Page 125 of Maximus

Zane: In the air.

Fuck.

Yeah, I was overreacting. I had to be.

Eva was just running late.

But I knew it was a lie.

I knew twenty minutes ago, something was wrong.

Fucking knew it and ignored my gut and now Eva was in trouble.

* * *

“Five hours,” I growled. “It’s been five hours, Tex.”

“Max, I know,” he barked back. “She had three tracking devices on her. None of them are in service. I’m working as fast as I can. We all are.”

Fuck. I was a total dick.

“I know you are. I’m… Christ… I can’t breathe.”

“Hang tight. We got the images from the toll booth near Dulles. It shouldn’t take me long to run them.”

A hand on my shoulder had me uncharacteristically jolting, nearly dropping my phone.

“I’m sorry, Max,” Anaya mumbled. “But Elijah’s super upset. He wants you. I tried to calm him, but he’s not having it. I know you—”

“Thank you, Anaya. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here helping me with them. I’ll just…”

I’ll what?

What the fuck was I going to do?

Go talk to a four-year-old and tell him I didn’t know where his mom was? Face Liam’s revulsion that I’d let something bad happen to his mom after I told him I’d protect them?

What in the actual fuck was I going to do?

“Max, I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but you guys will find her. I know you can’t see it right now, because you’re so worried. But this is what you guys do. You find people.”

“Today before she left she asked me if I wanted kids,” I told Anaya. “I froze. I didn’t know what to say. I never wanted kids—as in never. Then Eva came into my life and with her came Liam and Elijah and I thought that was cool, because I’d have a shot at being something special to them, someone to teach them things. But I still didn’t want anymore. Liam and Eli were enough. Then tonight we were making dinner and I looked down at Eli and something happened. I saw Eva’s eyes staring back at me, and for the first time in my life, I felt an ache. I want kids, Anaya. And I have to find Eva so I can tell her.”

I stalked down the hallway thinking I’d pretty much lost my mind, telling Anaya some stupid ass story about kids when Eva was out there lost and alone.

But I couldn’t stop thinking about the way she looked before she left. Happy. Hopeful. Full of joy and life.

And she was asking me about babies and I didn’t answer.

Fucking hell.

“Did you find Mom?” Liam asked as soon as I walked into the bedroom.

Tatiana stood from where she was sitting on the end of the bed and gave me a tight smile as she walked past me. Her pat on my shoulder made my blood run cold. I didn’t deserve anyone’s sympathy. I should’ve been more vigilant. I should’ve driven her to her interview.

“Not yet.”

I made my way to the bed and no sooner had my ass hit the mattress, Elijah climbed into my arms. His arms wrapped around my neck and his face burrowed into my shoulder, a move I’d seen him do to Eva plenty of times.