“Are you kidding me? Nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with me. You and Max want me out of your lives. Firing me was the perfect way to do it. End of story.”
“We don’t have a choice. We’re doing this for you.”
“There are always choices, Toby. This was a setup right from the moment Max put me back on the floor, wasn’t it?”
When he didn’t respond, she repeated the question. The clear blue eyes that looked back at her were filled with sadness.
“We’re not good for you, Maura. We knew it, but we wanted you so badly we put our own needs first, and maybe from what I just witnessed, Max still is. We’ve hurt you, and for that I’ll never forgive myself.”
“I don’t believe you,” she screamed, shaking free, a crazy laugh erupting from between her lips. “Stop lying! You and your brother just wanted a good fuck, and now you’re ready to move on. You never thought I was good enough for you.”
“Maura!” The sharp tone of Toby’s voice had the desired effect. She stopped laughing.
“What’s the matter? Afraid I’m going a little crazy?” Maura knew she was over the edge of any sensible reasoning. Once again, she had put herself in a no-win situation where men were concerned. Only this time, her heart was breaking more painfully than she thought possible. She knew now that she had never been in love with Tim. She had been hurt, but nothing compared to the pain she was feeling at this very moment.
“Maura,” Toby said gently, “I can’t bear seeing you like this, and knowing I’m the reason is killing me.”
“How long have you and Max been conspiring to fire me?” She stepped back from him.
“You don’t understand. It’s complicated.”
Suddenly all the fight went out of her. It was over. “You’re right. It is complicated, and I’m sick and tired of complicated. I need to go and get dressed.”
She turned, but Toby’s hand shot out from behind her to block her exit. “Maura,” he whispered into her hair, “I need you to try and understand.”
She began to tremble. His touch was doing strange things to her. “What do you want from me, Toby?”
“He wants what he’s always wanted,” Max said softly from behind them. Neither one of them had heard him enter the room.
“You’re not playing fair,” she whispered.
“Damn it, Maura,” Max growled. “Can’t you see that this is tearing us apart, too? Sometimes in life you can’t have what you want. This is one of those times.”
“I get it. I’m the kind of girl you just fuck for fun, not the kind of girl you take home to meet Mommy and Daddy, right?” She said it so low she wondered if they heard her.
Max and Toby looked at each other before Toby spoke, his voice tortured. “We’re not ashamed of you, Maura. It’s just that you’re not like us. It’s not you, Maura. It’s us.”
“You keep saying that. It’s just an excuse to make you feel better about using my body to satisfy your own.”
“I know this is hard for you,” Max said softly. “But in the long run, you’ll be better off away from us.”
“Stop dancing around the truth. Katie warned me that your parents were in an elite group. You’re rich snobs. I can’t change who I am, and I don’t want to.” Maura choked on her own tears. “But before I leave, I want you to know exactly what you’re giving up.”
She put her hand on Toby’s cheek and brought her lips up to his. His mouth opened as she kissed him hard and deep. She melted into him, her body rubbing up against his. She heard him groan. His arms closed in around her. She felt the kiss course through her setting fire to every nerve in her body. She never wanted it to stop, but she knew for her own survival she had to stop the kiss.
When she turned to Max, his eyes all but devoured her. She forced her body into his. His tongue invaded her mouth, plundering it with an angry urgency that took her breath away. His hands traveled down her back to her ass. He pulled her into his hard cock, which strained against his jeans. The crush of her sensitive nubs against his unyielding chest made her moan and her clit throb. She ran her hands through his hair, willing him to do more. She wanted so much more. However, the voice of reason wouldn’t let her forget that they were both willing to throw her away. With a cry, she shoved herself from Max’s arms and ran for the door. There was no victory to be had here, only defeat. She ran away from the two men she loved and could never have.
* * * *
Toby watched Maura disappear through the door. He ached to run after her. He had never wanted anything more in his life than to make love to her right there in the storeroom with his brother doing the same.
“What have we done, Max?”
“The only thing we could do under the circumstances,” Max said sadly, walking slowly toward the door Maura had just exited. “I need a drink, and not from the bar. I’ve got some Scotch in my office.”
Back in Max’s office, he watched his brother grab two glasses from a drawer in his desk along with a bottle of very old Scotch that had belonged to their uncle. Max poured them both a shot, handing one to Toby.
In unison they both downed their drink. Then, without saying a word, Max turned away from and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Toby sat down staring at the papers spread across the desk in front of him, including an envelope with Maura’s name on it. Guilt consumed him.
When Max didn’t return from the bathroom within a few minutes, he knew his brother was waiting for him to leave. Could he blame him for wanting to be alone? The anguish and pain he had seen on his brother’s face would be burned into his memory forever. He picked up the envelope before leaving. He slammed the door behind him loud enough so that Max would know he had gone.
Chapter Sixteen
Maura ran into the changing room that had been thankfully left unlocked. She tore her uniform off, throwing it into the laundry bin. Standing naked, she shook with hard wrenching sobs. How was she going to get through this? How could she continue to love two men who had rejected her so openly? Wiping away the tears, she pulled her clothes from her locker. She had just wiggled into her jeans when the door opened. She covered her breasts with her hands.
