Chapter Eleven
Max
I never thought it would be so difficult to get close to Tera. There are so many roadblocks in the way it’s getting harder and harder to navigate.
Trevor is still in denial about having her as a partner, even though he gets hard whenever she looks at him for too long. Her supposed best friend, who was oh-so-safe for Tera to run away with, is a self-centered ass. Her boyfriends are egotistical douches, and her friends are useless toxic pieces of shit.
They’ve all had a hand in breaking Tera down to ground level, and now we’re stuck in this tight-rope walk of can she forgive them and whether we want her to. Thanks to the demanding asshole on my left. I would much rather bundle her up and keep her in our bed until she feels more like herself. But no, that’s selfish and unrealistic, according to Trevor.
“We should follow her,” I break our silence now that her car has faded from our view.
“Not right now, Max,” Trevor shakes his head as he tries to hide the concern written all over his face.
I glare at him and turn around without a word.
Once inside, I stare at the shifted tables and knocked-over chairs, leaving a blank spot right where she stood when Joe died. I will never forget that night as long as I live. The knowledge that she was right there, frozen in terror, and I couldn’t get to her.
Trevor knew I would try, even though I’m just as mortal as she is, and bullets were everywhere. I understand why he tackled me and held me down, even though I hated him for it. The guilt straining his features as she got into the ambulance with Joe is also stamped in my head.
He would have gone to her too, I know it. He just has a clearer head than I do, always has. Bullet plus person equals death. It”s not a complex equation, but in the heat of the moment, logic flies out of the window for me. It’s all about instinct, not intellect. That’s Trevor’s skill, and I’m more than happy to let him have it. Even when it causes him headaches and guilt.
He follows me inside to give me some oh-so-helpful advice. “She needs a second or two before we bulldog over her.”
“She’s alone and having a panic attack,” I snap back. “In no world is that safe. She’s driving, for fuck’s sake.”
“Which is why us following her like demented stalkers isn’t going to happen tonight. She needs to be able to breathe on her own. She’ll be back when she’s ready.”
I blink at him in surprise. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not. Trust me, Max. She needs time.”
“She did a lot today, and she needs a second,” I grit my teeth over the words, wondering if common sense will visit him any time soon.
“What do you mean she did a lot?” It’s his turn to glare at me.
“She was organizing the filing cabinet.” I hate that my cheeks flush in embarrassment.
Trevor’s brows climb high as he struggles with his smile. “Was it the fact that she was in front of the cabinet that got to you or that she wasn’t being punished while she was doing it?”
“She found a bunch of shit I misfiled, ok?” I glare at him, making his twisted smile come out and the dark look I love.
“Really? What did she do with it all?” He asks in the dark tone that causes my dick to twitch in my pants.
“Left them on the desk,” I grumble and try to distract him by shuffling the tables around. Moving them more measuredly while leaving the spot she wanted uncovered bare.
“I guess you had better get them where they belong then,” he grips the back of my neck as he whispers the words into my ear. A shudder works its way across my shoulders as my breath catches.