His End Game (MMG Series)

by R B Hilliard

  “Look at me.”

  Slowly, I lifted my head and looked into his beautiful eyes.

  “Why are you crying? Did I hurt you earlier? Was I too rough?”

  “No, it was absolutely perfect. You are perfect. This whole summer has been perfect. I am just sad to see it go.”

  “It’s not going anywhere. I’m not going anywhere,” he huskily replied, wiping a tear away.

  “I don’t want things to change,” I whispered.

  Cradling my face between his hands, he tenderly kissed my lips. More tears fell and he deepened the kiss. Sensing his need, I opened my legs. Slowly, he slid into me and rocked, in and out, until we were both breathing heavily.

  “Deeper,” I told him.

  Sliding both of his hands underneath me, he pulled himself in deeper. Shivering with desire, I wrapped both of my legs around him so that my heels were touching his lower back. I stared into his eyes, wanting him to see everything I felt but could not say. Thrusting deeply, he whispered, “You. Are. Mine.” Those three words were all it took. Moaning out his name, I came and took him over with me.

  “I love you Max. I always will.”

  “Always,” he replied.

  He woke me up a few hours later and was already showered and ready for work. He dropped me off at my house with a kiss and a promise to come by the café when he got off work.

  I waved as I watched him drive away. That was the last time I saw him.

  ~Five Years Later

  I hate graduations.

  This time of year dredged up all kinds of painful memories. The best decision I ever made was to get out of Charlotte. Four years at UNC Greensboro had flown by. I went home for holidays throughout the years to see Joss, Kurt, Benny and my aunt, but I never stayed for long and I made sure that I had a job lined up in Greensboro every summer. Piper was my savior, especially during the first two years of college. She could have gone anywhere, but because of me she chose a smaller private college a mile away. We saw each other every chance we could.

  I almost didn’t make it to my high-school graduation on account of my failing grades.

  And my heartache

  Thank goodness my teachers took pity on me during that time. Through extra help and a lot of extra credit, I managed to graduate from high-school and now from college.

  Max would be proud.

  Joss ended up following Kurt to UNC Charlotte. They visited Greensboro every now and then, alternating stays between my fold out sofa and Piper’s guest bedroom. Kurt graduated last May and was, as of a month ago, the proud owner of a bar named Dragonfly. I had gone home for Joss’ graduation and Kurt gave me the grand tour. With a little bit of TLC, it was going to be an awesome place to hang out.

  Piper’s family moved back to Texas. She was heading there for who knows how long after graduation. I was going to miss her terribly.

  My aunt, Joss, Kurt and Piper all came to see me graduate this past weekend. We went out after the ceremony and lit up the town. Even Aunt Elizabeth cut loose, something I had never seen before, and actually drank a beer. With a brand new degree in Business Administration, I had one week to go before my job at Trace Advertising started. Instead of taking a much needed vacation, I decided I was going to clean out my apartment and redecorate. This time of year was always hard for me, especially right now with all of the graduation stuff happening. If I could skip summer all together, I would. I didn’t allow myself much time to think about Max and what happened five years ago, but summers, especially the beginning of them, always took me back.

  ~Five Years Earlier

  “Max, I have been calling your cell since five this afternoon and am starting to worry. Benny said you left the garage around eleven this morning. I hope everything is okay. I’m trying not to worry here so… call me. Love you.”

  Max hadn’t shown up at Providence that afternoon, which was unlike him. At first I didn’t think anything about it. I figured he got caught at work and would call as soon as he was free. It was now going on midnight and I still hadn’t heard from him. Now worried, I dialed Joss.

  “God, Ellie, do you know what time it is?” she groggily asked.

  “Have you heard from Kurt today?” I was hoping that he was with Max and that Joss knew where they both were.

  “He’s here with me. Why?”

  “Is Max there, too?”

  “No. Should he be?”

  “Will you ask Kurt if he has heard from Max today?” Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my bones.

