“Doesn’t sound like you’re too wild about her,” she said. “But, seriously, Max, we’ll talk about this later, ok? Just drive safe.”
They disconnected, and she tucked the phone away, taking time to bolster herself before turning to stride back to her party. “Who was that?” Blair asked.
“Max,” Tally said. He was going to show up in a minute, so it wasn’t like there was any point in lying. “He’s going to help us out.”
For maybe twenty seconds, Blair, Kimmy, and even George stared at her like she’d grown an extra head. “You called the Stretton heir to come here and change our tire?” Blair asked.
“No, I called the man I’m sleeping with,” she said because as crude as it might sound, she couldn’t use the word boyfriend. “Trust me, he knows what he’s doing. He’s not going to get hurt.”
“I didn’t…” Kimmy was over her trauma, now she was just a bundle of stuttering confusion. Calling Max at least saved her from thinking about her mom’s death. “How does Max know how to change a tire?”
“He used to own a garage,” she said, watching Blair walk away. Tally folded her arms and propped a hip on the car. “You know, Max is actually an interesting guy when you take the time to talk to him.”
Kimmy sneered. “You’re his mistress, not his wife, you don’t really know anything about him.”
Kimmy turned to flounce off after Blair. Watching her go, Tally wondered if that’s what Teddy had told Laura through the years when he had affairs, and if Kimmy had heard her parents arguing about it. As brilliant as Teddy was in business, he’d never been fulfilled in love. Tally thought he loved Laura but couldn’t understand how he could and then sleep with other women.
“Are we going to lose our jobs for this?” George asked, coming closer.
It was nice to have a friend. Most of the others at the house had shut her out since she’d become Max’s mistress. There was a strict “us” and “them” divide among employees and those who crossed it never crossed back.
“Max won’t fire us,” she said, and when he blanched, she patted his arm. “This wasn’t your fault and I think my phone call is going to be the highlight of the night, take solace in that.”
An engine faded up, and she smiled when she heard his speed. He’d say he was worried about her and wanted to get to the scene fast, but she knew he also liked to let loose on long, straight roads like this.
Kimmy and Blair were back with them by the time Max pulled up and got out. “Having some trouble?” Max asked, walking around the car to check the tires.
“You don’t have to do this,” Blair said. “It was ridiculous of Tallulah to phone you.”
Max stopped by the flat tire, looked at it for three seconds, and then turned to toss her a set of car keys. Tally only just managed to catch them. “Get in my car, stay warm,” he said.
“No,” she said. Passing off the keys to a flabbergasted Kimmy, Tally strode to his side and nudged him with her hip. “Teach me.”
He drew his eyes from the tire to her, the corner of his mouth rising as he did. “For real?” he asked, and she nodded. Turning to face her, he folded his arms over his broad chest. “Tell me, Tal, baby, when do you think you’re going to need to change a tire?”
She opened her hands at the flat beside them. “I find myself in that very situation tonight.”
“You’d have changed this yourself?” he asked, tipping his chin toward it.
“If I knew how,” she said and had to smile when she read the amused pride that grew in his expression.
“You know, baby, I believe you would’ve given this a fucking shot if you had to.”
“If it wasn’t so cold,” she said.
Max took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. “You don’t even drive a car. You’re ever in one that gets a flat, you call me, just like you did tonight.”
“What if you’re in Boca Raton?”
His grin flared. “Why would I be in—” Cutting himself off, he shook his head. “Never mind. If I’m not around… call Robbie.”
“Call Robbie,” she said at the same time he did, and they shared a smile.
For a second, Tally had forgotten they weren’t alone. Recalling that they had an audience made her clear her throat and squirm. This kind of familiarity should be reserved for when they were in private.
A flash of curiosity crossed his face as he noticed her mood shift, then he looked up to the others behind her. “The rest of you go and sit in my car. I’ll be done in five.”
The others trotted off to do as they were told. Tally didn’t go with them. Max started to move toward the rear of the car, she stepped backwards, out of his path. “Not going to put your foot down and send me away?”
“Nope,” he said, opening the trunk. “ ‘Cause you’re the boss around here and if you want me to talk you through it, that’s what I’ll do.” She smiled but wondered if her being assertive had really been the thing to break through and silence his objections when he peeked over the trunk lid at her. “Plus, seeing me do shit like this makes you horny.”
Trying to deny it would be insane, but she did try to subdue her smile so he wouldn’t know how right he was. But, Max knew her, and her moods, especially her carnal ones, and saw right through her attempt to be reserved. Both of them ended up forgetting about the cold as they stared through the night at each other.
Calling Max when she was in trouble had immediately made her feel safer. Blair and Kimmy would take news of this back to Teddy, and as much as that concerned her, Tally knew this night would serve as a test. Would the family let Max run his own relationship with his mistress or was daddy going to step in?
TWENTY-ONE
The answer to that question came swiftly; the next day to be exact. Tally had been called into Teddy’s office before, but never like this. Usually, if he had a task for her, he’d send an email or have his assistant call, but there were always some details about the reason for the summons, even if they were vague.
