Chapter 24 Max
TWENTY-FOUR
MAX
“Is it November yet?” Skyler groans and rests her head on the arm of the couch. “I feel like I’m a zombie six seconds away from death.”
“Oddly specific.” I sit next to her and drape a blanket over our legs. “I’m glad you got the night off. You needed it.”
“My manager forced me to sit out of the shows tonight. She said if I get everyone sick the last week of performances, she’s going to be pissed at me.”
“I bet Dominic is missing you,” I tease, and she snorts.
“Fuck him. He texted me and said he heard I was under the weather. He followed it up by letting me know he was going to put laxatives in my water bottle if I got him ill.”
“What a gem.” I rest my hand on her forehead and hum. “You don’t feel too warm. Do you want me to get you anything? Some water? Hot soup? A milkshake?”
“I’m fine. Thank you for being such a good friend, Max.
” She smiles. “And since I’ve been such a shitty friend, I need you to catch me up on what’s going on in your life.
I feel like I haven’t seen you in days. Do you have a secret boyfriend I don’t know about?
Shit. Did you join one of those MLM groups?
I swear to god if you try and sell me hair care products or makeup, I’m going to be pissed. ”
“I’m successfully avoided another round of messages from Jessica, the former high school prom queen, trying to recruit me for some girl boss group I don’t want to be a part of.”
“Don’t make me vomit.”
“I do kind of have something I want to talk to you about. But I don’t want you to freak out.”
“Freak out?” Skyler wrinkles her nose. “I need more contact than that, babe.”
“I met someone.” I take a deep breath and laugh. “Someone I really like.”
“What?” She squeals and leans over to wrap me in a hug. “Details, please! What’s his name? Where did you meet? Is he cute?”
“He’s an actor at Fright Nights, actually.”
“Wait. Did you meet him at a bar or something? Oh! Is that where you disappeared to the night of sinners and saints party?”
“No. Well, yes, but I met him for the first time the night we went to Fright Nights together. Remember when I got lost in line and ended up back of house? He’s the one who…
rescued sounds silly. He helped me, and we talked.
I thought he was cute. So much so, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
I went back to see him and we… oh, god.” I bury my face in my hands.
My cheeks are on fire and I shake my head. “Brace yourself.”
“Hey.” Skyler peels my hands away from my face and studies me. Her eyebrows pinch together, and I know it’s her serious face. The one she only uses when she’s really worried about someone, and I can’t help but smile. “Is he hurting you?”
“No. No. Nothing like that. The opposite. We… we hooked up the second time I saw him. And we’ve been hooking up pretty regularly since.
He’s also kind of, um, a serial killer? And a stalker?
But I’m not sure if he’s technically a stalker, because he’s only stalked me?
” I add, because why leave out any of the facts? “Semantics, I guess.”
Skyler blinks. Drops her head back and bursts out laughing. “A serial killer? Right. Okay, Max.”
“I’m serious. He set up cameras in my bedroom.
He hid in my closet one morning and watched me get off.
He’s the one who’s been sneaking into the house and making me think I’m crazy.
As for the serial part—” I roll my lips together, stifling a laugh.
“He’s one of the good ones, and he wanted me to tell you that. ”
“One of the good ones? Jesus, sweetie. Is he brainwashing you? I mean—cameras in your bedroom? That’s sick.”
“He also put one outside our front door after I mentioned the possibility of Brian hanging around to make sure I’m safe. I don’t know, Sky. He folded my laundry. He texts me and asks about my day. He bought dozens of boxes of my favorite tea so I’ll aways have it.”
“So he does the bare minimum?” Skyler scoffs.
“I’m falling for him. And I know his hobbies are…
intense, but he’s nice and a total sweetheart.
He’s never yelled at me. He’s honest and tells me everything I want to hear without giving me a round around answer that ends up being bullshit down the road.
And the sex? Skyler. It’s the best I’ve ever had. ”
Her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. That has her attention. “Really?”
“That’s putting it lightly. He’s so sexually open, there’s not anything I could ask for that would make me feel judged or… or dirty. I’ve never met someone so enthusiastic. Or creative.”
I blush at the thought of his knife handle inside me. The butt plug that made me feel so full, and the forbiddenness of all of it.
