Chapter 11 It’s My Responsibility

"You?" What are you doing here? Isabella stammered, feeling her heart begin to hammer hard against her chest.

She stood stunned on the doorstep, looking impressed at this handsome, elegant man, who always had that frowning expression and who did not take his eyes off her.

Máximo didn't say anything, he only raised one of his hands and in it, he was wearing a kind of colored cloth, at first Isabella didn't understand what it was, until she remembered the sarong she had lost in the pool.

"Is this yours?" He asked, in a thick, deep voice, which caused a small shudder inside Isabella.

"Yes... Yes..." Isabella held out her hand to receive the cloth. "Thank you. He muttered, lowering his gaze.

She waited for a moment, but she didn't see him leave, he just stood there, with that perpetual stern, formal, intimidating grimace.

"Well, I..." Isabella took a step back, intending to close the door. - I have to leave it, but... Thanks a lot.

She felt that she should get away from that man who made her feel so strange, she wanted to distance herself from him, but seeing the door closing in front of him, instinctively, Maximo slipped one of his hands in front of the door, holding it tightly and preventing Isabella from closing it.

He didn't know why he was doing it, why he had picked up that cloth, why he had followed Aiden and his girlfriend, why he had knocked on the door, why he was still there and reluctant to leave?

Just because that girl was known to him or was that the excuse. He did it because he had to discover the truth and face it... Or so he said to himself to feel satisfied.

He took a step forward, approaching Isabella, while she stepped back, trembling, like a frightened little animal.

"What...? What do you want? " Isabella insisted, confused.

With each step that Isabella retreated, Máximo advanced without ceasing to scrutinize the girl with a fixed, intense, and penetrating gaze.

Isabella felt that her heart was going to come out with the presence of this cold and frightening man, who did not stop sliding his eyes on her, like a predator on his prey. It seemed that this man was scanning or undressing her with his eyes, and that made her feel very uncomfortable.

An instant later, without realizing it, they were both inside the room and Isabella was bumping her legs against a padded edge, she glanced out of the corner of her eye, noticing the bed behind her, knotted at the proximity of that man, which made her swallow thick.

"What...? What's he doing? " She muttered in a thread of voice.

Máximo still didn't speak, he was very concentrated, as if nothing else mattered to him.

Isabella saw him salivating and a moment later, she noticed the weight of one of Maximo's hands, pulling the knot that had been made in his robe, to release it.

"Wait-what? What's he doing? "

In the midst of her fear, Isabella reacted with a little more courage, trying to get Maximo's hands off her, but he, with a quick movement, grabbed her by the wrist and slid one of the sides of the robe over her shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" Isabella said, more forcefully, afraid of that man, because for a brief moment, she remembered those homeless people in the shelter who had tried to abuse her.

Máximo remained very fond, frowning, staring at Isabella's leg.

When she looked down to see what the man was watching with such interest, she realized that he was looking for the huge bruise on her leg.

Isabella had forgotten that little detail in the heat and confusion of the moment, and the young woman understood that he must have seen it, in the pool, when he lost his sarong, for it was impossible to hide a blow like that without that cloth.

"It's you..." Maximo growled between his teeth.

"What?" Isabella exhaled, still scared of what was happening.

"It's you..." he insisted. "You're that girl, the homeless woman we ran over." Máximo declared, with a wrinkled eyebrow.

He was not willing to be deceived, he knew it from the moment he saw her come out holding Aiden's arm, because that young girl's eyes, that look, were impossible to forget.

In the pool he confirmed it, as soon as she got out of the water without the sarong, he could notice the mark of the blow.

"I... Not me... "

"Will you continue to deny it?" He raised his face to face her. "Do you intend to continue lying to me, Isa?"

"No... "It's just that I..." she stammered, feeling a tingle in her throat.

"Sit down." Máximo ordered.

"What?"

"Sit down." He repeated, with more authority, pointing to the bed behind her.

Instinctively, Isabella obeyed and sat on the edge of the bed, adjusting her robe again to cover the huge bruise of the blow.

Máximo turned and walked to a small refrigerator in the room, a minibar, from where he took out a cold bag full of nuts, and then returned to Isabella.

"Take off your robe." Máximo murmured, noticing that she had closed her robe again.

"What? No... "

"You have to take care of that blow. "

"It's not necessary, I'm better, really..."

"Isabella..." Máximo intoned loudly, interrupting her and she felt a start in her chest when she heard his name, being mentioned in that man's voice. - Be a good girl and obey, you're not naked, you're wearing your bathing suit... Take off your robe or you'd rather I take it off.

She shuddered when she heard that statement, she didn't know how to react or what to do, this situation was completely out of her control.

After taking a deep breath and trying to control her breathing, she slowly let go of her robe to slide it over her shoulders and drop it on the bed.

Máximo crouched down to one side of her, carefully detailing the blow, his expression transformed into a grimace of horror and concern, the bruise was very large, and the skin seemed somewhat inflamed.

He began to gently slide the cold bag of nuts over the blow, Isabella shuddered, and Maximo appreciated how the girl's skin stood on end.

However, he didn't flinch, although deep down he felt somewhat agitated and restless being so close to this girl, he kept running the cold bag down her leg, over and over again, very carefully, without showing any expression.

"What are you doing here?" He asked suddenly, after having been silent for a long time.

"Huh?"

"Why are you here?" Do you work with the cruise ship staff? Did that guy Aiden get you this room in exchange for something?

"How?" Isabella looked at Máximo upset.

Máximo noticed that the packaging had lost its cold and as if nothing had happened, he returned to the minibar, took another bag, and returned to Isabella to repeat the sequence.

"I told you should go to the hospital..."

Máximo murmured, abruptly changing the subject, because for some reason, the thought of the girl being with that Aiden, just for more comfort, caused him a little anger.

"No..." she replied looking away, embarrassed and upset. "It wasn't necessary, I told him, I'm fine, he doesn't have to do this."

"It's my responsibility" he said.

"No, it was the driver who ran me over, not you..." And it was also my fault, I crossed without looking and I...

"Whatever you say, it's still my responsibility". He insisted, very seriously.

The second bag lost the cold, Máximo concentrated on the blow, seemed to check it very well and slipped his fingertips over the bruise.

Isabella closed her eyes tightly, she was nervous, she was shaking, her breathing was short, but there was a new and strange sensation, something she had never felt before.

That man, Maximo, checked her bruise and barely touched it, after his touch, after feeling his touch, she could perceive how his skin was warmed.

It was as if his fingertips caused a fire inside her.

She noticed that Máximo moved and when she opened her eyes, Isabella met his gaze again, from her legs, he was looking at her, detailing her with great interest.

Unable to help herself, Isabella's cheeks warmed, causing the young girl's face to turn red.

"Didn't you have a fever?" I see you as a little red..." said Maximo. "I should go get some painkillers from the infirmary."

Maximo stood up slightly and slid the palm of his hand over Isabella's forehead, leaving his face too close to hers.

"No... Of... Really. " Isabella stammered, feeling the warmth of Maximo's breath on her face.

He looked down, their eyes met, and they stood there for a moment, hypnotized, as they had before.

Without realizing it, little by little, they were getting closer, momentarily forgetting everything, focused on each other.

There was something, there was an obvious chemistry between the two, the two of them seemed spellbound, when a loud voice echoed through the room, causing the pair to jump away.

"What do you think you're doing with my granddaughter, Mr. Maxim Collins?"

" With his granddaughter...? " Maximus turned around in amazement, finding himself in front of Margaret Sinclair.