“It’s only me,” Katie said, walking in past her to her own locker.
Maura just nodded. She quickly hooked her bra and then slipped her jersey top over her head.
Katie turned to her. “I’m sorry, Maura. I truly am. I’ve gotten to like you, and I know this hurts in more ways than one, but believe me, it is for the best.”
“Stop saying that! It’s not for the best, at least not for me.”
“I know you don’t think that now, but believe me, it is.”
“Is it more than just that they’re filthy rich? Is it the fact that I’m with both of them? I mean, I know it’s unconventional.
“That’s only one part of it. I’m really sorry you lost your job, but you’re not cut out for this kind of work.”
“Don’t be. I’ll find something else. This isn’t the only after-hour’s club in town.”
“Stay away from after-hour’s clubs, Maura.”
“I’m a working girl, Katie. I don’t have a choice but to go where the money is.”
Katie shook her head with a sigh before she reached for an envelope she had tucked into her waistband. “Toby told me to give you this. You left it in Max’s office.” Katie shoved the envelope that Max had tried to give her in her hand.
“I don’t want their money.”
“Don’t be stupid. Whatever it is, Max can afford it, and you obviously need it. Use it to give you the time to find something better suited for a girl like you.”
She looked at the envelope. She wanted to rip it in a thousand pieces. However, what Katie said made sense. She could always pay them back later. She wished she didn’t need it so badly. She stuffed it in her purse before she gave Katie a hug good-bye.
She was glad to see that Max and Toby were nowhere around as she headed to the ladies’ room. She quickly splashed s
ome cold water on her face and opened her to purse to take out her lipstick. The envelope from Max fell onto the floor. She picked it up and opened it. She leaned against the sink. She took another look, thinking she had misread the amount. The check he had written to her would more than cover her debt, with enough left over to make a new start anywhere she wanted. The number was obscene.
She couldn’t suppress the rage that swept through her. She wasn’t a whore and she wouldn’t let them make her into one by taking money for sleeping with them. She’d find another way. She hated that they had made her feel even more cheap and dirty. She tore up the check and threw it in the garbage can on her way out the door.
She was so lost in thought when she stepped out onto the pavement in front of the Wolf’s Den that she didn’t see the door to a limo swing open directly in front of her. It wasn’t until she heard a familiar voice that she lifted her head.
“I wondered how long you’d be,” Joanie said, sticking her head out from inside the limo. “Come on and get in. Since this was your last night at the Wolf’s Den, I thought you should ride home in style.”
Maura stood staring at her. She was stunned.
“Let’s go, we ain’t getting any younger.”
“I can take a taxi.”
“But you’re not going to, not tonight. Now get in before I have Sheldon pick you up and put you in here.”
Maura stepped off the curb and into the limo. Sheldon shut the door behind her before taking his place at the wheel. “This here is Maura,” Joanie said to the man who tipped his hat. “And that’s my Sheldon. You’ve heard me talk about him. About time you got to meet him.”
“Hi, Sheldon.”
“Nice to meet you, Miss Maura.” Kind eyes looked back at her from the rearview mirror.
“Now that we all know each other, I’ve got a bone to pick with you. Didn’t you listen to anything I told you? Are you deaf as well as dumb, girl?”
Maura couldn’t help herself. She started to laugh uncontrollably. She had never thought Joanie liked her, but then, what did she really know? Her instincts had been about as far off as anyone’s could be about everything. Maybe it made sense in the scheme of her crazy upside-down world that it should be Joanie who came to her rescue. She leaned over and hugged the woman, whose arms gently hugged her back. The laughter that had all but consumed her quickly turned to sobs that wracked her body.
“Now there, Maura.” Joanie patted her back. “There’s nothing gone wrong that can’t be fixed.”
Not able to speak, she simply let the tears flow. Joanie continued to rub her back.
“And, Sheldon”—she raised her voice—“Maura’s coming home with me tonight.”
Maura looked up, barely able to see Joanie through her tears.
“Don’t even think about arguing with me. My mind’s made up. You and I got some talking to do, girl.”
By the time they arrived at Joanie’s, Maura had dried her tears. “I’m sorry, Joanie. I didn’t want to do that.”
“A good cry never hurt anybody. In fact, it’s good for the soul, if you ask me. Helps to clear your head.”
Sheldon opened the car door and Maura stepped out into the driveway of what she could only term as a mansion. It was a massive English Tudor. Joanie inched her way out with Sheldon’s assistance.
“It’s a big old place, that’s for sure. I don’t use it all. But I couldn’t bear to part with it after Hank died. He loved this place.”
“It’s beautiful.”
She grabbed Maura’s hand. “Thank you. Now come on in, and I’ll show you around.”
Each room they entered was decorated beautifully with antique furniture, Persian rugs, and expensive collectables. Maura followed Joanie from room to room, wondering why the woman hung out at a place like the Wolf’s Den when she obviously had the money to frequent much more elegant establishments. Maybe she really did have a crush on Max.
“Come along, that’s enough for one day,” Joanie said, looking slightly embarrassed. “Let’s get you settled for the night, unless you’re hungry. You look like you’re about to topple over from exhaustion.”
