by Ana Balen
The vow hit me in the center of my chest, right behind the ribs.
“You can’t promise me that,” I wailed.
I wanted to believe him
I really did.
But any time I started to hope that all would be over, that I could carry on, the world around me collapsed.
“I can, and I am.”
“You can’t,” I repeated. “Besides, I can’t put you in danger any more than I already did. Can't you see? I will never be free of him.”
“You’re already free of him, Bean,” he stated, and I decided he was delusional. “Don’t let this push you back into your shell.”
“Yeah? And how would you know what I was like before Nico entered my life? How can you possibly tell that I crawled out of that pitch-dark cave and started breathing the moment you drove me away from that fucking church?” I was scared... and angry.
I needed to let it out. If I didn’t, I would have gone insane. And I decided Max was the best choice to do it on.
“Because, for years, I have been reading the texts you sent me,” he roared. “For years, I read the confessions of a woman who couldn’t find a way out! For fucking years I longed for those same texts! And for years, I could tell you were disappearing. Not physically, but I knew someone was breaking your spirit. And then you said in one of those texts that kept me sane that he was fucking hitting you. And there was not a goddamned thing I could do about it!” my mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. He carried on. “Can you believe it? I’m a thirty-six-year-old man, and I pined over a woman I never laid eyes on in my life.”
I was staring at him. I couldn’t breathe. He stared back at me. Only his breath was harsh. Until his shoulders sagged, and he said something that would change my life forever.
“Then, one day, you reached out. You asked for help.” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe what he was saying. “And, fuck me, I fell the moment I saw you running in your wedding dress. I fell in love with you even before I spoke one word to you.”
“Whoa,” Melanie muttered beside us.
I forgot she was even there.
“Now, that’s what I call admitting your truth,” a familiar voice spoke behind us.
I turned, and my insides froze. There just barely in the door stood Vinny.
Chapter Nine
Skylar
I reached behind me, not looking away from Vinny and grabbed Max’s hand.
“Max, we gotta go,” I said urgently.
If Vinny was here, that meant that Nico was not far behind. He liked to play with me sometimes. Sending his men to play a big bully was his preferred pastime.
“Max, please, let’s go,” I pulled on his hand, but he didn’t move. “You don’t understand if he’s here.” I indicated to Vinny with my head. “It means that Nico is not far behind.”
“Relax,” Max said, not budging no matter how hard I pulled on his hand.
He also didn’t look away from Vinny.
“You didn’t tell her?” Vinny asked.
Tell me what?
“I said to give me twenty,” Max drawled. “You decided to come in ten.”
“And I’m so glad that I did,” Vinny smiled a sly smile. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t hear your heartfelt speech.”
“You two know each other?” I stopped trying to run away. I didn’t get what was going on.
How did they know each other?
“Better explain some things and do it fast,” Max ordered.
I thought that was an excellent idea. I really wanted to know some things. Especially, how did those two know each other and why we weren’t going away.
“She’s ready to bolt,” Max finished.
“Fine,” Vinny sighed.
He walked into the living room, sat on the couch, and gave Melanie a killer smile. Whoa. Vinny was handsome. And judging by the dreamy look that stole over Melanie’s face, she thought so too. She looked at me, and we shared a confused look.
“Skylar, I’m not here to hurt you,” Vinny began. He was looking up at me from the couch, and I realized he was sitting so he could be lower than me, to put me at ease. “And I promise, Nico is not on his way here. Even if he were, he would not be able to enter the premises.”
“Why should I believe you?” I asked, inching away from him and towards the door.
Vinny reached into his pocket and pulled out something that looked like a wallet. He leaned over and offered it to me.
“My name is not Vinny,” he said as I took the wallet thingy from him. “My name is Chace Ryan, and I’m a DEA agent. For the last three years, I was working undercover, trying to infiltrate and gather as much evidence on Nico Barone and all his associates on dealing, retiring, and human trafficking.”
I opened the black leather, and sure enough, there was Vinny’s, or I should say Chace’s picture confirming what he was saying.
“I’m also that bastard’s brother,” he lifted his chin to Max.
“What?” Melanie asked a million-dollar question.
Chace looked at her and flashed his smile only this time he added a wink. Melanie flushed.
“Yup,” he said. “I’m Max’s baby brother.”
“You are a baby,” Max deadpanned.
"Take that back," Chace gasped and put his palm on his broad chest. He was acting like a southern bell who was deeply offended.
"It's the truth," Max shrugged.