  “Sure, hang on”… I heard her talking but couldn’t make out the words. “Ellie, he says he hasn’t heard from Max since yesterday afternoon. Is everything okay? You don’t sound good.”

  “I’m sure it is,” I lied. I wasn’t sure about anything. “He was supposed to come by after work and didn’t. He hasn’t called and his phone just goes to voicemail. Benny said that Max got a phone call at the garage around eleven this morning and took off right after. Will you have Kurt try him? I just need to make sure he’s okay.”

  “Sure. We’ll call you right back.”

  Kurt will figure it out and everything will be fine.

  Kurt didn’t figure it out. Max didn’t call or answer his phone that night and by the next morning I knew that something bad had happened.

  Joss stopped by before lunch and we drove by Max’s house. I had little sleep the night before and was running on pure adrenaline. Both his truck and his dad’s car were sitting in the driveway. I felt like throwing up.

  Why are both cars here? Why hasn’t he returned any of my calls?

  A million scenarios were running through my head. None of them were good.

  “Do you want to stop and knock?” Joss asked.

  If it wasn’t for his dad, I would be in there right now.

  “No. Apparently he’s busy.”

  At least, too busy to talk to me.

  “There’s a logical explanation for this, I’m sure. Sarah probably needed him or his dad went on a bender. Stop worrying.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Again, I wasn’t sure of anything.

  Joss drove me back to my house, told me to take a nap and that she would call as soon as Kurt heard from Max.

  Kurt showed up at my house around six that night. I was surprised to see him standing at my door. He told me that he had just been by Max’s house and that Max’s truck and dad’s car were still in the driveway.

  “I rang the doorbell like a hundred times, Ellie, but no one answered.”

  “What if something bad happened to them, Kurt, and we are just sitting here doing nothing?” I had a visual in my head of Max lying on his floor bleeding to death. “We need to do something, like go over there and break in or call the police…something,” I stressed.

  “No police. At least…not yet. Max would never forgive us if we got Sarah taken away because of some stupid knee jerk reaction.”

  Kurt was right. Max would hate me if I contacted the police and got his sister put in foster care. Still, why hadn’t he called me? What if Kurt was wrong? This was so out of character for Max and I knew …I knew…. deep in my gut that I was missing something.

  After Kurt left I went to talk to my aunt.

  Desperate times called for desperate measures.

  “Did you call the police?” she asked, after I explained the situation.

  “We don’t want to involve them unless we have to.”

  “How about the hospitals and why, may I ask, no police?”

  “First of all, we’re not sure that Max is even missing and Joss and I called the hospitals already. Second, Max is barely eighteen and is too young to take care of Sarah. His dad is a loser, an alcoholic and a possible drug addict.”

  “I see. Thank goodness that boy found you when he did. He will call, honey,” she patted my hand. “He is tied up with something but I know when he gets the chance, he will reach out to you. He loves you. I can’t imagine anything that would keep him away from you for long.”


  That’s the problem, I can’t either.

  I left her in the office and forced myself to go back up to my room. I was afraid to sleep downstairs. What if Max tried to get into my room and I wasn’t there? Pausing outside my bedroom door, I closed my eyes and made a wish.

  Please let Max be sitting on my bed when I open this door.

  I flung open the door and……nothing, except my phone that I had left sitting on my bed. Not believing that I had left my room without it, I raced over to check my messages. I hit my desk chair as I rushed by and knocked my purse onto the floor. The contents flew everywhere. Shit!

  No new messages. Sighing, I bent down to pick up the mess and on my floor were the keys to Max’s Scout.

  I figure that I need to protect the two most important people to me in any way that I can. But Max, you love your truck.

  Yes, but I love you more and I want to know that you are safe, especially when I can’t be with you.

  That’s it. I couldn’t do this anymore. Tomorrow I was going to his house. I was searching his car. Even if I had to break a window to get into the house, I would.

