Page 85 of Charity's Redemption

“It’s a constant reminder of what I’ve lost.”

I closed my eyes as his anguish seeped into me, piercing straight into my heart.

A house fire was devastating in its own right, but then, as time goes on, you remember all the things that happened in that home and all the memories that you can never replace.

All his family photos, the only memory of his parents, his childhood room and a painting of him as a baby his mother made… gone. Up in smoke, never to be seen again, all because of some hostile cult.

I couldn’t help but accept my part in all of this. If it wasn’t for Josh, Kane, and me, Max wouldn’t have lost everything he held dear.

“I’m sorry. Why don’t you put house hunting on hold for a while? You can come stay with me if you want? I’m sure that will put Luca’s mind at ease for a bit.”

“I have a better idea.”

I perked up in my seat and drew closer. “I’m all ears.”

“You come stay with me and keep me company at night. I’m sure that will make me feel better.”

His broad grin gave way to his sarcasm.

“I’m serious, Max.”

“As am I.” He grabbed his wine glass, and then put it back down, realizing it was empty.

“I really think—”

The long shrill of my phone’s ringtone broke up my train of thought. I reached into my pocket. “It’s Nico,” I said, looking back up at Max before answering.

“Hello?”

“Charity. I need to tell you something.”

“Okay, that’s never a good way to start a conversation.”

“They arrested Senator Adams this afternoon. He’s currently sitting in holding right now.”

My stomach bottomed out, and bile burned the back of my throat. This… no…

“What? How? On what charges?” I said, bombarding him with a ton of questions.

“From what I understand is a tip came in that Adams kidnapped a woman, and he held her in an apartment complex.”

“You need to get him out of there.” My heart pounded in my chest with a hurricane of emotions.

I sat back from Max and chewed on my lower lip, pulling blood from the now opened wound. His brows pulled together as he came closer and rested his hand on my thigh, then looked around us. “You need to breathe,bella. You’re drawing attention.”

My eyes wandered over the tables filled with couples and a few kids, their eyes on me.

Did I raise my voice?

I pulled in a long breath, filling my lungs with oxygen, then released it slow and steady.

“That’s better.”

“Is that Max?”

“Yes.”

“I’m working on getting him out, but first, they need to interview the girl. Her name is…” I heard papers rustling in the background. “Zoe—”

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