Shawna
Max opens his garage and I stand back in surprise.
Holy Mango cheese sauce.
"That's quite a big truck." I say then walk over to the passenger side. I don't even know how the hell I would manage to get in this goliath.
"It gets me by."
"Says every guy that's compensating." I mumble while opening the door. I didn't intend for him to hear me but he comes around the other side of the truck and lifts me by my hips and lets me in the car.
"Think we both know that ain't true darlin'." He whispers in my ear then lets go when my butt hits the warm seats.
The truck still smells new and as I look around don't see a speck of dirt on it. Max was never a slob, Julia instilled that in both her boys, but it's like Max has never even used this thing.
"How long have you had it?"
"Not long. Thought I'd get something more sturdy when those assholes tried running us off the road last year. Don't drive it often, but for certain instances I'm glad I have it." He winks and I turn to look out the window as he drives out.
I don't know how we got to this point. After holding onto each other and letting some desperately needed tears flow, we both stood up, checked to make sure the other was alright and headed outside to the garage.
I've seen Max that way before. The night we broke up and I shattered his heart to save his life. It's a scary feeling of being on the other end of a gun. It's even more frightening when the one who is pointing it at me, is the man I love. I'm no fool. I know deep down Max would never hurt me. But, I had to trust in him that he would hold in the soldier that often times takes over his mind.
The ride over to my house is quiet, beside me telling him exactly which way to go and which street to turn on. By the time we get there, I realize it's only been fifteen minutes and I am surprised by how close Max and I live next to each other. We even passed the studio on the way here, but when I looked a Max to see if he noticed, he didn't move a muscle. I was both disappointed and relieved.
I opened the door, and almost get vertigo with the height difference between me in the truck and the ground down below my feet. Max walks over and lifts me up by my hips and places me down. I hold onto his shoulders until he puts me down on the ground and even afterwards, it takes me a few seconds to let go.
Max clears his throat and turns towards the house, where both Inette and Ivan's cars are here. I startle when I realize I never told them about what happened earlier this morning and they are most likely wondering where I am.
"I'll just be a moment, I need to tell my roommates about me being gone a little while."
"I'll come with you."
I shrug and walk towards the house. Once inside, I call out to Inette and Ivan who are both in the living room and immediately stand up and walk over to me. I can feel Max right behind me as he places his hand on one of my hips. I turn around and look up at him with curiosity.
"Where the hell have you been Shawna?" Inette says storming into the room.
"Yeah. about that." I say then take a step to the side, immediately feeling the loss of Max's firms hand on my body.
"Holly hell."
"Who's this?" Ivan says walking into the room.
I immediately feel the tension as Ivan and Max glare at each other. I have gotten pretty close to Ivan since I've lived here with him, but he holds no candle to Max. It's nice to know he feels protective of me though.
"Ivan, Inette, this is Max. Something sort of happened and I need to stay with him for a little while. I'll be fine, but I thought I would just let you know."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Yeah, I didn't think that would go over well.
"Some fucker slashed her tires. Left a threatening note. MC's gonna handle it now. We want her near us, just for now, since we have no idea who this guy is." Max explains and Ivan nods. "You two must be her roommates?"
I smirk at the way he says roommates as if making sure Ivan means no more than that to me. I look over to Inette who still looks like someone put a caterpillar in her bra and she just found it. Max nudges me and says we should leave soon, so I head to my bedroom telling him to give me a moment. I pull out my old luggage bag and begin placing random items of clothing in. When I get to my underwear, I may or may not have packed the cute ones.
Inette comes walking into the room and sits down on my suitcase so that I have no choice but to look up at her disappointed face. I didn't want to explain the entire thing to her but know now I won't have a choice.
"So." She says crossing her arms at her chest.
"Okay, look Max and I weren't lying. My tires were slashed this morning and someone left a note about taking me and not letting Max save me. I really don't know who it is so we're assuming it's someone trying to mess with the MC."
"I can't believe this is happening. Are you sure you're going to be okay? I don't like the idea of someone out there trying to get to you."
"Max and the MC have a plan to keep me safe."
"Yeah and that's another thing. How in the hell did you end up with him? Couldn't the other guys have you come and got your stuff?"
"No. Because they aren't the one's I'm staying with." I turn around and grab a light jacket out of my closet so that I won't see her reaction at my confession.
I don't know if Max and the MC are right about placing me with him being the safest place, but I won't lie and say I don't feel safe with him. Surprisingly, after everything we have been through, I still feel like he is the one that will protect me the most.
"You think this has anything to do with that guy from the diner?" I pause grabbing a thicker jacket just in case and turn back to her.
