Max's Redemption

by L. Wilder

  “I guess there are times when I think there’s somebody up there who messed up that day … that something happened, and they took the wrong guy. I suppose at some point they’ll figure it out, and that’s when they’ll come looking for me. Cause a guy like me doesn’t end up like this.”

  “Max, it’s time to let it go. Brody would want you to let it go. Hell, he would’ve wanted you to let it go a long time ago . He’d want you to have this life, and he’d want his sister to have it with you. We all do. You have to know that.”

  “I do.”

  “Then, enough said.” He grabbed a handful of chairs and started walking towards the house. “It’s time for you to grill me a burger.”

  Once we’d all eaten and cleaned the kitchen, Glenda and Tom went their room, while Harper and I put the kids to bed. By the time they were asleep, I was completely wiped. I walked into the bedroom and found our Great Dane, Otis, sprawled across our bed.

  As I reached for his collar and started to tug him off the bed, I groaned, “Oh, hell no, buddy. Not tonight.”

  As soon as he begrudgingly jumped off, I collapsed on top of the covers with my arms and legs spread wide. I was lying there with my eyes closed when Harper crawled on top of me, straddling me with her knees at my hips. Yeah, I was tired, but I wasn’t that tired. Now that she had my attention, I cracked one eye open. “You got something on your mind, good-looking?”

  “Mayyy-bee .”

  “You gonna tell me what it is?”

  She placed the palms of her hands on my chest. “Do you promise me that you aren’t going to freak out?”

  With both eyes opened I gave her a warning look. “Harper.”

  “It’s just … we haven’t really talked about having more kids, so I’m not sure how you’re going to feel about it. Especially with Reid being such a handful these days. I know it’s just a phase, but—”

  “Harper … are you pregnant?”

  She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. “Yeah.”

  “You are?” I asked excitedly.

  When she nodded I reached for her waist, and swapping positions, I eased her onto her back. I looked down at my wife, the mother of my beautiful children, and all I could do was smile. “Does this mean you’re happy?”

  “Yes. I couldn’t be happier.” I kissed her, then said, “You and our kids mean everything to me. You all are my light. My soul. My saving grace … You are my redemption .”

  Tears filled her eyes as she placed the palms of her hands on my face. “I love you, Max.”

  “I love you too. All of you.”

  The End

  More from the Redemption Series Coming Soon

  Be sure to keep reading! An excerpt of Damaged Goods: The Redemption Series Book 1 follows the Acknowledgements:

  Acknowledgments

  Amanda Faulkner – Thank you for being you. Your heart and strength never fail to amaze me.

  Natalie Weston – Thank you for not only being an awesome PA, but for being the one person who can always making me laugh. I don’t know what I would do without you. You keep me sane!

  Lisa Cullinan – Thank you so much for taking the time to edit Max and make his book the best it could be. I truly appreciate all your hard work. Love ya chick!

  Freya Barker – Thank you for your amazing teasers. You have a true talent!

  Danielle Palumbo – You never fail to come through for me. Thank you so much for all you do. I truly appreciate you.

  Neringa Neringiukas – I can’t thank you enough for all of your promoting, kind words and support. You are such a blessing in my life, and I truly appreciate all that you do.

  Whynter Raven and Daverba Ortiz – Thank you so much for taking the time to post my teasers, banners, and book covers all over Facebook. Your support means more than you know.

  Tanya Skaggs, Charolette Smith, and Donna Parrot – Thank you for reading Nitro early and helping me make it even better. You guys rock! Tanya – you are such a sweetheart. Thanks for keeping me sane.

  Wilder’s Women – I am always amazed at how much you do to help promote my books and show your support. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. I read all of your reviews and see all of your posts, and they mean so much to me. Love you big!

  A Special Thanks to Mom – I’m glad you’re mine!

