Deadly Infatuation

Chapter 40

Lily

"You're all good to go, Mr. King," the nurse informs Max after his tests come back all clear.

She tells him he may experience nausea and may have a persistent cough for the next few days, but it's nothing to worry about.

His dad is in the cubicle next to us and after checking in on him, we learn he is also in the clear. I'm relieved to say the least. I don't know how they stayed close to the ferocious fire for as long as they did.

After they both sign their discharge forms, we make our way out of the hospital and head for the car. William walks behind us and I hear him talking to his wife on the phone to let her know we're on our way back.

It's pitch black when we get outside and when I glance at my watch, I see that it's close to midnight. I sigh despondently. I have to be up for work in approximately seven hours.

"You okay?" Max murmurs beside me, his eyes watching me cautiously.

"I'm just tired," I mumble.

He opens his mouth as if he wants to say something more, but in the end he presses his lips together and carries on walking in silence.

I've been relatively quiet since we left Max's family home. At the time, I was angry and disappointed in him for not telling me about Sarah. But now that I've had time to think about it, I know it was a slight overreaction on my part. I can see that Max was only doing what he thought was best and was just trying to shield me from it, even when I wish he didn't. If anything, I think I'm more annoyed that Sarah keeps trashing my things. I was already dreading replacing the furniture in my apartment thanks to her and now I have to pay for a new windshield. What I'd give to give her a taste of her own medicine and destroy something precious of hers so she knows how it feels.

The roads are thankfully quiet when we make the trip back to his parent's house and while I sit in the front and rest my eyes, I half listen to the conversation Max and his dad are having in the back. It seems his dad is going to have personal security for each of his family members now until they put Sarah behind bars and sent down for her crimes. He worries a little whether they would grant her bail before the court date, but Max swiftly moves the conversation on, possibly to not stress me anymore out and they discuss arranging a time to talk to the police and the fire marshal in the morning.

As they talk about the finer details of things, I tune them out and rest my head against the cool glass, wondering how I will even get to work tomorrow. Maybe it'll have to be in this car with Johnson. The thought doesn't sit too well with me as I feel like this is a step backwards in normality. Driving my car, I was at least able to feel like I was in charge of that aspect of my life. I'll make a call to a repair shop when I'm at Blue Lavender tomorrow so I can get my car back on the road.

When we pull up to his parent's house, I see that Detective Danes and Detective Styles vehicle is parked outside and they greet us with Oliver when we open the door. While Max, his dad, and Johnson go off to one of the side rooms with them to discuss tonight's events, I venture into the living room and see that Paige and Taylor are still awake, nursing a glass of brown liquid each that resembles whiskey.

"Max and William are both fine. They're just talking to the detectives."

"Thank the Lord," Paige breathes. "You were gone so long, I was beginning to get worried."

"The hospital was busy, so we had a while to wait," I tell her as I take a seat next to her on the couch. "Where's everyone else?"

"Peter is on the terrace so he can monitor the vineyard and make sure it doesn't catch fire again," Taylor tells me. "The firefighters checked the area to put out any embers left, but you know how men can be stubborn sometimes."