Max (Ride Series Second Generation Book 6) Read online

  “Tank found multiple deliveries on her front porch. Looks like he got progressively agitated. Not sure why, maybe he saw me with her. I don’t have any doubt at this point he ran her off the road and is here in Hawthorne.”

  “Fuck,” Sal clipped. “Why the hell am I just hearing about this now?”

  I knew what he meant; he wanted to know why Tank hadn’t called him. If there was ever a time to make a claim, it was now. “Because she’s mine.” I answered firmly. “I understand she’s your daughter,” I continued when he looked ready to speak, “but she’s my woman, Sal—my forever. If you don’t get that now, you will. But until then, you need to know, I’m not backing down. I’m not stepping back. I’ll protect her from everything and anything. If you and I need to come to blows over it, so be it, but I’d rather have your blessing.”

  He looked to the side a moment, as though considering his next move. “It won’t come to blows again unless you give me a good reason,” he replied, the threat clear in his tone.

  “If I give you reason, then by all means.” Hell, if I ever hurt Wren, I’d kneel at his feet and welcome it.

  He blew out a breath and nodded slightly, that small chin dip likely the most acknowledgement I’d get for now. “That asshole that attacked her,” he said, clearly done with as close to a heart-to-heart as we may ever get, “any chance he could have dropped off those packages before he was killed? Could he be her stalker?”

  “I don’t think so,” I replied, wishing it was that simple. “That’s what’s bugging me. I’m not sure exactly how yet, but it seems likely the attacker and her stalker are linked. Plus, the way the attacker died is too fucking coincidental.”

  “You think her stalker killed him?”

  “I do.” I nodded. “I just don’t know why.”

  “She know any of this yet?”

  I shook my head. “Was gonna give her a few more days to rest up, but I plan to tell her. She needs to know, and plus, knowing Wren, she’d be pissed as hell if she found out I kept this from her.”

  “True.”

  The silence between us stretched for a moment. “I’ll head out for a while, swing back by later,” I said finally.

  He cleared his throat. “Could use some help with this.” He gestured toward the engine of the car he was working on. “If you don’t have any place to be,” he added gruffly.

  I peeled off my cut, throwing it over the chair in the corner, accepting the olive branch he was offering. The truth was, I had a bunch of shit to take care of, but there was nowhere more important for me to be. “I can stay,” I assured him, holding out my hand for the wrench. “Let’s see what’s going on.” I nodded toward the old Chevy.

  And with that, a fragile truce was made.

  Chapter 17

  WREN

  “You still here?” my dad asked Max gruffly as he walked into the living room that afternoon. It had been over a week, and my dad asked him the same thing every day. It had become a running joke of sorts, one my dad may or may not have seen the humor in.

  “Still here,” Max replied with a lip twitch as we lay watching a movie on the couch with Olivia sprawled out in the love seat to my right. Max had been reluctant to leave at the end of each day. I kept assuring him I was feeling better, understanding he had a life to take care of, and I felt bad he was so obviously putting it on hold for me. Every day I felt a bit stronger. I’d been able to scale back substantially on my pain meds, though I still longed for the day I could cough without pain.

  When both he and my dad’s cells went off simultaneously, I knew it had to be club business.

  My dad glanced at his text. “Cole wants a meet,” he told Max.

  Max simply stared at him as a silent standoff of sorts took place between them.

  “I’ll go,” my dad grumbled, grabbing his cut before turning to me. “Your mom’s still at Dixie’s helping Piper with inventory. She calls, you let her know to call me.”

  “Will do, Pop,” I agreed, knowing something monumental had just happened. My dad had deferred to Max when it came to keeping me safe. That was big. No, it was huge.

  He leaned over, placing a quick kiss to the top of my head. “Love you, little bird.”

  “Love you too.” I smiled up at him.

  “That felt like sort of a big deal,” I murmured as the sound of my dad’s Harley could be heard roaring off down the road.

  “Totally,” Liv agreed.

  Max simply squeezed my foot as we settled back into our movie.

