Max (A Carter Brother series Book 4)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “I don’t mind at all,’’ I answer quickly and all the girls giggle like they know what I’m thinking. None of the boys seem to care. In fact, Malik looks more interested in watching Harlow, Myles looks like he’d do anything Kayla wanted him to, and Mason is too busy kissing Denny to even care.

  How…fun!

  Half way through the movie I start to feel awkward. There’s a hot sex, shower scene and it’s making me feel uncomfortable. Not the actual act itself but because I’m in a room full of, basically, strangers. It just feels awkward, but then it could just be me making it that way.

  “You okay?’’ Max whisper yells, gaining everyone’s attention.

  I could kill him right now. What a jerk! I don’t even bother to acknowledge him; if I do, I might end up strangling the lad.

  “Yes,’’ I hiss back, staring at the tele.

  “You turned on?’’

  “What the fuck?’’ I snap, turning to glare at him. Harlow and Denny chuckle, but Kayla gasps in shock. For all I know she could have gasped thinking I was turned on. This is just pissing brilliant.

  “I am, want to feel? I’m big,’’ he winks and I turn my head looking back at the screen, not even wanting to answer him. I’m too stunned and… honestly? A part of me wants to find out how big he really is; then an idea occurs and I grin.

  “Dude, cut it the fuck out,’’ Mason snaps and I’m thankful in that moment.

  “What? It’s an innocent question,’’ he shrugs.

  “Why the hell not?’’ I grin and lean in closer. His chest rises quickly, his eyes wide with shock. I reach down, grabbing his package and tut looking disappointed. “Nope… Not very big at all,’’ I state, causing everyone to giggle. I let go and give him a smug smile. “The only thing big about you is the size of you’re…’’ I pause for effect, boldly looking his body up and down. As a girl I can appreciate what a fine specimen Max is, but as a person with feelings, I can also tell he’s a huge player. His eyes are still narrowed from calling him small but I can see a shimmer of hope in his eyes. “Yep, the only thing big on you is your head,’’ I deadpan.

  “I’m not fucking small,’’ he yells but then he smugly smirks and my breath hitches. “But…I do have a big head. You should see it when I’m about to come,’’ he breathes out, leaning in closer. I try to move back but I’m already at the edge of the sofa.

  “Fuck you,’’ I snap and try to look away; fed up of playing this game with him.

  “Guys, cool it,’’ I hear Maverick, the eldest of the brothers, tell us. We both ignore him, staring each other down. I’m not one to back down from anything; well, I never used to be anyway.

  Groaning, he looks at me with a smile that would melt any woman’s panties. “Say that again, I love it when you talk dirty and make promises,’’ he winks, a smirk playing on his lips.

  “You’re a pig.’’

  “Oh baby, I can be whatever you want me to be,’’ he tells me, his body scooting over so he’s nearly sat in my lap.

  “Will you give it up already,’’ I snap at him, feeling my face flame when I notice everyone’s attention is on us and the movie has now been paused.

  This is just bloody brilliant! Insert sarcasm right here.

  “I’m more than ready to give it up for you, baby,’’ he teases.

  I lean in close so that our lips are a near breath away and stare at him in his eyes. It’s the first mistake I make. His eyes are mesmerising and behind the lust and desire I notice he has a hidden pain in there. The second is that being this close to him has me fighting the urge to move the rest of the way to kiss him, it’s overpowering.

  “Baby,’’ I start, mimicking his words. “I don’t do easy and you, Max Carter, are easy,’’ I tell him and then move back, giving myself some breathing room.

  He opens his mouth to reply, looking a little shocked and if I’m not mistaken, aroused.

  When a phone starts ringing in the room we break apart, and everyone shuffles, checking their phones. It’s not mine – I don’t own one – but it at least takes some of the attention off me and Max.

  “Hey, Lexi, you okay?’’ Denny answers cheerfully. “What?’’ she replies, sounding on the verge of crying. I look around Max and find Denny with her phone tucked into her ear and shoulder, handing Hope over to Mason before standing up. “What? When? Is she okay? Oh my God, no, please no,’’ she cries and I sit back in the chair feeling a little awkward, but it’s mostly because I have to fight the urge to get up and comfort her. The phone is taken from her hands when Mason takes the phone off her. He talks to whoever Lexi is, barking questions before ending the call.