  Damaged Goods

  Excerpt

  By

  L. Wilder

  PROLOGUE

  Nitro

  D amaged people can be dangerous. They’ve been through hell and lived to tell about it. The pain made them stronger, more resilient, and nothing stands in their way. I’m not ashamed to say I’m damaged. I know I’m not the man that I once was. I look in the mirror, and I don’t even recognize the reflection staring back at me. I no longer see a kid with hopes and dreams, living life with blinders on. He’s been replaced by a man who’s been broken into a shattered mess, but by the grit of his own teeth managed to pull himself back together. We all have that moment—that single moment that changes our lives forever. For some, it was something as simple as a few thoughtless words that struck a chord deep inside them, while for others, it was some traumatic event or tragedy that altered their course in a way they’d never have expected. For me, there’s no question about what changed me. It was one terrible, unsuspecting night when fate reared its ugly head. Since then, my life has never been the same. I faced the pain, the anger, and the heartache. I survived it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my regrets. I should’ve known. I should’ve paid more attention, but I missed the warning signs and it cost me everything.

  Ten Years Earlier

  I parked my truck at the front gate of my dad’s warehouse, then turned to my girl and smiled. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

  “If you’re not back out here in five minutes, I’m coming in. That last glass of tea got me. I’ve really gotta go.” Lainey smiled at me, making my chest swell with pride. I still couldn’t believe she was mine. My girl was a natural beauty with her light brown hair and olive colored skin. Her eyes were as dark as the night sky, and she had a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts. She had a spirit that was wild like a mustang and a will to match. I was crazy about her, and the fact that she was carrying my kid only made me love her more. I can still remember the day I first saw Lila Grace on that ultrasound screen, all balled up with her little thumb in her mouth. Just one look at her and I thought my heart would explode right there on the spot. She was perfect, and I couldn’t wait to hold her in my arms. Thankfully, I wouldn’t have to wait long. Lainey’s due date was only a few weeks away, which was good since our daughter was sitting right on top of her bladder.

  “Three minutes tops,” I promised as I leaned towards her and placed my hand on her round belly. After giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, I got out and rushed towards the warehouse.

  “Hey, Nathan!”

  I stopped and turned back towards the truck. She was leaning out the window with a goofy grin on her face. “Yeah?”

  “Just wanted to let you know you’ve got a great ass.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yep. One of the best.”

  “Glad you’re enjoying the view.”

  I shook my head and laughed as I continued inside. My father had sent a message that he needed me, and since business was never discussed over the phone, I had to go to him to see what he wanted. When I got to his office, I expected to find him at his desk going over inventory, but instead, I found Murray, his longtime partner, sitting in his spot. He was like a second father to me, a confidant whenever I needed one, and he added a bit of much needed humor to the place. Without looking up, he motioned towards the back of the building. “Your father’s out back.”

  “Good to see you, too.”

  “Um hmm,” he grumbled. “We’re gonna need you tomorrow.”

  “Figured that.” Since it was the end of the month and everyone wanted their shipments out on the first, we’d have to bust our asses to get ev
erything done on time. It was nothing new, though. It was always like that with our kind of inventory. Dealing with illegal guns meant we were always on high alert—hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. “I’ll be here first thing.”

  “Bring coffee.”

  “Why? I thought that was Nick’s job.”

  “Had to let him go.”

  Knowing that meant I’d be stuck doing all the grunt work they didn’t want to do, I groaned, “Damn it. Why’d you go and do that?”

  “The kid’s got nothing going on in that head of his. He couldn’t even get a cup of coffee without screwing something up.” He looked up at me with one of his smirks. “Besides, why pay someone to do something you can do?”

  There was no point in arguing, so I turned and started for the door. “I’ll bring the fucking coffee, but I draw the line at doughnuts.”

  “Hmm, doughnuts do sound good. Get me a few with sprinkles.”

  “Fuck off, Murr. I’m not getting fucking sprinkles.” I slammed the door behind me in aggravation, knowing damn well I’d get his stupid doughnuts.

