Page 80 of Secrets

"I have money, Daph. How much do you need? I'll get it to you by tomorrow."

"It's too much," she says. "I can't take it from you."

His hands run over her dark hair she's recently taken out of the braids she normally wears. "I'm offering it to you. This was your dad's place, and if he hadn't had that stroke, it still would be. Hell, he'd be working on giving it to you. This is yours, and it should stay yours."

"I can't take that much money, Max. I love the offer, and I appreciate it, but I just wouldn't feel right about it."

"Just promise you'll think about it, okay?"

Her thin fingers reach up and run through Max's short hair. "You're too good, you know that?"

"You're going to ruin my reputation if you say that to too many people."

Smirking, she leans in and kisses him. "Thank you for coming."

"I'm here. I told you that. No matter what happens, I'm here, Daphne."

"I don't know what I'm going to do."

"We'll figure it out. And, if you're really desperate, you'll take the money from me to buy the place."

She gives him a watery smile. "I don't know how I'd ever be able to repay you. It's too much money."

"Good thing I'm easily negotiable when a hot, tatted beauty with a fat ass knows just what I like."

Her laugh makes him happier than he thought right now, considering the situation, but he feels such pride knowing she can find comfort in him.

"If only I could feel right about that," she says and kisses him, her tongue sliding into his mouth.

The way she seeks comfort from him has his entire body on fire, and he wants to kiss her forever. If she knew he had planson making them forever and permanent, maybe she'd take the money. Knowing that his money is her money, and it's just a matter of time until that happens, could maybe change her feelings on accepting it. It's too soon to tell her how he feels, and he doesn't want to send her running for the hills.

"Thank you, Max. Just having you here makes me feel a little better. Like I'm not so alone."

"You're never alone, baby. I'm here. I'm always here."

Sitting in Church that night, Max feels anxious. His brother sits right next to him looking happier than he has in a while, but he's about to shatter that serene feeling he knows he has. But he can't sit back and do nothing just to spare his brother's fragile ego.

Dax goes through the motions of the meeting like he normally does, and it still breaks Max's heart to see how broken he is. He can't even imagine what the President must be dealing with on a daily basis. He thought loving a woman who was with someone else was bad enough, and he can't fathom the idea of losing the love of his life permanently to death.

"Griffin's Beach should be done with the background checks soon. They've been split between trying to decrypt Dimitri's device and running through our guys. But so far, I'm assuming none of you have any hidden skeletons. Otherwise, I'd have heard by now."

Snake laughs. "You'd think. Unless they're planning on surprising us and shutting us all down soon."

"When's the next run?" Venom asks, his eyes looking right at Dax.

It feels as though something's going on with the man, but Max has no idea what it could be. As much as he'd like to get to know the scary dude, he also wants to keep a distance. There's a solid chance the man could go postal one day, and he doesn't want to risk putting himself in the line of fire.

"Three days. You want in?"

Venom nods. "Yep."

"Okay. If there's no other business-"

"I have something," Max says, his eyes glancing at Nelson, knowing he's about to blow up.

Dax motions for him to continue. "Go ahead."

"I'd like to propose a side business for the club to invest in."

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