Page 106 of The Forbidden Trio

But she couldn’t help herself. She felt totally out of control, overwhelmed beyond all reason. He loved her? Did he? She couldn’t bear to have to question it and yet shewasquestioning,hadto—that was the whole issue. And it made her furious—at Max, at herself, at her entire life. The life that had made her so distrusting of love she’d never dared to seek it out.

“Goddamn it,” she muttered as she slammed the metal gates shut behind her, and somehow, even blinded by tears, she managed to call for a Lyft as the elevator sank to the ground floor.

She ran out to the sidewalk, and Max was right behind her.

He moved closer, warily. “Aster, just talk to me. Tell me what happened in there.”

“I can’t.”

“God, baby, I can’t stand to see you like this.”

“Then don’t look! Go inside.”

He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you out here on the street.”

Her Lyft pulled up, and when Max tried to lay a hand on her arm, she shook it off. The Lyft driver lowered the window.

“Are you okay, miss?”

“Yes. I just need to go home.”

“Aster…” Max started.

She turned to him, knew she was glaring. Knew she was being unreasonable. “Don’t.”

She got into the car and the driver pulled into the night.

Aster fumbled with the keys, but finally got her front door open as the Lyft pulled away from the curb. She’d held it together on the drive, but now that she was home, she fell onto the sofa and sobbed. She blindly pulled a throw pillow to her chest, her entire body aching. But the pain wasn’t physical.

Some part of her could barely believe she’d run out on him like that. But it was too much! Too much memory and muscle memory as his hand had come down over her mouth, and even knowing it was Max hadn’t helped. And then, in that brief moment of pure terror that had overtaken her body, he’d told her he loved her. How could he say that to her?

Too much. Too much to process, all of it. Any of it.

She wasn’t surprised when she heard him pounding at the door and calling her name. But she couldn’t pry herself off the couch to answer the door. She wasn’t certain she wanted to let him in. How could she even begin to explain?

“Aster, please let me in. Baby, I’m so damned worried about you. Don’t make me break the door down.”

Damn it. She knew he’d do it, too. She understood how scared he was for her. Well, she was, too. But she got up and unlocked the door, then stepped back, unable to look at him.

“Thank God,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

But she couldn’t move, couldn’t return his embrace.

“Come on, baby. Let’s sit down. I think you’re in shock.”

She let him lead her to the couch, her mind a foggy blank. She couldn’t think. Didn’t want to.

He sat next to her, his arm around her, and he was quiet for a long time before he asked, “What can I do, Aster? What can I get you? Do you want some tea?”

She couldn’t seem to find her voice to answer, so she simply shook her head.

He slid off the couch and knelt in front of her, taking her face in his hands. “Baby? You’re scaring the shit out of me. I’m so damn sorry. I would never have agreed to this if I’d known this would happen. Just tell me what I can do.”

“Nothing,” she finally said, her voice a hollow croak.

He rubbed her arms. “Are you cold?”

“I… I don’t know. I feel… nothing.”

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