Even if I took the sex away, I know I’d still be attracted to him. Hunter makes me feel special. He listens. He’s respectful, and I’ve dated men who treat me so horribly, I’d rather take the serial killer over someone who dumps me via text message.
I should probably consider if I have daddy issues.
“Can we talk about the serial killer thing?” she asks, and I wince.
“We can. When he told me that, I freaked out. I don’t like violence.
I don’t like weapons. He shared why he does what he does, and who he does it to, and it makes sense.
It’s not innocent people he’s going after, Sky.
He’s taking down horrible, wretched humans who shouldn’t have a place in society.
I could never do what he does, but I respect his decision to do it. ”
“What kind of humans?”
“Bad, bad people. He told me a few stories but the details… they make me sick. Stepping on a bug makes me upset, but I get it. And it doesn’t deter me at all.
In fact—” I laugh and dip my chin, blushing.
“Is it crazy to say it makes me like him more? It shows he has a heart, and that’s so important these days. ”
“This is a lot to process, Max.” She takes my hand in hers, looking me straight in the eye. “You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions, and you know what works and what doesn’t work for you. As your friend for almost twenty years, I just have to know two things.”
“I’ll tell you anything, Sky.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “I am.”
“Good. Are you happy?”
I bite my lower lip to fight off a smile, but it’s no use.
Happy.
I’ve always been the positive girl. The one who makes other people laugh and finds the good in every day, but I don’t remember the last time I was truly happy.
Even with Brian it felt like something was missing.
These days, I don’t want to go to sleep because I want to stay in the moment for as long as I can.
I wake up smiling, and I know it’s because of Hunter.
Sometimes when we’re in bed, I’ll catch him looking at me out of the corner of my eye. He has this cute, dopey smile on his face, and it makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.
I never want to come down.
“Yeah.” My grin breaks free, and I giggle. “I’m so fucking happy.”
She squeals again and jumps into my arms. “When can I meet him?”
“How does right now sound?”
“Wait. Is he here?”
“He might be waiting in my bedroom,” I say, swatting at her hand when she pinches my cheek. “He wants to meet the most important person in my life.”
“Bring him out. I need to judge him for myself.”
I climb off the couch and practically skip down the hall. When I get to my bedroom, I slip inside and close the door behind me.
Hunter is sprawled out across my bed, a book open in his lap and an arm tucked behind his head. He lights up when he spots me, his eyes flicking away from the page he’s reading to me. He shuts the book and opens his arms, letting me snuggle into his hold.
“Hi, angel.” He kisses the top of my head. “You look excited about something.”
“I told Skyler about you, and I feel so much better. I don’t want to keep this from her anymore. Not when I’m…” I trail off and look up at him. “When I’m really enjoying spending time with you.”
“Yeah?” Hunter loops an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. “I’m really enjoying spending time with you. What’s the verdict on Skyler?”
“You’re going to have to pass the friendship test.”
“Uh oh. What does that entail?”
“Guess you’ll find out.” I rest my hand on his cheek, and he sighs. “How do you think you’re going to do?”
“If it means winning your affection, I’m going to do my damn best.” He gestures to his backpack on the other side of the bed.
“I also brought the ingredients to make soup for her since you said she’s not feeling well and a gift card to a ballet store in downtown Orlando because you mentioned she liked to dance. ”
“You did all of that without having met my best friend?” I gape at him, flabbergasted. Brian couldn’t even get Skyler’s name right. The guy before him kept trying to hit on her. “Why?”
“I told you: she’s important to you, so she’s important to me.” Hunter’s grin is sly. “I also really want her blessing.”
My heart somersaults in my chest, and I know one day I could love him. Down the road, in a couple months, after Fright Nights finishes and he has more free time to spend with me, it would be easy to admit those feelings.
How could I not, when he’s the blueprint of everything I’ve ever looked for in a man?
“You are—” I laugh and shake my head, disbelieving. “Very wonderful.”
“Glad you think so, angel.” He kisses me and I sigh against his mouth, giddy. “Come on. Let me meet the love of your life. I don’t usually like being in second place, but I’m willing to make an exception.”
