Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
CANDY
Ireally shouldn’t be surprised that he found out about Max. I had given him my full name, and if I’ve learned anything about Hollis, he’s a fixer.
“I’m sorry.” I feel the need to apologize. All this man has been is good to me, and I hate that I might be messing up his life. He’s gone through enough. He left the city along with its chaos behind, and I’ve brought it right to his door.
“Why would you be sorry?”
“That Max has pulled you into this.”
Hollis’s brows pull together. “I know Maxwell Holmberg.”
“What?” I ask, confused.
“Come and sit; you said your feet are hurting.” I turn to go over to the couch in his office but only make it a few steps before I am easily swept off my feet by Hollis. He walks over, sitting down with me in his lap. I wrap my arms around his neck, enjoying being close to him.
“How do you know him?” I ask. If they knew each other, then Max picked his, ah, semen for a reason. It’s so strange to think of it that way.
“The business world can be rather big and small at the same time. Maxwell isn’t a good business man or human, for that matter. Why his family still tolerates his bullshit, I don’t understand but to each their own.”
I let his words sink in and realize he doesn’t know it all. Maxwell kept me tucked away from his family. I thought it was because I wasn’t good enough for them, but maybe it’s him that’s not good enough after all.
“Is there a reason he’s, uh, targeting you?” I don’t know what else to call it.
“I outed him on a few of his shady dealings to his family and other associates. It’s been a few years since I even heard his name. I all but forgot about him. I don’t work with anyone that is willing to work with him. Maxwell and most others know this.”
"I don’t think he’s forgotten about you. If he is mad at you, which I believe is likely since Max can hold a grudge forever, it doesn’t matter if the reason is big or small."
He’ll hold it over you. I am piecing together that many of his actions were intended to bring me down, making me believe he was the best I could have. I felt that I should be grateful he chose to be my friend.
I believed that the rest of the world only saw me as a poor girl with a stripper mother. He made me forget how fiercely I fought to get into college and earn a slew of scholarships.
I’d been shocked when I’d gotten into Mayford University since it’s an Ivy League school.
Not only did I get accepted, but I received multiple scholarships.
I honestly couldn’t comprehend how I got in when most of the other kids had gone to fancy prep schools and had a million and one extracurricular activities.
They’d told me it was my essay about my life and my background that were the reasons for my acceptance. That if I could beat a system meant to keep me down, it showed my dedication. I’d done it alone.
Max hadn’t, and you know what? I think that pissed him off.
I just wish I’d seen that sooner. I was just so happy to be accepted by people that came from a whole different world than me back then.
Max exploited that. He didn’t want me to succeed too much because that meant I might leave him behind. It’s all so clear now.
"I don't give a shit if he's pissed at me."
"And he hasn't had anything to use against you. That's how he operates." I shake my head. "I'm starting to understand."
"What? His plan was to send you here and have me fall in love with you and then use you against me?" I almost want to laugh that anyone would think I could seduce a person.
"No." I search his face, not sure how to process what he said. The fall in love comment is like it's already happened, which is crazy, but does he think I'm in on it with Max? "You think I—"
"I think you're my precious girl, and Maxwell can go fuck himself. This isn't a war he wants to have with me. His family might have money, and so does mine, but I also know people in very high places.” He leans in, brushing his mouth against mine. “And I will go to war over you and those babies. I don’t care what those casualties will be.”
I see darkness flash across his eyes. It’s wrapped around each of his words too, like a snake, gripping on and not letting go until—Would he? As I stare into his eyes, I know he would without a doubt do whatever it takes.
“Have you ever had to make an, ah—” I cringe, trying to find a way to word this.
“You know, like make a deposit of—” I glance down, but since I’m sitting sideways on his lap, I’m covering the area I’m trying to mention.
Gah, I hate how shy I can be around the topic of sex, but I have spent most of my life avoiding it.
“Are you trying to look at my dick?” He smirks. Heat warms my cheeks, and I’m sure that he can see it with my fair skin. It always gives me away.
"Yes." I nod. "You know, like semen."
"So we're clear. You're asking if I've ever made a semen deposit.
" I don't know why he's finding this amusing, but it's better than being pissed.
I nod. "No, why would I—" He pauses, and I can tell he's searching his mind.
"As a matter of fact, I did. It was right after my accident. One of my scars sits low on my abdomen. They wanted to make sure everything was in working order.”
I had been wondering about that in the back of my mind. Why would Hollis have ever made such donations, or whatever they call it when you get money back for it?
"Well, rest assured. Your, ah—" I lick my lips, making myself lift my head. "Your swimmers are in working condition."
He stares at me, and I think for a second he thinks I’m crazy, but then a slow smile pulls at his lips before he throws back his head and laughs, his whole body shaking.
“You can’t be serious,” he says through a chuckle. I don’t understand his reaction, but my heart sinks.
“You think it’s funny?”
“I mean, on some level, yeah.” He shakes his head. I wiggle, trying to get up, but Hollis’ hold tightens. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“You’re laughing at me.”
“I am not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the fact that to get back at me in some weird convoluted way, Max would take the girl whom I’m fully sure he has an obsession with in some sense and impregnate her with my babies.
Essentially making her run to me. It’s like the best fucking Christmas present I’ve ever gotten.
Do I send him a thank-you card? Maybe I should blow up more of his dealings. ”
I put my hand over my mouth and then start to laugh too. “This is ridiculous.”
“Whatever it is, it’s still mine. And you know what?
I don't think he ever thought you'd find out.
If you did, it would be way down the line when you were already in too deep.
The crazy motherfucker is playing a weird-ass long game.
Does he think he's going to raise my ‘heirs’?” He makes quotes around the word.
"Raise them and turn them against me in my ultimate demise like we're in some mob movie.”
Now it's me that's laughing because he's right. “When you put it like that—” Another giggle leaves me.
“Right now I’m only worried about you and how you’re taking this all.” His expression grows serious. “He’s a bastard for pulling you into this. You hadn’t planned to have children.”
“Yet, but I wanted them. I just thought it would be with my forever person, and we’d have a few cats and a white picket fence.”
“You want me to rip out the gates and put up a white picket fence?” The man is really rolling with this. I didn't think men like Hollis were real.
"The gates are fine, but the kittens really aren't negotiable."
"All right, two kittens coming up." He starts to stand.
"Sit down." I smack his chest playfully.
"Yes, ma'am." He drops his booty back down.
"But in all seriousness, I'm still worried about what claim he has."
"He doesn't." He makes it sound so easy.
"But there was a contract and—"
"Candy." He grips my chin. "No one is taking you or those babies from me. I don't care what I have to do. All of you are mine.” There's that darkness again.
"I'm reading between your lines." I worry my bottom lip between my teeth. "That should scare me."
"But it doesn't."
"It doesn't." I nod in agreement. “It’s actually a little hot.”
The fierceness that he’s ready to protect me with is something I’ve never had. Max always came first, but Hollis would never put himself before his children or the mother of them, maybe, possibly, one day, his wife.
“That so?” He brushes his thumb across my bottom lip. I nod my head, shyness pushing in. “Before we take this”—he motions between us—“further, we need to clear a few things up.”
“There’s more to clear up?”
“Just a few more things.”
For the first time in a long time, my mind doesn’t go to it being something bad. No, not with Hollis. I’d bet all our Christmas decorations that whatever it is is wrapped in Hollis’s love.