Max (A Carter Brother series Book 4)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  Another man walks out from the shadows before blinding everyone with his torch. Finally someone has arrived to stop them and get rid of them. I slump down onto the floor in relief. I keep my eyes focused through the small gap in the shed but lean against the side, my body tired from exhaustion. This cold is really kicking my ass.

  Shouting begins and my back straightens. Crap, they’re moving towards me. They start fighting, rolling around on the floor, and I bite back a scream when another tries to jump the man holding the torch. Just as he’s about to jump, Myles tells him to fuck off and to not get involved. The whole thing shocks me.

  That’s when police siren blares in the background, flashing blue lights clear to see. The lads with Myles turn to look at each other before hightailing it out of the churchyard. What a bunch of dickheads, leaving their friend to defend himself. Speaking of dickheads, my head turns to find Myles on the floor, his movements jerky and wobbly. Has the man actually hurt him? That’s when they stumble towards my direction and I sink back a little, hiding myself in the shadows. They crash into the shed, the wood creaking, and I cover my mouth with my hand. My heart is pounding. The thought of being caught has adrenaline racing through my system. I can’t get caught. I have nowhere else to go. The police will call my parents, or worse, make me go home to where I’m hated.

  Just remembering the last time I saw my mother and the look on her face as pure devastation washed over her facial expression makes me shudder. The dead look in her eyes as she looked at me. I knew then and there I had to go, to get out of there. She hated me. And I knew back then that my dad would too when he found out what I had done.

  Reality comes slamming back when they crash through the shed door; two police men running in our direction. I move quickly on my ass, scooting as far back as I can into the shadows towards the back end of the shed. Not that the shed’s big but it’s the part that I never had chance to clean or get tidy. I didn’t want someone coming in and finding clues of me staying here.

  The policemen bark orders at Myles and, surprisingly, he doesn’t resist arrest. He just sways on his feet as they handcuff him; giving the other man he was fighting a toothy grin.

  “You fight like a girl,’’ Myles smirks. God, even his voice isn’t as I remembered, it’s deeper, cockier. I’m also freaked out at how his voice sends shivers down my spine.

  They take him away just as another police officer arrives, shining his torch into the shed. The light blinds me and I wince at the pain it causes behind my eyes.

  “You alright, mate? Holy fuck,’’ he gasps. I can’t see him yet I know he’s spotted me cowering in the corner. I’ve tucked my knees to my chest to try to block out the chill seeping into my bones, but to also shield myself from the light currently shining on me.

  “Shit,’’ another voice says.

  “The owner has arrived with one of his supervisors. I’ll go get her. We don’t have a female police officer on site,’’ I hear murmured.

  I don’t take in what they say. I’m too scared to move, to look. It’s over. It’s all over. I’m going to have to live every day knowing the two people I love the most in the world hate me. And be reminded everyday of… I cough hard. I can’t think of him right now. It hurts too much.

  “Hello, sweetie. Are you okay?’’ I hear said close to me and I jerk in response. I know that voice. I’d know that kind voice anywhere.

  “Joan?’’ I cough, looking up and wincing at the blinding light. The officer must notice because he lowers his torch. I look up into Joan’s kind, soft eyes and immediately feel ashamed. I never wanted her to see me like this. Will she fire me? I don’t get paid much but its worth much more to me than any of them will ever realise.

  “It’s me, sweetie. It’s okay now. You’re coming home with me,’’ she demands and my eyes widen in shock.

  “No! No! I can…’’

  “I don’t want to hear a word of it. Let me make a call then we will get out of here. You need to get into the warmth,’’ she tells me softly and I nod, not wanting to argue.

  The police officer from earlier steps forward and I flinch. Is he going to arrest me? I’m shaking and not just from the cold; Joan notices and takes my hand.

  “It’s okay. He’s got a clean blanket. Do you need to go to the hospital?’’ she asks me gently and I look around the other people who are watching me with curious expressions.

  I shake my head. “No. I’m…’’ I cough painfully and pause before continuing. “I’ve just caught a bug. I’ll be fine.’’ I cough again, following it with a sneeze.

