Page 25 of Max

“You’re already free of him, Bean,” he stated, and I decided he was delusional. “Don’t let this push you back into your shell.”

“Yeah? And how would you know what I was like before Nico entered my life? How can you possibly tell that I crawled out of that pitch-dark cave and started breathing the moment you drove me away from that fucking church?” I was scared... and angry.

I needed to let it out. If I didn’t, I would have gone insane. And I decided Max was the best choice to do it on.

“Because, for years, I have been reading the texts you sent me,” he roared. “For years, I read the confessions of a woman who couldn’t find a way out! For fucking years I longed for those same texts! And for years, I could tell you were disappearing. Not physically, but I knew someone was breaking your spirit. And then you said in one of those texts that kept me sane that he was fucking hitting you. And there was not a goddamned thing I could do about it!” my mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. He carried on. “Can you believe it? I’m a thirty-six-year-old man, and I pined over a woman I never laid eyes on in my life.”

I was staring at him. I couldn’t breathe. He stared back at me. Only his breath was harsh. Until his shoulders sagged, and he said something that would change my life forever.

“Then, one day, you reached out. You asked for help.” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe what he was saying. “And, fuck me, I fell the moment I saw you running in your wedding dress. I fell in love with you even before I spoke one word to you.”

“Whoa,” Melanie muttered beside us.

I forgot she was even there.

“Now, that’s what I call admitting your truth,” a familiar voice spoke behind us.

I turned, and my insides froze. There just barely in the door stood Vinny.

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Chapter Nine

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Skylar

I reached behind me, not looking away from Vinny and grabbed Max’s hand.

“Max, we gotta go,” I said urgently.

If Vinny was here, that meant that Nico was not far behind. He liked to play with me sometimes. Sending his men to play a big bully was his preferred pastime.

“Max, please, let’s go,” I pulled on his hand, but he didn’t move. “You don’t understand if he’s here.” I indicated to Vinny with my head. “It means that Nico is not far behind.”

“Relax,” Max said, not budging no matter how hard I pulled on his hand.

He also didn’t look away from Vinny.

“You didn’t tell her?” Vinny asked.

Tell me what?

“I said to give me twenty,” Max drawled. “You decided to come in ten.”

“And I’m so glad that I did,” Vinny smiled a sly smile. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t hear your heartfelt speech.”

“You two know each other?” I stopped trying to run away. I didn’t get what was going on.

How did they know each other?

“Better explain some things and do it fast,” Max ordered.

I thought that was an excellent idea. I really wanted to know some things. Especially, how did those two know each other and why we weren’t going away.

“She’s ready to bolt,” Max finished.

“Fine,” Vinny sighed.