"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
-Thomas Edison
***************
I arrive at my home in a mess. I leave my high heels on the sofa and I go upstairs into my room. I go to my bed and I look at all my papers and my computer, I look at all the letters written in there and I think to myself if it is right to publish that. I shake my head. I am going to publish, with or without Max's permission. In the book was not only secrets about Max there were also secrets about me. I scroll with the mouse on the computer and I stop in the cover. I stay there with my eyes glued one to the white wolves.
2 HOURS LATER
I open my eyes. I rise in a sudden movement and breathe quickly with difficulty. A big arm touches my belly.
-Calm I'm here, everything will be fine-Max pronounced in a gentle voice.
-Where Am I ?- I murmur.
-We're in our room, no one saw us-breathes deeply-fortunately.
-What was that--I mean, looking forward.
-That was a bad thing, I know.
-I... Could... Have... Been... Dead-I pronounce the words with difficulty.
-I'm sorry-a crying voice echoes in the room, I look at Max, tears ran from his green eyes.
-We're both fine, and that's what's important--I can't stop looking at his face, it's the first time I've ever seen him cry. I lift a hand and I land it on his right cheek, he lifts his face in my direction surprised--don't cry please-I say gently.
His green eyes were sparkled because of the tears and looked like two emeralds. He gave a little glimpse in my hand and lifts his, landing it right after mine. The warmth of his hand calms me down. Their eyes find mine. He starts to come to me and I do the same towards him. My breath was heavy and my heart was beating fast.
-We'd better go meet Paul.
-Okay-I swallow did we had a moment?-wait-I ask.
-Yes-I go to him and I wipe the tears in his face with my fingers, he smiles sadly.
-Thank you.
-I make a forced smile and I leave the room, he goes after me with my bags in his hands.
- Emma.
-Yes?-I look to him.
-Is everything okay with us?
-Yes-I lie with all the strength I have.
I move my feet and I start walking, I bite my lower lip hard. I'm angry and I don't understand why. I keep walking and I hit my feet the ground as I walk. A lot of anger.
-Are you sure everything is fine between us?
-Yes, it's all good-I growl surprising Max and even myself.
-Ok-he responds softly.
I growl at him, I just growl at him. I notice the elevator's broken and I'm looking at Max.
-The stairs are right there-he points with one finger.
-Stairs, OK-I breathe deep and I try to calm down. I can be normal.
-Paul sent me a message saying we should go outside.
-Okay-I nod my head in agreement. I don't look at him. We had a moment and I wanted him to... Maybe... Uh..... And I'm angry because it didn't happen. It was ridiculous, I shouldn't be mad at him. We have nothing. I sketch a smile of sympathy for him. He looks at me confused. Good, now he thinks I'm the bipolar one.
I keep walking and down the stairs to level 0, Max does the same. I see Paul and Charles waving at me. Max seems rushed and puts himself in front of me. He wore a white transparent short-sleeved sweater that let me see his muscles. We got to the car and Paul hugs me.
-Where were you? We heard there was a gunshot attack on one of the elevators, which happened on your floor, we were worried about you guys.
-I don't-Charles smiles playfull at me, I lay my tongue out, he smiles as an answer
-I'm glad you're all right, let's keep on traveling, that the trip is still long-He looks at Charles-you have to go with Emma and Max.
-I'm going in the middle and you can sit next me-Max says interrupting Paul in a weird way.
-Okay-Charles smiles at me in a malicious way, I sigh deeply.
We get in the car, I sit at the end, Max in the middle and Charles sits at the other end behind the driver's seat from where Paul was sitting. I notice that with all the excitement I've shown only in the last few hours I completely forgot to download another movie, which was not customary, for me. Then there was nothing to do.
I yawn, I was full of sleep. Sleeping on the road wasn't a bad idea, so I pulled over and I leaned against Max's shoulder and I fell asleep. After a while, I feel something moving in my hair, I open my eyes, it was Max. And I wasn't leaning against his shoulder, my head was on his lap.
-Are we there yet?-I ask sleepily.
-No princess, go back to sleep-Max says in a gentle way, I look at Charles he was watching a movie on his cell phone and then he wasn't seeing my sad figures at least that, at least. I fall asleep again on Max's lap. Not long after the car stopped one more time.
-Princess-whispers Max into my ear and I wake up...
I open my eyes and I see Max's smiling at me.
I smile at him too.
I get up and I look outside and I see the harbor of the Navy, in the distance, there was a big boat, cruise style anchored to our waiting. Shiny black letters embroidered the ship. His name was Blackheart.
I'm the last to leave the car after I get out of the car, I land my feet on the wet wood and I appreciate with my nose the smell of the sea. I give longs deeps breaths, feeling the sea breeze from the blue ocean entering my lungs.
-Princess, your suitcase is with me-Max smiles at me.
-I can take it
-Yes, but I insist
He smiles at me but I don't like being treated like I'm helpless and then I go to him and I take my suitcase.
-Ok bossy lady - he laughs and he goes to the boat with his suitcase.
I smile, back. Suddenly something strikes me, I was still frightened by the episode of the elevator, it just proved that Max still hadn't told me the whole story and I still feared what it was to come.
-Oh ugly, we're waiting for you-shouts Charles from the distance.