Maura shook her head. “Thanks for taking pity on me, Joanie. I couldn’t eat a thing. Sleep is all I want right now.”
Joanie showed her into to a beautiful room painted lilac with accents in different shades of blue. The centerpiece was a white lace canopied bed that looked like it was made for a princess. The room itself was huge, with its own full bathroom and French doors that led to a small outside deck.
“Oh, Joanie, this is one of the loveliest rooms I’ve ever seen.”
“It’s my favorite bedroom, other than mine.”
“I really can’t thank you enough.”
“Tomorrow morning we’ll have breakfast around eleven o’clock. If you sleep through, don’t worry about it. See you tomorrow.”
Joanie started to leave but then turned. “Oh, and there are nighties and pajamas in the dresser.”
Joanie must have seen the questioning look in Maura’s eyes. “They belonged to my daughter. I know you’re not going to believe this, but she became a nun. I rarely see her and she wants nothing to do with any of this.”
Maura didn’t know what to say, so she just smiled and said, “I appreciate your generosity.”
It was crazy that she was sleeping in Joanie’s house. Everything from the moment she had walked into Max’s office until now was surreal. It was like she was having an out-of-body experience. She had not only lost her job but the two men she loved. They really don’t want me.
She turned on the shower and stood under it like a zombie. New tears ran down her cheeks, mingling with the water that ran off her nose. Slowly she wiped herself off with a lavender towel before she put on a pink nightgown and slipped into the king-size bed. Her treacherous body still longed for their touch even after everything that happened. A wave of tiredness washed over her, but still her mind raced. How could something that had seemed so right, be so wrong?
Chapter Seventeen
Only Rhonda had heard from Maura since she had been fired, and her message had gone directly to voice mail. According to Rhonda, Maura was fine and was going to be gone for a few weeks visiting a distant relative. As far as Max knew, there had been no messages since. If there had been, Rhonda probably wouldn’t have told him. She had been so angry at their last meeting, he doubted she felt the need to share any information about Maura. Rhonda had looked at him liked she wanted to kill him.
“How could you have just fired her on the spot like that without any warning? No wonder she ran away. Did you really expect her to go back to the house she lived in with you and Toby?”
“I don’t know what I thought or expected. Emotions were running high. I only knew I couldn’t let her work here anymore. I know you think I’m an asshole, but believe me when I tell you it really is the best for all concerned, especially Maura. I should have never gone against my instincts and hired her in the first place.”
“Well then,” Rhonda said sarcastically, “I guess it’s my fault, then, for convincing you to interview her.”
“Damn it, Rhonda. You know it’s not your fault. It’s my fault and no one else. I knew it was risky, and I did it anyway.”
“You did it because you wanted her in your bed, and when you and Toby figured out she wanted more, she became an unwanted complication.”
“What we had with Maura is none of your business. All you need to know is that she was fired because she couldn’t handle our customers, and you know that I’m right. She proved it over and over again. I had no choice but to let her go.”
“You had a choice. She could have stayed behind the bar, but you put her back on the floor. I think the reason is pretty clear.”
“I put her where I needed her. With you calling out and other issues, it was the only logical solution.”
“Again, it comes back to me. Believe me, Max, I’ll never recommend anyone else for a job here. I had no idea you were going to give
her a lot more than a job. I thought you had a pretty firm rule about that kind of thing.”
“This conversation is over, Rhonda.”
Rhonda shrugged her shoulders. “The truth is, Max, I’ve always really liked you. More than that, I’ve always respected you. Firing Maura the way you did doesn’t sit well with me, but”—she backed away from his desk—“I’ll drop it for the sake of my job that I need to keep. I better get to get back to my tables before you fire me, too.”
“No one’s firing you.” Max sighed.
Rhonda was halfway to the door when Max called after her, “I meant to ask you how Todd’s doing.”
“He’s home and feeling a lot better,” Rhonda said without turning around. She shut the door behind her.
Max knew she was right. He didn’t like himself much these days either. What had once been a refuge for him was now a bitter reminder of the woman he had sent away. Selling the place looked better and better to him. He needed to get back to what he did best. Medicine would help him forget Maura, and if it didn’t, at least he wouldn’t be in a place that did nothing but remind him of how much he missed having her in his life and his bed.
On the way home that night, in the car, Toby questioned him about his conversation with Rhonda. Max knew he had been itching to talk to him all night but had waited until they were totally alone.
“I guess Rhonda doesn’t know where she is either.”
“That’s what she’s telling me, but she could be lying. It wouldn’t surprise me if Maura asked her to keep her whereabouts a secret from us.”
“We need to find her, Max. We need to fucking find her. If anything happens to her, I swear…” Toby said in agony.
“She needs to be away from us, Toby. The kindest thing we can do is leave her alone.”
“All I can think about is the way she looked that night. What we did to her…her kiss still haunts me. I wish I could at least tell her that it wasn’t just sex.”
“Don’t be a fool. You want to cause her even more pain? And then what? ‘Oh, by the way, Maura, I can turn into a wolf at will, just part of the family genealogy. Don’t make this any harder than it is.”
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