Chapter 34
Max
The click of the clock has me looking to see what time it is.
Johnny is supposed to report to me what Carlos has been up to.
Gary is out with my dad at his therapy session.
It seems he’s doing well and not trying to sneak a bottle.
Although we have been keeping him busy with the drama in my life, part of me is relieved to have Daniel off my back.
But at the same time, another part of me carries guilt.
I did this for Leo. Now he’s doing this for me.
Neither Leo nor Drake understands firsthand how these men work.
I know Drake could handle it, but Leo? No.
“Come in,” I call out. Johnny enters with a stack of papers in a manila folder.
He scratches his chin before settling in the chair in front of my desk.
“What did you find?” My gut sinks. I’ve known Carlos for half of my life now, and something tells me I really don’t know him.
He blows air out. “Something isn’t adding up.” Johnny pulls out a sheet of paper. “He’s been over at Annette’s father’s place. What’s his name?”
“Rico.”
“Yeah, him. He goes alone at times or with his wife.” His fingers shift through the stack of papers, then freeze, holding one up to the light. “Well, that’s interesting. Since when were Carlos and Daniel so buddy-buddy? Gary captured this one.”
I lower myself into my chair. I’m not sure what he means by buddy-buddy.
They knew one another when Carlos would go with me to the fights, but I had never seen them exchange more than a nod.
Carlos always argued that he hated them, his face scrunching up like he’d tasted something sour whenever I mentioned going.
My palm grows slick with sweat as I stare at the first photograph—Carlos and Daniel seated across from each other at a white-clothed table inside one of Daniel’s casino restaurants.
Then the second image: the same two men, in a different venue, laughing as if they’ve been shooting the shit for years.
The final picture makes my stomach clench—them again, this time beneath the pulsing lights of Daniel’s strip club.
A long-legged woman seated on Carlos’s lap, dressed in very little clothing, who isn’t Nessa. His hands under her short skirt.
“This is unsettling.” I glance at the photos once again.
Cupping my chin, I peer at Johnny. “Two days ago, when I fought at the warehouse, I could have sworn I saw him going up the cement stairs that lead to only where Daniel and his men are allowed to go. Even some of his men are not allowed up there. All I saw was his back with one of the whores they take to the fights. He was leading her upstairs. There is no doubt in my mind now, it was him.” I slowly rise from the chair, my attention drawn to the window.
I have no words. I’m shocked and confused.
How long has he known Daniel, and why did he fail to mention it to me?
“Have you heard anything about the fire?” Johnny asks with a scowl on his face, telling me what I already think.
For weeks, different scenarios circled in my head. Was it electrical? Was there a gas leak? Was it just some kids messing around who accidentally started it? I looked through the security cameras twice. Nothing. No face, no movement. That’s why we figured it was electrical. But now…
“It wasn’t electrical. The fire investigator said accelerant. Professional job. Not something Carlos would know how to do alone.” The man barely knows how to fire up a grill.
Did he hire Daniel? Possibly that’s why they were meeting.
“What should we do?” Johnny looks just as perplexed as I do.
Sighing, I say, “Let’s keep following him. I need to know more. I’m going to keep playing the part. Tonight, I’m taking Sol with me to the gym for training. I want to see how he reacts to her.”
“Should Gary or I come with you two? So she’s not alone while you train. What if he intended to kill her?”
Would he go that far? Why kill Sol? Nothing makes sense to me. We need more.
Shaking my head, I peer at the photo once again. “No, it would be too obvious.”
“Do you have anything else?” I jut my chin toward the stack of papers he has.
“A lot of these are duplicates.” He shuffles through them. “I have these. I’m not sure if they are important, but he’s been to Leo’s twice.”
My eyebrows skyrocket. Carlos has never been talkative toward Leo, so why now? “I’m going to have to ask Leo. I’m not sure what that is about. It’s unusual.”
“We’ll keep on his tail.”
The door shuts behind Johnny, and I get back to work.
It’s impossible to continue my work tasks when I can’t think straight.
How did I miss this? Ten years. I called him when I had no one else to call.
I took his advice like scripture. And he was sitting across from Daniel at a white-clothed table.
Laughing. Are they working on a business deal?
Anything Daniel does is illegal. It’s like I don’t know him.
