Salvaging Max

by SH Richardson

  “Yeah, sugar, it’s me. Need to speak to your man.” He waited for the answer.

  “Shoot me his cell phone number, yeah?” More waiting.

  “No, sugar, everything’s fine. Don’t worry. Just need to have a quick word with Range, is all.”

  He smiled brightly just before he turned his back on the rest of us and finished up the call. The other guys grumbled loudly and tried like hell to get his attention. They said horrible things like “pussy whipped” and “Give it up, asshole,” and my favorite of them all, “Still begging for that pussy.” Craze hung up and pocketed his phone before he turned around and addressed the crowd. He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t laughing, and he definitely did not tell any jokes.

  “We need to go.”

  That was enough to get everyone moving without having to say another word. I felt hopeful for the first time that luck was on our side and these men, these dangerous bikers, were sent by some strange force to help me.

  MAXWELL

  Silence. Some say it’s golden, it frees us from people’s words and brings about reflection. In silence, we are stripped of all distractions and are met with facing ourselves, our own thoughts and emotions. I considered my mother’s words as I watched her slumped-over form in the corner of the room. The cruel and manipulative way in which she’d said them. As painful as they were to hear, I was grateful to them. She intended to break me, to fetter my entire being to the circumstances of my past while she kept me a victim until she was ready to let me go. She was never meant to be a mother; she was as much of a stranger to me as the senator, maybe more so. She lacked the moral character to understand the meaning of real family. For that, she needed to care about someone else more than she cared for herself.

  She knew where to find me, yet the threat of losing her own life stopped her from coming back to claim me. A real mother would have taken on King Kong for her child. Not mine. She found a replacement instead. She allowed her husband to abuse me for years and thought she made things better instead of putting a stop to it and contacting the authorities. She made me believe that the man lying dead upstairs was my father when she knew all along he was nothing but a crook. She knew so much and so very little at the same time. I didn’t need a life with money and power. My career gave me that in spades; people just like her made it easy. The mansion wasn’t my home; it was cold and heartless, just the way she made it. I already had the best home in the world made so by the best father there ever was. I wasn’t searching for a family and friends; they were always mine, and I carried them with me wherever I was. My mother thought I was Maxie. It was time she got a taste of Max.

  She stirred sluggishly as she reached up with her hand to feel around the top of her head in search of blood. She opened one eye, then the other, and moaned when she struggled to sit upright against the wall for better support. She gave me a hardened look and leaned over to check on Jeremy, who sat quietly next to her.

  “I can’t believe you hit me in the head, Maxie. What the fuck were you thinking?” I couldn’t help it; her indignant tone made me laugh until it hurt.

  “It’s complicated, Mother.” I smirked.

  “Poor Jeremy looks as if he’s been run over by a bus, and you just sit there laughing like this is one big joke. I’ve got plans for us, Maxie, big plans, and I won’t have you ruining them with temper tantrums. You must learn control if you hope to take over for your father.” She amazed me with her ability to turn any situation around to suit her own needs.

  “He wasn’t my father, and I give fuck all about your plans. We’ve reached the end of our little journey, Mother. It’s time for us to say good-bye.” Realization flashed in her eyes; she’d lost, and she was scared shitless.

  “You would kill me, your own mother, for one bullshit piece of ass?”

  “For her. For me. Even for that piece-of-shit senator. This is about you, Mother, and the pain you’ve caused to many.” If she couldn’t understand that, then too fucking bad.

  “The pain I’ve caused? Well, Maxie, while you’re handing out judgment cards, be sure to give one to your little cunt nurse for killing her own brother.” She waited for the shock factor that never happened and continued. “She was too weak to handle her demented cousin, so he turned to her little brother instead. Once she found out, she took him and ran away. Stupid bitch didn’t account for the cold weather, and he died of hypothermia, all because she couldn’t properly suck a cock and keep that asshole satisfied. Stupid little cunt was more than willing to seduce Jeremy just to keep that little fact a secret, just like the whore I knew she was.”

