Jake stares at him with what seems to be a mixture of awe and surprise before morphing into one of hatred. That snaps me out of my own stupor.
"Jake I—"
"So it was you." He hisses out and I've never heard him sound so venomous before. "Maxon. Maxon Blake."
He lets out a harsh laugh cupping his jaw which is starting to show signs of a bruise forming. "I should've known."
He turns hate-filled eyes toward me and I take a step back, feeling Maxon's warmth emanating behind me.
"Of course, you would hit on my girlfriend right?"
I catch sight of Vanessa's shocked face and I imagine I look the same way. What is he saying?
"What did you just say?" I ask my boss but the question goes unanswered.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Maxon seethes. "I wasn't aware that she was taken. She never once mentioned you so I assumed she was single."
I peek over at Maxon behind me and expect to find him shooting daggers at me but instead, he's giving Jake a hard look I know I would hate to be on the receiving end of.
Jake takes a step toward us, hands fisted at his sides. Vanessa runs past him and holds onto my arm.
"Let's go inside, Madison."
I shake my head no.
Maxon nudges me aside. "Listen to Vanessa, Madison."
"You assumed wrong, Blake. Madison is very much taken. Right, babe?" He turns cold eyes toward me. "We just went on a date last night. Vanessa could back me up but oh wait?" He looks back at Maxon. "You already knew that. The pictures? Remember those?"
Maxon is still as a statue and I know Jake is poking at a very angry bear. I have no idea what they're talking about but first things first. I have to diffuse this situation ASAP.
"Jake stop it." I stand in front of Maxon, resting my hands on his chest. "Maxon," I whisper to him. "Don't listen to him it's not what it seems to be."
I glance at Vanessa to back me up and she nods. "Madison's right. It was all—"
"We had a great time last night." Jake cuts in, continuing to taunt him. "After I sent you those pics we fuc—"
Maxon moves faster than I can comprehend and is in Jake's face in no time.
"I dare you to finish that fucking sentence."
My heart is speeding up so fast. I feel like we're on a train no one can stop. Only a force of God can at this point.
"Maxon..." I hurry up to them but Vanessa pulls me back. "Madi, no."
I try pulling free but no matter how petite V is, she's strong. "Vanessa we need to—"
Jake smirks, looking utterly unafraid. I feel so bad for him because he's being so stupid right now. "We fucked."
All blood seems to drain from my face as I expect Maxon to throw down on him right away but he stands unnaturally still and I know he's holding on by the last thread. "Really? Because if you did. You wouldn't be begging for her to give you a chance." Now it's his turn to smirk and it is one of the most cruelest ones I've seen from him to date.
A throb starts in Jake's temple and I realize, it's only a matter of time.
"Vanessa go inside. Get my mom, sister, anybody." I urge her.
"What about you?" Vanessa looks so pale and I know I look the same way. "I can't just leave you here, Madi. You can get hurt."
I hear Maxon say. "I bet she wasn't satisfied. Which is why you are left begging for her to—"
Jake throws a punch and I hear a screech behind me. I stand rooted in fear, afraid he'll hurt Maxon but Maxon catches his fist with a hand and hits him with the other, causing Jake to stagger back a few steps.
"Stop!" I spring into action and urge Vanessa. "Go V! Get my mom!"
This time she nods and runs off yelling something I can't make out at the moment.
I turn back to both men and am horrified by what I see.
In a matter of seconds, they've managed to make each other bleed, and Maxon...oh God. Blood is dripping from his nose.
"Guys stop it!" I yell. Running up to them.
"Maxon!" I get near him but he shouts at me to stay back.
"Don't do this." Dear God, please help them stop. I look back and see no movement from my house.
I hear a smack and find Jake on the ground, pushing at Maxon who's raining down punches on him. "Aaahhh Jake! Maxon! Stop! Stop it right now!"
Jake grips Maxon by the throat and I yell out. "NO!"
"QUÉ ESTA PASANDO AQUÍ ?!" I hear my mom's voice in the distance.