  I headed to the back of the warehouse and found Dad talking with the DeMarco brothers. He’d been working with them for the past few months, but he’d made it clear that his patience was growing thin with them. They’d decided to expand their small business to include prostitution, drugs, and the like. My father had warned them against it, but he’d let it ride. He had let them do their thing, until they came up late on their last shipment and came up short on their last payment.

  “You’re late. That’s the bottom line.”

  “I know. We just need a little time, Pops,” Joey pleaded.

  “I’m not your Pops. I’m not your bro. Until you pay me the five grand you owe and come up with the hundred assault rifles, I’m your worst enemy.”

  “Look, you’ll get what’s coming to you. You know we’re good for it.”

  “I’ll tell you what I know: Time is money, and I’m done fucking around with the two of you.”

  Lenny, the taller of the two brothers with a large, crooked scar along his cheek, placed his hand on my dad’s shoulder. In a playful voice, he said, “Come on, Cal. Don’t be like that.”

  “Lenny, you’ve got until tomorrow at noon.”

  “We can’t have it by tomorrow. We need more time!”

  “You’re not getting it.”

  “Give us the time, Cal. Don’t make us do something you’ll regret.”

  My father took a threatening step forward. “There are two kinds of people in this world, Lenny. Those who make threats, and those who make good on them. Tomorrow at noon, or you know what will happen.”

  “You forced our hand, Cal. What happens next is on your head.”

  There was no mistaking their anger as they both stormed past me and out the back door. Once they were gone, I walked over to my dad. “Everything okay?”

  As always, he was cool, calm, and collected. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Seriously?”

  “What? You mean Lenny?” He laughed. “You gotta remember something, son. This business we’re in is hard. It’s even harder when you’re stupid. Those two idiots dug their own graves when they decided to tie up with Link.”

  “I thought you and Link were tight.”

  “I never said we weren’t. Besides, I’m not talking about me and my business. We’re talking about them. Those boys saw dollar signs and got in over their heads. It’s gonna cost them.”

  “And what about us? We need that shipment.”

  “We’ll be fine.” My gut pulled at me, making me wonder if he was right, but my father’s been doing this a lot longer than me. Deciding that he knew best, I left it. He started walking towards his office. “You know your mother is expecting you and Lainey for dinner tonight.”

  “We wouldn’t miss it. We’re headed that way after I leave here.” I followed him into his large office and over to his desk. “I just came by to see what you needed me to do.”

  He reached inside his desk drawer and pulled out a thick yellow envelope. “I’ve got some papers that I need you to get over to Des.”

  “No problem. I can take care of it.”

  “Make sure you get this done tonight. He’s expecting them.”

  “You got it.”

  I started for the door and was just about to walk out when I heard him shout. “Hey, Nate.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Eyes and ears open.”

  “Always, Pop.”

  I was on my way back out to the truck and was about to open the door when Lainey came rushing inside. She stormed past me and headed straight for the restroom. Just before the door closed behind her, she shouted, “Just so you know, that was not three minutes.”

  When she finally came back out, I smiled and said, “Sorry about that, baby.”

  “It’s all good. I’m better now.” She gave me a quick kiss before she turned and started for the door. “Let’s roll, Daddio. We’ve got places to go, and people to see.”

  I shook my head and laughed. “I love you, woman.”

  She turned back to look at me with one of her smiles that knocked me off my feet. “You’d better, because you’re stuck with me.”

  “I’d say that makes me a lucky man.”

  She stopped and turned to face me, looking at me with nothing but love in her eyes. She brought her hands up to my face, pulling me close as she pressed her lips against mine. Her kiss was soft and filled with promise. I’d never dreamed I could be so content with another human being. She was my everything. “I’m the lucky one.”