If I had any doubts that what Chace was saying was the truth, I didn't have any now. Only brothers could banter like that. I relaxed; Max sensed it and pulled me into his body and wrapped his arm around my waist. Chace watched us with great interest, and when he saw that I was looking at him, he winked. Then in a flash, his good mood disappeared, and I was reminded of why I was scared of Vinny. His face clouded over, a frown pulled his mouth down, and his eyes became troubled.
He looked into my eyes and rasped, "I'm so sorry, Skylar. I'm sorry for not telling you who I was. And I'm sorry for not getting you out of there sooner. What you did, walking away that day, took a lot of courage. Even if you didn't know what Nico was doing." He looked away and swallowed. "I'm especially sorry for not capturing him tonight and ending this nightmare. I promise you; we'll find him."
"It's okay," I whispered.
It wasn't okay.
I was scared.
I was hurt.
I was confused.
But I understood.
And seeing remorse washing over Chace in waves, I knew what he said was true. He will find him. And he will end it. Not only for me. He lost three years of his life on a case that still didn't end.
"I should have done something," he kept talking. Each word hitting me deeply. "I should have found a way to get you out of there. I should have-"
"Stop,” I tried to go to him, but Max refused to let me go.
I looked over my shoulder and into Max’s face was a mix of thunder and sorrow. I found his wrist and shook it lightly. He looked down, flicked his eyes to Chace, and shook his head. With no other choice, I leaned over Max’s arm to try to get as close as possible to Chace.
“There’s nothing you need to apologize for. You couldn’t stop him. Out of everyone in this room, you know how Nico is. Down to the very last nauseous detail, you know.”
“Is that why you didn’t want me to see her tonight?”
“That,” Max gasped. “And the fact I didn’t get a chance to tell her the truth about you.”
“Is she always like this?”
“Chace, you have known her for three years,” he pointed out. “What do you think?”
“Damn,” Chace mumbled. He looked at me then back to his brother. “You’re a lucky bastard.”
“You don’t know the half of it. But I haven’t even started yet.”
“Judging by the look of her, you not only started, but you also won.”
Hearing what Chace said, Max held me just a little bit tighter, before relaxing his arm.
We all watched
, knowing what was happening but unable to help. We watched as Chace’s face lost all color. As his eyes closed as if he was in agony. Then, as he folded in half, he placed his head between his knees.
“Go to your brother, honey,” I urged Max. “He needs you.”
Max kissed the side of my head, and in three long steps, he was in front of Chace. He bent, put his hand on the back of Chace’s neck, and started whispering in his ear. With every whispered word, Chace’s back bucked until he was heaving and letting out sounds that could only be described as those of a wounded animal. Melanie stood up, and we went into the kitchen to give them privacy. For the first time since I stepped into this place, I hated the open floor plan. With nowhere to go, we huddled by the French doors, and once again, I wished there was a back deck.
“Listen,” Melanie said under her breath as not to break the brother’s moment. “I called my parents on the way over here. I’m going to stay with them for a while. And I want you to come with me.”
I agreed with her going away. They moved up the mountain once they retired, and I hated the fact she wouldn’t be close, but Nico hadn't ever met them and didn’t know where they lived.
If he was after me, the first place he would look was Melanie’s. As he had done before. And that would mean, Melanie too was in danger. So, her going to her parents was a smart thing to do. However, I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave Max. And I still hadn’t gotten one word from Kiki. On that thought, I pulled my phone from my jeans back pocket and checked the screen.
No missed calls.
No texts.
Nothing.
I knew calling her was futile. If she didn’t reach out by now, she wouldn’t answer. I did the next best thing. I typed.
Call me; I have some things to tell you. Let me know you’re safe.
“Skylar, please, come with me,” Melanie begged.
“Mel-” I started but didn’t finish.
That was because Max was standing by my side.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
I agreed. I didn’t tell him that.
“You’re staying here with me.”
“For how long?” Melanie fired at him. “Do you know when he will be in custody? Do you have any idea when all this insanity is going to end?”
It looked like Melanie had reached the end of her rope.
“I can’t tell you how long it will take to capture Barone. But her staying with me,” he took my hand in his. “Does not have a time limit.”
“Are you suggesting she should move in with you?”
They were talking like I wasn’t even in the room. And wait. Was Max suggesting I should move in with him? He didn’t answer verbally. Instead, he shifted from foot to foot. It was the first time I saw him even remotely nervous.
“Are you serious?”
He looked at me, resembling a boy who waited for an answer to something he really, really wanted.
“You want me to move in here?” I started with the easiest part of their back and forth.
