Chapter 3
MAX
Icame awake with a start, sucking in air and looking around my room frantically. Where was I? My room? Something felt off, though.
Breathing heavily, I threw back the blankets and scrambled out of bed, falling to the floor in my haste.
Instead of getting to my feet, I crawled out the door and into the hallway.
Light flooded my apartment, making the wide hall glow from the open doors.
Only mine had been shut. Had I really gone to bed with all of the doors open? I never did that.
The sounds of sizzling and the toaster popping helped to lift the fog that still clung to me.
Home. Fizz was here. He took care of my household and did some cooking for me.
It was morning, and the sun was shining.
He’d probably opened the doors to air out the rooms a bit, although I didn’t understand why he always did that.
It wasn’t like I allowed anyone in my personal space except for him and my parents, and he’d been with me since I was a kid and knew everything.
Slowly, I braced myself against the wall and lifted myself to my feet.
While I knew he was here, I didn’t want him to see me like this.
The nightmare still pulled at me, although I couldn’t recall what I had dreamt.
It felt like something, or someone, was after me, getting closer and closer, and I couldn’t hide from them, but that was it.
Nothing else. Was it my swan side? My human?
I didn’t know, but it had seemed so real, like a premonition of what was coming.
I suddenly felt as if I was on borrowed time, but why?
“Maximillian? Is that you?” Fizz called from the kitchen.
Quirking an eyebrow, I shook my head and bit back a smile. “No, it’s an intruder. I’ve come for the bird,” I teased, and yet, I had to wonder if someone was after me.
“He’s a handful and will pluck your eyes out, so you are welcome to him,” he quipped, causing me to chuckle.
I shuffled forward and plopped down onto one of the bar stools lining the large kitchen island. “What would you do if someone actually came for me like that?” I honestly wasn’t sure if my question was a joke or serious.
“Probably kill them,” he answered without batting an eye as he set a plate of food in front of me.
Sadly, when he’d said that, I was taking a drink of orange juice and spit it over the white quartz and Fizz’s hand. “What?”
Winking, he told me, “I got skills.”
“I’m sure you do.” I wiped my mouth, my shirt, and the area around me while he made his own plate.
Fizz did have skills. He’d been hired when I was thirteen and my parents received a kidnapping threat.
When the kidnappers attempted to take me after the last bell rang at school, Fizz protected me and knocked the two idiots out cold.
He stayed with me as my bodyguard, and when I got older and moved out on my own, he stuck around.
I wasn’t exactly sure why he cooked and cleaned for me, but I also wasn’t going to argue about it.
“You need to find someone and settle down,” I stated, moaning around a mouthful of hash.
“Who says I haven’t?”
My eyebrow popped up. “Have you?” If he had, this was the first I’d heard of it. He’d dated someone a few years ago, but it hadn’t worked out for some reason. After that, he worked more than me because not only did he deal with everything at my apartment, he was the head of my security team.
His gaze shifted to the side, away from me, his expression almost sheepish. “No, but it could happen.”
“Not if you don’t put yourself out there and stop working around the clock.”
“Looks who’s talking. Pot, meet kettle.”
“See, that’s the difference between us. I don’t want to find anyone.
I’m good with things the way they are. I fuck around to release steam, and that’s good enough for me.
Since I don’t sleep with women, I don’t have to worry about pregnancy or passing on things that are better left in the past,” I declared and shoveled more food into my mouth.
“Max—”
I cut him off, “Don’t want to hear it. If I ever fall in love, fine, but I don’t see it happening.
And before you give me that crap that I’m still young at thirty-two, I’ve heard it before.
I just don’t want anyone. If I fall in love, I have to tell them.
If I tell them, they will think I’m crazy or will be terrified of me.
If those don’t happen, they will more than likely try to blackmail me.
Besides, in this day and age, I’m not sure love exists. ”
“Ouch.” Fizz rubbed his chest. “That hurts. I hope you are full of shit because one day, I’d like to find someone to love. And I can assure you, not everyone will be with you to blackmail you, some may actually want your body.”
“Ha!” It had happened before, and Fizz had been the one to help clean up the mess.
At nineteen, I’d been stupid and thought I was in love; therefore, I refused to allow Fizz to vet him.
The guy’s family had fallen on hard times.
I was the meal ticket and thought he loved me.
When he snuck into my college apartment to surprise me one night, he saw me change.
Thankfully, Fizz had been there and dealt with him before he could do anything.
In the end, my ex demanded a lot of money to keep his mouth shut.
Love was an illusion for me. I had too much baggage and a secret I couldn’t risk.
I finished my food and walked over to drop my plate in the sink. “I’ll see you at the office.”
“It’s Saturday.”
“Are you telling me you’re not working today?”
“Nah, I was just reminding you about the day and the fact you are supposed to go over to your parents’ house for dinner.”
Scrunching my nose, I grimaced. “We have the gala next weekend. Why don’t they just cancel tonight.”
He chuckled. “Because you know how they are.”
“Not funny, Jerome Fitzgibbons.” He hated his full name and preferred to go by the nickname he got in the SEALs, Fizz.
To this day, I still didn’t know how he got his nickname.
His former teammate, Sunny—another nickname—told me it had something to do with an eruption, which automatically made me think of coming, and they refused to give me anything else.
“Do you want to die? Because I can arrange it for you. It wouldn’t take much.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I shrugged. “Eh, maybe. It will get me out of going to the party, so it wouldn’t be all bad.”
He rolled his eyes and pushed me out of the kitchen. “Go away and to work. I’ll be there soon.” The security team at the building, he trusted implicitly, considering he was the one who hand-picked them all. Which meant he wasn’t worried when I went in before him.
Sitting behind my desk, I stared blankly at the contract before me.
