Page 85 of Crush

I messaged Dexter and asked him to bring the car around. And he drove us to Max’s apartment without comment. It didn’t feel uncomfortable when I sent him away, Dexter shook Max’s hand and I heard him whisper something about taking care of me. It was like he was pleased that something was going on between us. Like he respected Max but I supposed he would, my father did. Almost like the son he never had.

Max’s apartment was located on the top floor and wrapped around one corner of the building. It was extremely contemporary and had a long balcony with views of the Thames and the London Eye.

In respect of furnishings, it was minimalist. There were no pictures on the walls, just the basics you needed in your house, although basic is probably the wrong word to describe the décor. Everything was good quality and high-end. There wasn’t much colour, it was painted in light grey and black. Grey walls, andblack leather sofas in the living room and even the kitchen units were grey.

Max asked if I wanted a shower and when I came out of the bathroom and walked into his thoroughly masculine bedroom, he’d left me a T-shirt out to sleep in. He was so thoughtful and attentive, totally different to the boar I had thought him to be.

It was late and we spoke briefly about the kidnapping. I didn’t go too deep in respect of my relationship with Zander and Max didn’t push it. I decided that I would reveal things piece by piece so that it didn’t become overwhelming. Max said that he was ready to listen to the full story when I was ready to talk and that there would be no pressure from his side.

As far as what was going on between us, we didn’t talk about what we were doing and I was too scared to bring it up. It was early days and yet I felt so strongly about him, I wasn’t tough enough for him to knock me down by saying it was just sex, or friends with benefits, not yet.

He had to care about me? Or why would he want to know so much?

I fell asleep in Max’s arms that night without a care in the world, feeling safe and cared for.

And for the first time in forever, I felt like I could trust again.

*****

After what was indeed the best breakfast ever, I left Max’s apartment during the early hours of Sunday. He loaned me another T-shirt and some joggers that I had to roll over at the waist and led me downstairs to my waiting car.

It felt odd being in my heels but the chances of seeing anyone I knew were none existent.

Max kissed me softly on the mouth in front of Dexter and said he’d see me at work the following day. He also said that he wanted to introduce me to his friends and invited me to drinks for his thirtieth birthday at Felice’s, the restaurant where he’d first kissed me. It almost felt like another meant-to-bemoment but I knew I needed to take it slow. I had to establish what, if anything would happen now Zander was out.

Max watched the car as we pulled away, his hands in the pockets of his jogging bottoms.

You know where I am if you need me.Max messaged.

I smiled at my screen and then called Mia.

*****

Over the next week, Max was busy with work but he made time for me. We ate lunch together at Rita’s café on site and you could tell from some of the looks from colleagues that they thought we were seeing each other. And we were, sort of.

Max even kissed me at my desk and Annie witnessed it, her entire face beaming through the window as she made her way up the stairs to her office. It was nice to see the battleaxe had a softer side.

Mia dropped by the office a couple of times, asking if I had heard anything from Zander which I hadn’t, yet. She had started seeing Luca more and explained that she thought she was falling for him. I kept my feelings about Max to myself even though she gave me the third degree.

Daddy had also been on site with Max showing him the progress of the bar build and he had taken me to lunch. Max’s name came up several times but he didn’t ask outright if we were together. And again, were we? We seemed to be going with the flow and I was fine with that for the time being. I told Daddy that I knew Zander was free and promised him I had no intention of seeing him. And that was the hard bit, part of mewantedto see him. To get some type of closure but I knew it wasn’t a good idea.

One evening, Max came to the house to see my father and we ended up going riding together. Max was an experienced horseman and was more than comfortable on Shadow’s back.

On Thursday, after work. The shit hit the fan. Max was off-site at the docks, something to do with those warehouses he had purchased and I was tasked with locking up. Everyone had already left. Wes, the foreman who usually locked up was ill and so the job had fallen to me.

I was dressed down in tight jeans, sneakers, a tank top and my raincoat when I saw him.

Zander.

He had come for me, just like I suspected he would.

I thought back to that night when the police had swarmed the house—the patronising buttoned-up counsellor who had dropped my case like a hot rock. Once it was identified I had been intimate with my captor, my case had fallen outside of her pay grade. Within four hours, I’d been handed over like an unwanted parcel. The invasive tests and questions I endured had probably scarred me for life.

That was the night he had been taken away—arrested by the police for numerous offences so I had been told. He was a criminal before the kidnapping. That was also the last time I had seen him, until now.

My breathing felt restricted, like there was a noose around my neck and it was slowly being drawn tighter. The man holding the other end of the rope was now standing across the road like a fucking apparition.

Alexander Harker.

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