  “I should go,’’ I whisper to Max, not wanting to be in the way. This is obviously bad news and she’ll need her family around her, not some stranger looking on while she breaks down.

  He puts his hand on my leg to stop me and tingles shoot all up leg, up my body and down my back. His touch is like a flame; my skin burning from a simple touch.

  “Is everything okay?’’ Max asks first and I notice everyone is now sitting on the edge of their seats. Mason walks over, ready to hand Hope to Max, but all of a sudden I find her being placed in my arms.

  “What the hell, brother?’’ Max asks, looking at Mason like he just gave away the last cookie. I smile down at Hope, my body stiff as a board. I’ve never held a baby before. Well, she’s not exactly small, but still, she’s a baby.

  “Not now,’’ Mason snaps before kneeling down in front of Denny.

  “Baby, we should go be with Kennedy. Lexi said she doesn’t have any family with her,’’ Mason whispers and I wonder who they’re on about. I can’t help but hurt for Denny. The broken look on her face is gut wrenching.

  “Yes, she does, she has us,’’ she tells him fiercely. He looks taken aback for a second then nods his head in agreement.

  “Bro, what’s going on? Is there anything we can do?’’

  “Evan, Denny’s brother, found out he had a baby not long ago.’’

  “What?’’ they all shout, before the brothers burst into laughter.

  “That dick. Told you he didn’t wrap it before tapping it,’’ Max laughs but soon loses it when he sees the glare Mason’s sending his way.

  “Chill. I’m joking. What’s happened?’’

  “Their little girl, Imogen, was taken earlier today,’’ he tells us and I feel my blood run cold. Who would take a baby? I look down at the little girl in my arms and even though I’ve just met her, I can’t picture someone wanting to harm a baby. It’s not right.

  “She’s just a tiny baby. She was so small. I argued with him. I didn’t even get to hold her,’’ Denny cries and Harlow moves to sit down next to her.

  “Hey, it’s not your fault. You weren’t angry at Imogen, babe, you were angry with your brother and he understood. But it’s worse, baby,’’ he says and Denny’s head snaps up, looking at him.

  “Oh my God, is Evan okay? Did he get hurt when they took her? I bet Kennedy is losing her mind. I couldn’t cope if anything were to happen to Hope,’’ she sniffles, looking over at the baby in my arms.

  “He’s fine, but Kennedy, she was in an accident and is critical in the hospital. Lexi is on her way, so we should go.’’

  “Oh no!’’ she panics, but Mason whispers a few soothing words we can’t hear. “Okay,’’ she says, then it’s like mayhem in the room. The brothers all stand at once, arguing about who’s going and who’s not. Maverick ends up offering to drive them as the storm outside is getting worse. It’s not stopped raining all day. It’s been dark and gloomy with thunder and lightning coming and going.

  “We’ll stay here with Hope. Call us if you need anything,’’ Max says as he gives Denny a hug. Harlow rushes in the room with some bags and everyone looks at her in confusion.

  “Going somewhere without me, babe?’’ Malik, the quietest of the brothers, asks as he stands tall by the door with his arms folded across his large chest. He’s a scary motherfucker but I can tell wit
h the softness and the love he shows his girlfriend that all that hardness is just on the outside.

  “What? No! I just got a change of clothes and stuff for Mason and Denny,’’ she tells him, smiling.

  “How come?’’ Mason asks, walking back in the room, pulling Denny under his shoulder.

  “In case you’re there all night. I don’t know what’s going on, but you need to be there. Plus, I just looked at the weather forecast and the weather is getting worse. You need to hurry if you want to get there safely.’’

  Mason gives her a gentle smile before taking the bags off her. He bends down giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead, earning a growl from Malik.

  “Thank you,’’ he tells her, then quietly they all walk out leaving me sitting alone with baby Hope. None of them know me so it has kind of shocked me that they would leave their daughter with me. They all seem like a tight bunch who take care of each other. I never had that with my brother. Thinking of him hurts and tears sting my eyes.

