by Ana Balen
He was standing close to where I was sitting. So, close the heat of him hit me like a wave. His deep, rich voice coming at me in that quiet way. Sweet Mary, help me. Not to mention, he was the first man who ever gave me a pet name, and he gave it to me not even an hour after he met me. I always wanted to have someone call me by a sweet nickname.
But, not like this.
His words tainted all the sweet things he did. I just couldn’t get over them. I briefly toyed with the idea he didn’t know my name, but I had told him. So, that wasn’t it. After a few moments, he sighed and went to lean at the kitchen counter. He didn’t try to engage in small talk again. He didn’t try to interrogate me either, and he didn’t apologize.
When I heard the soft knock on the door, I shoved the chair back and shot to my feet to run to it. I was just about to reach my target and open them wide, so I could make sure Nico hadn't got to her and that my friend was fine.
“Stop!” Max growled.
I instinctively did and turned to him. I just wasn’t fast enough. Walking toward me, he passed me by.
“You can’t seem to comprehend you’re in a certain situation now, and you need to be careful.”
He looked out of the side window for a second and then opened the door. Melanie gave him a huge smile, her eyes alight when they came to mine, but she lost all that in a second. Instead, a frown appeared on her beautiful face when she heard me speak.
“I’m in a situation?”
“Babe, you just ran away from Nico Barone today,” Max was walking back to his kitchen.
“Twice.”
“Okay?”
I was turning on my heels to try and look at his face so I could decipher what exactly he meant by that. I knew what I did. I was there. I had no luck with that.
"Babe," somehow that babe was a bigger blow than all the rest he delivered that day. "It's time to pull your head out of the sand and see the world you live in and the people you let in your life."
How many times do I have to tell this man I didn't know anything? How do I explain to him that I just didn't want to be alone anymore, and that was the only reason I put up with Nico’s behavior and occasionally turned a blind eye without sounding like a weakling? I turned to Melanie, needing some backup, but there was a knowing look on her face.
"You knew?" I asked and she nodded her head, not looking away from Max.
"Good for you, hot guy. Not wasting any time but going straight to the head. It was high time she found out who the hell she let claim her."
"You knew, and you didn't tell me?" I screeched.
"Sky, everyone knows who he is. I'll admit, I didn't know at first, and I will regret for the rest of my life that I pushed you to go out with him, but the moment I found out, I tried everything to get you away from him."
"But I was going to marry him today."
"No, you weren't."
"Yes, I was, and you were supposed to be my maid of honor," I exclaimed and that is when her body sagged as her face gentled.
“Honey, I would never have let that happen. I tried to get you to change your mind, I practically begged you on the way to church to let me take you somewhere, but you just looked out the window, completely out of it and ready to take whatever came just so you wouldn't be alone," I was shaking my head, trying to stop her from spilling all my secrets and announcing how pathetic I was to Max, but she kept going. "By the time I came knocking at your door, saying it was almost time, I had a car at the ready and a file waiting for you to read on the way out."
Melanie looked to Max, a smile spreading on her face. It was the happiest I've seen her in a while.
"It's just that the hot guy beat me to the punch."
I was speechless. I tried to form words to come out of my mouth, but my mind was in shambles.
Nothing made sense anymore. Melanie got tired of waiting for me to say something, and she made that clear by walking to and sitting at the table. The smile still present.
"A file?" Max's question shook me out of my stupor.
"Yes, I hired a PA to get as much dirt on Nico and his mother as possible. He didn't come up with much, but I was desperate and would take anything just to get my girl out of his claws."
"I need to see that file," they carried on as if I wasn't even there, as if those two didn't just shake the foundation of me.
"You knew about my warehouse?"
She watched me closely as I slowly came to the table and sat down. I could see her mind working, trying to make some sense of my question. And then I saw her coming up with nothing.
"What about your warehouse?"
I opened my mouth to explain all the filth that was invading it, even the little I knew was too much but wasn't fast enough.
"Come with me," Max ordered and then walked out of the kitchen, expecting Melanie to do as he demanded.
I turned to her, my eyes rolling and fully prepared to laugh, because no man ever told Melanie what to do, but she was on her feet and following him. They left me sitting there for about five minutes. Melanie was first to come back, her face pale, her eyes round and filled with fear. She came to me, giving me a fierce hug as her mouth moved close to my ear.
"I'm so glad a hot guy came and got you. You're going to be fine. I promise."
"His name is Max," I whispered into her shoulder.
I so needed this. While I was in her arms, I whispered my plan to her so Max wouldn't hear.
When she pulled back, I could see she didn't want to do it.
"Melanie, please," I urged.
Her eyes flicked toward the French doors and then came back to mine.