If he wanted to have a discussion or ask something, he’d usually do it at the estate, either in the morning before he went to work or after he was home. The only reason she was ever called to the office was to transport files or for function arrangements. Neither was on the agenda that day.
Tally had never been summoned to his Stretton Chemicals office in the middle of the day by three simple words in the subject line of an otherwise blank email: Get Here Now.
That’s how they’d been written, each with a capital letter, and somehow each conveying his displeasure.
She’d been naïve to think she’d get away with it. Max had somehow convinced her that if they just pretended to be them, it would work out, and the other people in his family wouldn’t notice their level of intimacy. But, what had happened last night was the perfect example of how they couldn’t just ignore the mistress contract.
Max wanted them to be them; it was a lovely, romantic notion. But, they weren’t them anymore and would never be them again. Not like they had been. It was almost pointless for her to even show up at the meeting with Teddy at Stretton. Tally knew what it was going to be about and its likely outcome.
The email had come through while she was lying in bed with Max after he’d showed up at the house and stolen her upstairs for a little afternoon delight. She’d been watching Max sleep, and after reading Teddy’s request she’d gotten dressed and tiptoed out of their bedroom.
Grateful that they’d had the chance to enjoy each other before she’d received her orders, Tally had peeked at Max one more time before closing the bedroom door. All the while she wondered if she’d ever see him again and how he’d handle it if Teddy had to give him the news that she’d been let go.
The situation got more dire when she found Pierre waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs in the Estate lobby. Tally had slowed when she’d seen how pale her once dear friend was, and what was left of her hope seeped away.
The journey to Stretton Chemicals seemed shorter than it eve
r had before. But that could’ve been due to the ominous silence that hung between her and Pierre, or her own sinking dread that she’d crossed the line for the final time.
Pierre dropped her off at the main SC entrance, and for a brief moment she considered bolting for a brief moment, but knew that wouldn’t change anything. So, she’d gone inside and up to the executive floor. It was a journey she’d done countless times, but it had never filled her with such trepidation.
Left waiting outside Teddy’s corporate office, clutching her purse, Tally figured that although it was nerve-wracking, the time gave her a chance to reflect on how the hell she’d gotten to this point in her life and her career… which seemed to be over.
For almost every minute Tally sat there, she wished Teddy would hurry up and just call her in to get the tongue lashing, and potential firing, over with. Except as soon as the door opened and Teddy’s newest assistant came out, Tally wanted to send her straight back inside and delay the inevitable.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have magic powers that would make that happen. “You can go in,” the assistant said, doing her the courtesy of looking contrite.
But, this situation wasn’t the youngster’s fault; Tally wasn’t going to shoot the messenger. Inhaling and resigning herself to her fate, she swung herself up, out of her chair, and began that long final walk, wondering if death row inmates felt the same way on their journey to the electric chair.
Theodore Stretton’s office was large and intimidating at the best of times, decorated in a traditional style, it was a classic example of Teddy’s belief in his own importance.
The man did nothing to reassure her as she crossed the thick pile carpet and ascended the two stairs to the second level which held his desk.
Usually, she’d stand next to the desk to get instructions and then leave again without giving the encounter much thought. But, this time, she didn’t know what to do. So, she just loitered, waiting for Teddy to look up.
It was a good ninety seconds before he did, and even when he looked at her, he considered her for thirty seconds before opening his hand toward the chair opposite his desk.
“I think we both know why you’re here,” Teddy said.
She scurried over to the seat and sat down. “Yes, sir.”
“What you did, it…” He sort of smiled as he scoffed out a laugh, but it was one of incredulity. “You know you had no right to do that. Your behavior… it’s completely over the line. I know you think you have some claim to my son. But you know that’s an illusion. You’re a vessel for his use, that’s what you agreed to.”
Meaning she wasn’t allowed to have opinions and wasn’t meant to put ideas in Max’s head, much less take the liberty of making demands on his time. “I know.”
“He’s… protective of you. He doesn’t understand how this world works.”
The condescension in his tone almost made her lip curl, but then she remembered it was her role here to be meek and apologetic. This wasn’t Max who’d encourage her to stand up, this was Teddy who wanted her to bow down.
“Sir—”
“There was a time when I thought you could be useful to him… and to me. But, the Walker Benefit switched me on to your influence over him. At first, I was dubious. Blair thought maybe you could be used to our advantage. But…” Slowly, he began to shake his head and peer at her like he didn’t recognize her. “I’m not sure you are who I thought you were, Tallulah. You’ve changed.”
It was her impulse to argue that point, but the moment her lips parted, she took a silent breath and closed them again.
When she’d first gone to find Max, she’d been Teddy’s minion. There to do his bidding. She’d cared more about making sure he was happy and that her job was secure, and less about who Max was or how this experience would change his life.
Tally had been naïve. She’d thought anyone being told they were going to live in a fancy house and have almost unlimited access to funds would be the thrill of a lifetime. Max had barely blinked.
