"You can't just hope for happy endings. You have to believe in them. Then do the work, take the risks." — Nora Roberts

Max's POV

I didn't care if I get a speeding ticket. My ears was roaring, my heart was in my throat. My head was swimming with so many negative thoughts.

My wife is in danger. Held hostage by a fucker.

And Noah betrayed me. He knew all along that Paul set me up, and he killed his stepsister, and his lover.

What fucked up world we have.

My wife. 

My wife needed me right now, and I left her alone.

Where are my securities?

And why did they let that fucker get to my wife?

So many questions, and anger roaring through my veins.

I'm so close to home when I heard a loud siren approaching. I thought they will gonna pull me over, so I pulled on the side of the road and waited. But the police car zoomed past me, and I quickly followed suit. 

Just then I realized the cruiser was heading in the same direction I'm driving.

As soon as I parked my car, a block away since the road was blocked with police cruisers and nosy people watching the scene unfold like a movie.

I squeezed myself into the throng of prying people, made a beeline until I saw her. I halted on my tracks, my chest pumping furiously against my ribcage. And I felt like the only air in my lungs was vacuumed out of my chest, I couldn't breathe. 

My wife. The only person that made my life essential, who made me complete. The only light to my dark soul. The reason for my smile. The reason why I get up each day motivated, inspired. And that psychotic man was holding her hostage.

The man was huge. Taller than me by a few inches, and was holding my wife by the neck, with his gun pointing at her temple. She looked so small, fragile against his hold, and my whole body freezes, rooted on the ground. My legs felt like lead, I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. My lungs and chest felt like lead weighing it down.

And at the same time, my ears buzzed with fury, red hot rage swirling in my veins, zipping up to my head.

Moments later, I instinctively move, trying to get past the police, standing behind their cruisers, negotiating with the psychopath, holding my wife hostage, but I was abruptly halted by two large police officers.

I struggled to get free, my eyes zeroing in on my wife. Her face stricken with fear. Her terror-filled eyes,/tricken face will forever haunt me in my dreams.

"Sir, we can let you go closer. We need you to back away," one of them said, but my eyes locked on her, my vision was hazy with red hot rage. 

"That's my wife!" I expostulated, swatting their grip off my arms. Fear still evident in my angry tone. 

"Sir!" another police officer pushed, hustling me backward, but I dug my feet on the ground. They had to carry me to move if they can, but I'm not stepping back. I need to save my wife. It looked like they've been negotiating for hours now, and there was no development. 

"That's my wife!" I growled gruffly in protest, and the hold on either of my forearms slackened when my words sunk in their brain, and perhaps they realized I am not budging.

I'm like a mountain of tree trying to fell using an axe. 

It  will take them at least ten men to move me, if most of these officers just reach my ears, and weight half of my weight.

"We are sorry, Sir but let us handle this. If you get closer, you'll alarm the suspect and pull the trigger," the officer explained, and he was right.

But, I won't just stand there and watch. 

My brain was whirling. And I couldn't accept their terms. I just couldn't stand there and wait. 

I remember Jun. 

If I have to pay for a sniper, I will. I will kill that bastard who lay a hand on my wife. If I can't kill him with my bare hand, I will find another one to do it for me.

Fuck the law!

I stepped back and called Jun. I know he has assassins working for him.

I reluctantly stepped back, and found a spot at the very back, and dialled Jun. I just noticed my hands are trembling, and my heart is pounding furiously, I'm close to having a heart attack. I might as well have at this moment. It's hard to breathe.

My ears still buzzing with all the adrenaline rushing through my veins.

"I'm coming, and I sent someone. He'll take care of it," he said before I could even say a word. I felt a tear escape my eyes, and unconsciously wiped it with the back of my hand. My hand gripping the small phone tightly than necessary. 

"Thanks," that's all I mumbled, my throat felt like sandpaper and clogged with fear.