  Joan looks around the room, her face hardening before her gaze cuts back to me.

  “You’ve been sleeping in here a while haven’t you?’’ I can’t tell by her tone if she’s mad, curious, or just sad, and it breaks my heart. Joan is one of the kindest people I’ve met since I ran away from home, she’s a part of the reason I’ve stayed working at the food bank instead of moving on somewhere else.

  I nod my head, not able to look at her. I’m embarrassed, scared of what’s going to happen. Then she shocks me by pulling me in for a hug. I’m not much of a hugger and when my body stiffens she either doesn’t notice or she doesn’t care.

  Her phones rings and she looks up at me. “Let’s get you in the car. My man is waiting in his car. That’s who’s calling,’’ she tells me, helping me to my feet. I sway, feeling shit, but lean on her a little till I get my balance. She answers her phone with a ‘hello’. “That boy! I’ll wring his bloody neck. Is he? Okay. Well, we have another situation, baby. It’s one of my girls from the food bank. It looks like she’s been here for a while. I’ve already told her. I’ll call home for someone to get some clothes ready for her. Okay. We’re walking up the path now,’’ she tells him, ending the call and pocketing her phone. “Come on, sweetie, we’ll get you warm.’’

  The blanket around me is actually helping, the thickness doing more than the flimsy blankets I had plus the shed combined.

  “Thank you,’’ I whisper.

  “No need to thank me. I just wish you would have let me help you sooner. No girl your age should be living on the streets,’’ she tells me. “We’ll talk more when we get you home.’’

  Home.

  I want to tell her I don’t have one but she’s doing so much for me already.

  *** ***

  Meeting Mark, Joan’s man, was more embarrassing than I thought it would be. I don’t know what I expected, but when I saw the good-looking, old man sitting in the driver’s side, he was not it. I don’t know why but I pictured her with someone else. I don’t know who, I just did.

  “What is taking them so long?’’ she mutters, cursing. “He said five minutes, it’s been fifteen, and I swear Malik and Maverick walked in not five minutes ago.’’

  It seems Joan isn’t a patient person. It turns out Myles is Mark’s grandson and lives with them. That shocked me more.

  “Right, that’s it, I can’t take no more,’’ she curses again and turns around in her seat. “You’re coming with me because I don’t trust you not to run away,’’ she tells me and I nod my head, exhaustion consuming me.

  She doesn’t have to worry about me running; I know a lost cause when I see one. I’m too exhausted and knowing Joan as well as I do, she’d hunt me down.

  Walking into the station I feel someone walking in behind us. I don’t turn around to look. Not with the way I look. My hair is scraped up in a messy bun since I lost my brush the day before. My clothes are ratty from crawling around in the shed and from trying to keep warm. But without a coat and an actual fireplace I was shit out of luck with that too.

  “Who the hell is she?’’ is boomed across the station; the same deep voice that sent shivers down my spine earlier. My eyes cut to his and I take in a short breath. Holy fucking Christ he is sex on a stick. His eyes rake my body up and down and chills follow in their wake. How is he doing this, controlling my body’s reactions like this? Especially when he’s the fucker who got me caught and h
as a girlfriend. A girlfriend I happen to really like and am friends with.

  Joan makes a noise at the back of her throat and I turn my head towards her, feeling shy and embarrassed and not knowing what to do or if I should answer him.

  “None of your business, Max Carter,’’ Joan snaps and I watch Myles’ eyes turn fearful. Is he scared of Joan? She’s tiny, adorable and the kindest person I’ve ever actually met. There’s no hidden agenda beneath the surface. She’s the sort of woman who’d give her right arm. But then, from the sound of her sharp voice, it does sound like he has something to worry about.

  And why is she calling him Max?

  “Sorry,’’ he grumbles, looking genuine. But I don’t know him to make that call.

  “Malik, I need a favour, sweetie. Can you call Harlow and see if she has some warm clothes she could bring over to the house?’’

