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“I had some questions for Carlos,” she said. “That’sall.”
“What kind of questions?” Max asked, moving around Carlos to get into theroom.
She folded one of her T-shirts and set it on a stack of already-folded laundry. “Nothing big. Will you take a bullet for my man… are you prepared to die for him… theusual.”
Max barked out alaugh.
“I’ll see you downstairs,” Carlossaid.
“They’re loading the Rover now,” Maxsaid.
Carlos turned away from the doorway and disappeared down the hall. Silence settled over the room, Abby calmly folding laundry, pretending Max wasn’t there to saygoodbye.
“Abby.”
Just her name, spoken softly in the half-light of theroom.
“I know,” shesaid.
He held out a hand to her and she finished folding her jeans, setting them neatly on the stack before taking hishand.
He pulled her to her feet and folded her against his body. His arms came around her, tucking her into the safety she’d never found anywhereelse.
He stroked her hair, kissed the top of her head. “Jesus christ, I love you,” hewhispered.
“I love you too,” she said against hischest.
“Everything will beokay.”
She heard the things he didn’tsay.
I’ll be home before you knowit.
I’m going to come out of thisalive.
We’re going towin.
Max had never been someone who promised things he wasn’t sure he coulddeliver.
She looked up at him and forced herself to smile. “Iknow.”
He rubbed her cheek with his thumb, his eyes skipping over her features like he wanted to memorizethem.
When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she stood on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his, lingering as long as she dared, doing her ownmemorizing.
He kissed her hungrily, her head cradled in his hands. When he finally pulled away he looked into hereyes.
“I’ve loved you forever, Abby Sterling. Will love youforever.”
She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks. “The feeling was alwaysmutual.”
He dropped his hands all at once, her skin cold where his fingers had been just a momentbefore.
“I’ll text as soon as we’re out,” he said, turning for thedoor.
He was almost to the hall when he stopped. He didn’t look back as hespoke.
“Stay away from the news until you hear fromme.”
His footsteps had already receded when her mind cleared enough to understand his final words: if things went south at the Tangier, it would be all over the news before Max — or Nico — would be able to reachher.
She dropped onto the bed and reached for one of Max’s shirts in the laundry basket. She didn’t get far folding it before she gave up, burying her face in the soft cotton, finally letting the tearsflow.
