Page 152 of The Sidekick

“This morning.” Technically, it was last night, but I wasn’t in any state to listen.

“He just dropped it cold? What the fuck? He couldn’t have waited a few days? Let me get my side in? I had no idea you were in his class. I swear. The asshole didn’t even tell me, and he knew I was trying to get you back. I’m killing him.”

“You sure do talk a lot, Max,” I try to maintain my serious face, but it’s getting more difficult the madder he gets.

“What did he say? I swear I will make an effort to beat his ass on principle alone.”

“It didn’t even take two years for you to start gossiping.”

He stops mid-rant and stares at me with his mouth gaping open.

“He didn’t have to climb the mountain of grumpy just to get a hello.” I bite my lower lip to keep my grin in check.

“Are you fucking with me right now?” Max’s surprise is priceless.

“He didn’t risk the rapids of frowny face.”

“Tera,” his tone turns warning. I start to giggle.

“The fog of stony silence?”

He lets out a bark of laughter, and I can’t hold it in anymore as I join him.

“I thought he was trying to convince you to forget about us. Don’t do that to me,” he says with a laugh, but there’s fear in the undertones.

“No,” I smile warmly. Max does a double-take at the expression. “He’s given me permission to cuddle you. Shade says I’ll get bonus points if I do it in front of Satan.”

“What’s Shade’s number? I feel like we could be best friends.” While he talks, he leans down and scoops me up, bridal style. I wrap my arms around his neck automatically, pressing my face into his shoulder. It feels good to be here. His hold is very different from Asher’s, but not less. It completes a different part of me. The piece that wants comfort and home with a side of playfulness. Max is all three.

It isn’t as difficult as I thought it would be to let him hold me, even with the thought that Satan is here somewhere. I’ve been so caught up in my own head that I forgot that maybe Max was hurting too. It’s strange that all it took was permission from Asher to make me let go of the reservations holding me back.

He carries me back towards the office, humming merrily the whole way. I feel him push the door open with his foot and the sudden drop as he sits on the couch. I tense as I realize where we are. Maybe I should have had a little bit of misgivings.

A throat clears and my arms tighten as a sense of déjà vu spirals through me. I don’t want to take my head off Max’s shoulder and face the other person in the room. I already feel like I’ve done something wrong. It sickens me.

Max lets out a loud, contented sigh and says, “I bet you wish you were here, huh, Trevor? It’s such a shame you’re stuck over there all cold and lonely.”

My head jerks back as I gape at Max’s smug expression. Did he seriously just say that out loud?

“One.”

The dark tone makes my shoulders hunch defensively. I don’t know why he’s counting back there, but he makes it sound like a countdown to extinction. My nerves flutter in my stomach and my panties dampen at the same time.

The word has the exact opposite effect on Max as he leans back, making pleased sounds as he squirms beneath me, getting comfortable. He’s completely oblivious to the threat as his smile grows.

I’m torn between making an excuse for his behavior and watching this play out.

“Tera,” Satan’s tone changes slightly. Enough to be relaxed but not enough for my nerves to settle. I want to jump out of Max’s lap.

How can he be mad that I’m giving Max attention when that’s all he wanted before? I’m right back in that useless pit of waiting for the ax to drop.

“You’re not in trouble,” Max frowns as he glances down at me. “I’m riling him up because I love it. Nothing bad is going to happen here.”

I know he believes that, but I have proof to the contrary. I bet I could find pieces of my heart embedded in the floor beneath his feet.

Max cups the back of my head in a large hand and brings my face forward to make it easier to burrow into him. I don’t hesitate to hide there, my pride taking a jaunty walk outside and leaving me behind.

“So you’re here to cuddle with me and grab your laptop,” Max says easily and strokes my back like he’s soothing a wild animal. “I don’t see a problem. I’m reaping all the rewards here. You’re in my lap, Trevor is mad at me, Asher is on my side. I could die happy right now.”

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