  “Sure, but why?’’ he asks warily. He’s grabbing for his phone but his eyes dart between me and Joan like he wants to say something. And to be honest he looks kind of intense. It makes me want to take a step back but I don’t want to draw attention to myself.

  “This is Lake, Lake Miller. She volunteers at the church food bank and will be staying with us,’’ she tells him, introducing me. I’m thankful then that she doesn’t explain why I’m with her or where I’ve been staying.

  The lad, Malik, nods his head not questioning her and texts away on his phone. I feel another set of eyes on me and I turn to find another lad, one older than the others, staring at me. It makes me feel uncomfortable and I wring my fingers together, fidgeting. He looks like he’d eat me alive. He also looks upset that I’ll be staying with them.

  “You don’t need to do this; I can stay at a friend’s place,’’ I tell Joan, not able to look at her. I don’t want her to see how scared I am right at this moment. I don’t know any of these people save for Joan.

  “If you had a friend’s house to sleep at then you wouldn’t have been sleeping in the church’s shed,’’ Joan snaps, clearly upset. I flinch when I hear a gasp. My head turns and I notice Kayla from the food bank and… Oh my God, there’s fucking two of them. Two of them! That’s why Joan has been calling the lad who caused all of this Max and not Myles.

  Kayla steps forward, reaching out for my hand, but I pull it away at the last second looking away. I can’t believe she heard all of that. That she knows. She doesn’t seem like any of the other girls at the food bank who are serious bitches, but still, you can never know and I’m worried she might tell them.

  My eyes catch Joan’s and her face saddens. I feel guilty immediately for upsetting her. She steps forward towards me, “I’m sorry, sweetie. I just can’t have you staying out in this weather. We have a spare room we don’t mind you sleeping in. You’re welcome to stay with us for as long as you like.’’

  I relax a little and nod my head looking to the floor. Joan breathes out a sad sigh from next to me and I feel bad for acting like this. I’m just not used to all this attention. Maybe once, yeah, but not now. I’m used to being on my own and looking after myself.

  The lad, Max, stands up, walking towards us and my eyes bug out of my head. Fuck, he’s huge. Like seriously huge. From the corner of my eye I watch him remove his jacket and I have to bite my tongue from sighing. His white shirt clings to all that is him. He looks even hotter and for the first time, my body starts to heat.

  Everyone’s turned quiet and I worry my bottom lip, feeling their eyes on me. When Max holds the jacket towards me I blink in confusion. Why is he giving me - a girl who probably smells like dust, has greasy hair and tatty clothes - his jacket? Does he not realise I’d probably ruin it?

  When I don’t take the jacket, he sighs and moves forward, startling me when he wraps it around me anyway. I don’t even have chance to refuse him, to hand it back to him before he takes a step back, his eyes still on me.

  This is so bizarre. He’s nothing like the lad I witnessed graffiti the church wall or start a fight.

  But that soon changes when he opens his mouth.

  “You can sleep in my bed if you don’t like bunking it at Joan’s,’’ he tells me seductively, and everyone around us groans, including Joan. What on earth? “What?’’ he asks innocently, looking around the room. Everyone is shaking their heads, including the monster of a bloke who was staring at me like he disliked me earlier.

  “Shut up, Max,’’ the real Myles snaps.

  “What? She needs a place to stay; my bed is as good as any,’’ he declares, sounding offended.

  “Cut it out, Max. When I’m through with you tonight you will wish you never left the house, let alone vandalised a church,’’ Joan snaps angrily, shocking me. I’ve never heard her speak like that, not even to those bitches who give her a hard time at the food bank. Yeah, it’s not just me they’re bitches to.

  “Joan, my granddad won’t appreciate you talking dirty to me,’’ Max flirts, winking. She just shakes her head looking disappointed with him.

  A door opens and Mark, Joan’s man, walks out of the back with an officer. He looks furious, pissed, and his eyes are glued to Max.

  “What did they say?’’ the lad who had been eyeing me with dislike asks Mark.

