AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He’d nearly died trying to save a woman who’d deliberately set a fire to try and get his attention romantically.
“I’ll take Kendal to the police station,” Bruno offered.
“I’m sorry, Mr. James, but she has to come with me,” Scott told him and called the officer who was with him to take Kendal, who hadn’t said a word, away.
“Wow, that’s so messed up!” Wallis gave a low whistle.
“Max, before I go,” Scott took a step closer and lowered his voice so only Wallis and Max could hear him. “Tom Barnes called me when he couldn’t get hold of you or any of the Scott family.”
“What did he want?” The name instantly pulled Max’s mind out of the funk it was slipping into.
“He found Steph wandering around the shopping mall in a daze,” Scott told him. “Tom is with her as she refuses to be taken home and wants Nicky to fetch her.”
“Oh, no!” Max closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “How could I have pushed what she witnessed to the back of my mind like that?”
He felt like a complete heel. Max had been so stunned by Kendal’s revelation that everything else had slipped out of his mind.
“What are you talking about?” Wallis looked at him questioningly.
“I have to go,” Scott told them. “If you need any help, let me know.”
“Thanks, Scott,” Max said, waving the man off. He turned to Wallis. “Can we take your car to get Steph?”
Max started to make his way to Wallis’s car, but Wallis stopped him.
“No!” Wallis’s voice brooked no argument. “You and I are going to Nicky and explain what has happened. Then you’ll come home with me while Nicky gets Steph. When Steph is ready to talk to you, then I’ll take you to see her.”
“I need to get to my wife!” Max snarled. “Don’t try to get in my way.”
“Stop it!” Wallis commanded. “You want to hit me, then go ahead. But I’m not letting you go after Steph in this state. I’m trying to help you save your marriage, not end it.”
Max took a breath to steady his nerves and shut his eyes, trying to stamp out his anger. Images of the look on Steph’s face when she saw Kendal kiss him and her words ripped through him like someone was searing his flesh with a red-hot poker. While all he wanted to do was rush after her and make her listen to him, Max knew Wallis was right.
He slowly opened his eyes and nodded at his friend. “I’m sorry, Wallis.” He sighed. “This Kendal business has me all over the place.” He clenched his jaw before continuing. “The woman has tried to tear my life apart.”
“And if you go barging after Steph now, she’ll have succeeded,” Wallis pointed out. “Please, buddy, let’s do this my way.”
“I agree,” Max said as he followed Wallis to the car.
Twenty minutes later, Max and Wallis faced a shocked Nicky and Mike in the bookstore as they gave them the footnote version of what had happened.
“Let me get this straight!” Nicky gestured with her hands. “Yours and Steph’s marriage has been shaky for two years, and none of us noticed?”
“Nicky, my love,” Mike put his arm lovingly around her. “I don’t think that’s the point right now.”
“Oh, I know!” Nicky looked at him, nodding before turning back to Max. “My sister was being stalked and harassed by an unhinged woman obsessed withyou!”
“I don’t think Hannah would approve of your using the term unhinged, sweetheart,” Mike pointed out.
“I don’t care!” Nicky shrugged. “My younger sister was in danger, and I didn’t have a clue about it.” Her eyes narrowed angrily at Max. “And neither did you because you were moping about escaping death and your career being ended by that fire.”
“Nicky, that’s not fair,” Wallis, who had never been afraid of Nicky’s wrath, stood up for Max.
“Do you want to know what’s really unfair?” Nicky’s voice rose with her temper. “My sister suffered in silence while still supportingyour friend here!“ She sneered, pointing at Max. “She went through hell putting on a brave face while trying to keep her family together and protected.”
“Nicky!” Wallis’s voice boomed through the room. “That’s enough.”
“No, Wallis,” Max intervened. “Nicky’s right.”
