Page 58 of Maximum
CHAPTER 15
Label
Fleur
I was quiet when we drove back to the lodge. I’d always sensed that there was darkness beneath Maximum’s charming exterior but seeing his anger with Anthony had brought the darkness to the surface.
My empathy for him made my heart bleed.
I’d never asked for details of what happened in his childhood, but I knew his father had killed his mother and many others.
Maximum held on to the steering wheel like it was the only thing anchoring him.
“Do you want me to drive?” I offered.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Your emotions are so raw that it’s hard for me to breathe. I get it, but I’m worried you’re distracted and will crash the car.”
“I said I’m fine!” The way he pressed his words through gritted teeth contradicted them.
“You have a lot of unresolved emotions toward your father.”
“You think?” He scoffed out loud like it was obvious and a stupid thing to say.
Again, we were quiet until Maximum sighed and reached out to take my hand. “I’m sorry. Seeing him just brought up so many painful memories.”
“That label thing triggered you.”
“What label thing? You mean the cult?”
“No. What you said about your father never defining his relationship with your mother. It felt personal.”
Maximum’s face was tense as he kept his eyes on the country road, which luckily had little traffic.
“You keep asking me to be in a relationship with you and I haven’t committed to anything. Is that what triggered you?”
He kept his eyes on the road when he stated, “We’re having sex. You’re mine.”
I watched the pain on his face and wished I could have used a soft tone, but the motor on the old Jeep was loud so I had to shout a little. “I assume your parents had sex too since you and Atlas were a result of it, but you were so angry when you said that your father never defined his relationship with your mother. Why does it matter to you so much?”
“Because he fucking cheated on her all the time. She loved him and he took everything from her without giving her the one thing she craved the most: his loyalty.”
“Are you scared that I’d do the same?”
His silence gave me goose bumps.
“You’re afraid of loving me and of me using you.”
“Are you?” He gave me a sideways glance. “We have sex but that’s all I’m good for, isn’t it?”
“Wow…” I stared out of the window feeling his pain in powerful waves that nauseated me. “I can’t move faster than what I’m comfortable with. You said that you’ve been in love with me since we first met, but that puts you way ahead of me. I’ve been so closed off to love that this feels like I’m losing my balance and I’m terrified of falling again.”
He stayed quiet and for minutes the atmosphere was so thick we could have cut it with a knife.
“If it makes you feel better, I’ve never experienced sex that was so passionate with anyone.”
“Anyone? I thought you said you’d only been with Pierre.” He gave me a quick glance.