  We got back to the truck, and we’d only gone a few miles when I looked over and found her with her eyes closed and her head propped against the window. She was sound asleep—another side effect of the pregnancy. Poor thing was still out cold when I drove out to Desmond’s place. It wasn’t until I pulled up at my folks’ place that she finally woke up. It was pitch dark when I finally parked the car, and I felt bad for having hauled her around all day. “Hey, baby, you have a good nap?”

  She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she yawned. “Yeah, but I need to stretch my legs and get something to eat. I’m starving.”

  I got out of the truck and walked over to open her door. “Come on. Mom will have dinner ready in a minute.”

  She followed me inside where we found my mother standing at the stove, stirring the pasta sauce. She was one of the good ones. She always had a smile on her face and worked her ass off to make sure her family was taken care of. She was one hell of a cook, and her spaghetti was legendary. “Smelling good, Mom.”

  “You finally made it.” She spun around, spread her arms wide, and rushed over to me with a big smile on her face. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

  “You said dinner was at 8. I’m ten minutes early.”

  “Well, you know I like to spend time with you.” She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a tight squeeze, then headed over to Lainey. “It’s been ages since you’ve come to see me!”

  “Miss Clara, we were here on Sunday.”

  “Oh, that doesn’t count. You were only here a few minutes,” she huffed. “With Colton gone, it seems like I never get to spend time with my boys anymore.”

  My brother had decided a long time ago that he wanted nothing to do with the family business and had gone off to some Ivy League school out east. He hadn’t come home in months, and even though my mother would never admit it, I knew it was getting to her.

  “Now get this sweet girl something to drink, while I get the bread in the oven.”

  I looked over to Lainey and asked, “Tea or water?”

  Before she could answer, Mom started fussing under her breath as she looked frantically through the cabinets. “I can’t believe I forgot it. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t find the bread!” She rushed over to the pantry and dug around inside. “It’s not here.”

  “Mom, we
can live without bread. It’s not a big deal.”

  “We can’t have spaghetti without garlic bread, Nathaniel.”

  I knew she was upset when she used my full name, and knowing she wouldn’t be happy until she got just what she needed, I offered to go grab some for her. “I’ll run to the store. What do you need?”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yep. Just tell me what you want me to get.”

  She grabbed her purse and started going through her wallet. “Get us a loaf of French bread.”

  “I thought spaghetti was Italian,” I teased.

  She tried to hand me a ten-dollar bill, but I refused. “Maybe I should go with you.”

  “No, I’ll go with him,” Lainey proposed.

  “You both stay here. I’ve got this.”

  Just as I opened the door, my dad stepped inside. “Where are you running off to?”

  “Just a quick run to the store, Pop. I’ll be right back.” I gave him a pat on the shoulder and headed for my truck.

  I heard the screen door open again, followed by my mother shouting, “Make sure it’s fresh!”

  I nodded as I started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. It didn’t take me long to get to the store and back—fifteen minutes at the most. I was expecting dinner to be on the table when I walked into the kitchen, but as I walked in, I found it empty. I stopped in my tracks as a strange sensation washed over me. I’m not sure what triggered the feeling… maybe it was the unsettling silence or the hint of gun smoke that filled my nose, but I knew immediately that something was off. As I pushed down the panic creeping into my throat, I called out to my mother. I got no response, so I called out to Lainey. Nothing.

  I could hear the low rumble of the news playing on the television as I started down the hall. A nervous energy surged through me as I neared the living room. It was like I knew something awful was waiting there for me, so I picked up my pace and called out to mom once again. Still I got no response. When I finally made it into the living room, my entire world suddenly crashed down around me. I stood there frozen as I looked at my father sprawled across the floor, blood gushing from his lower abdomen and his left temple. My mind couldn’t comprehend what my eyes were seeing. It didn’t make sense. He had been fine just a few minutes ago, smiling as I greeted him at the door. I rushed to his side, praying that he was still alive. I quickly rolled him over only to find his expression was blank and his eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling. My breath caught in my throat as I realized the man I had always thought was indestructible was gone.