  I had a plan.

  The next morning I called Providence and told Amy about Max. She told me to take as much time off as I needed. School was starting next week so my schedule would be changing anyway.

  After checking that off my list, I called Kurt to tell him my plan. He convinced me that felonious acts like breaking and entering should only be attempted after dark and since he had to work tonight, he would be by to pick me up at eight tomorrow evening. I was about to call Piper when my doorbell rang.

  Maybe it’s Max.

  “Have you seen him?” Benny asked.

  “No. You were fourth on my list to call today,” I told him. Benny and I had been in constant contact since the afternoon of Max’s disappearance.

  “Wherever the hell that boy is, he should have checked in by now. In all the years I have known him, he’s never gone this long without at least a phone call.”

  I gnawed my lip, wondering if I should tell him my plan.

  “I drove by the house before heading over here,” he continued. “I swear, this has his dad written all over it. That man has been up to no good for a long time.”

  I didn’t know what to say to this. I wanted to know more about Max’s dad but wanted Max to be the one to tell me, not Benny. “Are both cars still there?” I asked.

  He nodded his head. “Yep, I rang the bell and looked in all the windows but I couldn’t see a damn thing.”

  I told him what Kurt said about the police and, not being able to stand it, told him about our plans.

  “I’m coming with you,” he said.

  I knew he’d say that.

  Kurt and Joss showed up at my house right at eight the next night. Benny and three guys that also worked at the garage pulled up behind them.

  Benny introduced us. “Ellie, this is Twon, Marcus and Tut. Boys, this is Max’s Ellison.”

  I started to tear up.

  Max’s Ellison.

  I loved that he called me that. “Nice to meet you,” I said, my throat thick.

  Benny’s boys were far from boys. Max had told me all about them. They were three extremely large and fit black men. Antwon, or Twon, was Benny’s nephew. He was a few years older than Max. Marcus had been in and out of foster homes until he found Benny. Now he was old enough to stay with Benny full time and work at the garage. Tut should have been named Tat. From what I could see, he had them all over, including on his shaved skull. Max hadn’t said much about Tut.

  I can see why, yikes!

  I watched Kurt hug everyone and introduce Joss. Since Max was close to Kurt and Benny was close to Max, it made sense that Kurt would be close to Benny and the boys.

  We parked about half a mile away from Max’s house because Benny was worried about people seeing our cars.

  What people?

  He then sent Marcus, Tut and Twon to check around and make sure we weren’t being watched.

  “This is creepy,” whispered Joss. “Who do you suppose is watching us?”

  “I’m afraid to ask. I’m also surprised that Kurt let you come.”

  “I told him that I would cut him off if he didn’t.”

  “Ouch.”

  When we reached the house, both cars were still there but no lights were on. My stomach lurched.

  Benny led us to the window that was furthest from the living room and pulled out what looked like a chisel. Sliding it under the sill, he wiggled it until we heard a click. Slowly he pushed the window up.

  “We can take it from here Ben,” Kurt quietly said.

  “You can but you’re not. That boy saved me when nothing else could. I intend to repay the favor. You three stay here. I’m going in to check it out. I will let you in when the coast is clear and for shit’s sake, be quiet,” he whispered.

  We stood there for what felt like a century before we heard him come back.

  “Coast is clear. Come around to the back door and I’ll let you in.”

  We spent an hour searching through every room and closet. Nothing was out of place or looked different except for the big coffee stain on the hardwood floor between the kitchen and the living room.

  “His things are still here,” I said. We were standing in the middle of Max’s bedroom. I toed the bag at my feet. “This is one of the bags he was packing to take to ASU. I was here the day he pulled it out.”

  “It looks like he was packing winter clothes but didn’t get very far,” Joss said.

  “Shit!” Kurt exclaimed from across the room.

  “What?” We turned to look at him.

  “Hang on.” We watched as he perused the room, obviously searching for something.

