by K. T Fisher
She pats me on my chest before walking away, and as she disappears, I see Tanya poke her head around the corner. She looks in the direction of where Jessica went and then stands in front of me.
“That was intense.” Tanya says and I nod my head in agreement. “But I’d take her seriously. Jess doesn’t threaten someone if she doesn’t mean it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Tanya cocks her head to the side, and I know that I’m going to get pretty much the same speech from her as I did from Jessica.
“What you heard about Lauren was real,” she starts. This surprises me as I thought she would talk about Maisy. “You need to be careful around that one. Really, Max, she’s not a good person.”
“I’m kind of getting that.” I answer her. Christ! Do these girls really not trust me with Maisy?
“Well, then you better take me seriously, Max. She screwed over her own sister to get what she wanted, and that sister was Maisy. You know as well as I do how much of a good person Maisy is. How can someone do that to her, especially her sister?! I do not trust that bitch at all, and I love you too, Max. I don’t want to see you get hurt, but, truthfully, Maisy comes before you where I’m concerned.”
“I get that.” And I really do.
“So you understand that if you hurt her, I will be backing Jess up on her threat and I won’t stop at the balls.”
“Fuck, Tan,” I laugh.
“Laugh now, but I’m speaking the truth. Between you and me, I know everything what’s going on and you two idiots need to properly talk this shit out. Until then, you be careful and stay away from Lauren because she will hurt Maisy while she’s back. She always does, and I hope you’re not involved.”
She gives me a smile before walking away.
“Be careful with my nephew in there. All this worrying might stress him out.”
With that, I hear her laughter as she walks away.
“We don’t know the sex yet.”
“Please! You’re pregnant with Leo’s baby. It has to be a boy.”
Well, fuck me, threats from two friends. Tonight has been interesting.
Chapter Thirteen
Maisy
The next morning I receive a text message from Max. He’s coming over and is not taking no as an answer. Panicking, I prepare myself as I clean and fuss around the house. After having a quick shower, I took an hour just deciding on what I was going to wear and then even longer getting myself ready. I wanted to look as good as I could, without looking too obvious, and I wanted my house spotless. Not that he will even notice. Max never does care for how much I like to clean.
As I’m unnecessarily organizing my cushions on the sofa, there’s a knock on the door. It makes me jump, and I stupidly stand staring at the door until there’s a second loud knock. I quickly open it to see Max looking sexy as always. He gives me a gorgeous smile with extra dimples, and I let him in.
We both sit on the sofa, still not talking, and I feel really awkward. This is weird because I’ve never felt like this around Max before. We’ve never had to feel weird because our relationship contained just us being friends, until now. I’m not ignorant enough to ignore what is happening now.
Max clears his throat. “You okay?”
“Yeah. You?”
This makes him laugh. “Shit, we gonna be like this? Really?”
He laughs again, and the sound makes me smile. Just like that, the ice is broken. Not completely, but it’s a start.
“Look, I’ve been a dick,” Max begins and I shake my head.
“No, you haven’t.” I look him over. “In fact, yes you have.”
This shocks him into laughter. “Well, tell it like it is, Mase.”
“What did you want to talk about?” Tilly will be so proud.
Max straightens his back. “Me and Lauren.” I roll my eyes, and he shuffles closer to me. “No, Maisy, nothing happened. I’ve been trying to tell you this, but it’s true. Nothing happened, I would never do that to you.”
“Really?” I don’t know which part I’m asking about. The Lauren part, or the ‘not doing that to me’ part.
“She’s your sister, and you told me to stay away,” he simply answers.
“But you took her on a date and it ended back at your place. I saw her in your shirt, Max, what am I supposed to think happened?”
“I know how it looked, but I swear it wasn’t how it was. Believe me or not, but I think she planned that shit.”
This doesn’t surprise me at all. “Why do you say that?”