The line went dead, and I stashed it back in my pocket the slim phone, and then I strode back closer. This time, the people parted, and the police officers didn't seize me, but I also reigned the urge to run closer and kill that fucker. 

I'm gonna jeopardize my wife's safety.

Jun said it's taken care of.

I stared at my wife, more or less four meters away, but I can see in her eyes the fear. She was struggling to get away, her fingers curled around the man's arms that  was wrapped around her shoulders, almost choking her neck. 

And when her eyes met mine, her face turns paler. 

My heart raced rapidly, and I tried to calm my racing heart. To breathe calmly, but it's hard. My throat felt like it's closing off, and the air seemed dwindling each passing second.

Stay calm, my love. Just give us more time, you'll be back in my arms soon, safe. 

I silently sent her the message through my eyes.

I saw her stiffened, froze when she realized I was watching. 

And I know she's not the type to stay still and not put a fight, but I'm also positive she's knows better not to do anything that would harm her.

The man is huge, and added to that, she had her by the throat with a gun pointing at her skull.

She looked terrified, and stood like a statue against the man's hold but it was only for a second, the shock on my face when she did the inexplicable thing.

She bit the man's arm that was wrapped around her neck.

And as soon as I realized what she did, and what will be the repercussions once that fucker got back to his senses, he'll shoot her. No doubt.

I ran towards them, my ears ringing, my head spinning. I have only one purpose... to get to her. 

Everything was a blur. And I saw that fucker aimed his gun at her like in a slow motion. I didn't even hear myself screaming no, as I rushed to my wife. My thoughts was to block her from the bullet with my body. There was no time to get to the man. I'm closer to my wife.

But then, everything happened so fast, like the adrenaline rush that claimed me. 

I saw the bullet, just like in a movie, zoomed straight into his forehead, and the spluttering red liquid in the air and landing most on my wife's face, and then my Angel shocked face, before she slowly lost her sentient. 

Like a leaf in the fall, her body falling slowly onto the ground.

I caught her before her body hit the ground. I was breathing so hard, the words fumbled out of my dry lips, sounded craggier. 

"Angel! Baby!" the words coming out in a rush pants as I gently touched her pale cheeks that was painted with patches of red blood as I cradled her on my lap

The scrambles of feet, incoherent voices of the officers, the sirens blaring,  and people's chattering incessantly passing through my ears as my wide eyes stared at my unconscious wife.

"Honey!" I called again, wiping the smeared blood off her cheeks. My hands was all over her face, her body before I get my wits to calm down a bit.

I felt her carotid and there was a pulse there. I felt a little relief. Feeling the air swooshing back into my lungs. 

I was too focused on her, I didn't noticed the paramedics trying to get my attention.

"Sir, if you can step back, then we can tend to her," one of the paramedic said, but I stopped them before they could touch my wife.

"I'm a surgeon!" I snapped, and I didn't really like to rub my profession to anyone, but at this point, I don't want my wife out of my sight. "I'll tend to her. Just get this fucker out of my sight!" I growled gruffly, pulling her limp body against me, like a tiger protecting his cub.

They looked at me like they were gauging how much alert Am I, or was I sane and able to treat my wife.

"I'm Doctor Max Demakis. And I'm capable to treat my wife." I reassured them, my tone though was biting. 

They nodded, and then stepped back. They were quick though to take the fucker's dead body and covered it.

I quickly scooped up my wife and brought her inside in a rush of adrenaline buzzing through my ears. I didn't even realized that my securities and the kids are trailing behind me. The kids were oblivious that the man on the ground was their father. My mind was solely reeling on my wife's safety.

I laid her on our bed, cleaned her face, and changed her bloodied clothes into my shirt and one of her pajama bottom. 

Not long after, she moaned, and I perched on the side of the bed, watching her like a hawk as her eyelids fluttered before it opened and found me.

"Baby, how do you feel?" I asked. 

She didn't respond, instead, she launched herself onto me, her bone-wracking sob seeping through my bones.

