Perpetual Devotion (Book 4 in the Original BOC Series) ✔

Chapter Seventeen

The sudden silence from the living room had both Nathan and Sophie cease their conversation and simply stare at one another.

After a minute, Nathan was the first to whirl around and frown at the side wall next to the living room entrance. He turned his head to give Sophie a raised brow and even the brunette narrowed her eyes, glancing in the direction the father returned his attention to. She followed him as Nathan walked rather quickly past the stairs calling to his daughter before actually entering the room she was in.

His brows met in the middle, eyes narrowed after taking in what caused his puzzled frown to turn into a scowl. Nathan's jaw tightened, skewing to the side and clenched his fists at his sides.

Sophie blinked, quickly looking to the side at her brother-in-law's father instincts taking over seeing his daughter sitting on the lap of a man, with her hands wrapped around his neck.

Already feeling the tension rolling off the father like waves, Sophie reached behind Nathan to grab onto his shirt and pulled him back after he stepped forward with determination in his eyes.

Sophie kind of wished her niece would not be staring up at them with a wide smile as if she wasn't straddling Max with her body closely pressed against his. And with the skirt of her dress not even tucked down properly. It was clear visual from the skirt fanned out over both their bottom halves which only meant that Darla was in a very... compromsing position.

Nathan growled, sneering with his sight locked on Max.

"What the hell is going on in here?!"

The blonde's startled expression at seeing Nathan momentarily vanished and instead lowered a brow, tilting his head to the side with a, "Huh?"

After following the man's eyes hardened glare, Max turned his head to realize that Darla was still sitting in his lap and his brown eyes widened, brows raising. He accidentally caught another preview down Darla's dress which had the twenty-three year old suddenly yelp in surprise, shoving the girl off him.

Darla gasped, falling backwards as Max pushed himself further away from her, gulping and shaking his head. He frowned at her once she sat up. Max was breathing hard, now feeling panic about the surge of memories he'd just been given back.

Without a word---and ignoring the two adults---he jumped to his feet that were heavy in stepping back, away from the three in the room. He swallowed again, his erratic breathing increasing, and a cloud of overwhelming came over him.

Nathan, his anger gone, blinked at the strange behavior the blonde was exhibiting. Beside him, Sophie lowered her chin, eyes squinting as she was also wondering what had gotten into Max. The pair stared at the blonde now backed against the wall, shoulders raised and looking around as if unaware of his surroundings.

"What's happening...?! Wha---I--- This...!"

Max was frantically looking about the room, frowning in confusion at his surroundings. There was no control over the panic that he was enveloped in. His head was pounding like a hammer had been taken to it and every fiber in his being was on alert of the realization that there was half of his life that he'd not remembered until now.

"Max...?" Sophie frowned, stepping forward and raised her hand cautiously as she approached the young man.

She used the other free arm to wave at Darla to go over to her father. Nathan pulled her into his arms, lifting his head over at the blonde having a panic attack. Sophie warily raised a brow, stepping closer and questioning Max on what was wrong.

Max blinked, now taking notice of her, and frowned as he stepped away from her. He swallowed, shaking his head, "What's happening to me...?! What--- why--- why is this happening?!"