Page 92 of Secrets

A tear catches in his eye, but he blinks it away. "Do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Be good to Max."

She gasps. "Excuse me?"

He smiles and shakes his head. "You're not going to lie to me and tell me that you and Max aren't a thing, are you? I thought we had a pretty honest relationship, Daphne."

"H-he told you?"

"No, but it was obvious when he brought up buying the tattoo parlor in Church how he feels. I mean, hell, I know he's been in love with you since you were with Nelson. From the moment he saw you. I'm pretty sure we all knew except for your ex-boyfriend."

Heart racing, she swallows, panic rising in her. The comment about him loving her calms her ever so slightly, however. "Nelson doesn't know, does he?"

"No one knows for certain. Well, except you, Max, and me."

"You have to understand that I don't want what Max and I have to be a secret. It's not about me. If I had the choice, I'd shout it from the tops of the buildings, but it's for him more than anything."

"Because of Nelson?"

Her dark hair falls in her face. "The last thing I ever want for Max is to be hated by his brother. And this will never be okay with Nelson. It's why I tried to push Max away, because he doesn't deserve that. He's such a good man, and I want him to be happy. Always."

"Max did the right thing, Daphne. Nelson was never the guy for you, and Max waited until you finally came to your senses and broke up with his idiot brother. But once you were single, I knew it wouldn't be long until Max found you. I think Nelson's the only one who will be surprised by any of it."

"You don't... hate me? When this comes to light, it's going to create a problem for the club."

To her surprise, Dax laughs. "God, no. None of us could figure out what you saw in Nelson, let alone how you got along. He's kind of an ass most of the time, and you're sweet. You look tough and kind of edgy, but you're a marshmallow."

"Thank you?" she laughs.

"So is Max. He looks like a buff bass player for some punk rock band, but he could never live that lifestyle. He's loyal to a fault, and he's yours as long as you want him. I just ask that you be good to him. When this comes to light, Nelson's going to be more of a miserable prick than he normally is."

Sitting on the chair she vacated when she finished his tattoo, she places her hands in her lap. "Can I be honest?"

"It's preferable, in my opinion."

"I have really strong feelings for him. Stronger than I've ever felt for anyone, and he did this huge thing for me. He helped me save my dad's shop, and I honestly think I might be falling madlyin love with him. But I'm also really scared that something will go wrong, and then I don't know where that leaves me or my job."

He sits on the seat in front of hers, facing her, his arms resting on the back of the chair. "Your job is safe, Daphne. And if you feel like things aren't working with Max, let him go. Don't string him along because you feel like you owe him. That would be the worst thing you could do."

"It's not really me I'm worried about in this situation." Her eyes fall to her hands in front of her as she picks at her black nail polish. "It's... Max has been helping with it, but I feel like I'm never quite... enough? I mean, Nelson really made me feel like I wasn't the woman he wanted. That I needed to change things about myself for him, and at some point, I guess I feel like Max will realize he's made me out to be someone I'm not. When he realizes I'm not exactly what he wants, he'll leave."

Reaching out, Dax takes her hand in his. "That will never happen. Not with Max."

"How can you be sure?"

"What do you like about him?"

She swallows and looks up into his eyes. "He's more than I could have ever dreamed of anyone being for me. He's protective and defensive but sweet and loving at the same time. I think that's what scares me. It feels like a fairy tale, and it sometimes feels like I'll wake up to see it's all just in my head. That it's not real."

"The thing about Max’s loyalty, which sounds really strange since you’re his brother’s ex," Dax says, releasing her hand with a chuckle, "is that he will fight to the death for someone he cares about. Even when Nelson catches wind of what's happening, and is a Grade-A asshole, Max will still be his brother. Will defend him and do what he can to help him. Nelson will tell him to go to hell, but that's a Nelson problem, not really a Max problem."

"He did say that he would do anything it took to make sure we stay solid," she says.

Smiling, he nods. "If he said that, he means it. Max doesn't say anything he doesn't mean. And Nelson can't really be all that mad. He doesn't know I know, but he's seeing someone."

"Sutton," Daphne says.

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