Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41558 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41558 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
“Honey, that’s terrible,” Davis said, his eyes wide with compassion. “I’m so sorry you had to deal with that bullshit. Especially after your place burned down. You can come stay with me as long as you need to if you don’t want to go live with your dad.” He eyed Max, his sea green eyes deep and serious. “I’m sure she’d rather keep staying with you, though. We haven’t thanked you yet.”
Max blinked, bewildered. “For what?”
“For pulling Allie out of that fire!” Isabel exclaimed. “We could’ve lost her, and you saved her.”
Davis let out a long sigh that sounded suspiciously like the word swoon. He was definitely on board with seeing Max as my personal dark hero.
Twin flames flickered over his black eyes as he stared down at me. “I would do anything for Allie.”
Yes, he’d walked into a fire for me. He’d faced his brutal father for me. He’d been brave enough to give me his whole heart, even after a lifetime of cruelty.
“I would do the same for you,” I vowed, speaking only to him.
Charlie made another humming sound, more contemplative this time. She was grateful to Max for saving me, and she was starting to see how deeply I cared for him too.
“Do you want help going through your things?” Isabel asked me. “I don’t know what you can salvage after the fire, but we’re here for you. And we can help you look for a new place to live.”
I shook my head, smiling. “I’m staying with Max. We’ll find a place.”
“What about your internship?” Isabel asked. “Do you think you’ll go back this summer?”
My stomach dipped. I still hadn’t told them about what had happened with Mike. There were too many difficult things to lie about. And I didn’t have to hide what’d happened with my old boss. He was a sick bastard, and he deserved to be exposed for what he’d done to me.
“I’m not going back,” I declared, tossing my hair over my shoulder. “I don’t want anything to do with that place. Mike made a move on me in his office last week. It was totally disgusting.”
“What?” Charlie gasped.
I nodded grimly. “And he tried to blame it on me.”
“Gaslighting motherfucker,” Davis swore.
“Report him,” Isabel advised. “Or he’ll do it to someone else.”
I offered a savage nod. “I intend to. I won’t let him get away with it.”
“Screw reporting him,” Davis said. “Max, please go punch him for us, like you did with Gavin. No one messes with our Allie.”
Max lifted his brow at me, a question in his dark eyes. Yes, he’d gladly beat up Mike if I asked him to.
I placed a grateful hand on his corded forearm, but I straightened my shoulders. “I can handle Mike.” I wasn’t going to allow a man to victimize me ever again.
“I know you can,” Max said, muscles flexing. “But let me know if you change your mind.”
Davis sighed again, Isabel giggled like it was a joke, and Charlie made a soft sound of doubt.
“What exactly do you do, Max?” my gentlest friend asked with surprising incisiveness. “When you’re not punching people.”
“He’s in between jobs at the moment,” I quickly interjected. “He was injured at work recently.”
Surprise struck me when Max replied, “I’m good at punching people. I thought I might try teaching others how to do it properly.” He stared down at me, eyes dark and serious. “Starting with you.”
My heart leapt. He’d defended me so many times, but now he wanted to show me how to take care of myself. He would always protect me, but it would feel empowering to know how to throw a punch.
“You want to teach self-defense?” Charlie asked, brightening. “That sounds like a really great job.”
She knew how deeply I cared about helping women who’d been victimized; that was my main objective once I finished my Law degree. Max’s desire to do the same had clearly helped sway my friend in his favor.
“You’ll have to teach me too,” Charlie declared, finally offering him one of her dazzling smiles. “Let us know when you find a placement. I’ll be your first student.”
Max blinked, as though stunned by her open acceptance of him. “I will,” he rumbled.
“Count me in too,” Isabel added. “Come on, Davis. We’ll all learn to be badasses together.”
“Definitely,” he agreed.
Max still looked a little bewildered, so I squeezed his hand with a gentle pulse of comfort, urging him to relax into their acceptance.
“I can’t wait,” I said with a soft smile, referring to more than the self-defense lessons.
My heart soared seeing them all together like this: my chosen family and the man I loved. With time, their kindness would become normal for him. He would learn that he didn’t have to constantly be on his guard anymore. Max was safe with me. I would always protect his heart, just as he would sacrifice anything to defend me.