Page 8 of Max

It was a blissful second where everything in my world was right. Well, not everything, but the right that I knew. And then I blinked and all the day’s going on’s rushed my brain. Jacob’s texts. Me running from the church. Nico finding me. The awful things I learned that are going on in my storage.

Max.

Max.

Sweet Mary, Max!

I indulged for a moment in reliving the sweet memory of Max. How he came to my rescue.

How his voice was soothing something in me. Something that was raw. Something that hurt. Something I didn’t even know existed. Then, as that nice, calm feeling spread through my system, the fact that someone was dealing stuff, and doing nasty things out of my place of business, pinged in my brain. I sat up, ready to throw the covers off me and run. I decided then and there I was going to thank Max for helping me, more than once, and find a way to repay him for his kindness before getting the hell out of there.

I was also going to my office to retrieve all of the important paperwork, then call all my clients to express my apologies for not being able to finish my job. Next on my list would be to call the police to inform them of anything illegal I would find. I don’t recall ever seeing anything out of place, but somehow, I don’t doubt what Max told me.

I was leaving Denver and never coming back. I didn’t think that it would take much to convince Melanie to go along with my plan. Kiki, however, was another story. But I would tackle all that after I got rid of the filth that infested my life without me even knowing or allowing it. Then, after doing all that, I would just... I would do what I always did.

I would keep going.

With my head held high; I would never let anything bring me down again. I survived losing my parents at the age of five and later losing the most important person in my teenage life, Jacob. It may sound ridiculous that I considered Jacob the most important person after losing my parents, but it is exactly what he was. My first love, and anyone knows that a young girl’s first love is one she will never forget.

Nobody could harm me anymore. I just had to keep going and hope one day it would all be worth it, and I would get what my heart desired most... someone to call my own.

I didn’t do any of that. After I sat up, I couldn’t help but stare. I was in a bedroom, one that was not in sync with the rest of Max's house. The room was flooded with light. On each side of the bed were tall windows. The bed itself was king sized and faced the door. In the right corner, right next to the window, was a hammock that someone hung in a way so that it resembled a chair, and on the wall next to it, a white bookshelf. Two doors decorated the wall to the left of the bed. I figured one led to the bathroom, and one to the closet. I was too stunned to go and see if I was right.

I looked a little closer and saw that the bookshelf not only held books but pictures as well. Pictures of a woman and a man. A few of them. The bedcovers were stark white, with a turquoise knitted throw over it, the same color as the rug just beyond the bed.

“She fainted when I confronted her,” I could hear the timber of Max’s voice just beyond the doors.

I couldn’t help it. I slowly got out of bed and tiptoed my way to the door to listen. It was obvious he was talking about me. That is, unless he had some other woman who fainted in his living room that day.

“I don’t think she knows anything, but I will be on the lookout.”

I took a chance and peeked through the crack. Max was standing just in front of the room, his back to the door. One of his hands on his waist, the other holding his phone to his ear. Whatever the person said on the other line, it made Max heave a deep sigh.

“Don’t,” he growled. “Don’t talk about that.”

Talk about what?

“We’re not going there, man.”

Whoever was pushing the point, should listen to Max’s warnings. It was fascinating how, with every second he was listening, his muscles constricted one by one down his neck.

“Stop!” he barked. “Not another word. This is nothing like that; I’ve got your back. All I’m saying is, a heads up would have been nice.”

I waited to hear if he would say anything else, but he didn’t. His whole body sagged, and his free hand went from his waist to glide over his short hair.

“I hear that.”

Another sigh from Max.

“I’ll share any information I find. I expect the same from you.”

He started turning to the door, so I jumped away from them and dove under the covers. I wasn’t sure, but it sounded like he said, Call Mom and Rory, they’re busting my ass since they can’t get hold of you. I had so many questions, mainly who was Rory? Also, the woman in the pictures, I didn’t understand the squeeze my heart gave when I saw that in one of them, Max had her in his arms. I didn’t get the chance to find out, because right then, Max peeked through the door.

“You’re up, good. We need to talk, Bean.”

It must be said that when Max said talk, he actually meant, interrogate me. I groggily came down the stairs trailing Max, trying not to look too closely at his back since the mere sight made me drool when he spun around and fired at me.

"I'll ask again, how deep are you?"