I look at the bottom and I see Max and Paul climbing the ramp to the boat, Charles was right behind him and he looked at me smiling. I run towards them and enter the boat. I'm shocked, the luxury was stamped on every corner of the ship. The color black was dominant and spread everywhere, the white still appeared but was little. I was in a hallway, the entrance, and there was a line of people behind me, in front of me was Charles.
Suddenly he turns back. A malicious smile sprouts on his lips. He grabs my arm and pulls me forward.
-What's your scene with my brother?
-Scene?
-Yes, I'm not blind, you know- he blinks his right eye.
-We're acquaintances.
-"Acquaintances"?- he raises an eyebrow.
Yes acquaintances, I almost died in the elevator, found traces of homicide and almost kissed him, so I agree, we are known.
Not even close thinking to myself.
-Yes.
-I may not know you, but I know you're lying.
-I'm not-I looking at the floor.
-Why did you turn your eyes to the ground?
-Uh, ... Because I like my boots.
I'm not lying, on the other hand...
-I'm going to pretend I believe you- he says, pulling me slowly one more time.
Then he cames closer to me, to close to be more precise and we get together, chest to chest.Face to Face.
-He's with Scarlet, they're getting married.
-You don't think it's by his choice, do you ?-a little comic smile comes out of his lips.
-What do you mean? - I ask confused.
Realizing what he just said Charles stays serious looking at me.
-Nothing.
-"I'll pretend to believe you "-I quote with my fingers.
-That's funny.
He comes out of me and continues to walk forward, the line moved quickly and I could already see light from afar, I didn't know there were boats that had long corridors.
-Now seriously, you know?
-I know what?
-Well if you know-a hopeful look comes out of his eyes.
He is talking about Max, he knows what I want to know.
-Should I know?
-Yes, you should.
-So tell me.
Charles shrinks his shoulders.
-It's not up to me to do it. But he's going to tell you and I even think knowing that idiot, you've gotten yourself into trouble because of him.
Yeah, I almost got killed, so I 100 percent agree with him.
-How do you...
I shut up. I didn't like not knowing things. I close my right fist. When will I know? When I went into the elevator again and I get shot at me again, is that how you want Max?
-Huh?
-Have you told him?
-What?
-That you like him.
-I don't like him-I look down one more time.
-You just did it again-Charles smiles.
-No, I don't like him.
-I think you'd be good for him-says Charles with a sincere expression.
I'm in line for a while, and the light in the distance gets stronger, I pull the suitcase to my place.
-His life, Emma is complicated and you have to understand that.
-How complicated?
-Just be careful.
I go into the light, it was a giant place with a large pool in the center and around it had little colored stalls.
-Come to the pool with me.
I frighten myself with the surprise whisper. I look back and I see Max in bathing red hot shorts and Jesus his chest....
-Stop the drool and come with me.
-I don't have a bikini.
-Go put one, I wait for you -says Max and bites his lip.
I shudder in a good way with his act. I don't think so. I drop the suitcase on the floor and open it, I take out a bikini, then I close it quickly. I hear Charles laughing.
-And now it's true?
I send him the middle finger and I run to a bathroom. I wear the bikini and I look in the mirror. I raise my hand and I loose my hair.
I need a haircut.
I see the bikini. It was simple and black, containing two parts, the top and the bottom, obviously. And I still had a detail that I appreciated a lot, a little white lace, which was in the middle of the bra.
I breathe deep and I eave the bathroom.
You can do it, try not to screw it up.
Way towards the pool. Max when he sees me, he whistles, I smile. When my feet touch the edge of the pool, I jump in. I appreciate the water touching me in the body was very relaxing. I go to the surface and I shake the water out of my hair.
Max is coming to me.
-My God Emma, if I knew the moment I saw you, you'd hide that body under those pajamas, I would have acted fast-a seductive smile appears on his lips. For a few seconds, I'll let him take my mind away by his pretty face.
He's got a girlfriend, he's expecting a bride and a wedding.
I wake up from my trance.
-Is Scarlet coming too?
By hearing the name, Max gets serious.
-She's not important.
-Seriously, she's your fiancée-I smile sarcastically at him.
-Emma...
-So it's not? Why isn't your FIANCÉE coming?
-I promise to tell you everything, but now is not the right time for that and you have to trust me.
-Trust you? Oh, bite me.
-Is that an invitation-Max smiles with his classic bastard smile on his lips.
-My good you will never change.
I hear a scream of fear, I turn slowly back. I hear behind me, the water moving, and I see Max's body put in front of me. He was taller than me, and then I pushed myself a little to the right and saw the horror show. Three men dressed in black were walking towards me, each of them was carrying a machine gun. Behind them I see a body of a woman washed down on the floor, blood trickled beneath her, and with his arms on top was a little girl, crying, with a confused expression on her face.
-Max-I whisper quietly and with fear.
-It's going to be okay you need to trust me.
I breathe deep. And I grab Max's waist, he's serious.
-You're going to have to do what I say.
-Okay.
The men were getting closer. I breathe deep, something tells me that it would be worse than the elevator, much worse. The men were already standing in front of us, the middle man smiles on me with confidence. I analyze the face and scream. Those brown hairs, those blue eyes. It couldn't be, just couldn't... The person who was in front of me didn't just kill someone for fun.
With a faint voice, I say.
-Father?
The man smiles even more.
-Hi, beloved daughter.