10. Ember
CHAPTER TEN
EMBER
“ F orty million?” the auctioneer asks, and my heart stutters in my chest.
This is way more stressful than I thought it would be.
I’m not sure why it didn’t occur to me that spending this much of Max’s money would stress me the fuck out, but it probably should have.
Someone behind us must raise their paddle because the auctioneer locks eyes with them and gives them a swift nod.
Max lets out an amused chuckle, and I look up at him to see what he’s finding so amusing about having to pay even more for this piece of art that he’s buying Darius as an anniversary present.
Yep. You heard that right. He’s buying his husband a priceless Van Gogh piece that hasn’t seen the light of day in God knows how many years for their three-year wedding anniversary. It’s not even a big one!
When he told me how much he was willing to spend, I swear to god I almost passed out. But he was adamant, and he can afford it.
Max works primarily in property development, something that has made him billions over the last decade. But he also has investments in several illegal casinos and fighting rings, which bring in almost the same amount of money.
Most of the work I do for him has to do with the shadier sides of his business, as well as some light extortion of his developer rivals, but this has to be the job that’s made me sweat the most…by far.
“Looks like your boyfriend just got involved,” he murmurs.
I look up at him with confusion, but he just seems like he’s finding this entire experience amusing. Not a word I would use for it, that’s for sure.
I glance over my shoulder and find Orion staring straight at me, his intense gaze locking me in place and stealing the breath straight from my lungs.
Max wraps his hand around mine and lifts my paddle with me, telling me I’ve completely missed the auctioneer’s prompt.
Fucking Orion.
I turn back to the stage, but don’t miss the way Max chuckles to himself at my reaction.
“Are you sure this piece is worth this much?” I ask in a whisper as we surpass sixty million.
“No. It’s likely not. But I’m enjoying having you spend Orion’s money.”
“What?” I snap.
As if he’s predicted the move, a familiar deep voice sounds from behind us. “One hundred million dollars,” Orion shouts, and I just about fall off my chair in surprise.
Do people actually have that kind of money lying around?
“Don’t raise,” Max instructs, and I drop the paddle into my lap.
“What the fuck was that?”
“That was a little bit of payback for everything he’s done to you.”
I glance over at him, and he smirks down at me.
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like whatever you’re planning?”
“Because you’re most definitely not.”
“Max,” I warn.
“Ember.”
“Please tell me you didn’t bring me here tonight under false pretenses.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you that.”
“Max!” I snap.
“We’ll talk in the car on the way back to the hotel. But there are a couple of things I actually want from the bill. It’s just an added bonus getting to mess with your boy back there.”
“He’s not my boy.”
“Sure, he’s not.” He laughs. “That man would literally hand you every dollar he’s ever made if you asked. Why not have a little fun with it?”
“Uh, maybe because I’m planning on killing him.”
Before Max can respond, another item is brought out on stage, and I’m momentarily distracted from the fact that my best friend just forced someone to spend $100 million just for a laugh.
M ax tugs me to the elevator as soon as the auction ends, and we’re among the first people to escape the underground space.
The entire experience was bizarre, and I’m once again questioning why people with money do weird things, like attend secret auctions and pay entirely too much for things.
All in all, though, I’m just grateful to be escaping without Orion catching up to me again.
I thought I was ready to face him, that I had shoved all the feelings I had for him into a little box and shut it so tight there was no way for it to burst open, but I was wrong.
I’m trying really hard not to let it get to me, and instead, I’ll take a few more months to heal before coming back to LA and ending him.
Pushing back the timeline isn’t the end of the world.
Or at least that’s what I’ll keep telling myself.
Max guides me toward the waiting town car and helps me into the back seat before sliding in beside me.
As soon as the car takes off, I allow my shoulders to relax and the tension to bleed from my body.
In all the ways I imagined the night going, the reality wasn’t even close to my worst-case scenario.
I had Orion throwing me over his shoulder and kidnapping me, Lucas pulling a weapon from somewhere and killing me, and me losing my shit and killing them both as potential outcomes. Thankfully, none of them came to pass.
“You did good tonight, babe,” Max says softly.
I open one eye and glance at him, expecting to find his usual cocky smirk staring back at me, but instead it’s the softer side of Max that he reserves for the people closest to him.
“He got under my skin.”
“Which you knew was a possibility.”
“I shouldn’t still have feelings for him, Max. He killed my brother. The only person in the whole world I could ever rely on is gone because of him. I can’t just forget that.”
Max takes my hand in both of his, the warmth in the gesture dragging tears to the surface.
“You know I want what’s best for you always, Ember. We may not have known one another for long, but apart from Darius, you are my best friend, my ride or die. So what I’m about to say comes from a place of love, okay?”
I give a shaky nod, but don’t bother responding.
“Is there a chance that what Orion told you the night you found out is true? That Travis was planning to sell you off to free himself of his debt?”
“No,” I reply too quickly. “There’s no way he would have done that to me. And certainly not to a man like Lucas.”
He nods slowly. “I didn’t want to tell you this until I was sure, but I checked in on the story Orion gave you.
I had a PI do some digging, and the night of the accident, Lucas had hired a priest to officiate his wedding.
He’d booked a venue, and there was a marriage certificate drawn up.
” He pauses for a moment, allowing me to digest the information he’s given me.
“Your name was on the certificate, Ember.”
My mouth falls open, and a strangled sob tears from my throat. “No, that can’t be true.”
Max sighs and wraps his arm around my shoulder, dragging me into him. “I’m sorry, babe. I wanted to be able to put your mind to rest, to assure you that Travis didn’t do what Orion alleges, but as far as I can tell, he’s telling the truth.”
A familiar ache settles in my chest. There have been times since I left LA that I was sure I could turn my emotions off, especially where Orion is concerned.
But then he creeps in under my defenses.
The memories of how he held me. Of the way he looked after me.
Of how he loved me. They creep in, and the pain comes rushing back all over again.
“Travis wouldn’t do that.” I choke out the words, but I know Max wouldn’t lie to me. He’s one of the few people in my entire life who have had my best interests at heart since the day we met.
He wraps his other arm around me and buries my face in his chest, uncaring about the makeup as it smudges across his expensive suit jacket. “I’m sorry, Ember.”
The car stops in front of the hotel, but Max doesn’t rush me. He gives me time to be held, and he never complains, never tries to rush my grief.
“How about you stay up with Darius and me tonight? I don’t like the idea of you by yourself right now.”
I shake my head. “No. I think I want to be alone.”
He sighs and presses a kiss to my temple. “Okay, babe. But if you change your mind, we’re here.”
“I know,” I whisper.
But what if their love is temporary too?
What if, just like Travis, they’ll sell me out the first chance they get?
For the first time since I escaped the hospital, I feel just as broken as I did the night I tried to end it all.