Page 88 of Maximus

Christ. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that Bubba had tossed his hat in the ring for sainthood.

“Why would he do that?” I mumbled.

“Believe it or not, Max, there’s this thing, it’s called forgiveness. It happens when someone who fucked up shows genuine sorrow and remorse for the wrongs they’ve done.”

“Seriously? You’re gonna be a smartass?”

“I’m not being a smartass.”

“Then why the hell are you talking to me about forgiveness? I’m just surprised Bubba’s being so generous.”

“First, Mark Wright’s character is such he’d never allow a single mother to suffer, no matter what she did to him. He might hold a grudge about Zoey being there, but, that’s neither here nor there.” I could almost picture Zane waving his hand in front of him in a nonchalant gesture. “My point is, people forgive. They don’t build walls and towers—”

“Says the man who literally lives in a penthouse high above everyone else. If that’s not a tower, I don’t know what is.”

“Touché. Yet, I invite people up to my tower. You’ve decided to hate the world and not trust anyone.”

“I trust you,” I pointed out. “And anyway, we’re way the fuck off-topic. Bubba forgiving Eva doesn’t matter—”

“I bet it matters to Eva.”

Well, he was damn right, it did matter to Eva, and if I was being honest, it mattered to me, too. Her reasons were pure and mine were purely selfish. Bubba and Zoey forgiving Eva gave me the green light to pursue whatever the hell was going on between us guilt-free. I can’t say that I would’ve given her up if Bubba hadn’t pardoned her, but it would’ve been a problem I’d have to figure out how to overcome.

And I wasn’t sure I liked what that said about me. I was loyal to my friends and the mere fact I would’ve picked Eva over Bubba gave me pause. It was also something I wasn’t going to dwell on. Not when there was enough shit blocking our path.

“You’re right, it does. But right now, we need to talk about how Eva is not going to Alaska.”

“Why would you think I was going to Alaska?”

Fucking hell. Without turning around to face Eva, who obviously had overhead my conversation, I dropped my head forward and I wrapped my free hand around the back of my neck and squeezed, trying to relieve some of the building tension.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“Didn’t lock the door, did you? I see fallin’ in love has made you soft.”

Prick.

“Max?” Eva’s voice sounded so unsure.

“I’ll let you go. Run the plan past Eva. I’ll be over in a few hours.”

Before I could argue, the bastard hung up. Pure Zane Lewis, he always got the last word.

But not with this, he didn’t. Just because he’d rang off before I could argue didn’t mean he’d gotten his way.

No fucking way was Eva going to Alaska.

I tossed my phone on the bed and turned to find Eva standing in the doorway.

Brow furrowed, nose scrunched, but this time she didn’t look cute, she looked dejected.

Fucking hell.

“Babe—”

“Who were you talking to and why were you talking about Alaska?”

“Where’re Liam and Eli?”