  “Gracie’s salon is having an anniversary party tonight,” Liv put in as the credits were rolling. “You guys want to go?”

  “Not tonight,” Max’s response was swift and left no room for argument.

  I’d brought up going out more than once but had been shot down every time. I was still recovering, but pretty soon I’d be pushing the subject. I could only stay cooped up for so long.

  Liv made a pouty face but said nothing more about it, sensing, as I did, that she wouldn’t get anywhere with Max. Not tonight anyway.

  Olivia was just getting ready to leave when Max’s phone rang. “Gonna take this outside,” he muttered, rising to stalk toward the front door, his phone already pressed to his ear.

  “Who calls anyone these days anyway?” Liv demanded in bafflement.

  I laughed at her befuddled expression. “I wish I could go with you tonight.” I pouted as she gathered her jacket and purse.

  “Me too.” She sighed. “But I’m sure Mr. Alpha will let you out of the house eventually.”

  “Hopefully,” I replied with a dramatic sigh. “I know he’s just worried, but starting our dating life with constant chaperones is a total bummer.”

  She snorted. “I’m sure he’s had a case of blue balls for weeks.”

  I was trying to suppress a laugh when Max strode back in. “You takin’ off?” he asked Liv.

  She nodded. “Thanks for letting me be a third wheel. I’ll text you later,” she told me in parting as she waved to us both and made her way for the front door.

  “Take pictures tonight and send them to me!” I called after her.

  “Will do,” she agreed.

  “What do you feel like doing?” I asked Max once she was gone.

  “That was your pop.” He gestured to his phone. “He and Cole are making a run to Vegas. I’m gonna take you to my place.”

  My eyes popped wide in surprise. The idea of being with Max at his place, alone, was more than welcome, but I worried what could be going on to have my dad agree to it. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s fine. We have it handled,” he assured me. “I’ll help you gather up enough of your stuff for a few days.”

  “A few days?” I squeaked.

  He eyed me intently. “If I have my way, it’ll be a lot more than that.”

  I wasn’t sure exactly what he meant by that and was maybe a little afraid to ask as he made his way to the stairs headed for my room. My man was on a mission, that was for sure.

  I would have protested him basically lifting me into the passenger side of his truck thirty minutes later, but the thing was massive. Even without cracked ribs, I would have had trouble. It was a sweet ride with matte black paint and a black-on-black interior.

  “I can’t believe I’ve never been to your house,” I marveled as we hit the road.

  He shrugged. “Not many people have.” This didn’t surprise me knowing how much Max liked to keep to himself. The fact that I’d become an exception to that rule wasn’t something I’d ever take lightly, or stop reveling in.

  “But I get to,” I pressed with a small smile.

  He looked over at me. “Well, you’re my girl.” He stated this as fact, and I’d never get tired of hearing him say it. He raised a brow at me. “You just wanted me to say that, didn’t you?” he accused with a chuckle.

  “I did,” I admitted without shame.

  He simply shook his head at me as we made our way outside of town, driving well off the beaten path befor
e pulling up in front of a lodge-style home framed by mountains and wilderness.

  “Stay there,” he ordered as he parked out front, dropping down out of the driver’s seat and moving around to my side, lifting me carefully down to my feet. “I bought the place about a year ago,” he explained as I took in my surroundings. “I’ve been fixing it up, but it’s still a work in progress,” he said as two black mastiffs came bounding in our direction.

  I was well acquainted with the breed as Cole and Scarlet had always had one or two, but their size still had me taking a step back.

  “Heel,” Max ordered as both dogs came to a skidding stop at his feet.

  “This is Boulder, but I call him Bo.” He pointed to the larger of the two. “And this is his sister, Sky.”

  I quirked a brow at the names. He’d told me about his animals, but not how they got their names.

  “I let Tag’s kids name them when they were younger. Fucking Paw Patrol,” he muttered with an adorably sheepish grin. I had no idea what that was but figured it was some sort of kids show. “That’s Frank. He thinks he’s a dog.” He pointed to a large tabby who was butting its head against my leg.