Shit. I had totally forgotten about the entire fiasco that led me down to the club in the first place. It's a long shot that the bastard that had the right to put his hands on me, is the same one responsible for slashing my tires and all out threatening a group of at least fifteen heavily armed angry bikers, but it's definitely something I need to mention to Max. Taking me in to protect me means everything that crosses my path affects him as well.
"Could you do me a favor Inette? Will you go and grab those photos you had of the mystery guy that was seen around Timmons?" Inette looks at me with genuine curiosity but does it all the same.
I use the time to get my toiletries from the bathroom and place them in my luggage. Once I circle the room eight times, making sure I have everything, I head back to the living room where Max is still standing near the door starring down at Ivan whose lost interest in his potential threat and is now playing Xbox.
"You ready?" I turn to Max and nod my head.
Inette takes that time to come into the living room as well and places some photos down on the small bar we have that separates the kitchen from the dining area.
"Before we go, there something I need to speak with you about." Max looks behind me, no doubt at my two roommates that have stopped what they were doing to ease drop.
"Okay."
"A couple of weeks ago, when I went to you guys with me needing a job. It was because I had been fired from one of my others."
"One of the jobs? How many do you have?"
"Just two. I still work at May's bar and I was working at Burgen's. It's a diner not too far from here." Max looks like he wants to ask a few questions, no doubt about the studio and I cringe when I realize with us practically living together, the truth about everything might just slip out. "Anyway. Burgen's fired me because of a customer complaint."
He stares genuinely into my eyes and I continue and let him know exactly what happened that day.
"A guy, someone I had never seen before basically told me that he knew who I was and then he called me a." I look down hating what that man said to me and hate even worse that I have to now repeat it to the very person he practically threatened. "Murderer fucker. He was referring to you Max. He talked about our past, like he knew our history."
I don't mention how he talked about how I was paying for Max's crime, that's something that would end up opening a can of worms.
"Did you tell Austin about this?"
I shake my head hating that I just kept blowing it off as some asshole that probably hated that they didn't get a patch or that one of the guys stole his girl.
"I didn't think he was serious."
"He spoke directly about us and you didn't think he was serious?"
"Look, I didn't think much of the prick alright? Anyway, Inette here works for a local newspaper and has recently started an article that Chief of Police Timmons is the center of. She took these pictures of some guy that has been showing his face around more and more." I go to grab the photos and hand them to Max.
Inette walks up and explain to him how he managed to get in almost every single shot she had of Timmons, and how although the picture doesn't show much of him, he does share some similarities with the man I saw at the diner that morning.
Max stares intently at the pictures, then pockets a few of them while handing the rest back over to Inette. He then pulls out his cell phone and calls someone. Inette and I stare intently at each while all of this is happening. She gives me an eyebrow raise but I simply shrug my shoulders. I have no idea what this man is up to.
"Torque. Need you to come to an address for me." Goosebumps fill my skin as I turn to Inette, already assuming what Max is up to right now.
"Yes and keep an eye out on two people. Inette and Ivan Tucker. Send you the info in a few. Sooner the better. Bring someone with you to split shifts. I'll also need you to do me another favor but I'll speak with you about that later. Thanks brother."
Max hangs up then looks at the two of us. Inette storms over with her arms crossed and I brace myself for what I can only assume is going to be a very interesting conversation. Ivan strolls into the dining area as well, clearly having heard his name.
"What did you just do? Did you just have someone come over here to watch me?" I almost laugh at how absurd she is making it seem but keep my composure.
"Don't know who this guy is, but we've been having some problems. If this guy is the one who has threatened Shawna, that's twice now. If he found her at her studio, then he has already seen where she lives. You two need to be careful and not have your heads in the clouds."
That makes Inette push her arms down as a sense of dread now overs the room. I hadn't even thought of Inette or Ivan being in the crosshairs. Max is right, if he managed to find me somewhere I don't always frequent and knew enough to go to the diner to taunt me, then he for sure knows where I live. Fear consumes me when I think of how he must have been watching me for a while.
"Torque won't be a burden, he won't even be in the house."
"So, you want someone to babysit me, without me even seeing his face?"
I look back and forth between the two of them as Max explains how all the brothers could watch two people without having step foot in their house. When he tells her that he will have Torque and whoever he brings come meet the two of them, I see her cheeks blush. She has told me numerous times that she has done research on the MC and they are all what one might call hot as hell.
"I'm not one hundred percent sure I'm not going to like being followed around by someone I can't see, but I suppose it's better than the alternative huh?" Ivan chimes in and Max nods his head in his direction.
"So, we good now?"
"Good. But be warned Max Stone. You lay one unwanted hand on my bestie here, and I won't responsible for my actions." Max smirks at Inette then gets close to her face as possible without touching her.
"Don't worry about me touchin' her Inette, but I'm glad Shawna's got someone looking out for her." Inette backs up a little and nods her head.