  A few minutes later the front door flies open and everyone, minus Mason, Maverick and Denny, walks back in. They’re all shaking the rain from their hair and coats and I have to be thankful it was me who was handed Hope and got to stay inside. It makes me sound selfish but to be fair, I’m kind of a baby when it comes to rain or snow. I hate being cold. It’s been a nightmare since I left home, living under any shelter I could find and not having a warm, cosy, safe home to stay in. I guess that’s another reason I don’t want to get used to the luxury that living at Joan’s brings. It took me months to get used to fighting the cold. Not that I ever really got used to it.

  “Hey, want to play spin the bottle?’’ Max winks as he jumps on the sofa next to me, nearly waking a sleeping Hope up.

  “How about you go outside and play by yourself?’’ I tell him dryly.

  Not knowing where to look, I look back up at the paused movie, and find it paused on the part the girl is pinned to the shower wall. Jesus, Scott Eastwood is so hot. I look away, quickly feeling embarrassed for ogling.

  “Aww, don’t be like that, babe. You could always spin on something else,’’ he winks and the gesture awakens my body. Why he affects me so much is beyond me. One minute I want to strangle the dickhead; the next I want to kiss his face off.

  “How about you spin on this?’’ I tell him, giving him the middle finger.

  “Now you’re just turning me on,’’ he tells me, then shocks the fuck out of me when he takes my hand, sucking my finger into his mouth. His full lips wrap around it sending tingles all the way to my toes. God, how can something so frivolous turn my body to liquid? I snatch my hand away quickly. A cocky grin spreads across his face making me want to smack the smile off it.

  “Hey guys, Malik and I have um… We have…’’

  “To go and fuck each other’s brains out?’’ Max finishes unashamedly.

  “What? Of course not,’’ Harlow glares, her face going bright red and I giggle into my hand watching her.

  “Yes, we are, talk to you later,’’ Malik says shortly, grabbing Harlow around the waist and picking her up.

  “My coat,’’ she shouts just as I hear Malik reply, “I love you wet.’’

  I burst out laughing. It feels good. It’s not something I’ve done a lot of; in fact, I can’t think of the last time I laughed like this which is just plain sad.

  “You have a beautiful laugh,’’ Max tells me and I turn to look at him shocked. Had he been watching me the whole time?

  “You really do have a way with words,’’ I tell him seriously, wondering if his charm works on everyone. Who am I kidding? His looks alone would have women queuing the block to be with him.

  “I have a way with a lot of things,’’ he teases quietly.

  “You really are something,’’ I deadpan, looking away. It’s hard to look at him for more than a few minutes. He’s so goddamn good looking.

  “I know, right,’’ he says cheerfully and I have to fight back a smile at the playfulness he’s forever portraying.

  “Hey guys, I have to get Kayla back before the rain gets any worse. I might just stop the night there, so call and let me know if you hear anything from Mase,’’ Myles calls from the door. I look up to find Kayla grabbing her coat and umbrella.

  “Alright, bro, you walking?’’ Max asks shocked.

  “Yeah, Kayla’s dad doesn’t want to risk her being out in a car in this weather. It seems there have been a few crashes today,’’ he informs us sadly.

  “Shit,’’ Max says, running his hands through his still wet hair.

  “Let us know when you get there.’’

  “Will do.’’

  Kayla waves goodbye and tells me to look after Scott Eastwood for her. I laugh, looking back at the paused movie.

  “I’m just going to get changed into something of Mason’s. The rain soaked through my hoody,’’ Max says, getting up.

  “Will his clothes fit? You’re big,’’ I tell him, then groan when I realise what the fuck just came out of my mouth. Why did I bother speaking? Oh, I know, because I’m an idiot.

  “Oh, baby, trust me, I’m well aware,’’ he smirks, grabbing his junk. I send him a glare before looking away. I grab the remote that Denny had left on the end of the sofa and press play. Not realising how loud it was I jump in fright and end up waking Hope up from her nap. She starts fussing which has me panicking. Standing up, I place her over my shoulder and tap her back. I’ve watched moms do this with their kids all the time, but when it doesn’t work, I start rocking her from side to side. Well, okay, I start rocking from side to side, but you get the drift.