“Well, that night you and Lauren were at the club, I was there with James and Mark. We were in the V.I.P section, and I saw you. I was watching you, and suddenly there’s Lauren all up in my fucking face. I had no idea how she got in, but there she was. She was practically begging me to take her out, Maisy and when she saw I didn’t want to, she told me...”
He stops talking and I narrow my eyes. “She told you what?”
Max groans. “She said if I didn’t take her out on a date, she would tell you we slept together.”
I look at him for a few seconds and burst out laughing. It starts off as a giggle but turns into a full hysterical-type laugh.
“What the fuck are you laughing at me for?” He looks annoyed, bless him.
I wipe away my tears. “Oh god, Max, you fell for that?” I laugh some more. “She does that all the fucking time. Let me guess, she said she has standards and won’t fuck you until you took her out?” He nods his head, and I can’t help but laugh even more. “God, men are so stupid. Of course she would have fucked you, you fucking idiot! You’re Max-fucking-Lawson, for fuck’s sake! She would suck your dick in front of anyone just to say she has done it! The whole ‘take me out for dinner’ shit was so she could get some fucking attention out of it and piss me off. If I know my sister well, then I would guess she told the necessary people to get the paparazzi out there to greet you.”
Max hangs his head in shame. “Fuck! I played right into her fucking hands.”
I give him a ‘no shit’ look, and he moves closer to me again. “I’m sorry, Maisy, I didn’t see it. She drank herself silly all night and begged me not to take her to yours or your parents’ because she was too drunk. When we got to my place, I put her in Leo’s old room, and I was in mine.” Max’s room is Jax’s old one with the balcony looking out to the gorgeous view. “She was so drunk she fell asleep right away, and the next thing I knew, she was standing by my bed in her fucking underwear, telling me someone was at the door.”
I look at Max, and I instantly know he’s telling me the truth. I feel like shit for not listening to Tilly sooner and listen to what Max had to say.
“I can’t believe what she has done to you,” Max says, and he sounds so sad for me.
I manage a smile and he grabs me in a bone-crushing hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you before.” I apologise.
“Doesn’t fucking matter now,” he mumbles into my hair.
When he pulls me back, his smile brightens as he notices the shiny piece of jewellery around my neck. He pulls it from under my shirt. “You’re wearing it.”
“Of course I’m wearing it. I love it, and it’s from you, dumbass.”
He looks directly into my eyes, and I swear I think he’s about to kiss me. I don’t think I would stop him, either. The line between friendship and complicated is becoming very blurred at the moment.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it.”
“Maisy,” he begins, but something from deep within my body takes over me and I do the unthinkable.
I roughly lean over him and kiss those delicious lips of his and moan as he slips his tongue inside of my mouth. He tastes me, and I do the same. His hands reach across to my ass and squeeze so hard it feels amazing. He lifts me and places me onto his lap. I can’t believe it, but I am straddling Max and kissing him like a mad woman as I bring my hands into his hair on the scruff of his neck and pull. Max groans and bites on my lip, th
en trails down my neck causing me to shiver.
All of a sudden, the air changes when my phone rings and reality comes crashing down. I jump from Max’s lap and stumble to the floor. “Oh god! I’m so sorry.”
Max kneels down on the floor beside me. “What?”
“I’m so sorry,” I say, as I touch my swollen lips. I can’t believe I just did that.
My phone continues to ring but we ignore it. Max places his hands on either side of my face, and he kisses my forehead. “Shhh.” His smell and warmth calm me. “You have nothing to apologize for. I wanted that more than you know.”
I’m shocked. My wide eyes showing this and telling Max exactly what I’m feeling. He nods in answer. My phone rings again, and I smile shyly, reaching over for my phone and immediately missing Max’s touch. When I see the name JAKE on my screen, my happy feeling disappears and replaces with guilt.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Maisy, hi,” Jake replies. “We still ok for tonight?”
Shit! I totally fucking forgot that I have a date with Jake tonight!
