Page 108 of Maximus

“She tried to kill you.” The abhorrence in her tone would’ve made me grin any other time. But right then acid burned my gut.

“No, honey, she wasn’t arrested.”

Eva shot up to sitting, her back ram-rod straight, a fierce look of indignation, and more hostility than I’d ever seen pulsed from her body.

“Why not? She tried to kill you. Something had to be done. That’s insane.”

Oh, yeah, Eva wasn’t hostile—she was downright shaking with disdain.

That made the next part easier to admit.

“Because I killed her.”

Eva’s shoulders jerked before they slumped forward. “Good.”

“Good?” I felt my brows hit my hairline in shock.

“Yes. Good. She shouldn’t have tried to kill you. You were trying to help her. And if she pulled that sneak attack with you, she would’ve done it again to someone else. And what if she killed them?”

Damn, that felt good. But I didn’t think she understood.

“Eva, honey, you get that my job was dangerous. Hell, it still is. I’m telling you this not to boast but to be honest. I’ve taken lives. That’s not something I’m proud of, but I don’t regret protecting myself or my team.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sure that’s really hard on you.” Her lips pinched together and twisted. “I hate that you have to live with that, but I hope you also know the rest of us are thankful for your sacrifice.”

Something that had been lodged in my heart broke free. And for the first time in my life, I could breathe—an actual clean breath that wasn’t full of scorn and venom.

“Probably should’ve had this conversation before now.”

“What conversation?”

I took a deep breath. I’d never had this conversation with anyone—never needed to—so I didn’t know where to start. I just knew she needed to understand what she’d gotten herself into.

“The one where I tell you about my job and what we do. I think you have a general idea what Z Corps does. But you need to know, the company has just as many on-the-books contracts as we do off the books. There are some missions that fall into a gray area. We’re not always on the right side of the law, but we’re always on the right side of good.”

“Max, honey, I’m gonna stop you right there.” Eva’s stormy gaze was like a punch to the gut.

I was asking too much. Eva had been through enough and deserved so much better than an asshole like me, with more hashmarks on his soul than he could remember.

Her soft hand landed over my heart and I bet she could feel my heart thumping under her palm.

“I understand—"

“No, I don’t think you do.” She cut me off mid-sentence. “I don’t need you to tell me you’re on the side of righteousness. The Max Brown I know is a protector, a champion of the truth. Thank you for sharing something I know you’d rather have kept locked away. I know how painful memories can be. Thank you for trusting me with that, it’s not something I take lightly.

“As for your job, I’ve had an up-close glimpse of how dangerous it is. I also know what you do is important. So if you’re worried I have a problem with it, you shouldn’t be. I can’t say I’m thrilled to think about you putting your life on the line. I can’t say the thought doesn’t scare the ever-loving hell out of me. But I also know the world needs men like you, and if you’ll let me, I’d be damn proud to be the woman waiting for you back home.”

The sweetest burn ignited in the deepest recesses of my very being. A part of me that I wouldn’t have ever believed could be reached. But Eva had, and as that burn scorched a fiery trail of clarity, I knew there was nothing I couldn’t trust Eva with. There was nothing I needed to keep hidden.

My hand shot up and hooked around the back of her neck and I pulled her down until our mouths collided. I was beyond words, and when her tongue swept against mine with the same fervor I knew she was, too. I wanted to devour her, consume all the understanding she’d offered—so that’s exactly what I did. And fuck me, she just kept offering more.

Minutes later when I broke the kiss, we both struggled for oxygen. Hands down, best kiss of my life.

“I’m totally falling for you, Max Brown,” she murmured against my lips.

“That’s good, honey, because I’m falling for you, too.”

“Thank you for believing in me.”