Ugh,” I shriek as I bend over. “Ouch, that hurt,” I muse as I rub at the now aching spot.
All humor has fled Lucian as he runs the last few feet to reach me. “Baby, are you all right?”
“My back kind of hurts,” I admit. “Maybe I’ve overdone it a bit today. I’ll get into some new clothes and sit down for a bit.”
Rose walks up in time to hear our exchange and puts her hands on her hips. “Wake up, you two. That wasn’t pee; that was that fluid stuff. Your water broke and you’re in labor.” She gives a huff that says, must I do everything? before ushering a stunned Lucian and me toward the house. “Hey, everyone,” she yells as we pass the pool area, “Lia just drenched us and she’s having a baby. We’re just gonna go to the hospital now. You’re welcome to join us.” After that, it was sheer pandemonium.
Before I could blink, I was in a delivery room and Lucian was at my side. As I labored to bring our daughter into the world, I alternated between telling him how much I loved him and how much I hated him and his big pecker. The nurses got a kick out of that one. Since they were already staring at him, I’m sure they were thrilled to have an excuse to drop their eyes below his waist. “I love you,” he says again as sweat soaks my brow and I take a moment to regroup before pushing.
“I know,” I rasp out, “and you damn well better never stop.” And that was the moment Lara Anne was born. Right as I was throwing a profanity at her father, and he was simply staring at me in adoration as if I were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.