I couldn’t focus. That dream…I felt like it was trying to tell me something, but what?
Remembering the dream would probably help to provide answers, but it had disappeared with the moon this morning.
Too bad the terror it brought with it had not receded as well.
“I knew you would be here,” a feminine voice spoke from the doorway of my office.
“Hello, Mother,” I responded and bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing when I peered up at her.
Under the parka she wore, I was sure she was dressed to the nines, as usual, but right now, her outfit would look more at home in Alaska than Illinois.
Willow Lux hated the cold, and if even a cool breeze blew across her cheek, out came the heavy coat.
I often wondered why my parents didn’t move somewhere more tropical.
“What brings you here this bright, sunny, chilly day?”
“It’s Chicago in April; of course, it’s chilly.” She stuck her tongue out at me as a child would do and removed her coat, slinging it across a chair before taking a seat.
I shook my head. “How very grown-up of you.”
Shrugging, she snickered, “I never said I was mature. Then again, your father isn’t very mature either.”
“Neither one of you is very old. He just decided to retire early.”
“Well, you know how he is. Not a morning person, hates to come to the office, likes to fish, sleep, and do whatever the hell he wants to do. Besides, your grandfather did the same thing to him. Maybe you will do it too—” Seeing my glare, she stopped before finishing her sentence. “Never mind.”
I sighed heavily and shook my head, a grin lifting my lips.
“Grandpa and Dad just like to goof off.” They worked hard and worked smartly when they put their minds to it, but when they reached their goals, they passed the reins to the next generation.
“So, what are you doing here? You hate the city and only come here when absolutely necessary. Considering the party isn’t until next weekend, your calendar is either wrong, or something is going on with Dad. Is everything all right?”
“It is.” She sat in one of the chairs in front of my desk and met my gaze, studying me. “Are you?”
“I’m fine. Why?” I responded quickly.
“You look tired.”
“I had a hard time sleeping last night, but that’s not why you’re here. So, what’s going on?”
Squirming in her chair, she peeked out the window before glancing back at me. “Your father said you sounded off yesterday. He was worried.”
I released a breath in a rush, my cheeks puffing out as I did that. “I’m fine. I did Children’s Story Hour at the library yesterday.”
“Okay, and?”
I loved my parents, but I resented them for having me, and sometimes it was hard to hide it. Spoiled brat? Yes, but I hated this fucking curse. Why did I have to suffer? Why did anyone?
“Max?”
I raked my hand through my hair. “They had me read The Six Swan Princes.”
Her mouth dropped open, and she sucked in a rush of air. “Oh, honey.”
“I’m fine. That particular story, though, it’s the one story I wish would burn and disappear forever.”
“It’s not going to change anything.” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.
“I know that!” I snapped, instantly regretting yelling at my mother. Throughout my life, this woman had tried to help me accept who I was, to accept my counterpart, but she failed. A curse was a curse, and there was nothing good about it. “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to raise my voice.”
“I know.” She sighed, reaching her hand across my desk to grab my fingers. “I also know this has never been easy for you. You may not realize it, but your father struggled when he was younger too. Your grandfather always accepted it. He thought flying was the best part of the gift.”
“Gift?” I scoffed. “It’s not.”
Narrowing her eyes, she sighed again. “It’s all about perspective.”
“I know. I get it.”
“Do you?” She held up her hand to stop me before I could say anything else. “Will you be at dinner tonight?”
I leaned back in my chair, sending it flying backward, and I almost toppled over, but I righted myself before I could. Hearing my mother’s laughter told me she had witnessed my less than stellar moment. It wasn’t the first time and probably wouldn’t be the last.
Grabbing my desk, I wheeled myself closer and stated, “I’ll be there.” I stared at her for a moment before I asked, “Why didn’t you just wait until I came to dinner before you interrogated me.”
“Because your father told me not to say anything.”
I nodded. “And where does he think you are right now?”
Her broad smile spoke volumes. “Shopping. I told him I needed to pick up a gift for a friend and get a few ingredients for tonight. Not a lie, but that’s what online shopping is for. You order and then pick it up. Takes no time at all to shop.” She laughed. Only my mother.
I chuckled. “I see.”
“Plus, is there anything wrong with a mother wanting to check on her only child?”
Rolling my eyes, I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“No, nothing at all.” I had so many questions, so many accusations, but things were easy between us right now, and I swallowed them all down.
I chose to keep the peace instead of blasting her.
She knew how I felt, and how the curse haunted me, I didn’t need to lash out, wounding her.
For whatever reason, my father embraced his curse.
I couldn’t. Perspective? No, there was nothing that would change my perspective because I’d looked at this from every angle, and I just didn’t get it.
“Tonight, six sharp. Don’t forget.” My mother pointed at me, getting up and strolling over to pull me into a hug.
“I never do,” I grumbled as she wrapped me in her arms. The scent of Ralph Lauren Polo Number One filled my nose, and her long blonde hair brushed over my skin. My mother looked forty instead of fifty-five.
“I love you. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll see you tonight.”
She kissed my forehead, leaving behind a set of hot pink lips, giggling as she rushed out of my office.
The moment I saw her with that lipstick on, I knew she would try something like that.
She only did it when she wore a bright or dark-colored lipstick.
There were times, I laughed about it because it made more than one guy turn and walk in the other direction.
Other times, it annoyed me. This was one of those times.
Between the library yesterday and my dream last night, I was out of sorts and everything was pissing me off.
If I could cancel tonight, I would, but it wouldn’t feel right after all the worry I’d caused them.
Besides, if I kicked them out of my life, I would have virtually no one except Fizz.
I didn’t have friends, and boyfriends were a hell no.
That left immediate family and my bodyguard.
What a sad existence, one that would not be changing any time soon.