  “He’s lucky…’’ he starts, pausing before taking a deep breath. It seems this isn’t the first time Max has gotten into trouble. “They’re only giving him community service. He’ll be working at the church’s donation centre, cleaning the graffiti off the walls and helping out with the food bank until December.’’

  No. No. No.

  He cannot work at the food bank. No way! He can’t. Surely they won’t let him? I mean, he did just vandalise the church wall.

  “No way, that’s in four months,’’ Max argues, looking pissed. Glad I’m not the only one. Maybe he’ll talk his way out of it. I find myself praying he does. There’s no way I can be around him. Just… No way.

  “You’re lucky you didn’t get longer or get arrested, Max. The church decided not to press charges. We also know there were others involved tonight. Now let’s go, you’ve got a long day ahead of you tomorrow.’’

  Max looks down at the phone he’s holding before speaking, “Shit, I’ve got to be at practice in a few hours.’’

  “No, son, you don’t. I’ll call coach when we get back and leave him a message.’’

  “You can’t do that,’’ Max yells at his granddad.

  “You’ve left me no choice, Max. You’ve been warned more than once about your juvenile behaviour.’’

  “If you haven’t noticed I am a kid. We make mistakes.’’

  “Yes, and you should take responsibility for them too. So, as from tomorrow, there will be no football, no going out to parties, and no hanging out with any of your mates.’’

  “Why don’t you concentrate on the new girl? She needs your attention more than me,’’ he snaps, and my eyebrows draw together. Could he read my mind and now he’s getting back at me? Surely not! My face heats and when I feel Mark’s eyes on me, I look up to find them soft and thoughtful. Max scoffs and my gaze turns back to him.

  What the fuck is his problem? I didn’t get him arrested or into fucking trouble. I sure as hell didn’t get myself involved. If he hasn’t forgotten, he was the one that got me in this fucking situation.

  I don’t voice any of that, I just bite my tongue and narrow my eyes, concentrating on not lashing out at him.

  “This is so unfair,’’ he groans, ready to leave when no one says anything, to which I’m thankful for.

  “Life is unfair, son; you have to live with it. Now move. We’ve got a lot of talking to do,’’ Mark snaps, but Max ignores him and carries on. We all turn to follow but a kid sitting at the door stops Max by putting his hand up. Was he one of the kids that was with him? But I’m sure I heard Mark say they didn’t catch the others.

  When I feel Kayla looking at me, I turn, giving her a sad smile before looking back in front.

  “Dude?’’ Max snaps at the kid and the kid looks up a
t him shocked, or confused? I don’t know. “I wouldn’t touch your hand if you had just sanitised it.’’

  Oh my God, he did not just say that. There are officers everywhere. The kid goes to stand up but the officer sitting next to him clamps a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down.

  “Go, before they arrest you,’’ the angry eyed lad from earlier snaps, grabbing Max. I’m not sure what to think about him. He seems scary. He’s got tattoos but you wouldn’t know unless you looked close enough like I did. He’s obviously the oldest which is probably why he feels like he’s responsible for the others. Most brothers wouldn’t get involved and would stay at home, but this family, they all came together, even if it was to ream Max’s ass.

  Joan helps me back into the car; my body protesting and aching all over. I cough, followed by a sneeze as she shuts the door. She looks through the window sadly before moving out of the way, giving me a clear view of Max. He’s staring at me with such intensity that I have to hold myself back from squirming in my seat. Tingles shoot up my spine and my belly flips over causing a shocked gasp out of me. It’s quiet, but still, I’m thankful no one has yet to get in the car.

  His eyes don’t leave mine and the more he stares the more I start to believe he can read me. See inside me. I can’t let that happen.

  It’s then that I vouch I won’t let him get to me and to stay away from him. How hard can it be?

  Chapter One

  LAKE

  My belly flutters with nerves as I lean against the kitchen sink. Today, after being sick with a bad case of the flu for the past two weeks, I’m finally allowed to go back to work. Everyone is going to know I was the squatter by now and I’m unsure how everyone will react. Not that I care what they say to me, it will be nothing that isn’t true. I just want to lead a peaceful life and not one where I’ll be constantly judged.