"Of course, you know I always have your back."
Chapter Five
Skylar
“I told you,” Melanie snorted. My eyes flew from the phone with the call on speaker that was sitting on Max’s worn out table to look into Melanie’s eyes filled with tears.
Tears from laughter she was trying to hold in but wasn’t that successful. I focused on her shoulders that were jumping up and down in silent hilarity, making her hair bounce. God, my friend, was pretty. Big green eyes, button nose that had a dust of freckles here and there. And her hair. God, I would kill to have hair like hers. Black, thick, and curly in such a way no hair product or styling tool would ever make it so. She was my height, which put her around 5’3’’ and slim. She was pretty on the outside, but the beauty that resided inside her had no comparison, and it spilled out of her eyes. Every man drooled over her. I chanced a look at Max, who was standing by the kitchen counter to see if he joined that particular club but he was watching the phone with a strange look, and then as if he sensed me looking at him, his eyes met mine. The instant they did, his look changed, and the way it changed made me tingle all over, one place in particular. The feeling was so intense I had to cross my legs and look away.
I couldn’t believe that we were here now. That my life had come to this. The now in which we all listen to Valeria, Nico’s grandmother, calling her grandson a dick and saying I should have left him ages ago since he was a lowlife and a slime.
"You think I don't know, Bambina, but I saw," the weight of Valeria's sigh was heavy, even on my chest. "I saw the way you were walking after you would say something he didn't like. I saw the fear lurking in your eyes. I saw each and every time you bowed your head, and your shoulders slumped when he dismissed you. And my beautiful girl, whenever you came to see me, after you left, your loneliness clung to me like a child would to his mother."
I was giving it my all to swallow down the lump in my throat and not to break. It appeared no matter how hard I tried; I didn't fool Valeria. God, I loved her. She was an eighty-year-old woman who looked like the wind would break her but had a personality of a fifteen-year-old. She was the first one to push Melanie and me into doing something that Nico and his mother would deem beneath them. Whatever was not up to their standards, I was not to do. Unfortunately, that included going to the farmers market or to amusement parks, which were Valeria's fav
orite. With all those restrictions and with Valeria slowly losing her spirit and will to do something fun, I still went to visit her every week and made sure to call her at least twice a week. Those two didn’t abuse her in any way, I checked. After talking gently with Valeria, I decided to take her to the doctor for a checkup, since I was scared out of my mind, she was lying to me. No, they just ignored her. Except on Sunday, when we were all demanded to be present at brunch so all their friends could see they maintain firm family bonds. I know she preferred it that way.
"Okay honey, you were right. I-"
I didn't get a chance to finish what I was saying because suddenly Valeria started to laugh. That rich sound that instantly brightened up the room, even only coming through a speaker.
"Best moment in years, seeing the look on that dirtbag's face," hearing Valeria say that Melanie doubled down, holding her stomach but not before I saw tears of laughter streaming down her face. "Not to mention that daughter of mine. I was sure the steam would start to come out of her ears."
"Honey, those are your grandson and daughter you're talking about," I chastised her gently.
I always did. No matter how nasty or hurtful they were to me, I didn't like it when Valeria stooped to their level. She was a lady through and through, not to mention a gentle soul. They were her family; after all, I was just someone who came along.
"You're more my family than they will ever be."
"Valeria," I said her name softly. I tried to put everything I felt for her in that one word.
"I know, Bambina," she said just as softly back. "I know."
I didn't get a chance to say anything else because the line went dead. Valeria never was one for the mushy stuff. Whenever I told her how much I loved her, she would blush and put a plate full of food in front of me. That was her way of saying she felt the same.
"We should -" the loud banging on the door interrupted me.
I could not finish a sentence today.
"Max, you motherfucker, open up!" I looked up at Max only to see annoyance washing over his features.
He put the water bottle he was holding on the kitchen counter. His eyes flashed to mine, and he shook his head a little.
"If you don't open up right now, I'm going to call the cops!"
"Fuck," Max sighed and dragged his feet toward the door.
It was comical seeing this big man dragging his feet, almost like a ten-year-old who knew that he did something wrong and was going to get it. I shared a look with Melanie. I'm sure my eyes were wide open with shock and a little bit of fear. Hers? Hers were full of excitement. In the next second, both of us jumped on our feet and ran towards the door.
"I'm going to kill you, you bastard." A small, blonde woman stood close to Max, her finger poking his chest. "Where is he?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he drawled, almost bored.
It was astonishing. This woman was brave. To come up to a mountain of a man and talk to him the way she did, not to mention taking a threatening stance.
"Don't bullshit me. Where is Jason?"
"How should I know? He's your boyfriend, not mine."
"Yes, and you keep kidnapping him!"