  “His duffle is gone.”

  “Duffle?” Benny asked.

  “The duffle he takes whenever he is traveling anywhere. It’s gone. Ellie, look real close. Do you notice if anything else is missing?”

  I had been four days without him and didn’t realize how deprived I was feeling until I sat on his bed and his scent wafted up from his sheets and comforter. I felt like I was being held together by tiny fragile strings and, one by one, they were starting to snap and break apart.

  Smelling his scent sucked me back to the last night I had spent with him in this bed. I smelled us.

  We danced here. It still smells of our love. He promised we would always be together.

  Joss’ hand squeezing mine brought me back to the moment. “Ellie, honey, we need you to focus.”

  I can do this.

  I walked over to his chest of drawers and opened each one. His favorite jeans and T’s were gone.

  “Some of his clothes are missing.” I thickly said. It was then that I noticed what else was missing. Closing my eyes, I let the pain wash over me. “and he took the pictures.”

  “Fuck!” Kurt shouted, causing Joss and I to jump. “This is not fucking happening. He wouldn’t just leave without telling someone. He would know we would worry. He is crazy in love with you,” he said, staring at me with such intensity it made me squirm. “He would not walk away from that. Not even two weeks ago, he was telling me how you were it for him. He was in this forever. He would not just walk away from that!”

  “He told me the same,” Benny stated. “I’m telling you, this has his father written all over it.”

  “You keep saying that. Why?” I asked.

  “It means that whatever this is,” he swept his arm across the room, “is because of his dad. I don’t know if he owes someone money or if he’s done something bad. Neither would surprise me, but whatever it is, I can guarandamntee you that it concerns that fucked up man.”

  “Did you look in Sarah’s room?” Joss asked, before Benny could divulge any more information. She could tell that I was barely hanging on.

  Not wanting to leave Max’s room, I hesitantly walked across the hall to Sarah’s room. My eyes went directly to her bed and the pain washed over me again.

&nb
sp; “Her blanky and pillow are gone. She never goes anywhere without them.”

  “Why did they leave everything else here?” Joss asked.

  “Because they plan on coming back? Maybe Max took off early for school? Maybe he took Sarah with him?” Kurt suggested.

  Or, maybe like Benny said, he was running from something his dad did.

  I didn’t say it out loud but I knew we were all thinking it.

  “I’ll drive up to Boone tomorrow and check if Max showed up at App.” Kurt said.

  “Not without me.” There’s no way that he was leaving me here.

  “Or me,” Joss added.

  “Damn it, I can’t go. I’ve got two new cars to work on at the garage.”

  “We’ll come by when we get back,” Kurt assured him.

  The last thing I did before going home was search Max’s truck. I was about to close it up when I remembered the glove compartment. Unlocking it, I reached in and found his iPod. His ear buds were still connected to it. I couldn’t imagine him going anywhere without his iPod. His music was an extension of him. He worked out with it, listened to it while he fixed cars and, when I wasn’t around, used it to get to sleep. This scared me more than anything else because, deep down, I knew that there was no way that Max would have intentionally left his music behind.

  No… way…

  ~Five Years Later.

  Only one more day of freedom before my marketing job at Trace started. I was kicking myself for not taking more than two weeks off after graduation.

  Oh well.

  As my aunt would say, I was now a gainfully employed adult.

  I can’t believe I graduated from college two weeks ago.

  I had spent this past week cleaning out my apartment. Throwing away four years of crap was cathartic. My decorating went as far as to purchase all new sheets and towels. I had plans of becoming more sophisticated. This, however, was going to take me a lot longer than a week. I was making a list of how to go about doing this when my phone rang. “Hello?”

  “Is this Miss Davis?”

  “Speaking.”

  “Miss Davis, this is Dr. Cooper at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte. I have you down as the emergency contact for a Ms. Elizabeth Davis. Is this correct?”