“Yeah that’s fine.” I lie
“Great! I’ll be there at seven.”
He hangs up, and I dare to look around at Max. He’s standing now, and he doesn’t look happy at all with his tense muscles and arms folded across his wide chest. Jesus, even angry he looks gorgeous.
“Let me guess? The guy from the club you wished you had fucked?”
I nod. “I’m sorry.”
“No need.” He walks past me and out my front door before I can say anything else.
Chapter Fourteen
Max
Fuck!
I can’t believe after she kissed me like that, she’s going to go on a date! Yeah, I heard all of that phone conversation, and I’m fucking pissed!
I know with certainty that Maisy will be mine. I just have to make her believe it. I saw it for a while and felt it in how she kissed me, but I know she’s scared. She doesn’t want to go past the friend-zone but fucking forget all of that shit. We’ve gone past that now. I’ve known for a while that she’s what I want, and I’m tired of waiting and doing fuck-all about it. Now it’s time for me to chase her down, make her realize she has me, that I’m not letting her go, and I’ll make her mine in every way I can.
First things first, I have to track down this Jake guy she’s got a date with and put an end to it. So, I get in my car and drive away. I just have to kill some time before I come back in time for the date.
***
If that fucker touches Maisy one more fucking time I’m going to run into that restaurant and end the night early. I had turned up at six-thirty around the corner from Maisy’s place and watched Jake turn up, half an hour later than what he said, and escorted a gorgeous-looking Maisy into a cab. I hated watching her walk before him, watching him check out her ass and drive away. I followed on my Harley to a Mexican restaurant. I smiled to myself because Maisy does not like Mexican food, but like the kind of woman that she is, she just smiled as she followed him out and sat down at their table. At first it was funny, but then I became angry as she started laughing at him, and he started touching her every chance he got. Stroking a finger on her small hands, removing a strand of hair from her face and even stroking her exposed thigh when she stood and disappeared for five minutes. Toilet break, I’m assuming.
As I continue to watch them eat, my phone rings in my jacket pocket. I see it’s Jax.
“Jax,” I answer.
“Where are you?” he asks, and I hear the irritation in his voice.
“Guarding what’s mine.”
“What the fuck you talking about? You’re needed here, writing a new album, remember?”
Oh shit, I fucking forgot. “Shit! I’m sorry, man. I’m caught up at the minute.”
“Its fine, Leo isn’t here, either. He said Tanya’s not well so he’s sticking by her.”
Yeah, he would do that, the love-sick man. Now Tanya’s pregnant, and he won’t leave her alone, and we all thought Jax was bad!
“So, why are you on my ass?”
“Because Kendal seems worried about you for some reason.”
“Why?” I ask as I watch Jake pay for the bill.
“She said you seemed off last night and after what you said about kids? Fuck man, I agree with her. What was that shit?”
“Not shit man, speaking the truth.”
Jax laughs. “Fuck me, have you already found that beautiful woman you wished for, too?”
“Damn right. I just have to make her realize I’m more than her friend.”
Jax stops laughing. “What? Max, what are you talking about-“
“Gotta go man, my beautiful woman is on the move.”
I know for a fact he knows I’m talking about Maisy, and I don’t care. I want everyone to know because, sooner or later, she will be mine.
***
After the meal, I follow Jake and Maisy to a club. Real classy man, take your date to a club. Nothing more romantic than taking her out to get her drunk and end the night in bed after a drunken fuck. But that is not happening tonight, because I will make sure of it.
I watch as they disappear through the doors and I park my bike. I remove my leather jacket and lock it up with my helmet in the side compartment. I called the club’s number and let them know I’m coming in and need their V.I.P area right away. With enough cash thrown their way, they’re only too eager and it’s not long until I’m standing, and watch Maisy. Lucky for me, she doesn’t look like she’s enjoying her date, and I don’t blame her. I actually feel a little sorry for her that this man doesn’t know how to treat a special woman like Maisy.