  “Did the kids name him too?”

  “I named him,” he replied, appearing affronted.

  “Oh.” I laughed at his expression. “They’re cute.” I smiled sincerely.

  He shrugged. “Gunner’s mom breeds Mastiffs. They guard the property. Though I gotta admit, I didn’t plan on getting them. They were just so fucking cute I couldn’t resist,” he admitted, looking nearly bashful and never more gorgeous than he was right in that moment. “And Frank, well, he turned up one day and never left,” he shared as we made our way inside.

  We walked into a gorgeous great room with vaulted wood ceilings and a killer stone fireplace that went all the way to the ceiling. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the view of the mountain range and let in an abundance of sunshine.

  “This is gorgeous,” I breathed.

  “Thanks,” he replied, seeming genuinely pleased that I liked it. “Majority of the work that I still have to get to is the kitchen and bathrooms. Cole, Gunner, and Pop have been helpin’ me out.”

  I looked behind him toward the open concept kitchen that, though outdated, looked fully functional. I followed him down a hall as he pointed out an empty room, save for some gym equipment, an office and a master, which was sparsely furnished with a king-sized bed, a bedside table, and a dresser.

  “It’s sparse.” He chuckled as though realizing it for the first time.

  I cocked a brow at his understatement. “It’s very you,” I shared, looking around the space. Despite the lack of furniture, hints of Max were everywhere, from the stack of books on the nightstand to the black frames only a few people even knew he wore for reading, to the scent of peppermint and pine that was just barely noticeable in the air. I looked over at the large king-size bed, unable to stop myself from picturing being tangled up with him there.

  As though he could read my thoughts, or was having the same ones himself, he grabbed my hand, leading me back out to the kitchen. “Probably smart to get out of the bedroom.”

  I didn’t agree but followed him nonetheless.

  “Make yourself at home. I’m just gonna change my shirt.” He gestured to the grease all over his white tee, a consequence of helping my dad out earlier.

  I nodded, watching as he strode back toward the bedroom, admiring his amazing backside as he went. The man sure could fill out a pair of jeans. I sighed dreamily, reaching down to pat Bo’s head as he sat at my side watching me with interest. “You don’t get many visitors, do you?” I asked him quietly.

  Max returned a moment later, wearing a black tee and black jeans. “Sorry, they’re a bit needy. I haven’t been home much,” he admitted, eyeing both dogs, who were now clambering for my attention.

  “You’ve been putting your life on hold to be with me,” I concluded, feeling renewed guilt wash over me.

  He cocked his head to the side. “Don’t you get it, baby? You are my life.”

  I’d always known Max was intense, but nothing could have ever prepared me for the weight of his stare in moments like this.

  “We barely just started dating,” I protested. “Isn’t it fast?”

  He shrugged, undeterred. “So? Did you expect me to put everything on the line for something I wasn’t dead serious about?” He looked almost angry now.

  He leaned against the counter, eyeing me as I stood across from him. “I don’t make decisions lightly.” This was something I already knew. “When I make up my mind, I’m all in. And when it comes to being with you, at the end of the day, it was the most freeing decision I’ve ever made, like gears shifting into place. I’m not gonna play games or beat around the bush. It’s just not how I’m made. Now, if you can’t handle that, that’s another thing entirely.”

  “I can handle it.”

  His mouth quirked at my quick response. “That’s good, babe. Because honestly? For me, I don’t think there’d be any going back.”

  “Me either,” I whispered truthfully. I’d been sure Max was it for me when I was ten years old. Whether or not he’d ever decided the same, I’d have been lost to him for the rest of my life. I knew that instinctively, without doubt. The fact that now I got to be lost in him was just about the very best scenario I could have hoped for.

  And I had hoped.

  “What do you think about dinner?” he asked, releasing me from the intensity of his gaze.

  I had to take a deep breath and shake myself out of it before I could even answer him. “Do you even have anything here?” I asked skeptically.

