35. Adam
CHAPTER 35
ADAM
I ’m waiting for Max outside The Tavern. When she comes out, she doesn’t look at me right away, and I know something is wrong. She turns to lock the door, and keeps her eyes on the ground as she approaches, taking the helmet from my hand and getting on my bike without a word.
Instead of trying to talk to her right now, I accept her silence, getting on the bike in front of her, but before I drive off I grab behind her knees and pull her into me tightly. She doesn’t fight the move and wraps her arms around my middle, the layer of clothing helping me accept her touch like this.
I want to take her to my house, maybe have Athena wrap around her throat again while I tie her to the bed and eat her out until she screams my name, but she said we all have to talk to Danner at her house.
That text she sent about needing to talk, plus the way she’s acting right now, have me going to her house to get whatever this is sorted out before anything else.
Danner’s already at Max’s house by the time we arrive, and so are Caine and Drew. I’m sure they’re both dying to know what’s going on. We all are, really.
Again, Max doesn’t say anything as she gets off, setting the helmet on the handlebar before walking ahead of me inside. I’m not far behind, and it’s no surprise that Caine is the first to grab her, kissing her fiercely as if he’s staking a useless claim on her in front of us.
He also doesn’t seem as tense when Drew does the same, kissing her softer in greeting. I try not to get distracted at the sight of her with them, even if I wish Danner wasn’t here so we could be doing something else.
“Alright you lover boys, there’s a reason I’m here and Max needs her mouth free to tell me what it is.” Danner sighs.
Max and Drew break apart, and she looks up at him with a lightness that wasn’t there when I picked her up. Maybe I should have pushed a little bit to try and help her to feel better about whatever’s going on, but I’m not them.
Max looks between all of us before saying, “my parents showed up at work tonight.”
“What?” Caine practically yells. “How did they do that and why the fuck did none of us know about it?”
“You need to stay calm and let her talk,” I instruct sternly.
“Look, I don’t know anything because they shouldn’t even know I’m here. Unless Carson told them before…” Her voice trails off and we all know what she’s talking about without her needing to say it. “Doesn’t matter, they said I need to come home or they’ll frame you guys for it.”
“This is your home,” Caine insists. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I know.” She nods. “I know, but I’m also not letting you guys get dragged into this mess more than you already are.”
“No one is getting dragged into anything,” Danner interjects. “We’re all already dragged, technically anyway. But they wouldn’t be able to put it on any of you unless they pay off the cops.”
Max gives her an incredulous look. “You don’t think they would be willing to do that?”
“You’re right,” she agrees. “So we have to get ahead of it, clearly the cops aren’t catching onto what we planted so I’ll have to figure some stuff out.”
“What exactly can you figure out that can frame people for murder?” Max questions.
“If anyone questions any of you, say nothing,” Danner says, ignoring Max’s question.
“You,” she points to Max who has her eyes narrowed at her friend, “do not worry too much about them and their threat. This is all going to work out, got it?”
“I’d just like more reassurance than ‘trust me.’”
“You’ll get it, but right now that’s about all I got.”
“I know it’s hard, baby girl, but I trust her,” I tell her honestly.
“What if you go to jail? What about the gym? Everyone who goes there, I’m not going to ruin your lives because mine is fucked,” Max yells.
I take her face in my hands, forcing her to look up at me. “Nothing is going to happen, I’m not going anywhere. None of us are, got it?”
She swallows roughly, eyes shining as she looks up at me. I see the tears she’s refusing to let fall, but she gives a hesitant nod.
“Like I said,” Danner starts. “If anyone questions you guys, say nothing.”
Max tries to drop her eyes from mine again, but I don’t let her, keeping them locked on mine as I answer for all of us. “We won’t.”
“I’ll check in later.” Danner heads out leaving us all with so many questions, none that can be answered right now.
Max holds my hands that are still on her face, and pulls them off carefully. She sniffs, working to keep the tears at bay. Her voice is hollow when she says, “I’m going to shower.” I let her go because I know that she likes to get cleaned up after work.
Usually we allow her the alone time, but I think we can all see how much this is eating her up, and that’s why Drew and I don’t protest when Caine follows her. At least he’ll make sure she’s safe and isn't alone if she's about to have a giant meltdown.
Once they’re in the other room, Drew leans against the counter with his arms folded across his chest, looking at me.
“What?” I ask, realizing he’s not just looking. He’s doing that thing he does where he’s not quite glaring, but definitely not happy about something.
“It just seems like you’re really passive about all this shit, even though you should be demanding for it to be fixed like you do for everything else all the time.”
“The fuck does that mean?”
“You want to be in charge of everything and everyone all the time. And yet, the one time you should be doing that? Directing everyone around and getting shit done you’re just…not.”
I’m confused and getting more pissed off each second he’s speaking because I’m anything but calm about this. I just want it to be taken care of. I want us all to be left alone. I want Max to not be scared that something’s lurking around every corner.
“You don’t know what’s going on in my head. So don’t you dare try to tell me how I’m being.”
“No, I don’t know a damn thing with you, ever. No one does, Adam, because you don’t say anything, ever.”
“Why do I need to say anything? Words don’t mean shit, actions do, but both yours right now are being pretty damn annoying.” I clench my fist, not sure why he’s picking a fight like this right now.
“How about this? Do you even want to be with Max? With me? What is it you want because you don’t say shit about that either.”
I rear back, even more confused where this is coming from.
“What the fuck are you even talking about? You need reassurance or some shit about this situation?”
“You can’t even say relationship. This is exactly my point,” he scoffs. “And no, I don’t need the reassurance. But maybe Max does. Maybe she wants to know exactly where we all stand with her.”
“She knows.”
“Does she? Because Caine is the only fucking one of us that may have said he loves her. But I know damn well he’s not the only one feeling like that. And maybe she should know it. Especially with the entire future up in the air for all four of us.”
“You don’t fucking know anything about the future. Why don’t you say something to her, instead of getting on my ass to?—”
“What’s going on?” Max’s voice is a lot sharper than it was before and I notice how close Drew and I are. Our argument has turned into getting into each other’s face and I didn't even realize.
“Just having a chat, little one,” he answers easily, neither of us backing away from each other.
“Sounded a lot like you were fighting. But it looks like something else.”
I turn toward her, the question in my eyes. That’s when I really notice how close our bodies are, chests are barely an inch from touching.
“Seems like to me, you two need to kiss and makeup.”
I look over at our girl and see the smirk on her face. I also see she’s alone, and wonder where Caine is since he’s usually her shadow.
“That an order, little one? You want to tell us what to do?” Drew teases, looking at me, knowing I don’t want to let anyone else have control. She had a piece of it once, but it’s hard for me.
She leans against the wall, kicking her foot up on it. “Yes. Kiss.”
I clench my jaw, and Drew’s eyes lock with mine, meeting the challenge. “What do you say, Coach?”