Page 57 of Throne of Obsession

Max is closer, watching our exchange, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking.

Elliot extends his hand. “Walk with me,” he pleads, his eyes so damn sincere.

My feet refuse to move as I watch the room around us, worried that this could be the spark that lights everything up.

Max

Siennalooksstunninginher little white sporty dress thing. Her ass is begging to be handled by my palm. My eyes are only on her as I take each step until the small-town bartender decides he has a death wish.

The air in the room changes, the energy vibrating with anxious anticipation. I pause, not interfering, wanting to see how this goes.

Sienna’s fake smile is gone, replaced with a gentle frown as she tries to let this guy off the hook too nicely. It’s rather convenient he’s here and not in Oakport Beach.

I press my tongue to the top of my mouth to stop me from saying something that will draw attention to me. By nightfall, Sienna will be mine once again.

My eyes fly to the front when red and blue lights scatter across the dim house. It’s like the whole room goes into slow motion as I watch everything play out. Jack and her father cheers their cans of beer, each aluminum can denting. They watch as mayhem ignites their club.What am I missing?

Elliot begs Sienna to take his hand while everyone else is frantic, running in every direction, trying to escape the cops. My back straightens. Jack, Bram, and even possibly Elliot expected the cops. They’re the only fuckers not stressing out.

The pretty boy is trying to grab her hand but Sienna just stands there, shooing him, trying to get him to leave. I step up, my side touching hers now. “She said leave.”

He opens and closes his mouth before running with no direction in mind like everyone else.

The place still smells of weed and cigarettes as the officers walk into an almost-vacant clubhouse. There are still a few random people freaking out, hiding in odd places.

“What can we help you with?” her father asks the officers.

The police hardly glance at the two men and walk right over to us. “Sienna Levine?” they question.

“Yes?” Her voice is uncertain, her eyes darting to her father, me, and the cops.

“You are under arrest…” They handcuff her, reading her rights. It’s not until now that I realize what I fear, and that’s losing her.

Chapter 30: Max

I’mfrozenasIwatch Sienna being arrested for the attempted murder of Jack Pierce. It should be me. Instead, it’s her being punished for my crime.

My sin.

My fuck up.

Suddenly, I’m that scared little boy who’s standing outside his home staring at his dead father’s head, yet in my mind, his lips are still moving, yelling at me for being a fuck up. For not being able to concentrate hard enough to earn the right to be his heir. He even told me he was happy I wasn’t second in line and that Romeo was when our oldest brother died.

Like the fuck up I am, I stand there, my feet unmoving. I swear, not even my eyes are blinking as I watch my girl being handcuffed. Her eyes lock on to mine, a single tear escaping over her lashes. Her face is so beautiful, even when she’s dejected. She refuses to allow another salty drop to escape.

The cop hauls her away with unnecessary force, her feet tripping from the sudden movement. I’m forced to witness her suffering for my crime, my attempted murder.

Her head hangs down, but I’m still able to see her pretty moss eyes shine with wetness as they pull her out of the house.

I want to kiss her sadness away, but my feet are frozen to the ground. She lifts her head, looking back at me. Her eyes hold a silent plea for help, and I do nothing. My muscles refuse to work, I’m held prisoner in my own mind as I’m forced to watch.

Her brows dip when I do nothing. The cop pats her down, displaying two knives she had hidden on her. Evidence. My heart stills when I see one of the knives is mine. She sucks in a breath, trying to be strong, fighting back the tears.

My chest and ribs are so fucking tight, and still, instead of going to her like I should, I’m thinking about how gorgeous she is. The sight of her has become my kryptonite, and each day I know her it becomes worse.

My heart wants to leap out and attach to hers. She has blinded me, made me weak, sloppy, and the person I’ve become ignores all logic.

“Max!” she calls for me.

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