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His smile grows and he leans back in the chair, the warmth from his body providing more heat than the blankets covering me. “I’m so fucking glad to have you back in my arms, my love. I missed you so damn much. I physically ached for you.”
Releasing a long sigh, I tilt my head up, meeting his gaze. “I understand completely. It was hell being without you.” We lay there in silence for a few beats, enjoying the solace that we provide one another, along with the peaceful, brisk fall night.
Max then tells me everything that happened when I was gone, including his dreams that make me smile brighter, my stomach full of butterflies to realize he felt me in his dreams, just like I felt him. My chest constricts when he tells me about the explosion at the warehouse and what Damian said to him. It kills me he threatened Max that way, knowing that taunting him about William having me and his sinister words about raping me would nearly destroy the man I love.
I squeeze him so tightly I see him wince, and guilt rushes through me. He instantly soothes me, rubbing his nose against mine and assuring me he’s fine. But I’m careful to stay away from his bandages after that.
“Okay, beautiful, so it’s your turn now. I want you to tell me everything, beginning with that party you are so embarrassed about.” He cups my face in his hands. “No judgment whatsoever, my love.” He kisses me lightly, pulling back with nothing but the glow of love and adoration in his eyes, his smile warm and accepting. “Then I want the same truth when you talk about your time in captivity. The good and the bad.”
Taking a deep breath, I begin talking, knowing in my heart there is nothing I could say or do that would change the way he feels about me. It’s freeing to have someone to accept me so completely, loving me for all my flaws and imperfections.
I start with the party, telling him what I remembered of William’s high school party. He strokes my back through my heartache of believing I’d been violated, losing my virginity without my consent or knowledge. But I also take responsibility for drinking and letting it get so out of control to begin with.
He simply listens, nodding with encouragement for me to continue.
Then I tell him everything about my time in captivity, including what I now believe to be glimpses of hallucinations from whatever he injected me with, even though my full memories of that time haven’t returned. Max’s hand clenches into a fist when I tell him about William hitting me, but he relaxes it when I tell him about the softness of Will, versus the rage that William carries inside. When I tell Max all about Emma, he mentions meeting her in his dream.
Smiling at him, I say, “I really will miss her. She is the sweetest lady and was instrumental to my escape. Also, that first attempt I told you about… had she not outright lied and told William I freaked out because he left, that could have ended up being a very bad night for me.” Max pulls me tighter against his torso, his steadily beating heart calming me, centering my thoughts.
When I’ve finished, Max strokes my back, his eyes distant. Finally, he releases a long sigh. “I don’t know what to say about him, Irelynn. There were moments, when your parents told me about his mom’s death and how much of an asshole his father can be, that I couldn’t help the pang of sympathy towards him, despite how much I wanted to hate him.” He pauses, staring into my eyes. “But it hurts you that I hate him. I see it in those beautiful chocolate eyes of yours.” His hand strokes my face lovingly. “And hearing what Emma told you, as well as what William told you about himself, and the way he was with you… I can’t hate him. Especially not after he saved you from Damian.” He runs a hand through his hair, his face turned up to the sky. Lying in his warm embrace, I watch him, patiently waiting.
When he locks his gaze on mine, my heart beats faster from his words.
“You’re right, baby. William isn’t the villain in your story. Sure, he’s complicated and… fractured, I guess. Not broken.” He gives me a smile, tickling me lightly, making me giggle. Then he grows serious again. “I agree with you that it takes a lot of introspection to come to the conclusion he loves someone else, and what he did was wrong. His note to you is an admission of that as well.” His expression is thoughtful. “The two of you had a lot of big misunderstandings from your past. With his life being so difficult, and the fact that you resemble his mom, it’s natural that he would form an attachment to you, even if it grew into an unhealthy obsession. But he grew enough during his time with you to admit that he was wrong.”
Max shifts slightly, looking into my eyes. “From what you told me about Everleigh, it sounds to me as though he loved her. Her disappearance and abandonment, combined with his father’s illness and his half-brother’s insanity, likely pushed him to the brink.” I pause, unsure if she knows this part. “The house that he held you in… it belonged to his grandfather, Isabella’s dad. William inherited it from their trust when he died over the summer.”
Tears fill my eyes as my mouth drops open, a slight gasp escaping. My heart squeezes inside my chest, feeling bad for William.
Releasing a long sigh, I stroke Max’s face, staring at him thoughtfully. “Who would have thought my feelings for William would change, and I’d view him as a friend, after being held in captivity?” I shake my head. “If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think I suffer from Stockholm Syndrome.”
Max shakes his head. “You don’t, baby. People are complicated. If things were black and white, it would be far easier.” He grimaces. “At least Damian is easy. We know he’s the villain. I don’t feel any sympathy for that guy whatsoever.” His muscles tense around me as he holds me protectively against him.
Safety suffuses through my body as I press my cheek against his chest. “Me neither. This sounds terrible, but I wish William would have killed him. Though beating him to a pulp like that was the next best thing.” I shiver slightly. “Even though William is taking him to Gregory’s mansion to be locked up somewhere, do you think we are safe?”
Max pulls me back slightly, pushing the hair from my face. “Yes, baby. I do. Gregory may very well finish the job if he doesn’t allow William to do it first. They are probably torturing him before they end him.” His arms rub over me, removing the goosebumps from my skin, even though they are hidden beneath my t-shirt and his sweatshirt that I’m wearing. His lips move against my ear. “I’ve been carrying my gun. And we can get you a permit and a gun, too, if it makes you feel safer. I can show you how to shoot it.”
My eyes widen slightly with surprise. “I felt your gun when I first jumped on you when you rescued me. But I didn’t realize you carried or had one.”
He shrugs slightly. “I have several, but I normally don’t carry them unless I feel the need to. My dad taught us how to shoot when we lived in Florida. Sadly, when the neighbors were victims of robberies, my dad never suspected my brother. My dad owned guns, and after teaching us gun safety, he later transferred ownership of a couple of them to us.” He studies my face. “Does it bother you?”
I shake my head. “No, not at all. I’m just surprised I never knew.”
He chuckles. “It never occurred to me to get them out and show them to you. Typically, they are stored in a safe, unless I’m carrying one for some reason.”
I nod. “I’d love to learn how to shoot one.”
He gingerly strokes my face. “I’m happy to show you.”
By the time we finish airing everything out, the sky lightens as a new day dawns. Our faces are pressed together as we stare at the horizon, watching the sky change to vibrant yellows and reds.
“We’ve watched the sunset and stared at the night sky several times. But this is the first time we’ve watched the sun rise together.” His husky voice makes my breath hitch inside my chest.
“It’s beautiful.” My voice comes out breathy. “I’m so glad I experienced this with you.”
His eyes are full of reverence. “We have many firsts to experience together.” His mouth covers mine, and I sigh against his lips, a thousand butterflies taking flight inside my chest. It doesn’t matter how many times I kiss this man. Each time, tingles run beneath my skin, my heart and blood pumping faster, every nerve ending lighting up, sending a jolt of electricity through me.
Wherever I am with him, whether it be outside, lying on the patio furniture at his best friend’s house, or holding his hand as we walk down the street, or lying in the huge bed beside him in his apartment,Maxis my home.
