Page 9 of Tangled Hearts

Maxton looked at me before getting in the back seat of the truck with me, not happy. Ryder took off in the truck as Maxton grabbed onto Soren’s seat. He closed his eyes and a visible shiver coursed through him.

“Please tell me we don’t have to stay in this thing for long,” Maxton muttered.

“About an hour,” Ryder said, messing with some buttons that turned on cold air in the truck.

Maxton grew pale. My body reacted before I could think about what I was doing. I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to ease him. His eyes snapped open as he turned to look at me. His baby blue eyes captured my attention. He was a beautiful man, there was no doubt about it. Completely opposite from the twins and Ryder. While they were all tall, dark and handsome. He was light in the darkness.

He looked like one of those Greek statues I had seen in books, except Maxton looked like he could kill you in one hit. He was bigger than the other guys, but he had a tenderness about him. This was the man who had comforted me for years.

I took off my seatbelt sliding over to him, wrapping my arms around his massive one and held onto his hand. He was stiff against me, but I leaned my head against his shoulder offering all the comfort I could.

He didn’t relax for several minutes, then slowly, he leaned back into the seat as I stroked his forearm admiring it. Maxton was like a drug easing my anxiety and my worries, lulling me into sleep.

The sound of doors slamming shut woke me up abruptly. I sat up straight, looking around with my heart beating extremely fast.

“We are safe,” a deep voice said, and I looked over to see a serious Maxton.

“Where did they go,” I said, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

“They were going to get us a few rooms to stay in,” he said, turning to me.

I felt the bond with Soren, and I knew he was safe, but not having Gray with me had made me jumpy.

“You’re safe. Gray is safe,” he said, opening his arms and I didn’t hesitate.

I threw myself into his chest as he wrapped his big arms around me. He was still my friend, my companion, my rock. It was like a dam breaking and everything I had been holding in rushed out of me.

“Oria,” he said, his voice full of pain.

“Why is it so hard?” I cried into his shoulder.

“It's never going to be easy; you have a beautiful gift and the world is so corrupt, but you, my Sol, are the light in the darkness, the one who gives us hope for tomorrow,” he said, holding me tighter. “The world loves to snuff out the good. Don’t let this dark world pull you under, my Sol. You shine bright.”

I pulled away from his embrace to look at his face. He was serious, but I also saw his vulnerability. Those weren’t the words of a man who was my guard.

Mi sol.

My sun.

“Max,” I whispered.

“Sol,” he replied with so much emotion.

I hated that I didn't remember him, it felt like I was missing a piece of me, an ache in my chest made me wonder even more about our history. The door suddenly opened, crushing whatever moment we were having.

“Blondie—”

I glanced behind me. Soren took one look at my face, his expression grew dark.

“I really hope you didn’t make her cry,” Soren growled.

“No, he didn’t, I just?—”

More tears fell down my face.

“Blondie,” Soren’s face softened, but quickly hardened when we heard talking coming close to us. “Do you have another charm you and Max can use?”

Invisibility? I questioned, in case anyone was near us.

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