“I thought you liked the house,” he said defensively.
Liked it?
I freaking loved it.
“I do,” I confirmed the understatement.
“Then, yes, I want you to move in here.”
“But I thought you’re going to restore it, then sell it?”
“I changed my mind,” he shrugged.
“And will you be moving out?” I tackled the more significant issue.
Sweet Mary, please, let him say no.
I knew it was fast. Hell, it moved at the speed of light. It sounded way beyond crazy, even in my head. We didn’t even have our first kiss. Yet, there it was. It was undeniable. I loved the man fidgeting in front of me. I couldn’t picture my life without him in it. In a span of a few days, he became my everything.
He looked away and mumbled, “If you want me too.”
I didn’t get a chance to say that I didn’t want him to move out. That I wanted him to stay with me forever.
“Welcome to the family, sis,” Chace hollered, standing by the door. “I would come and give you a huge hug, but I understand seeing me and finding out who I am is a shock… a big one. I also know that the idea of me needs to shift in your head, so I’ll give you time. However long you need, Skylar, you have it. I just hope, one day, you will be able to see me for who I really am.”
After he was done talking, he turned on his way to get out.
“Wait,” I said and walked to him.
Out of reflex, I slowed down on my way to him, gauging his reaction. It was weird. He was still Vinny in my mind. But when I recalled his break down not even half an hour ago, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Sorry, he had to live with what he saw. Chace watched my every move vividly. And when I stood in front of him, he swallowed and braced. I got up on my toes, leaned in and hugged him. I also turned my head and whispered.
“Thank you.”
He stood still as a statue; his hands loose by his sides.
“Thank you for looking out for me. Thank you for keeping me safe as much as you could. I know now that you did. And I’m sorry, Chace,” I stuttered a little saying his name. “I’m sorry you had to see all that you did. I’m sorry you had to live through it. But I promise you, whatever happens, you will always have me. To listen to you, to drink with you, whatever you need. I’ll always be your friend. Because you were one to me, even if I didn’t know it at the time.”
“Fuck,” Chace breathed in the skin of my neck, his arms finally going around me.
We stood like that for some time before he brought his head up, looked at Max, and aimed at him.
“You really are a lucky son of a bitch.”
“I told you,” Max said. “And be careful, that’s your mother you’re talking about, you bastard.”
Chace shook his head, smiled at me, and winked.
“Give him hell. See you at the game,” and then he was out, the door closing behind him.
I couldn’t sleep. I was in a room that I woke up in before, the one I found out was Rory’s. She claimed it and decorated it even though she never once slept in it. Max explained she had a room of her own in each of the brother's houses for when Jason was on away games. He mentioned she had a traumatic experience a few months back, something about a man attacking her, and she didn’t feel safe being alone anymore. I understood her fear. The reason she didn’t have a chance of sleeping in it was that he moved so much since he lived in the houses he restored, she made it as she wanted it a few days before I came along and Jason was on the offseason. It was a beautiful room, tranquil. The bed was big, the mattress divine. Still, I couldn’t settle. I kept tossing and turning, and no matter what position I tried, sleep evaded me. After Chace left, Melanie wasn’t far behind. We said quiet goodbyes, with me promising I would check in daily, and then she was off.
I didn’t know what to do next.
But Max did.
He came towards me and took me in his arms. We stood there, by his front door, holding each other, while he stroked my back. We didn’t speak. But in that silence, anything that mattered was said. It was uneventful. It went without saying, but from that moment on, Max and I started to live together. It would be weird if that were the only thing strange about us. Not to mention, we still didn’t share our first kiss. I wanted to kiss him so badly. I almost even begged him to kiss me. I didn’t. I asked where I would sleep. He was indecisive, and I could tell the war was raging in him. In the end, he led me to the door of this room. I was devastated. And now, I couldn’t sleep.
“Ugh,” I grunted, punching the same pillow for the twelfth time.
It was no use. I plopped back on my back and sighed. I had no other choice. I took my phone, scrolled down my phonebook, and found what I was looking for. I pressed to edit the contact and deleted a name I was addicted to for the last ten years, and I typed up Max’s name instead. Then, I went to my messages and sent my plea to him. It wasn’t even a full minute before he came
to stand by the bed. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw a tattoo.
“Move over,” he rasped.
As I did, I started apologizing.
“I’m sorry I just want to sleep. Nothing more.”
“Shut up, Bean,” was all that he said.
He moved in and entered the bed.
“Turn over,” his words came out low, and I tingled with the sensual edge.
I did as told.
And waited.
And waited some more.