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“Trust me, I will. I’m hanging up now. I have to go take another hundred pictures or so of Max’s sleeping face.”
“You’re absolutely a lost cause, you understand that, right?”
Zander scoffed. “Like you’re any better with Chase.”
“Guilty as charged.” With a laugh, Ronan hung up.
Right, back to the important thing.
Max wouldn’t be super mad if Zander used a picture of him sleeping as his background, right?
Chapter 9
Max had hoped, after the storm they’d just weathered, that Zander might shift his stance a little on feeding. He’d even slept next to him again last night to prove he really did trust the vampire. (Okay, fine, he’d also liked the comfort of having Zander close. Sue him.) But when Max had offered to feed him this morning, Zander had lithely evaded the offer, kissed him on the forehead, and gone to make breakfast.
Not that Max doubted where he stood with Zander, or was hellbent on fulfilling the contract. It was almost a point of pride. Besides, he didn’t want Zander feeding from a bag or someone else. Like hell did he want that. But if there was a magic phrase to get Zander to feed from him, he sure couldn’t think of it.
They went out together that night before Max could come up with a plan.
It was Max’s first time at the racing circuit, the place that had changed Zander’s life. Zander had invited him out to see, no pressure, and Max had agreed out of pure curiosity despite it being a Sunday night. Besides, the signet ring was ready and he was told he could collect it tonight before the event started. Max looked around as he followed Zander in, taking in the people, the floodlights, the vendors selling beer and snacks, the row upon row of superbikes. It was quite the crowd.
“Are you going to race tonight?” Max wasn’t sure how this worked. He hadn’t seen a schedule posted anywhere showing who was supposed to race.
Zander quirked a brow at him. “Depends on if someone challenges me. Are you okay if I do?”
Telling Zander to stop hovering would just be a waste of breath. Max knew this for a fact, as he’d already tried it earlier. Zander had a very acute case of selective hearing. Max went with the answer that would get better results. “Sure. I want to see you in action.”
Pleased, Zander gave a happy nod. “Then I will. Oh, there’s Franklin.”
The formidable vampire seemed to melt from the crowd, heading for them. Max hadn’t said a word to him on Friday night, and he regretted that now. The man had dropped everything and come running to help. Max hadn’t even been properly introduced.
“You’re here.” Franklin gave them both a nod. “I’m glad. Mr. Fernando handed the ring over to me in case I saw you.”
“Yes, thanks for that. I’ll take it now.”
Max smiled. “Thank you, Franklin, for your help the other night. I’m sorry I didn’t say a better hello to you.”
Franklin smiled in return, his expression understanding. “It was a hectic night. I’m glad to meet you again under better circumstances. Our sire is very interested in meeting you personally. I believe he’ll be here later, he got held up. He’ll likely say hello to you then.”
“All right.” Warning taken.
“Are you sure he’ll make it?” Zander pointed skyward. “Because that’s rolling in fast.”
True, the storm overhead was coming in at a quick clip. There was grumbling in the sky, dark clouds making the night even darker. You could feel the humidity in the air, threatening rain.
“Radar says it won’t actually rain for another two hours,” Franklin assured him. “We should be able to make it.”
“Well, okay. If that’s the case, I’d better race soon.”
“Oh, you’re racing tonight?”
“If anyone will take me up on it. First, though…” Zander opened the box in his hand and turned, taking Max’s hand in his. Zander slid the signet ring on with all the solemnity of a proposal, even lifting Max’s hand to kiss the ring before giving him a pleased smile. “There.”
Max’s heart did a funny flip-flop at the gesture. Why did it feel like he’d just been proposed to? Zander had done no such thing. The cool weight of the ring on his finger felt heavy compared to what it actually was.
“If anyone tries to hassle you,” Zander said, “just lift the ring so they can see it and stare them down. If they have any sense of self-preservation, they’ll back away. Here especially, everyone recognizes Fernando’s crest.”
The stylized phoenix holding a sword in its claws was both cool and distinct. Max wasn’t blind to the implications of the ring. He expected to be nervous but instead the ring gave him a sense of…confidence? Security? It was hard to put a name to this feeling. The nervous tension riding in Max since Friday collapsed like its strings had been cut. Had he needed some physical reminder of the promises and protection Zander had already given him?