"What the hell?! STOP!!! Stop you two or I'm calling the police to take both of your fucking asses to jail!" Trinity.
That grabs both of their attention and both of them turn to see my sister with the phone in her hand. Finger ready to press the call button.
Behind her, I see my mom with a broom, Leah with a knife, and Liam with a baseball bat ready to break up the fight. Vanessa stands near the door and I can only admire my family. Wow, we sure do make quite the picture.
Both men get up silently and straighten up the best they can.
Jake turns to head back to his car.
I follow after him. I may not like the guy very much right now but I would never wish this upon him or anyone.
"Jake! Wait!"
He stops me with a raise of his hand.
"I'm okay, Madison. Just a little bruised up."
I hear a growl behind me as I take a step toward him.
"No." He commands. "Stay with your boyfriend. I'll see you in a few days."
He gets into his car and speeds away.
Well, this should go over well at work.
I flip around and find a bloody and bruised Maxon. He looks like he's trying very hard to stand up straight. Worry overtakes me and I hurry over to him.
"Maxon, are you alright?" Clearly, he's not but still. "Let's head inside."
He shakes his head. "I'll be leaving."
"No," I grip his arm as he heads past me. "Stay."
He looks at me with an indifferent look and I...hate it.
There is no sight of his kind, tender gaze. Just a blank mask. I guess the tables have now turned.
I whisper softly. "Let me get you cleaned up first at least."
"Worried about me?" He asks tightness costing his gesture but I answer, "Yes." Without hesitation. He looks surprised but quickly masks it.
I latch my fingers through his ignoring the usual spark, "Let's go inside."
My sister eyes him sharply. "I thought I told you to leave."
He doesn't answer anything. Wisely keeping quiet.
My other siblings eye him warily and so does Vanessa. "Nice to see you, Max." He gives her a curt nod but follows me inside.
"This is my home. It's not much but," I bite my lip as he eyes me with cold calculation. "it's where I grew up." I finish quickly.
He doesn't answer anything and I'm honestly questioning if I made the right decision by inviting him in.
"Through here." I guide him into the bathroom. "Let me grab my supplies." He stands there quietly and my heart speeds up. He's not saying anything.
I rummage through our cabinets until I come across our first aid kit. Thank goodness I convinced my mom to get one after many years.
I head back inside the small bathroom and click the door softly shut behind me. He's leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest as blood drips from his temple and nose.
He eyes me carefully as I tell him to take a seat on the lip of the bathtub. He does so without any word. I pull out a cotton gauze and start dabbing at his face with a bit of alcohol.
He hisses out as it starts disinfecting his wounds.
"Sorry."
"It's fine."
I hand him another piece of gauze to stop the blood coming from his nose.
I ask him if I can touch his nose and he nods. "Do you think it's broken?"
"No, the bastard just got a few good hits in. It looks worse than it feels. He got the worst of it, trust me."
I grimace as I recall the ugly fight. "I think you should still go and get checked out. Just to be safe."
All he does is nod and I continue to work in silence.
The blood has stopped so that's a good sign. There is more stubble than usual coating his cheeks and he's got a few bruises forming along his temple but he somehow still manages to look just as handsome as the last time I saw him. I glance at his lips and there are no signs of cuts there thank goodness. I try not to meet his intense gaze as he watches me work on him but my heart is pounding like crazy just being near him.
I never realized how much I missed him until this moment. I want to ask him so many questions. What is he doing here? How did he know where I lived? Is that what Vanessa was trying to tell me? How does he know Jake?
But I ask none of those things. From what it seems he doesn't want to speak to me. I guess my never texting him really did get to him. My stomach tightens but I manage to pull through. I finish up on him, a couple more bruises appearing along his jaw and...I gulp, his neck.
"I'll lead you back to the door if you want to leave." I avert my gaze from his glittering emeralds. "Let me just go put my kit away."
I'm walking to the door when he reaches for my hand. I gasp as he spins me around to face him.
He towers over me in this small bathroom but the pain in his eyes...it completely engulfs me.
"Is it true?" He whispers gruffly, showing the first signs of emotion.
