Dedicated to him messyxscribler , the one who has been a great supporter, a great friend and a great reader! Thanks for the love and support. It means a lot to me, ❤
And yeah, stop being ghost readers, please!
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I loosened my arms from around his neck and pulled apart but he embraced me once again, this hug lasting even more longer than the first one.
"Max? What's wrong?" I asked him softly.
He only tightened the hug in response and exhaled slowly while keeping his chin on top of my left shoulder. I leaned more into him, feeling the need to comfort him all of a sudden. I pressed the side of my face to his and sighed in relief. It feels great, being held in his arms like that. I wish I could stay like this forever.
After what feels like an eternity in his arms, when it was only a little bit longer than the first hug that we shared, he pulled away slowly but kept me at an arm distance, facing me face to face. He opened his mouth to say something but did not say anything, and looked away, an undecided look on his face.
"Max" I grabbed his chin and made him look at me directly.
"I-I don't know if I should tell you this after seeing your reaction about Blake's job." he stuttered and gulped hard.
"What is it, Max?" I asked him even though I could feel my heart beat increasing at what he's about to tell me.
"No! I-I don't think that would be a great thing to do right now." he shook his head negatively but I made him look at me again.
"Tell me, Max!" I sort of demanded, well, it's high time that I learn about the whole truth and I think that I've already prepared myself for it.
Better late than never, right?
Yeah, Shelly. It's now or never.
Little did I know that I was not ready at all.
"My father... my father is the one...." he trailed off and got up.
I sighed dejectedly and clasped my hands together while looking down. He kept pacing around my bedroom but I stayed quiet. I think I should at least give him some time to think. I got up and sped walked towards the door to go get something to eat from the kitchen.
However, as soon as I grabbed the door handle to twist it around, he was right by my side, looking at me worriedly. He pulled me away from the door and I frowned at his actions.
"W-Where are you going?" he stuttered once again.
"I was just going to -
I was cut off when I was once again, engulfed in a tight hug. Before I could ask him what was wrong, he rushed out whatever that was going on in his mind, making me gasp. I did not what to feel. I felt a kind of numbness on my whole body and I just could not feel anything.
"My father is the one who tried to kill you....",he rambled on but I could not hear anything else.
I pulled away from his arms and slowly stepped backwards towards my bed unconsciously, the need to satisfy my hunger long forgotten. Well, I don't think I really have an appetite right now. Soon, the back of my legs came into contact with my bed but before I could avoid it, I was falling down.
Even when I fell in a sitting position, I couldn't feel anything, the mattress bounced with my weight and I sank down as soon as it dipped down. Everything was happening in a freeze-flame kind of thing. Like, what would normally happen in movies, everything was happening in a slow motion kind of way but this is real life and real life is far from that type of life that you would see in movies.
I've seen Max reaching out for me but he had stopped when he noticed that I wasn't falling down on the floor. I could see him talking but I couldn't make out what he was saying. When he realized that I wasn't actually listening to anything that he was rambling on about, he stopped.
Max's father tried to kill me but why? Why would he want me dead? Does he dislike the fact that his son is dating me? But, does he hate me that much that he would want to kill me? I was brought out of my thoughts when a pair of hands grabbed onto my upper arms, it's fingers encircling tightly around them.
"Please!" Max begged while kneeling in front of me at the foot of the bed.
I looked at him and we just stared at each other, neither a single word was uttered nor did either of us moved. It was total silence for a moment, like we were both afraid to do something.
It was Max who took the initiative to do something and he cupped my right cheek with his left palm while rubbing his right hand up and down my left arm, maybe he was trying to comfort me. He was still waiting patiently for me to do something or to say something.
I swallowed and felt the need to clear out my throat before speaking but I did not know what to say. This revelation has rendered me speechless. What should I do? I looked down and clasped my hands more tightly.
Speak up, you dumb-ass.
Shut up, ignorant conscience! It's really not the right time for you to pop up.
"Please, babe. Don't leave me." he struggled with his trembling voice.
My head whipped upwards when I heard him say that and my own eyes welled up when they made contact with his glossy red ones. He sounded so vulnerable, like he's ready to give up but how dare him? How can he just jump to conclusions without even listening to me first?
"How could you? H-How could you just jump to conclusions like that?" I probed him and hit his chest in annoyance.
I hated it when he does that. He would always make up the decisions by himself. How can he do so when he does not even ask for my opinions or ideas? Like seriously?
"Wait! What?" he frowned at me while grabbing my forearms. I pouted sadly at him in return and he chuckled at my antics.
He caught one of the tears which ran down my right cheek with his left hand and wiped it away while smiling softly at me.
"I haven't even said anything. How can you just assume that I would leave you because your father is the one who tried to kill me? Well, I really want to know why he did that but you are you. You two, are two different people and I'm hundred percent sure that you're definitely not like your father. And yeah, stop deciding things on your own. I have a say in this relationship too." I said slowly, like I was talking to a five year old child.
"I definitely like the bossy you." he smirked at me.
I know he's trying to lighten the tensed atmosphere which had settled around us just moments ago and I rolled my eyes amusingly at him.
"My father -
"You can stop if you want, Max. I know you need a break from -
"No, I have to tell you." he stubbornly argued and I nodded at him.
"My father is a gang leader too but he's not like Blake. He, in fact, works for the mafia and he's like the right hand man of the mafia itself. He is the one who invest in all the troubles that have been occurring in town. He also invest in drugs, illegal gambling and all. My father isn't like the man that I once knew. He's changed. I don't even recognize him now. Blake is merely working to avoid all the troubles that the mafia is spreading around but he has to do his job too. Well, for him, there's a limit but no one can stop the mafia. That's why, the police officers have joined hands with Blake's gang to try and catch the leader of all the mafia but I don't think that we would be able to. They -
"We?" I asked.
"Yeah, I-I'm helping Blake -
"No, you aren't -
"I have to -
"No -
"Babe, please. I want to punish my father myself and even the police are with us in this. There's no harm at all -
"You can easily get hurt and don't you dare deny me, Max. I know how much it's dangerous and you know that too!" I shouted.
He closed his eyes tightly, taking in lungful of deep breaths before releasing them slowly. I grabbed his hands and once he opened his eyes, he saw my begging face. His hard glare immediately dissolved, his face softened and he pulled me in his arms.
"Please, I have to do this. I need you, please, just stay right by my side." he pecked my lips and I responded quickly by pressing my own ones to his.
He pulled back but kept his forehead pressed against mine.
Tears brimmed the corners of my eyes but I refused to cry.
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.
I nodded and squeezed my eyes shut.
He's made his decision.
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The next chapter will be dedicated to the one who comments first 😋
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See you!