15 - LIFE BACK

Max's deep voice vibrated against my ear when he whispered those intense words into my hair.

The paralyzing fear drained out of my tense spine because I finally realized he was not going to yell at me for making a scene.

I stopped holding my shoulders in a rigid line and let my heavy body melt into the firm warmth of his chest.

I rested my cheek against the crisp cotton of his white dress shirt while I listened to the steady, reassuring thumping of his heart.

He smelled like expensive cedar wood mixed with a clean, sharp soap that made me want to close my eyes and hide from the world forever.

David used to shove me away and call me dramatic whenever I cried, but Maximilian just tightened his massive arms around my waist to hold me closer.

Standing here in this quiet corner office was the safest I had ever felt in my whole life, and I never wanted the moment to end.

I stayed there for a long time while the lingering echoes of my panic attack slowly faded into a dull, exhausted ache in my chest.

My breathing finally leveled out into a normal rhythm, so the reality of hugging my billionaire boss suddenly hit my brain with a sharp jolt.

A hot wave of deep embarrassment burned my cheeks as I realized I was clinging to him like a desperate, frightened child.

I pushed my hands gently against his hard chest so I could step back from his intimate embrace.

Max dropped his arms reluctantly, and he let me put a few inches of cold space between our bodies.

I kept my gaze fixed on his expensive silk tie because I was too ashamed to look up into his piercing gray eyes.

"I-I am so sorry about my breakdown," I stuttered while wiping my damp, red cheeks with the back of my trembling hand.

I saw a large wet patch on his pristine white shirt where my tears had soaked right through the expensive fabric to touch his skin.

"I ruined your nice shirt with my crying, and I acted so weak after your mother left the room," I added in a quiet, miserable whisper.

I expected him to agree with me or offer a polite dismissal, but he reached his hand toward my face instead.

I froze in place when his large, warm fingers brushed softly against my jawline.

Max lifted his hand higher and carefully slid his thumb under the bottom rim of my black-framed glasses.

He wiped away a stray tear that was stuck near my eyelashes with an incredibly gentle touch that made my breath catch in my throat.

"Look at me, Alexandra," he ordered in a soft, rumbling voice that carried no anger at all.

I slowly tilted my head up and met his intense gaze, preparing myself for a harsh lecture about corporate professionalism.

"You are not weak, and I do not give a single damn about this shirt," he told me while his thumb rested against my cheekbone.

"Standing up to Victoria took massive courage, so you need to stop insulting the brilliant woman who just saved my company," he added firmly.

My heart did a strange flip in my chest because nobody had ever praised my bravery before, especially not a man with so much power.

I nodded my head slowly, and he finally lowered his hand back to his side to give me some breathing room.

Max looked down at my wrinkled white blouse and the cheap navy blue skirt I had worn for three days straight.

His jaw clenched tight, and a dark, angry shadow passed over his handsome features as he inspected my outfit.

"You cannot keep living out of a cardboard box in my guest room while wearing clothes you hate," he stated flatly.

I crossed my arms over my stomach to hide my curves because his intense gaze made me feel very exposed and inadequate.

"I only packed a few things when I ran out of the apartment in the rain, but I can go buy some new skirts this weekend," I mumbled nervously.

"You are the new Chief Data Officer of this empire, so you are not going to wear cheap clearance rack clothes ever again," Max fired back instantly.

He turned around and walked over to his wide glass desk so he could grab his heavy silver car keys.

"We are leaving the tower right now, because you need your actual belongings and your professional wardrobe from your old place," he told me while shoving the keys into his pocket.

My stomach twisted into a painful, tight knot at the mere mention of returning to that awful building on the edge of the city.

David might be sitting in the living room right now, and the thought of seeing his cruel face made my hands start to shake all over again.

"M-Max, I don't want to go back there while David is around," I admitted while taking a frightened step backward.

"He always screams at me for being stupid, and I can't handle another loud fight with him today," I pleaded quietly while staring at the carpet.

Max stopped moving, and he turned his head to look at me with eyes as cold and dangerous as winter ice.

"David is a pathetic coward who will never raise his voice at you again as long as I am breathing," he promised in a lethal, low tone.

He walked back over to me and placed his large hand gently on the small of my back to offer me support.

The warm pressure of his palm sent a wave of fresh courage straight down my spine, and it chased away the lingering shadows of my fear.

"I am going to stand right beside you, and I will break his jaw if he even looks at you wrong," Max swore with absolute conviction.

I knew he meant every single word, so I swallowed my fear and gave him a tiny nod of agreement.

"Okay, let's go get my things before I lose my nerve," I said with a shaky exhale.

Max guided me out of his massive corner office and into the quiet executive hallway where the thick carpet muffled our footsteps.

Margaret was not sitting at her desk today, so we did not have to explain why the CEO and his new executive were leaving in the middle of the workday.

We walked toward the private elevator at the far end of the hall, and his hand never left the center of my back.

He pressed the silver call button, and the heavy metal doors slid open instantly to welcome us inside.

We stepped inside the sleek elevator car together, and he pressed the bottom button for the underground parking garage.

The doors closed to shut us in, and the small space suddenly felt incredibly warm despite the air conditioning pumping through the vents.

I stood next to him while the elevator descended, and I could feel the heat radiating from his tall, broad body.

The silence between us was heavy, but it was charged with a strange, nervous anticipation instead of awkward tension.

I kept stealing quick glances at his handsome profile, and I noticed the sharp line of his jaw alongside the faint stubble on his chin.

He caught me staring at him through the reflection in the polished metal doors, so he turned his head and gave me a soft smile that made my stomach flutter wildly.

I looked away quickly and pretended to fix the messy collar of my wrinkled blouse so he would not see my blushing face.

The elevator chimed loudly when we finally reached the lowest level of the massive skyscraper.

The metal doors slid open to reveal a massive, dimly lit concrete parking garage that stretched out for hundreds of feet.

The air down here was cold and smelled faintly of expensive motor oil mixed with the scent of damp concrete.

There were only a few cars parked in this VIP section, but they were all luxury vehicles that cost more than I would ever make in a lifetime of working.

Max led me across the gray floor toward a sleek, black Maybach parked in the best corner spot near the security booth.

The car looked incredibly intimidating with its dark tinted windows and shining chrome details catching the dim overhead lights.

I dragged my feet slightly because my anxiety started spiking again as we got closer to actually leaving the building to face my past.

I had never ridden in a car this nice, and I felt like my cheap, scuffed shoes were going to ruin the pristine floor mats inside.

Max noticed my hesitation, so he stopped walking and turned to face me near the front fender of the luxury vehicle.

He did not sigh or roll his eyes at my lingering insecurity like David would have done.

He just reached out and pulled the heavy passenger door open for me so I could see inside the spacious cabin.

The interior smelled like rich, brand-new leather, and the soft ambient lighting inside looked very welcoming against the dark garage.

I stood frozen on the concrete floor, fighting a sudden, desperate urge to run back to the safety of the data floor where nobody could hurt me.

Max looked down at my fearful face, and his expression hardened with absolute, unwavering resolve.

"Get in," he said while gesturing toward the soft leather seat. "We are taking your life back."