Chapter 68

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Will

M addy and Zak were curled up on the sofa, watching some mindless reality TV show based on a luxury yacht. I had no clue what was going on, only that some people had millions in the bank but no taste whatsoever. What I also knew was that Zak hadn't let go of her hand in the two hours that they'd been sitting there. They'd even eaten their pizza one handed.

"Any chance we can have a chat?" I asked, leaning down to pick up the TV remote and pausing the program.

"Do you want me to go?" Zak asked, looking like he might burst into flames if he had to leave my daughter's side.

I shook my head. "It's fine because I reckon this affects you as well."

Maddy scooted to the edge of the sofa, concern in her eyes. "What's wrong? Is Maya okay, did she go to bed because she doesn't feel well?"

"No, no. It's all fine. She just needed a nap. Those painkillers knock her out." I sat down and patted Maddy's knee reassuringly. "It is about Maya, though."

"Is she pregnant?" Maddy gave me the first smile she'd offered in days. "Please yes. I've always wanted a little sister."

"No, sweetheart, she's not pregnant." Although, I wouldn't be averse to it if she was. And that thought took me by surprise. I'd never thought I'd have any more kids, mainly because I'd never imagined meeting anyone I'd want them with. Now there was Maya.

"What then?" Maddy's smile disappeared into an expression of disappointment.

"I was wondering how you felt about her moving in with us." I had no idea why, but I grimaced, scared of her reaction.

Maddy's eyes widened. "Really?" I nodded and braced ready for rejection, but had no need to worry. "That's the best news ever, Dad." She launched herself at me, finally letting go of Zak's hand, and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so happy for you."

Hugging her back, my body sagged with relief and then pumped back up with the joy and love. This girl, the one squeezing the air from my lungs, was my world. My greatest achievement, my greatest love and whatever she did with her life, wherever she went I would support her and be proud of her. Whichever man was lucky enough to spend the rest of his life with her had better take care of her because I would always be waiting in the wings, ready to take over and kick the shit out of him if necessary. As I looked over her shoulder at Zak and saw the way he looked at her, I had a feeling he might well be that man. If meeting Maya had taught me anything, it was that when you fell in love with someone you never wanted to be without, you don't stand a chance. You can't stop it, just because you're deemed to be too young, or too old, too poor, or not suitable. When you find a deep, soul embedding love it hits you with force and sends you reeling. Maybe that was what Zak and Maddy had, and who was I to tell her he wouldn't be her last, most important love, because maybe he would be.

"I can tell her yes then?" I asked when Maddy finally let me go.

"Of course you can. The sooner the better." She edged back on the sofa bringing her legs up and grabbing Zak's hand again. "Go and tell her now." She bounced up and down, and I was happy to see her excitement at having Maya move in.

"She's sleeping, besides which I think we have other things that we need to talk about."

"We do." She frowned at me, then at Zak, and finally back to me. "What?"

"What went on with the ex-girlfriend, Zak?"

"Dad, it's all sorted," Maddy protested.

"You sure?" I raised an eyebrow at Zak. "She didn't just decide to forgive you? You didn't spin her some tale?" I was pretty sure he was being honest. I'd thought it odd that he'd do anything to hurt Maddy anyway. I'd just done the Dad thing; assumed that he was guilty and threatened the existence of his balls. Now I just needed to check that he really was a good kid after all.

"I swear, Will, I didn't do anything. I wouldn't do anything to hurt Maddy."

"He's telling the truth. We're pretty sure it was the ex-girlfriend who did it."

Zak explained everything about his passwords and passcodes and how he though she got into his phone somehow and made the post.

"Any idea when she got hold of your phone seeing as you're here as she's in London?"

Zak. "No idea."

"When was the last time she had her hands on it?"

"His phone or something else?" Maddy asked dryly.

"His phone." I shook my head in disbelief. "You need to take this seriously, Maddy. If it is this girl, then she'll do it again, and next time he might not have any proof it wasn't him. Or she'll do something that hurts you even more than this did."

"Your dad has a point, Mads."

"Yes, but what do we do?"

I wasn't sure how, but Zak did need to get her to admit it. It was true what I'd told Maddy, if he didn't, and it happened again, she'd always be wondering.

"Maybe just ask her," I suggested.

"She's too sneaky for that." Zak sighed and lifted his gaze to the ceiling, clearly frustrated. "I'll think of something."

I clapped my hands together. "Good. Now, who wants a drink?"

"Yes please." Maddy reached for the remote. "Beer?"

"Okay, Zak, the same?" When he nodded, I heaved myself up from the chair. "Right, and then this shit gets turned off."

"Dad."

"No Mads, I'm not watching this crap for the rest of the night. Maya will be up soon, and she gets seasick."

They both looked at me and frowned. "What the hell are you talking about, Dad?"

"She gets seasick she won't want to watch something about boats."

Zak grinned and scratched his head. "You do know it doesn't work like that, don't you?"

"Not sure, do I?" I said and winked at him leaving the room.

In the hallway I listened out for any noise from Maya and when I heard nothing, I started to walk to the kitchen but had barely walked two strides when the doorbell rang out. Not wanting it to wake Sleeping Beauty, I ran back to the door. I barely had it open when Steven came barrelling in, his face fixed in a sneer.