  Max rushes in with his top barely over his head. Frozen to the spot, I stare at his rippling muscles as he pulls his top on with one hand.

  Fuck me!

  He has a body of a goddamn model. Jesus! How the hell has a lad his age got that kind of muscle? He’s fit. I mean, you could trace each line of his six pack – well, eight pack – and dip your finger down his V line. I’ve never seen one of those on anyone in the flesh, only in pictures. I started to believe they were a fantasy and were just airbrushed, or whatever photographers do, but looking at Max I can see they are very, very real.

  “You’ve got a bit of drool there,’’ Max says, touching my mouth with his index finger.

  Humiliated, I jump back, slapping his hand out of the way. I can’t believe I just lost myself in his body. A loud burp next to my ear reminds me of Hope.

  “Oh shit,’’ Max says, stepping closer.

  “What?’’ I ask, wondering if I’m holding her wrong.

  “She’s been sick,’’ he says looking grossed out, his face scrunched up in revulsion.

  “And? It’s just a bit of sick,’’ I dismiss.

  “Um… It’s in your hair,’’ he says and it’s then I notice he’s not grossed out, but worried I’m going to start having a hissy fit over Hope’s sick being in my hair.

  I roll my eyes. “Here, let me go wash it out with some water. Do you think Denny will mind if I use a towel?’’ I ask unsure.

  “Nah, go ahead, they’re in the bathroom cabinet.’’

  I give him a smile and watch him tend to Hope for a second. He’s so gentle with her. He wipes her mouth with a wet wipe and with that I leave them to it and rush up to the bathroom.

  The house looks so tiny from the outside but it’s a decent size inside. The walls up the stairs are covered in photos of Hope, Mason and Denny. Some are of the brothers together and some with their girlfriends, they all look happy. I smile looking at them and when I get to the top one, one of a girl I’ve not met yet, holding Hope, I’m confused. She’s pretty. Really pretty, but she doesn’t seem to be anyone I’ve seen with any of the brothers or the girls.

  Shaking it off I open the first door to the left and find myself in Hope’s room. It’s beautiful. So beautiful in fact that I feel a little envious of Hope.

  Shutting the door behind me, I try the one across from it. Thankfully it’s the bathroom and I make
quick work of washing the sick from my hair and back of my top.

  CHAPTER THREE

  LAKE

  It turned out my hair needed more than a bit of water. Even after rinsing it out, I could still smell the sick in my hair. Hoping they wouldn’t mind, I quickly washed my hair and towel dried it. I’m just brushing my fingers through the knots when I hear Joan’s voice from downstairs.

  Walking down, I’m greeted to her sitting down already with a cup of tea and watching a now sleeping Hope.

  “Hey,’’ I wave, walking in and hoping everything from earlier has been cleared up. I’m nervous as hell and honestly? My hands are shaking and worry ignites me. I don’t want her to dislike me.

  “Oh my, what’s happened to you,’’ Joan giggles, eyeing my wet hair.

  “Hope was sick in my hair. I hope Denny won’t mind but I quickly washed it. I couldn’t get the smell out with just rinsing.’’ Embarrassed, I can only stand there and twiddle my thumbs. It felt rude washing it upstairs, but now standing and telling someone, I feel intrusive.

  “Nonsense, of course she wouldn’t mind. You’re actually in luck; I brought some clothes over for you. I went into town after the food bank closed and got you some new things. A new hairbrush and stuff is in there too.’’

  The first thought in my head is that she’s buying me stuff so I can move on, find somewhere else to go. I’ve become accustomed to not being wanted. I don’t deserve to be after what I did. Sadness pervades me. I actually like it here. I said I’d never settle in a place where I started to like it. My life should be miserable, cold, lonely and unloved. After what I did it’s the least that should have happened to me. But having Joan take care of me, Mark making me laugh and actually having warm food and a bed to sleep in has made me feel something other than dead. I don’t want to lose that feeling.

  “What’s wrong?’’ Joan asks, breaking through my thoughts.

  “You didn’t need to get me new stuff. It’s very kind of you but you don’t need to do that,’’ I tell her honestly. She shouldn’t be wasting her money on someone like me.