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Ceecee yells back from her room, “I love pizza!”
Max smirks and widens his hands in a what else you got stance. Nik’s brows furrow before his face turns triumphant. Wearing a shit-eating grin, he tells Max, “Tina wants Chinese. ”
Game over.
Tina always wins. She has this way of making you feel bad without actually doing anything to make you feel bad. She’s too damn sweet is what it is.
Max’s mouth pulls down into a frown. He sighs. “Fine. We’ll get the fucking Chinese food. ”
Just then Tina comes down the hall with a smile and says, “Pizza! Yay!”
Max and I turn to look at Nik. His face falls with defeat and Max and I burst into laughter. Getting a cramp, I clutch my stomach. We laugh long and hard. Even Nik chuckles and says, “Knuckleheads,” before walking into the kitchen.
Smiling like idiots, Max wraps his arm around my shoulder and walks me over to the sofa. He sits then pulls me down into him. I really can’t help myself. I ask, “Where’s Ghost?”
Max’s reply makes my good mood turn to a blazing inferno of emotions. He answers, “With Tasha. ”
He’s with Tasha? Tasha ScreamFace? Miss Oh-God-Yes-Yes-Yes?
My chest aches and my stomach drops.
I clear my throat. “That’s nice. How long’s he been seeing her?”
Max snorts in response. “Ghost doesn’t see anyone. They’re just interchangeable pussies for him. I think he’s been fucking Tasha for a few months, but it’s just out of laziness. He can’t be bothered finding another woman. He says Tasha’s a wild one. He likes ‘em like that. ” Completely unaware of how much what he’s saying is hurting me, Max continues, “I don’t think Ghost will ever settle down. It’s just not him, ya know? He doesn’t even know how to talk to people. Sure as hell doesn’t trust anyone. Why do you think he got into security?”
He squeezes me tight and I say, “But he’ll get over whatever’s bothering him though, right?”
“Don’t count on it, babe,” Max replies quietly.
Okay, so either my heart is breaking or someone stabbed me in the boob.
Before I can contemplate what I’m feeling right now, the front door opens. Max and I both look up from our position on the sofa to look down the entry to the hall. Asher walks through wearing an annoyed expression, a sexy skintight, black long-sleeved tee, blue jeans and sneakers.
Annoyed or not, my heart soars.
He came! He’s here! Meaning he’s not fucking Tasha! Yay!
As soon as he sees Max holding me on the sofa, his scowl deepens. He asks in a deadly voice, “Having fun there?”
Max just chuckles while wrapping me tighter in his arms. “Hell yeah! I’m watchin’ TV with one of my favorite girls. We’re having pizza tonight and Nat said she’d blow me later. ”
Now, get this. Never in my life have I taken Max seriously. We always joke like this and I’ve never felt the need to correct him. I always joke back. We have a playful dirty banter and laugh together.
Yeah. Not today.
My face flushes, I jump up from the sofa, turn my wide eyes to Asher and pointing to Max, I yell, “He’s lying!”
I have no idea where the need to defend myself came from, but Max looks at me like I’ve seriously lost my mind while Asher looks pleased and about to burst into laughter. Realizing what I’ve just done, I say quietly, “Sorry. I don’t know where that came from. Something’s wrong with me. ”
A light bulb goes off in my head and I say the magic words. “I must be getting my period. ”
Max’s face turns uncomfortable and he utters, “TMI, babe. T. M. I. ”
I look over to Ash wearing a shit-eating grin. My expression clearly says I win. He rolls his eyes at me then goes over to greet Trick and Tatiana who has more rice pudding on her face than in her mouth. Something tugs my pants leg. I look down at Max. He wears a frown and whispers, “Everything okay?”
A fake smile spreads across my face. I reply, “Just peachy. ”
He nods in resignation. “Let’s order the pizza. ” He stands, puts his arm around my shoulder and we walk into the kitchen together.