  “Last chance, Mother. Where is she?” I knew she had everything to do with Heaven’s sudden willingness to spend time with that prick Jeremy. She blackmailed her and made her a victim for the second time in her life. She was worse than Heaven’s cousin Richard. She threatened to take away the only thing she had left in her life, the career she’d worked so hard for, just so she could break her spirit into tiny pieces. I wasn’t angry that Heaven hadn’t told me the full story. I knew the power guilt held over a person, especially if you thought you were responsible for the death of someone you loved. I wished we had more time to share that part of our lives, but fate had other plans for us.

  “Do you see that?” She pulled up her shirt and exposed a tattoo that read: Property of The Devil’s Raptors on her lower back. That was Buck’s old MC, but why the fuck would she have that on her body if she was a senator’s wife?

  “I sold her pathetic ass to a very old friend of mine. The tastes he had in women? I guarantee you she’ll have a PHD in cock sucking, ass fucking, and everything else before he passes her along to the rest of his friends for their turn.” It was her turn to laugh, proud and defiant, at the damaged she’d caused. Her final words, and she chose to use them for hate instead of love. She had to die; it was the only way. I’m so sorry, my sweet Heaven.

  “Good-bye, Mother.” I raised the barrel of the shotgun and pointed it in her direction.

  “MAX! Don’t do it, brother. Put the gun down.”

  I closed my eyes and prayed it wasn’t a dream. Range’s voice called out to me, but he wasn’t alone. My brothers were all there with him, armed to the teeth and ready to defend me. I felt it, the warmth of my true family surrounding me like a cocoon. I wanted to wallow in it like a pig in mud until I was completely covered from head to toe. Their strength made me weak. Unable to hold my weapon any longer, I lowered it slowly and slid to the floor on shaky legs. My emotions were running high. The burst of adrenalin from nearly pulling the trigger, to the sight of my brothers standing a foot away left me feeling raw and exposed. I thought they had abandoned me, given up on the idea that I was worth saving, worth fighting for. Instead, they were all here: Range with his hulking body and long, flowing hair, Memory with his hard, calculating stare, and to my surprise, Sebastian stood right alongside the others. He must hate my fucking guts after all the shit I’d pulled. Jesus Christ, I almost got his woman killed, yet he was still there, his bow firmly in his grasp, standing by my side. It was all so fucking surreal, beyond my wildest dreams that we would all end up together again, but this was no place for my brothers. I didn’t want them to know my secrets, my private pain that only Buck was fully aware of. I cared more for them than I’d ever cared for myself. Please forgive me, brothers.

  “You guys shouldn’t be here. This is no place for…you need to leave right now.” I tried to sound forceful in my demands, but it sounded unconvincing even to my own ears.

  “We came to bring you home, Max. Not leaving without you.” Range knelt down beside me and placed his hand on my shoulder. His caring eyes nearly broke me. I had to stay strong.

  “Yes, take him away. He’s crazy! He tried to kill us,” Jeremy cried like a pussy, but he was wasting his time. My brothers weren’t there to help him; they were there for me.

  “Home, Range? I can’t go back, not after everything that’s happened. I’m poison. It’s time you all realized that and stopped trying
to save me. Cut your losses and move on. I’m not worth it.”

  “You selfish motherfucker.” Mem was standing next to Sebastian. His arms bulged when he flexed his muscles and he inhaled a deep, cleansing breath that seemed to expand his chest to double its size. He was angry; no, he was fucking pissed judging by the scowl on his face and the tiny bead of sweat that trickled down his brow when he spoke.

  “Buck would kick your fucking ass if he knew what a self-centered, thoughtless piece of shit you’ve become. The last time you pulled this shit, I was a thousand miles away on a fucking computer monitor. Today, I’m live and in person, motherfucker, and I’m about ready to knock you the fuck out and drag your ass outside if you don’t cut the shit.”