My heart constrict, and I felt the tears prickling behind my eyelids as I wrapped her tightly against my chest, cocooning her in my arms all the while kissing her head. My throat was clogged with all the emotions that blanketed me. 

That fear on that night when she was almost got hit by a car on our first public date came back, but this time it was doubled.

I thought I'm gonna have a heart attack, seeing her so vulnerable, and I'm so helpless.

"It's over," I murmured through her hair, and her tears were unending. Like a water top that got broken, and wouldn't stop.

"I thought it's the end for me," she choked out through tears. "I thought I'm not going to see our kids, raise them, and watch them grow," she sputtered, and hearing it that she wanted kids with me, the tension in my body slowly easing.

"I won't leave you again. I won't let you out of my sight again," I replied, nuzzling my nose against her hair, and fill my lungs with her natural scent. "I love you," I added, and she sniffed as her hands wrapped around me tightened.

"I love you, Max. I love you very much, and always as long as I'm breathing." And then she stilled. She pulled her herself away to look into my eyes. The fear was now morphed with panic.

"The kids!" she exclaimed in a rush, her eyes darting towards the door.

"They are safe," I replied, and she let out a sigh of relief.

She curled her hands around my waist again, burrowing her face against my chest, and I felt her sniffing me in.

Her breath tickling my chest even with the fabric in between.

My body hummed, and the fire coursed through my vein. I know I shouldn't think dirty after what happened, but it is what I needed right now.

I need her. I need to make sure she's here. Yes. That's right. I need to make sure she was here with me. Feel her all around me, all over me, and possessed me. 

I'm obsessed with her.

"Doc," someone called me from the threshold of the door, and I found Theo standing there.

"What?!" I asked grumpily.

Seeing Theo, and realizing that they left her alone, it made my blood boil. I felt murderous.

I still couldn't come into terms with the fact that they left my wife. If not with Jun who take care of it, I would have done something to them.

I held my anger at bay.

"The police is in the living room, wanting to see if Mrs. Demakis is able to make a statement," he asked. His face filled with guilt especially when it landed on my wife.

Angel slowly pulled herself away, wiping the remnants of tears away from her eyes. 

"Give her a mi—"

"Sure," she rolled over me.

I stared at her red-rimmed and puffy eyes.

The smiled that usually lined her eyes are gone, they looked haunted. 

"Are you sure?" I asked her, holding her closely to me. 

She met my eyes as she nodded. She forced a small smile trying to reassure me, and so I held back the protest that's about to escape my lips. 

I nodded solemnly, dropping a kiss on her forehead, sniffing her scent that has the power to calm me, and at the same time making my insides flutter like butterflies.

And as she slowly rose to her feet, I dropped my hands and let it fall on my sides, rising to my feet and followed her out of our bedroom.

I gave Theo a stiff nod before passing him.

Just as we get to the living, the two officers rose to their feet and greeted my wife, a commotion coming from the front door growing.

I heard my mom's voice. 

"Where is she?" her voice was shrill, and she couldn't hide the panic in her tone.

"Is she safe? Did she get shot?" another boomingvoice, and it's coming from my dad, and then loud footfalls approaching. Like teams of linebackers charging to the football field.

And one by one appeared into the living room.

Mom in her pair of hello kitty pajamas, my dad with only his boxer shorts and red and white stripe flannel pajama top, Alexandrine, Kristos, and Leandros.

The living room now felt smaller with all the Mailov, including my dad inside. 

And the two police officers who looked hard awhile ago now looking like wet kitten in front of all of the mountain Mailov.

And as soon as my wife saw them, she ran into them, and she looked like a tiny doll engulfed in their tree trunk arms.

"You are all here!" she exclaimed, her voice was throaty, and I could hear the tears that she's trying to hold back, threatening to escape.

"We are supposed to come and visit you tomorrow. We just arrive tonight for a business meeting," Kristos explained. "Alexandrine accidentally saw the breaking news on TV," he added, "we come right away."