"You couldn't just say yes, could you. You had to say no, and now it's too fucking late," he screamed at me.

"What the fuck." I pushed him with both hands against his chest. "How dare you storm into my house and shout at me."

"I dare because you're nothing but a fucking bastard, and now I've lost my son because of you."

I took a step back blinking rapidly. "What?" I didn't know my brother, his son, yet shock and sadness hit me in the chest. "What happened?"

Steven gripped his hair with both hands and then bent at the waist and let out what I could only describe as a howl.

"Dad?" Maddy appeared in the doorway and looked at Steven. "What the hell is going on?"

I rubbed a hand over my mouth, not sure what to tell her. Then movement caught my eye and I saw Maya walking down the stairs.

"Babe, what's happening?" Her arm wasn't in her sling, but she was cradling it against her chest.

Steven stood up straight and turned to her. "He killed my son," he spat out, his finger pointing at me. "He didn't say yes to the transplant, and now my son is dead."

I rubbed a hand across my mouth, not sure where the guilt was coming from. I didn't owe him, or his son, anything, yet I felt an element of truth in his words. Maybe I could have saved his life.

Maya took the last couple of steps and as she got closer, I could see fire in her eyes. Her good hand was clenched into a fist; she was mad.

"How dare you come into Will's home and speak to him like that." Her growl was so low and angry even I was scared of her. "You only asked him a few days ago, how could you expect him to say yes immediately?"

When she winced and put her hand to her ribs, I took a step forward. "Maya."

"No, Will," she snapped. "He doesn't get to speak to you like that. He doesn't get to storm in here and accuse you of something that isn't your fault." She wheeled back around to Steven and pointed a finger at him. "If he'd said yes, only a few days ago, do you really think it would have happened that quickly? That your son would have had his kidney by now?" She stared at Steven, but when he didn't answer, she poked him in the chest. "Well, do you?"

"Shit," Zak muttered behind me. "She's scary."

"Yes I am," she hissed, her eyes still on Steven. "When someone accuses my boyfriend of something that is beyond his control and," she said, thrusting her good hand to her hips, "they wake me up from one of the best sleeps I've had in days."

I was sure that was a lie because she'd told me only that morning that she was sleeping better. I didn't care, though, Maya was angry, and she was sexy as hell when she was angry.

"If his kidney has finally given up then he was obviously seriously ill. Will couldn't have helped."

The way Steven looked at her made me want to punch him. He was looking her up and down with disdain, like she was dirt under his shoe.

"You need to go," I told him. "Out of my house, and I never want to see your face ever again."

He turned to me and gave me the same look of contempt, if not a harder one. "He was twice the man you'll ever be."

"Oi," Maddy butted in. "Don't you dare speak to my dad like that."

When he said, "I should have known you'd be dragged up, just like him." I'd had enough.

"Right, get out now. I'm not to blame for your son, I couldn't have saved him. Even if I'd said yes, there was no way we could have had tests and a transplant in a matter of two weeks. I'll let what you said about me go because you're grieving, but I will not have you speak to the people I love like that. Maddy is my daughter and Maya," I said pointing to the angry woman seething at the bottom of the stairs, "is my girlfriend, and this is their home. They deserve respect, and if you can't give them that, then shut your damn mouth."

"His heart gave up," Steven practically whispered. "He had a massive heart attack because of the drugs and booze, all when he was going to give up, and that's not fair. I'd got him out of the squat he was in, and he wanted to do better. He wanted to get back working, be good at his job again, like he was before the drugs. None of it is fair."

"What's not fair is you blaming Will for that," Maya said softly. "It's a terrible situation, and I feel sorry for you, but you can't come here yelling blame where it's not justified."

I was shocked to hear that my half-brother had been an addict. I'd automatically assumed he'd be some sort of executive in his dad's business, and that he'd done well with his life. Maybe he had a family and a home. I'd assumed that because he'd had a father in his life. How wrong could I have been? It seemed I was assuming a lot of shit the last few days.

Steven looked at each of us in turn, and then went to the front door, and pulled down the handle. I breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to walk out, when he stopped and turned around, pointing his finger at me. "It should have been you," he snarled. "You should have been the fuck up, not him."

Then he was gone, slamming the door behind him.

"I think that'll be the last you'll see of him," Maddy commented.

Reaching out an arm, I wrapped it around her and pulled her to me, kissing her temple. "You could be right, sweetheart, but can't say I care."

"Are you okay?" Maya asked, cautiously.

"Fine, babe. Absolutely fine." When she gave me a soft smile, I didn't feel one ounce of regret. "We're just having a beer. You want one?"

"That would be lovely. A toast to Ana," she said looking lovingly at Maddy.

"Yes," Maddy said on a sigh. "And you."

"Me?" Maya asked. "Why me?"

"Moving in with us, of course."

"You asked her?" Maya rolled her eyes at me. "I thought you weren't going to do it today. You said you'd leave it a couple of days."

"Maya, it's fine. I needed some good news after today." Maddy slipped from under my arm and went to Maya and hugged her. "It's going to be great having two of us to gang up on him."

I knew that they would do exactly that, but I really didn't give a shit. In fact, nothing would make me happier.