"What?" I ask softly realizing I can't hurt anymore.
His eyes harden a bit but the pain remains. "Are you dating that asshole?"
"No, Why would I—?" I take in a shaky breath. He doesn't know, I remind myself. He doesn't know who Jake is. "Maxon, I would never date him. He's my boss."
His gaze becomes dead and he drops my hand. "I saw the pictures, Madison. You and him. On a date."
"I don't understand. How? When? I'm so confused." I try to comprehend what he means because I can't even fathom how Jake got past my password.
Maxon only lets out a bitter chuckle and...I hate it. Hate that he thinks so low of me.
My heart sinks as I realize, this is probably how he felt when I wouldn't believe him about the girls. When I was judging his circumstances.
"Last night. I couldn't stop thinking about you. All week, Madison. You never called. Never texted." He looks at me and an impenetrable wall stares back. "I waited. I was sick with worry and I thought you forgot about me. I didn't want to admit it to myself but—"
"What? No. How can I forget you, Maxon?" I take a tiny step forward and slowly reach to cup his cheek.
He's as stiff as a rock and I'm afraid he'll shake me off. When he doesn't I cup his face more firmly.
"I texted you." My heart drops to the depths of the universe. "Vanessa gave me your number. I just wanted to hear from you that you were alive and well but come to figure out, you were out on a date with him and I knew. You never cared for me. I didn't mean anything to you. Nothing about our week together meant a damn thing to you."
Threads of sadness filter out of him and if I didn't know what heartbreak was, I sure as hell do now.
"Maxon..."
"You know what I felt at that moment? To know you have moved on? My world collapsed within itself Madison."
My heart is taking hit after hit with every word coming from his mouth.
"Maxon...it is not what it seemed to be."
He shakes his head in disbelief and I drop my hand, tucking it firmly to my side.
"It's not." My voice takes on a desperate tone suddenly seeing what it feels like to be on the receiving end of distrust. "I don't know how Jake even managed to text you. I-I forgot my phone at the table. That's probably when—"
"So you are dating your boss." He deadpans.
"What? No. I already told you I—" I let out a breath, hands trembling. "Maxon, when Vanessa and I were about to head for New York, she let our boss know a couple of days beforehand. There wasn't enough time for him to replace us and the only way he would let me go is if—if I went out on a date with him."
He stares at me arms crossed over his chest. He doesn't believe me.
"Maxon, I didn't know. Vanessa told me until a few days ago and I was angry and confused. I felt guilty for leaving you behind and I couldn't stop thinking about what I did to you—"
"Why did you do it?"
I stare up at him with confusion. "What?"
"Why did you do it? Why did you leave me behind? Pretend I never existed."
I glance down at my feet but he reaches out to cup my chin and tilts it up to face him.
"You never promised me. When I told you to text me. Never forget me. I should've known." He shakes his head. "You were letting me know then."
"Yes." I breathe out not seeing the point in denying it.
"I get it." He drops his hand and takes a step back. "You didn't believe me. You will never believe me when I say I want you."
My heart sinks.
He makes to move past me but I step in his way. He eyes me warily. "What is it, Madison?"
"You don't believe me."
Now it's his turn to look confused. "What?"
"Everything I told you. About Jake."
He doesn't say anything and I continue, letting out a shaky breath I confess. "I hated being on that date with him. I thought about you that entire time, Maxon. You're a good person and I realized then...I had made a huge mistake."
He lets out a whoosh of air. "Are you saying—?"
I nod my head, both terrified and excited to say my feelings. For the first time in my life, I'm sure of what I want. "You wanted to know why I did what I did? Because I've fallen for you, Maxon Blake. Or I've been falling even hundreds of miles apart." I correct, feeling sheepish as I feel blood rushing towards my cheeks. "It's not that I doubted your feelings for me. Not really. The person I never believed was myself. A part of me always believed you. I will always believe you because...I want you too."
Suddenly he pulls me to him, his lips crashing onto mine and for the first time, I know what it's like to become consumed by flames.