Sweet Mary. Did Max keep kidnapping some man? I grabbed Melanie's hand, squeezed, and muttered so no one would hear.
"We need to get out of here."
"No way! This is way too entertaining not to see what will happen."
"Are you serious?" I forgot about being sneaky and quiet. "Didn't you hear, he kidnapped a man!"
"Um, hello," I closed my eyes in despair.
Damn.
"You know it's all right; he usually brings him back," the woman kept talking when I didn't turn around. "I promise it's okay."
Her voice came from my side, which meant… Yep, she was standing right next to me.
"Hi, I'm Rory," she smiled when I looked at her, and I realized it was the woman from the photos. The one Max was holding in his arms. “Max’s sister.”
She pointed out over her shoulder to the man in question. The relief that that little tidbit of information gave me, almost brought me to my knees. Weird. I glanced at my friend but quickly averted my eyes when I saw her head was tilted and a small, questioning smile playing at her mouth. Damn. Knowing her, she’ll get weird ideas. And get them soon. When I didn't say anything, just kept staring at her, Melanie took over.
"Hey, I'm Melanie, and this here is Skylar. She's not usually this rude, but we'll give her a pass. She had a rough day."
I bugged my eyes out to Melanie to stop her from talking further, but as always, she ignored me.
I needed to get out of there, not have my former best friend spill my secrets to a woman I didn’t know.
“Oh, what happened?”
“She was supposed to get married today, but the hot guy over there got her out of the church,” Melanie pointed to a seriously pissed off looking Max.
“You kidnapped Skylar, too?” Rory turned to Max, her arms at her waist, her whole torso leaning towards him. “What the hell is wrong with you? And bring my boyfriend, we’re late for dinner.”
I didn’t know the man. I barely had two whole conversations with him, but even I knew any sane person would go hide in a corner the moment he took a step towards Rory. Hell, I glanced around, trying to find one to crawl into with Melanie.
“I did not kidnap, Bean,” he barked.
“Bean?” Rory’s eyebrows hit her hairline.
“I didn’t kidnap Jason,” he ignored his sister’s question about the nickname he gave me. “Carter did.”
“That little bastard,” Rory’s arms on hips became fists. “Where is he?”
“Who?” Max strolled back to the counter and leaned on it as if nothing weird was happening, and he wasn’t discussing a kidnapping of his sister’s boyfriend.
Just thinking about it made my head spin. And what’s with the mood swings? How can he be pissed off one second, laid back, and relaxed the next?
“The Pope!” Rory fired at Max. “Who do you think? Jason! Where is Jason.”
“He’s safe, don’t you worry about it.”
“Do not make me call Mom! If you don’t release him, we’re going to be late, and we can’t be late. It’s the signing dinner!”
Max just stood there, his face now back to looking bored.
“He doesn’t know who it is. I didn’t tell him because I knew you would do this.”
Max was still silent.
“You know I can’t tell you who it is, either.” Rory kept going.
Max crossed his arms on his broad chest, his muscles jumping, and in response, my mouth watered. Two siblings went into a stare-down, and my eyes went from one to the other like I was watching a tennis match. And Melanie started opening and closing cupboards.
“What are you doing?” I hissed.
“Looking for popcorn,” she shrugged her shoulders. “This is better than an episode of Lucifer.”
“The one by the fridge,” Max said to Melanie, still not looking away from his sister.
I went back to looking between the two and noticed that Rory was rapidly getting red in the face.
The only thing that could be heard in the silence was the popping of the popcorn. By the time Melanie was shoving her second handful in her mouth, her eyes mimicking the tennis match, Rory looked sideways, heaved a big sigh, then looked back at Max.
“What do you want?”
The blinding smile spread across his face. I swooned. Melanie smiled hugely, catching me doing it.
“Passes.”
“Fine,” Rory said through clenched teeth.
“Field passes,” Max heaved his body on the counter. I watched his every move, transfixed. “Five of them.”
Rory bugged her eyes out. Then after a millisecond, she figured something out, and those beautiful hazel eyes were in a slit.
“You are all in on this. Jason’s playing along.”
Max’s smile shone like a beacon, and I leaned in to follow the l
ight.
“What gave it away?”
“He can’t give you field passes, only I can since I’m the PT of the team.”
The sound of a delicate cough had me darting my eyes to Max, but thankfully he wasn’t looking at me. He was still focused on his negotiations. God, who knew I would ever use the word negotiations, in such a casual way. The cough came again, and I looked to Melanie to see her mimic whipping something from her chin and winking at me. Was I that obvious in my lusting for Max? And how was that even possible? I only met him today. I had never felt such a strong reaction towards someone before. I needed to get out of there.