He hadn’t cared about the money and had no desire to change, though he had. And, he’d changed her; his love for her had changed her. Max had done nothing but encourage her to be who she was, and somehow, she’d ended up pushing him into a life that changed the very essence of who he was.
The weight of her head was almost too much for her to hold. She began to retreat into herself as it fell. Tally had nothing to be proud of here. She wasn’t the only one in a no-win situation. Max should have everything this life could offer. It was only his ties to her, his love for her, holding him back.
“Max is a powerful man,” she said, but this wasn’t his fault. His only sin was falling in love with her.
“He’s a Stretton,” Teddy said like he was somehow responsible for the man Max was, when she knew that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Tally loved the man who’d taken her earring to pay for their drinks. She loved the man who’d fed her beer and chips and pulled her into his lap to watch a ballgame. Her love was for the man who’d slid his finger into her in a dark, crowded nightclub and whispered dirty words in her ear.
All she kept thinking about was the back of the limo the night of the Walker Benefit and how she’d tried to put space between them. But, she’d given up on being sensible when being with him just felt too good.
The heartache she’d been avoiding hit her hard now. Some corner of her must have always believed that there would be a way for her and Max to come back together. But, this brief time at his side as his mistress had proved that was impossible. She couldn’t be with Max. He couldn’t be with her.
Their relationship. Their love. It was over.
“I’ll pack my things and be out of the house before you return,” she murmured.
Teddy scoffed. “If I thought my son would let that go by, I wouldn’t have bothered with this meeting. I’d have had you turfed out the moment Blair told me what happened.”
So, he hadn’t found out from Max last night, he’d found out from Blair today. That was telling and proved that whether he realized it or not, Max had known to be discreet. He knew that Teddy would only accept so much from their relationship and that being themselves together would never be permitted.
That awareness in itself should be enough to show Max they couldn’t flout the rules and be together as they wanted to be. But, he was pigheaded and wouldn’t give up on her like he should. Even if it meant losing each other, Max had to see that this life could offer him so much more than she ever could.
Tally had once told him they would grow to resent each other if they struggled through and shunned Stretton’s money. Now, she feared, they’d come to resent each other if they were forced to live together with it.
But, Teddy was right. If Tally thought she could make Max see it was better for her to leave, then she would walk out the door and never see him again. But, he wouldn’t make it that easy on either of them.
“He has to learn for himself,” Tally murmured. “He has to know that we can never be…” But, there was no end to that sentence, it was a sentence in itself. “That we can never be.”
“Exactly,” he said. “I don’t know why he’s infatuated with you. But, he is.”
The subtext was that Teddy would never allow her to be part of the family, but she wasn’t naïve to that fact and was actually pleased he hadn’t said it aloud, because it would just be embarrassing for both of them.
To have the Stretton heir marry a former employee would be a scandal that Teddy just wouldn’t tolerate given how he valued his reputation.
Not that Tally wanted to marry Max Stretton. A life dictated by Teddy would be tolerable for a while, but if they wanted to live on their own, it wouldn’t be allowed. To have children would mean signing over parental decisions to Teddy who liked to be in control of everything and everyone.
Living in the Estate forever, raising their children there, neither of them would be happy, and they’d end up taking it out on each other.
; The hardest part was knowing that Max was losing who he was. The man she loved, the one she’d fallen for so hard, would fade away. He’d learn to bow to Teddy and would eventually marry a woman he liked and let his father dictate how his grandchildren should be raised.
Tally would be long gone by then. Without the Strettons she had no idea what her life would be. All she could think about was Max’s life and her wonderful, powerful, incredible Max Flynn slipping away.
“What do you suggest?” she asked, knowing that Teddy would already have a plan.
“Embrace the life,” he said. “We’ll move you into your own suite of rooms. You’ll visit him at night to allow him access to your body. But, you won’t sleep with him and will limit all other contact. It won’t take him long to see that this isn’t a life for you.”
It wasn’t a life for her, but she didn’t like how much that pleased Teddy. He might think her compliance was something to do with allegiance to him, it wasn’t. Tally knew that both she and Max would change if they were forced into this life. If she wasn’t sure she could love the man he’d become, then she wasn’t sure he’d be able to love the woman she would grow into.
The only thing worse than losing Max was thinking he could ever look into her eyes and not feel for her the way he did now… or the way he had when they were wrapped in each other in his apartment.
Rising to her feet, Tally wasn’t going to wait to be dismissed when he’d said all she needed to hear. Teddy hadn’t expected her to stand, but he leaped up after she was on her feet.
“I’ll go and pack. Just tell me where you need me to go.”
Teddy smiled and rocked back on his heels. “Good girl, Tallulah. This family has been good to you. I would hate for you to forget that.”
“I won’t forget what this family gave me,” she said because if it wasn’t for them, she’d never have met Max. The relationship might be doomed, but she’d never regret those precious moments when she’d been happy with him. “I assume if Max releases me from my contract, you’ll allow me to terminate all connection to the Strettons. My mistress duties and my employment.”
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