Page 19 of Mine to Take

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

MAX

Kirsten’s soft moans filled my headphones as I slipped them over my head. My groin tightened and my cock twitched.

I know that moan, those soft whimpers just as she comes.

“That went on virtually all night,” Frank said, as he stood to trade places with me. At first I didn’t think anything of it. I was just grateful I had gone home to get some sleep. She’s reeling from a broken heart. No quicker way toward healing it than in someone else’s arms. She’d slammed right into Chaz’s to get over me. I hope her choice this time is an improvement.

He walked out the door to her apartment and turned to the van staring straight at us as he slipped dark sunglasses onto his face.

No fucking way, I thought. She bounded out behind him and looped her pinky through his as they started to walk to the corner coffee shop.

“Son of a bitch!” I shouted.

“What?” Craig said.

“Nothing,” I bolted out of the van, my heart pounding. “I'll be back.” I slowed my pace. I had no idea what I was going to say or do. He had essentially served himself up on a platter to me, but he was also with her, very much with her. And there was no way to apprehend him in this situation without her going down with him. My brain filled with all sorts of excuses I could use to protect her, but I wasn’t sure any of it was enough.

I stepped into the area of outdoor tables and leaned against the railing and waited for them to exit the shop to sit outside and enjoy the morning sun.

She froze when she saw me and started to stammer. “Max, this is …”

“Good morning, Farid.”

He nodded. “Good morning, Max.”

“I’m not sure which one of you has the bigger set of balls for trying this little stunt,” I said, my pulse still racing, fury building inside of me that they would take such a foolish risk. That he would risk her welfare like this.

Farid gently coaxed Kirsten to a table and we all sat.

“You and I both know it doesn't matter what she knows, she is sitting here with you...I have photos of you leaving her apartment, recordings of what went on inside. She will spend her life in prison just for sitting here with you. And you know that. So, if you love her, you will get on a plane right now and never look back and I will destroy what I have.” It was the first thing that popped into my head. I wasn’t thinking straight.

Love makes smart men do dumb things.

“Why would you do that, let me leave?” Farid asked. But he didn’t seem that surprised by the offer.

“I can find you again. This is ourone chance to save her.” I said.

Farid raised his eyebrows, and then turned to her. Her eyes were filled with tears.

FARID

“Coming here was unbelievably selfish!” Max barked at me, slamming the car door behind him. “Do you have any idea what you being here with her…Good God what the hell are you thinking? You know she told me you would never reach out to her, you were too smart for that.

“I told her love makes smart men do dumb things and smart women reckless. I never imagined you’d both prove me right by spending a night together in her apartment!”

“But you know better than anyone that she is worth it. You’re only angry because I’m the one coaxing those moans out of her now, otherwise, I’d be surrounded by cops with itchy trigger fingers already.”

“You’re in no position to be an ass Farid.”

I raised my hands up in concession. He’d followed my Uber to a park by the Potomac just as I had hoped he would. We stood quietly for a moment while he continued to ponder the best way to handle this, short of just turning me in, but leaving Kirsten out of it would be nearly impossible then. The other option was to send me home, and I was willing to add a caveat to that scenario.

“How far are you willing to go to secure her happiness? What are you willing to do?” I asked him.

I could see him weighing the dilemma. “Talk,” he said.

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