  “You don’t understand, Mem, none of you do,” I started to defend my pussy actions, but he wasn’t done.

  “Shut the fuck up, Max!” His booming voice shook the very foundation of the room before he turned his back and steadied his control. He was beyond the stages of reasoning. I sat quietly and listened to my brother as he spoke.

  “Poor fucking Maxwell. Had it bad as a kid and decided to say “Fuck you” to the rest of us just so he could feel better about himself. You think you’re the only one who’s ever had it bad, bro? Trust me, son, you don’t know the first thing about it, not even a little.”

  He was calmer now, more reflective. I felt every ounce of his pain and knew that he spoke more of himself than the rest of us. I’d missed so much since he returned from fighting in Afghanistan. He was suffering inside and needed me to understand that I wasn’t the only one in the world with demons in their past. Buck knew that in order for us to survive, we had to stick together and fight alongside one another. He taught us to think as one, and to act as one; that was the source of our strength. I couldn’t do this alone. I needed my brothers, and they needed me.

  “Come home, Max, we need you there. Ashley wants to redecorate my apartment using a pink color scheme. Could you imagine? Pink would definitely clash with my furniture, and Mother and Aunt Enid would die if they found out I had a pink kitchen. Aunt Enid thinks pink and red are floozy colors, but they’re Ashley’s favorite. I need your smooth-talkin’ ass to help me get outta that shit.”

  Sebastian smiled, my betrayal a thing of the past. He’d forgiven me for my fucked-up behavior and accepted me back with open arms. This was my family, the good, the bad, and the ugly, just the way Buck had dreamt it would be. Buck Calhoun hadn’t been a perfect man, but he had been the perfect father, the kind of father whom each of us had needed in our lives, and for that, I would always be grateful to him.

  “My past, my life is so fucked up. I’m not sure how I’m going to deal with all of it.” I gave them one last chance to change their minds and abandon this idea once and for all.

  “Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it…together.”

  Mem offered his hand, and when I took it, he lifted me from the floor and into his hard embrace. We were together again, not just standing in the same place, but as Buck’s boys, the way he’d envisioned us to be. The rift that never should have started was finally over, and I felt my heart beat with the knowledge that I was finally home.

  HAVEN

  We arrived at the senator’s mansion. The five of us stood outside the circular driveway and waited for several minutes in silence. My guess was they were scoping out the place before we made our way inside, but that was just my opinion. What the fuck did I know? Everything seemed pretty quiet on the inside; the usual hustle and bustle from the servants was non-existent, and there were no lights on, which was very odd considering there were cars parked out front. I didn’t recognize any of them, not the black monster truck, the sports car, and strangely, there was a motorcycle parked that was similar in size and color to the ones that the bikers rode. This waiting did little to settle the nerves forming in the pit of my stomach. I was anxious to get inside and look for Max. My soul yearned for his strong arms, and I wouldn’t be satisfied until I was safely held within them. My desire to see Max replaced any lingering feelings of fear that the bikers were out to hurt me. If they wanted to kill me, I would be dead already. Maybe I was being naïve or just plain stupid, but I felt a level of security with them, like a little sister with four protective big brothers. Craze barked out orders and took control of the situation.

  “Snatch, you cover the back, make sure no one leaves. Gan, you stand guard at the front entrance, cover the door in case we get some unexpected visitors. No one gets in, yeah? Sugar, you lead Crete and me inside. Don’t know the layout, and it’s pitch fucking black.”

  “Do you think Max is in there?”

  “That’s Range’s truck.” He pointed to the big black eyesore. “He’s in there alright, but until we know what the fuck is going on, we stick together, you feel me?”

  I squared my shoulders and nodded my head in understanding. There was nothing more important to me at that moment than getting inside and finding Max, hopefully unharmed. The men took their assigned stations, posted out front and around the back, as I led the rest of us through the servants’ entrance. I didn’t have my key, since my purse was back at my apartment, but that didn’t stop Craze from giving the door a hard kick that smashed it open in seconds. Once we were all inside, Crete motioned for me to be quiet as I pointed to the spiral staircase that led to the senator’s room. It was eerily quiet, and the house seemed deserted, which should have been impossible considering it employed a full staff at all times.