  “Nope.” He chuckled, as though realizing it for the first time. “Are you up for going to the store?”

  I looked at him incredulously. “Are you kidding? After being laid up, it’s sad how excited I am about going to the damn grocery store.”

  He chuckled. “All right, new plan. Let’s hit the store, I’ll make you dinner, and then we’re going to bed early. Can’t tell you how many goddamn weeks I’ve been waiting to get you in my bed.”

  My face suffused with heat.

  “Just to sleep,” he amended, his eyes dropping to my ribs. “For now.”

  Well, damn.

  Chapter 18

  MAX

  “Why am I not surprised coffee is the first thing you throw in the cart?” I chuckled as Wren marched around the grocery store with purpose. A warm feeling settled in my gut watching her pull items from the shelf to place in our cart to put in our home. She might have thought she was just staying a few days. I had other ideas.

  She shrugged. “I’m not ashamed of my caffeine addiction. Other habits I might wait a bit on,” she muttered then slapped a hand over her mouth as though she hadn’t meant to speak.

  “Like what?” I asked, intrigued as I leaned against the cart, pushing it leisurely alongside her.

  She blushed, something I loved to make her do. I couldn’t wait to find out if that blush went all the way down.

  “Come on, babe,” I pressed, truly curious now.

  “I just like weird stuff—weird combinations of food,” she was quick to amend when I shot her a raised brow.

  “Like…?” I asked as we made our way down the cereal aisle.

  “Like Cheetos and milk,” she blurted out. “And honey on pizza. It’s actually really good,” she defended before I could even say anything. “French fries dipped in honey… I could go on,” she said it as though it was a threat, which had me biting back a laugh.

  “Wow, so this is a whole thing,” I replied, trying hard to sound weirded out rather than flat-out laughing like I wanted to. I had to fuck with her; I couldn’t resist. “How did I not know about this?”

  “It’s not a thing,” she defended.

  I slung an arm around her shoulders, kissing her temple. “I’m just fuckin’ with you, babe. I don’t care what you like to eat, especially since its working for you so well.” I grabbed her ass for emphas
is.

  “Max!” she exclaimed, darting her eyes around the store, her face bright red.

  I pulled her into my side. “I want to know everything there is to know about you. I’ll try honey on pizza. Sounds weird as fuck, but if you say it’s good, what the hell?”

  She shot me an adorable attempt at a glare before marching ahead of the cart, pulling cereal off the shelves as she went.

  When she put a couple of dog bones and some catnip in the cart, I raised a brow. “You trying to bribe them?”

  “No,” she defended. “I just thought they could use a treat.”

  “That’s sweet, baby, but I have some bones at home. Plus, those would be gone in about two seconds,” I added, eyeing the tiny bones she’d picked out. “And the catnip, I wouldn’t buy that unless you want to be up all night with a crazy-ass cat.”

  “Oh,” she mumbled dejectedly, and I wanted to kick my own ass.

  “Tell you what, Frank loves playing with pipe cleaners. We’ll get a few more of those, and maybe we’ll throw the dogs a few hotdogs as a treat,” I bargained.

  Her eyes lit up at that, and she nodded.

  I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her temple again. “You don’t have to give them treats though, babe. They’ll love you regardless.”

  “I just never had pets growing up. I want them to like me, which I realize sounds really stupid.” She wrinkled her nose.

  “It doesn’t, and they will. Now let’s get the rest of our shit and hit the road, all right?”

  “Sure,” she agreed.

  An hour later, empty dinner plates beside us, we were sitting on my back deck with beers in hand.

  Despite the darkness, I could still smell the pine trees and sense the wide-open space that surrounded my property. After the first few years of my life growing up in such a small house that was never clean, the fresh mountain air was like a balm I never knew I needed.

  I didn’t think about that time of my life much, but I knew certain decisions I made as an adult were still dictated by how my childhood had begun.

  “This is beautiful.” Wren sighed contentedly. “Did you always know you wanted this much space?”