"The rest of the Mailov are on their way," Alexandrine supplied before letting my wife free of his arms. 

"You shouldn't have called them. You just made them worried. And I hope dad's okay," my wife said in a chiding tone. 

"We were worried, and if mom and dad finds out, and we didn't inform them, you'd think we will hear the end of it? Not a chance," Leandros butted in.

My wife shook her head, and turned to face my mom.

"Mom," she mumbled, almost choking as she burrowed herself into my mom's arms. 

My mother is taller a few inches than my wife, and I realized she seemed to be a lot bigger now than my mother. Well, she's been eating a lot lately, and her being home, she had time to eat. 

"Thank God, you're safe," my mom murmured, and held her for a minute longer before my dad engulfed them both in his arms.

"If that fucker is still alive, I won't stop until he will suffer and beg death to take him," my dad grunted gravelly, and I looked at the two officers who seemed to bristle at my dad's threat against the dead man.

"Dad," I murmured with a warning in my tone. I know he saw the two police officers, he even shook their hands. But his emotions must have consumed him. 

The Mailov introduced themselves to the officers, and soon they asked question after question to my wife while we stay on the sideline. I was holding my wife closely, one arm around her waist, she snuggled closer to me as she answered every questions.

The only way I could send her my support is with the comfort of my warm body. 

When the police officers was done, they left. Just then Jun appeared, and with a cock of his head, I followed him outside.

I left my wife with her brothers and my parents, I caught the silhouette of my securities hidden in the shadows. 

"It wasn't my man who took down the psychopath," he said as soon as we are in a dark corner on the side of our house and where no one can hear us.

"Then who?" I asked, scowling.

"Bullet, caught the guy. Paul sent him to shoot your wife, fortunately it was at the same time when your wife moved he pulled the trigger, the bullet that was supposedly for her hit the suspect." 

"I.want.him.dead." I said through clenched teeth, my hands balled into fists.

Anger simmering in my blood as that thought of my wife if she didn't move, she's dead by now.

Cold sweats broke out on my skin, my blood turned cold as the realization dawned on me. Terror skittered through my veins.

"I want him dead," I repeated, and Jun patted my shoulder. As long as he's alive, I can't stop thinking about my wife's safety.

"You don't want to turn him in to the cops?" he asked.

"No!" I exclaimed in a low, cold tone. "I want to see that fucker, to let him know he screwed up with the wrong person." I growled gruffly in a very low, lethal tone as I stared at Jun. 

My body was radiating off fury, rage already had consumed me. I forget where we are as my mind spin with all the cruel things I will do to him before I end his life.

"I will let you vent out all your rage to him, but I won't let you become a murderer, Max," Jun said, shaking his head. He wrapped one meaty arm around my shoulder before he added. "Let us handle it after you are done with him," he tightened his arms, and I clenched my jaw.

"If only for my wife's safety, and our future kids, I'll eliminate anyone who's a possible threat to them," I gritted out, and Jun pulled his arm, patted my shoulder, then dropped it to his side.

"I know. And I will reassure you, it's the end of your worries." 

Jun retreated back, and then turned and before his huge body swallowed by the dark, I spoke. "Anyone that threatened my wife. I want them out..." I said in a tone that only Jun can hear. 

Jun only nodded before he disappeared.

A week later, it passes like a blur.

I bought the next land that was close to my parent's mansion, and they started the construction of our house, my wife mostly plan how the floor plan it would be.

She wanted a two story house, not a mansion. She didn't want a mansion where she couldn't see our future kids because it was too large. And I agreed. 

She wanted something more of a home. We started with a four bedroom spaces, the kitchen is big as well as the master bedroom. With a living room that could accommodate all of our families if they come and visit, and the only thing I contributed to the blueprint is the high ceiling living room, and big windows. I want the natural light soaking the rooms at daytime. 