Max escorts me out of the house and I turn around to wave to Inette.
"That everything you'll need for a few days?"
"Yeah, I mostly lounge around in yoga pants and a big t-shirt when I'm not at work so I don't need much."
"I remember how low maintenance you are. Also remember them being my shirts you used to lounge around in." I lower my head when he goes to open his truck door for me and helps me in.
I don't mention to him on the way back to his house how two of the shirt in my closet are his. I only wear them when I know Inette and Ivan won't be home. I like being able to wear them in private. Even if it's not necessarily good for my heart. Again, those may or may not have been another piece of clothing I brought along.
"So, that Ivan guy your boyfriend or something?" I smirk and turn my head in his direction while I watch his Adam's apple bob up and down.
He's worried about my answer. Oh I'm going to have some fun with this.
"Or something." I almost giggle when I see his lips turn into a thin line and his fists tighten on the steering wheel. "I'm kidding Max. He's only my roommate. He's actually hardly home because of his work, but no, we have never touched each other unless it was a hug and even those are few and far between."
Max nods his head and I smile when I see the tension release from his body.
We make it to his house and I notice the sun is setting. I hadn't realized with all the chaos around us today that we have been out all day. It's strange knowing me and Max have now spent a few hours together and no hate has come of it. If anything we have been pretty civil to each other.
We walk into the house and Max places my luggage into the guest bedroom, then heads to the kitchen. He begins opening up drawers and closing them so I head over to see if he needs any help.
"Hungry?"
"Starved actually." I tell him when he turns to me.
"Thought I would do some chili and cornbread."
"Mmm, you going to make me have to go on a run tomorrow morning."
"Can't darlin'. Can't be out there with whoever the fuck this guy is chasing you around."
"Yeah, I know." I sigh. I hate pushing my life to the side because of some jackass. "You need some help?"
"Nah, you sit and relax. I got dinner tonight."
"The I'll get dinner tomorrow night." Max stops looking into the fridge and veers up at me. I narrow my eyes when his mockingly annoying smirk grows on his delicious lips. "What?"
"Nothing." He closes the fridge, butter in hand, and walks over to the stove. His voice becomes louder since he is facing away from me and I take the time to stare at his ass. "Just didn't think you could make anything besides smoothies."
I want to yell at him that I have made other items, but a laugh consumes my insides before anger.
"Been a damn long time since I've heard that sound." I stop when I see Max has stopped cooking and is now starring straight at me. Heat creeps up into my face and I hate that Max still has that effect on me. Before I can make a complaint about him lacking on the food, a noise interrupts us.
I look to the kitchen table and see his phone ringing. I glance at the screen and notice he has sixteen missed calls from Austin. Looking back at Max I narrow my eyes, when I realize what I fool I am. Max must understand my anger and closes the fridge, snatching his phone out of my hand.
"You didn't tell them did you?" Silence greets me as he looks through his call list and then puts his phone in his back pocket.
"Don't matter, I was right. This is the safest place for you."
"But you decided that Max. You didn't let the MC. You know better than that, you could get into trouble."
"Oh so what, you know all the rules and regulations of an MC now?"
"Don't you dare. We may not be together anymore but don't you dare act like I wasn't learning in that damn club right alongside you. Don't you dare right off our entire relationship."
"You mean like you did when I was over there fighting for your freedom and you were back at home spreading your legs and fucking some random guy?"
I open my mouth wide and nothing comes out. As far as Max knows, I cheated on him before he came home, and as badly as it hurts that I can't tell him the truth, I hurts even more knowing his hate for me outweighs everything.
"Max."
"No. You want to stay safe, then you stay here at my house. I will take you back and forth to work or another brother will, but during that time, we don't have to fuckin' talk to each other."
"Fine. If that's how you want it, but you need to speak with your brother. He isn't going to like that you practically stole me right from under them." I thank God Candice knows he was with me, or Austin and the guys might have assumed something bad happened to us. Max did not play this well.
"Don't worry about the club. I'll handle it." He say then storms off to the main bedroom.
Max didn't necessarily give me a tour of his house but he did show me where the guest bedroom is. I know it's directly across from his room and the last thing I want is to run into him. I walk over to the kitchen and finish making the chili. An hour later, after I had two helpings, I put the rest of the chili in the fridge for him and lay myself on the couch.
Max hadn't come out of the room the entire time I was in the kitchen, so I'm not sure if he had fallen asleep or was plainly trying to ignore me. I was voting on latter.
I watch television for what seems like hours and wait for sleep to take me. When it does, it's filled with hate and anger, betrayal and lies. It's filled with truths and lots of pain. Pain that I know I will cause Max if I tell the truth about that night.