It makes me uncomfortable to have him as my trainer.
Before I ask him anything, I need to find out why he’s meeting with Daniel.
The door cracks open, and the most beautiful face comes into view. “Can I come in, or are you busy? I can wait.”
“I’m never too busy for you.”
She makes her own sunshine—finds light even in her darkest moments.
One I never want to be without. The glow on her face stands out, according to what I read online.
They call it the pregnancy glow. She’s a stunning pregnant woman.
Every damn day, I wake up, I fall harder for her.
I always thought it was impossible to love someone more each day.
Apparently, it’s not. I pat my lap for her to sit.
“How was class?” Gary had picked her up for me today after taking my dad to therapy. I asked him to drop her off here.
Sol tosses her bag on the leather sofa, then she settles in on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Long but good. How’s your day going?”
“Better now,” I say honestly, brushing my lips on hers. Every day, I hold her a little tighter. What if she was in there when the fire started?
“I know what I can do to make it even better.”
My lip curls on one side. “You can suck it.”
Sol snorts. “I wasn’t talking about anything sexual.” She shakes her head, laughing. “Men.”
I pout teasingly. “What were you talking about?”
“Well, tomorrow is my appointment, and we will hopefully find out the gender, so I was thinking we could do some shopping for the nursery. Doesn’t that sound better?”
“It does, corazón, but that’s tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, I just thought I’d give you a boost of excitement.”
“You definitely got me excited.”
She swipes her top lip, trying hard to cover that grin. She can feel how hard I am. My head hits the headrest as she starts stroking it over the material of my slacks. The caress of her soft lips on my neck sets my body ablaze. “Did you lock the door behind you?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
“I did.”
Lifting, I fumble with my belt buckle, the metal warm against my fingertips, and push my slacks down past my knees.
The cotton of her floral dress—one of those loose, flowing things she started wearing when her belly first began to round—brushes against my leg.
I ease her underwear aside, the delicate fabric giving way.
She always says I don’t know my own strength.
But right now, she’s so heated she licks my neck, surely leaving her marks, while pushing my shirt up and tossing it to the ground.
Her wetness makes it easy to slide right in, making her breath hitch.
Sliding her dress straps down and freeing her breasts, I take one in my mouth, and I rock her.
Sol’s mouth gapes, and her head tilts back.
Fuck, does she look beautiful. She moves with a rhythm that quickly brings me to the edge. I lose myself in the sensation.
Grabbing her by the waist, I thrust into her. My teeth sink into my bottom lip as she clenches around my dick. I know she’s close, but dammit, I can’t wait. I’m on the verge of exploding in her.
“Max,” she moans.
That does it.
She claws my tatted back, and the sweet suction of her mouth is too much.
Her lips devour mine as if I’m the drug that gives her the high she needs.
I’ll gladly give her the dosage to make her legs shake.
My body jerks with a hot and violent release.
To my pleasure, she follows right after.
She gasps, catching her breath, followed by a hum of satisfaction only I can give her.
I know I’m being cocky, but the same goes for her.
She’s the only one who will ever make me feel I can conquer the world.
She’s my purpose in life. My favorite person.
I reach for my undershirt to wipe the mess we made. She tries to lift off me, but I sit her back down. I run my hand on her bare legs, then settle them on her stomach. We catch our breath for a couple of minutes. “I want to talk to you about something.”
A knock at the door has me growl. “I’m busy. Come back later,” I shout.
“Max, we need to talk.”
I know that voice, my manager. My time has been on the woman in front of me, and ever since they pulled that shit on my social media accounts and publication of the fake relationship of me seeing Annette, it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
They did it without my consent, and I’m sure now Carlos had something to do with it.
I know for a fact that I might have to change managers if they don’t get their shit straight.
“I said, come back later. I’m fucking busy.”
The sound of his footsteps fades into silence.
“Maybe it was important,” Sol whispers.
“Nothing that bastard has to say is important. I have the most important person right here.” I tap her ass.
“Aw, Max, you’re too sweet.” Her hot breath licks my cheek, leaving a trail of kisses. “I never want to be without you.”
“You never will. I can’t function without you.”
“Good. I can’t either. Now tell me what you want to talk about.”