“She knows about the serial killer thing, by the way.” I pat his chest and jump off the bed, fixing my shirt. “You might have an uphill battle.”
“I’m fully prepared for whatever is thrown my way.” Hunter picks up his backpack and holds my hand. “Lead the way, baby.”
“You’ve been here plenty of times. You know where to go.”
“Who says I don’t? I just want to look at your ass.” I laugh and tug him down the hall, finding Skyler on the couch where I left her. “Sky? This is Hunter.”
Skyler looks Hunter up and down. She eyes the bag he’s holding and tips her head to the side. “Any bodies in there, Hunter?”
“Nah. I like to reserve the mutilations for Mondays and Tuesdays. Plus, I like this shirt.” He touches his collar and smiles. “Blood wouldn’t make it look as nice.”
“Who do you love the most in this world?”
“My mother. But not in an Oedipus way. A normal, healthy amount.”
“Have you ever killed an animal?”
“I ran over a squirrel with my bike once when I was ten, and I’m still distraught.
I had a funeral for it and everything.” Hunter rubs his jaw.
“I’m allergic to dogs, otherwise my roommate and I would have a plethora of canines in our house.
There’s talk of a cat, though. But, no. No animal killings. I like them more than people.”
“Are you a coffee drinker?”
“I don’t trust people who aren’t.”
“Hey. I don’t drink coffee,” I interject, and he kisses my cheek.
“It’s your one and only flaw, angel.”
Skyler glances at me, doing her best to subtly mouth I like him, then turns her attention back to Hunter. “How do you feel about pole dancing?”
“I’ve watched some videos, and it requires strength I don’t have. I support the women—and men—who enjoy it. Wait a minute.” Hunter drums his fingers against my waist. “Do you know how to pole dance?”
“Very poorly.” I laugh. “Skyler teaches classes when Fright Nights isn’t going on, and for as many times as she’s given me pointers, I can’t figure out the logistics behind moving my body that way.”
“Don’t listen to her. She’s good,” Skyler says.
“I heard you were a dancer, so I brought you a little something.” Hunter unzips his backpack and holds a small box her way. “I hope you like it.”
“Is it a middle finger off the hand of an ex-boyfriend of mine?” she jokes, laughing when Hunter shrugs.
“Open it and find out.”
She pulls on the ribbon holding the box together, gasping when she sees what’s inside. “A gift card?”
“To a ballet shop in Orlando. I don’t know if they’ll have pole dancing stuff there, but Max mentioned you do all sorts of dancing.” Hunter smiles. “I haven’t had a chance to see your show at Fright Nights, but I hear it’s incredible.”
“This is… wow. Thank you, Hunter.” Skyler clutches the box to her chest. “Totally unnecessary, but very much appreciated.”
“Good.” He looks down at me. “I’m going to get started on the soup. I’ll be back in a few. Be nice when you two talk about me.”
With a kiss to my temple, he heads for the kitchen. When he disappears around a corner, Skyler grabs a pillow off the couch and screams into it.
“Oh my god. Are you okay?” I ask.
“That man is in love with you, and I’m so glad I get to see it. Let me literally kick my feet at the way he looks at you.”
“He is not.”
“He so is, Max my darling, and what a wonderful thing because he’s great.”
“Do you really think so?” I sit beside her, feeling like we’re back in high school talking about our crushes. “I get butterflies when he’s around.”
“Yes, yes, yes. I can overlook the killing because he’s funny, Max. And genuinely sweet. But if he hurts you? I’ll have no problem retaliating.”
“I think so too.” I hug her and laugh. “I could absolutely fall in love with him. I know I’m going to. I just hope he doesn’t break my heart. I’m not sure I could take it.”
“He won’t. That’s a man, Max. And men know how to treat their women right.”
“My nose itches, which tells me you two are talking about me,” Hunter calls out. “I hope you’re being nice.”
“All compliments,” I call back, and his chuckle echoes down the hall. “I really am happy, Sky.”
“You deserve it. And I better be your maid of honor.”
“We’re not there yet. If we do get there, I promise you will be.”
“Good. I’m so happy for you, sweetie.”
“Me too,” I say, feeling like my heart could burst.