MaxThe little minx.I don't normally get played. I like to consider myself the unplayable. But this woman will end up being the death of me.And I'm not even the one sleeping with her.I check the time on my bike and cringe when I realize I'm going to be late. Knowing Candice will have my ass if I am, I speed up a little more.Candice had been inviting me to dinner each night this week, and each night I gave her an excuse for why I couldn't. I had been neglecting the repair shop lately, so I decided it was as great a time as any to get caught up with orders and help out the guys.As much as I adored my brother's girl. I didn't want the attention to be on me and whether or not I am alright. I should have known better though. Last night as I pulled into my driveway at home, I spotted my mother's car and I knew, I just knew, Candice had called her."We were just worried about you?" Mom said to me as she straightened around in my house. I'm not a messy guy, something she instilled in both
ShawnaI couldn't sleep.How could I when I spent the entire night thinking about Max Stone.So, I did the next best thing. Well, the next best illegal thing.I came to the studio to practice my routine once more and am pleasantly surprised with the ease at which I have it down now. Normally it takes me a few weeks to completely master each step enough to then teach it to someone else, especially those someone's being children, but anger and hurt kept me motivated this time.It's been a few days since I saw Max at Sin, and each time I think about the way he looked at me, the words he spouted off, I want to cry and kill him all in one breath. I understand his hatred towards me, he thinks I cheated on him, and I have only led him to believe those words I shouted in the heat of things were the truth.I take a moment to catch my breath as my routine ends and walk over to grab a bottle of water from my bag. My iPhone changes to the next song and I nearly fall over when One Republic'
MaxSitting in church I want to strangle someone. My luck has been so shitty lately that I don't know what to make of today's circumstances. Once again, I am surrounded by thoughts of Shawna, and that is beginning to be a major problem."So basically, this asshole slashed her goddamn tires and we need to find the fucker.""Why the hell are we protecting her anyways. It's just some shmuck she's dating. Not our problem Austin."Austin gives me a death glare and I fight from jumping out of this chair, getting on my bike and taking off. Lately it has been the only thing that can help with all these flashbacks and nightmares."Because, whoever the hell slashed her tires and busted out her windshield, was after you." I sit up straight afraid I must have heard him wrong."What did you just say?"Everyone behind me looks around and Austin pulls out a small notecard from his cut and hands it to me. I grab it and look it over, my anger getting the better of me more and more as I reread it
ShawnaMax 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
Max"And so it's important for us to fall on each other. Give ourselves time to adjust to our new life. It won't always be easy, and it takes a very long time for anything to feel normal again, but I promise, once you realize that they never really leave you, that they are always inside your heart, it gives you the strength to keep moving day by day."A round of applause circles around the large group and I continue to stare into my coffee.It's early, not even ten am, and here I am, exhausted but determined to show my face here. I don't want to be here, hate this whole thing, but I owe it to them. I owe it to all of them.In the corner of my eye I can see a blonde walking over to me and I stiffen automatically when I realize who it is. She stops just before the empty chair beside me and I briefly wonder if she knows you should never walk up and surprise someone in my condition or if it's just in her nature. Matthews always did tell me she was too good a person."Max." I look up a
ShawnaYou know the worst part of being a bartender?People.Tonight, is an exceptionally annoying night. Not only was I ten minutes late, not realizing the time when I was spending time with Max, but Mickey, my boss had the audacity to call me on it.Granted, being late is never okay, but after I've given this job my all for almost two years and not to mention him banging the new waitress Heidi, that is late to every single one of her shifts, he didn't have the right to give me a fifteen minute lecture.Mix that anger in with some annoyance from the same group of men that think it's cute to pinch my ass cheek every time I turn around to grab their next piss bottle of beer, and I'm more of a ticking time bomb."Hey baby cheeks, we need another one over here." The loud mouth hollers from across the room.I've already told Mickey about these guys and he has spoken with them but to no avail. They are still a bunch of drunken idiots and unfortunately, Mickey only cares for money. He
Max"Think this belongs to one of the little girls?" Matthews says from behind me.I shrug my shoulders wanting to just get out of here. We normally don't have any problems with the women here but we are also trained not to trust anyone.Matthews walks over towards the small child located directly behind the woman attempting to communicate with Wells. The small little girl leans back, clearly afraid of the strange giant man in front of her, but after a moment, takes the doll in her clutch and buries her face in it. Matthews, now satisfied, stands and offers me a goofy grin.Yeah, fucker, you have a way with kids.I hear something shouted from behind me in a language I don't recognize and suddenly I see the woman right in in front of us, holding what looks like a make shift RPG. People are screaming and children are being run into a different locations by the rest of the women as a few men appear, and the woman in front of us begins screaming something in a language that I've never
ShawnaMy eyes burn from how much tear shedding I have done.I've been at Austin and Candice's place for a few hours. Austin dropped me off with simply a towel on and once he explained everything to Candice, took back off. My guess is he was heading back to Max's house to make sure he was alright, but I know, I already know what he will find when he gets there.Max will be gone. I'm sure of it, and that only worries me more.He wasn't the same person. He was different, he was not only trapped in whatever happened over there, but he was desperate to get revenge. It made no sense to me, which only frustrated me further.Candice grips me tighter when I begin trembling and I feel her hands smoothing my hair down. I was able to dress is some of her clothing and since Austin left, we have been sitting here on the couch crying. She's a true friend for sitting here with me the way she is, and I can tell by her own tears and questions, that she's just as worried about Max as I am.To say