Right now, we are sitting at the living room of our temporary home, here in my parent's house. more like mansion.

My wife talking with my mom while drinking tea as they settled themselves on each side of the leather sofa.

Dad was on the phone with someone while he was staring out the floor to ceiling windows, overlooking the back garden.

The TV was on, and it was the evening news. 

Sasha stood next to me, and she nudged my side with her shoulder. I looked down at her, and she had that grin that used to annoy me. 

"What?" I asked, curling one arm around her shoulder pulling me to my side, and she curled her hand around my waist.

"She's not going anywhere. You can relax now," she chuckled, and I sighed.

After that traumatic event, I never let her out of my sight.

But today, she slipped out with my sister which made me all worried and restless until my sister called me and told me they were out to buy something.

I traced her phone and found they were at a clinic.

I didn't say anything though, I'm waiting when I have her all by myself tonight. 

I shook my head. "I sometimes wanted to spank you both!" I hissed, and thinking about spanking my wife my cock hardened to rock. 

I quickly squashed the erotic images of her ass cheeks blushing furiously after spanking her, shifting to another angle trying to hide the huge tenting of my crotch before my sister notice it.

I pulled my hand, and headed towards my wife and mom who was talking animatedly. Sasha's teasing laughter trailing behind me.

Mom and Angel looked up to me when I stopped next to my wife. She scooted closer to my mom so I could sit next to her. She leaned forward, and placed her mug on the table, then leaned her back against my chest, my hand curled possessively around her. 

She snuggled contentedly against me, and mom shook her head. I kissed the side of her head every once in a while without knowing.

All our attention drifted to the TV when we heard what the journalist said.

It was the breaking news.

"A boy saw a floating body at the lake, and the police had identified him as Doctor Noah Theophilus..." the lady reporter's words floated in my eardrums as I thought of the night Paul and I last met. 

And before I disappear from the scene, Paul's haughty laughter turned into pleading, his flawless face bloody and unrecognizable. My knuckles are bruised, but I didn't care. I didn't care about his reason. 

All I care is he almost took my wife. 

A few days later, his dead body was found on the ground of a 20th floor building, and the police couldn't find any hard evidences of foul play.

They concluded it was a suicide. 

Jun had delivered his promises.

And at that moment, relief flooded through me, and I could finally breathe. 

"... the police hasn't given any information until then. Back to you Jim," the reporter said, and then silence permeated the room. My hands around my wife tightened as she borrowed her face into my chest.

And then her cries punctuated the silence, and everyone rushed to us. I tightened my hold around her, worries flooded me.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked against her head. 

"It's over, honey," mom cooed, not realizing she was now so close to Angel, one hand rubbing her back.

"It's over, baby," I reiterated in a tender soothing tone simultaneously kissing her temple, her forehead, and everywhere my lips landed as she sob against my chest.

After a while, she looked up as she pulled herself away from me, all the while wiping her tears as she met my eyes.

"It's a happy tears," she sputtered, and then chuckled. "I'm so happy they get what they deserved, and call me a heartless, but I'm so damn happy. I don't have to worry about my baby," she rambled, and her palm rested on her belly, and everyone who was cooing soothing words to her quieted for a moment before the words sunk in my brain.

"You're pregnant?" I choked out, my throat felt lumpy with the overwhelming happiness suddenly flowed inside my chest.

She nodded her head furiously, chuckling and crying at the same time.

"I asked Sasha to help me sneak out and do to the doctor to confirm it," she explained through happy tears, and I quickly scooped her tear-streaked face and kissed her hard.

"Fuck, you made me the happiest man on earth!" I said and pulled her onto my lap. 

And her crying turns to chuckles, then laughters.

Everyone congratulates us, but my whole attention was on the woman on my lap who made my life more meaningful... complete.

The only person who makes me mad in an instant, and at the same time, makes me smile, laugh, and love like a madman.

..............

Epilogue next.