Page 16 of Maximus

Max started to walk away—his long legs ate up the distance—and as I watched him leave, I wondered where he was going. The two-and-a-half hour drive had given me the opportunity to think about what was happening. Not that I didn’t think about it last night as I lay in bed awake, but driving away from my home, it hit me hard.

Someone out there was hunting me, which meant someone wanted me dead. My first guess at who that someone could be was Jay. He was the most obvious choice, but Tex had told me Jay would never be an issue again—he’d promised. And for some reason, I trusted the mysterious man. I didn’t think Tex made promises unless he knew without a doubt he could keep them.

So if it wasn’t Jay, then who the hell had I made so angry they wanted me dead?

And knowing that there was someone gunning for me terrified me. I didn’t want Max to disappear into the crowd. I wanted him next to me. He was huge—tall, broad, muscular, with the coldest eyes I’d ever seen. Someone would have to have a death wish to cross him.

Fire and ice.

“What do you want to see first?” I asked Liam.

“Is Max nice?”

Sweet Jesus, that question coming from Liam hurt. I knew what my son was asking and it wasn’t whether or not Max was nice, he wanted to know if Max was a bad guy who might hurt him. Liam was inquiring about Max’s character. I did that. I made my son afraid of men—of people. I brought Jay into his life and the man he’d once considered a father had turned on him.

“As far as I know. He seemed nice all of the times I’ve spoken with him.”

That was the best answer I could give, which happened to be the truth. Anything beyond that, I didn’t know, because I didn’t really know Max.

“I want to see the motorcycle,” Liam told me.

“Okay. Let’s go check it out.”

I scanned the area, looking for Max, but he’d blended into the background. There weren’t hordes of people around but enough small groups gathered that I couldn’t find him. Without warning, my heart started pounding in my chest.

What if we were followed? What if someone was pointing a gun at me right now?

“Mommy?”

“Yeah?”

“Who are you looking for?”

Shit, Liam was watching me, he always was. Since everything happened, he’d seemed unnaturally aware of what was going on around him. Max would likely be happy, considering he’d already told me I pretty much sucked at paying attention.

“No one, sweetheart. I’m just looking for the entrance.” The lie casually rolled off my tongue and I silently cursed.

“This way.”

Liam pulled me in the direction he wanted to go. Little Eli, happy to follow his brother anywhere, held my hand and trotted along.

For months, I’d been without my boys. Months I’d missed them until my body physically ached from the loss. I cried for them. I raged at their absence. At times, I could swear I felt their pleas stabbing me in the heart.

“Eva?” Max’s voice boomed, pulling me back into the present.

He was frowning at me as if he knew I hadn’t been paying attention. He was correct of course, since we were standing inside of an exhibit hall and I had no recollection of how I’d gotten there.

You have to do better than this if you want to stay alive.

“Hey. Liam wanted to see that motorcycle you told him about.” I tried to interject as much enthusiasm into my voice as I could.

“It’s right over there.” Max pointed across the room to a green motorcycle on display. “Come on. I was just about to go over there. We can all go together.”

Oh, boy, Max doesn’t sound happy.

It didn’t take us long to come to a stop in front of a Harley painted OD green with a big white Army star stenciled on the tank.

Max read aloud the plaque near the bike explaining that the Harley had been donated by a local Army veteran who’d served in Iraq. The bike that proudly displayed the 121st Infantry Regiment was meant to honor nine soldiers the vet had fought alongside who’d died in action. As Max continued to read, something funny happened to his voice—rougher, deeper, full of emotion.