Maisy is a woman who you wine and dine, all that fancy shit, and I don’t usually like all that but for Maisy, I will.
“Well, hello there, stranger,” I hear a purring from behind me.
I smile instantly because I know who it is. I would recognise that voice anywhere. I’ve heard that voice cry, scream, shout, gasp and whimper. You name it, I’ve heard it because I made her. I turn around and see she looks as gorgeous as ever, she always does. Her blonde hair is bright and cut just above her shoulders in a stylish style and she’s wearing her corset and tight leather skirt. I don’t have to look down to see she’s wearing her heels. This girl always wears heels.
“Hey, Em.” I greet her with a hug and she welcomes it.
“The boys told me you were taking over the V.I.P. so I had to come and say hi.” I really like Emma, she’s a lot like Maisy, actually. The difference is that I’ve never slept with Maisy but I have with Emma, plenty of times, and there’s a reason for that: she’s an amazing fuck. Simple as that. Since we moved back to the UK, I came to this very club and Emma was hosting in the V.I.P area. That night we went back to hers and from then, she’s been one of my regular booty-calls. She knows the score, so I was never worried she would get attached. In fact, I have a sneaky suspicion she likes a friend of mine and her next question confirms that. “You here alone tonight, or is Mark with you?”
I have to laugh, she’s so obvious and really cute. She moved down to London last year, she’s originally from Yorkshire and still has her quirky accent. If I connected them in the right way, I just knew they would hit it off because Emma is so Mark’s type, but I don’t think Mark is ready yet.
“On my own tonight, darling, but I’m kind of busy.”
“With what?” She looks around me, trying to see what I’m up to.
I incline my head down to the bar where Maisy is currently standing, looking bored as hell. “That’s Maisy.”
She, of course, knows who Maisy is because she’s been there for me plenty of times when I wanted to talk about her. I know I should have spoken to one of the girls, but they would have gone all googly-eyed on me and started the love plan right away. I needed someone out of our circle to talk to, and Emma was great for advice.
“Ahhhh. The famous Maisy Ashford.” She walks past me to take a better look. “She’s gorgeous, Max. But w
hy is she with that guy and you’re up here looking like a creepy stalker?”
“Because, smart-ass, I’ve finally decided to make her my woman, but this dick is standing in my way.”
She looks back at me in shock. “Really? You’re going for it? Finally!” I nod my head and she’s suddenly squealing and jumping up and down in front of me. She stops and frowns. “But...why is he getting in the way?” She points to Jake who currently has his hand on Maisy’s ass.
“It’s complicated,” I growl.
“It shouldn’t be, Max,” she whines. “Go over there and get that creepy guy away from her and make her yours!”
“If I go over there now, I will kill him.”
Her eyes widen as she realizes I’m being serious. “Maybe I can help, one sec.” She pulls out a tiny walkie-talkie thing that I know connects her to all the other girls who host in the club. She clicks on the pink button and talks into it. “Nadia? I need your help, you free?”
A couple of seconds go by and I watch Emma as she listens from her ear piece. She smiles, which I’m assuming is good news. “Great, I’m in V.I.P. Come quickly.”
“Em?”
“Ok, Nadia is my girl. She’s great. Trust me, she will help us with creepy guy.”
I laugh and then see a familiar-looking dark-haired girl walk towards us. I know this girl from somewhere, and as she gets closer, I know exactly where I know her from. She’s the girl Leo and I shared one night. I cringe as I prepare myself. She’s either going to act weird about it or not. I’m hoping for the latter.
She gives Emma a hug, then turns to smile at me. “Hi, Max.”
I smile back and give her the nod of my head. “Hey.”
“Oh, stop being awkward!” Emma slaps my arm. “Jesus! You’ve probably shagged most of the women in this club!”
Both Emma and Nadia laugh. I horribly realize she’s most likely correct.
“Right.” Nadia claps her hands. “What do you need me for?”