  Once we reached the door, Crete grabbed me by the arm and positioned me behind his back at the same time he and Craze both drew their weapons from underneath their vests. I allowed them to step inside first before Craze motioned for me to enter once the room was secure. I was immediately struck stupid by the gaping hole in the ceiling that hadn’t been there three days ago. What a big fucking mess, but where was Max? I snapped out of my stupor in time to rush over and check on the senator’s vital signs. The night nurse should have been on duty, but like everyone else, she was missing in action.

  “He’s dead,” I whisper-yelled to Crete and Craze. “What the fuck is going on here? Where is everyone?”

  “Shotgun blast took out the ceiling. Can’t tell what happened to that asshole.” Craze gave a chin lift toward the senator and did that silent biker thing with Crete. I began to panic at the possibility that something had happened to Max somewhere inside this house of horrors. The thought of never seeing Max again slammed against my chest and shook its very foundation. There was only one other place they could be, where souls were stolen and nightmares began.

  The basement.

  “They have to be in the basement. That’s the only other place. I’ve only been there once, but I think I can remember where it was,” I shared, anxious to get moving.

  “Stay behind Crete. We go in silent, no talking. I’ll signal, and he’ll tell you what to do next.”

  “Okay, but I think I should have a gun, you know, just in case.” Craze smiled, and it was the first time I noticed he had dimples. The woman he was in love with was one lucky bitch.

  “No fucking guns, girl. We got plenty. Now, let’s go.” Crete on the other hand was still a dick.

  “You know what, Crete? You should try eating less red meat; it boosts aggression and could be the cause of your bowel obstruction. Leafy green vegetables should take care of that in no time.”

  “Get moving before I obstruct your little ass with my hand print, sugar britches.” I liked this guy. He made me smile.

  I found the doorway easily enough and tapped Crete on the shoulder, then pointed silently that we were in the right place. Crete used his big-ass arm to press me back against the wall, while Craze cracked the doorway open just enough to allow us to pass. We tiptoed single file down the steps without turning on the lights until we reached the bottom landing. I could hear yelling coming from one of the rooms, a hysterical woman screaming profanities at the top of her lungs like a madwoman. Right away I knew it was Mrs. Lancaster, and she w
asn’t alone inside that room.

  “If you leave with these hooligans, Maxie, I’ll make sure you’ll never find that whore nurse in one piece. I’ll spend every dime of my money just to see that every part of her body is used up and spit out before she’s put in the ground to rot. I own your soul, Maxie, and if you think I’m going to let you walk out of here, you’d better think again. I fucking own you.”

  She was talking about me as if my life meant nothing, using my kidnapping as a means to control Max and keep him a prisoner inside these walls. Well, fuck that, not on my watch, and not when I have a say so in my future, our future. Max had said it best; it was about us and what we wanted, and no one else would have the chance to dictate our lives again. I broke away from the stronghold that Crete had on me and rushed inside the room before he could stop me. Our eyes took the briefest of moments to take each other in before our bodies crashed together.

  “I’m here, Max. I’m here,” I whispered to him over and over, relieved that he was safe and holding me in his arms.

  “How did you escape? Are you hurt? Did they touch you?” He checked to see any visible signs of trauma on my body. He was so beautiful I couldn’t stop the tears that started to flow from my eyes. I’d missed him so much and never thought I would ever see him again.

  “I’m not hurt, Max.” I held him closely. “Some bikers found me and helped me escape.”

  “Bikers? What bikers?” Max held my face in his hands and looked into my eyes.

  “What the fuck is she doing here? That’s impossible…I made a deal with Brick.” Mrs. Lancaster was incensed at my surprise arrival. Her face turned to stone with anger and shock.