Page 112 of Off Court Fix

“You—”

I slam my hand on the console, and Maxine jumps. “Pull the damn car over, Maxine.”

It doesn’t go unnoticed that she leans toward the door as she slows, pulling over. We both get out, and when Maxine crosses the front of the car, I see her head tilted down, eyes glued to the ground as she moves past me.

“I’m sorry.” I tug her hand to a stop. “I’m a little on edge.”

Maxine twists her hand from mine. “I know you have your mom on your mind. Let’s just go.”

“You know something?” I begin when she walks away from me. “It’s not just my mom. Whatyoudid tonight has me on edge. I get you’re entering this new stage ofI am woman hear me roarand speaking your mind and your truth, but this would’ve been a good time to leave Hunter and his business out of your path of rage.”

“Hisbusiness?” Maxine turns on her heel.

“Gambling is a business.”

“What he’s doing is notgambling, Crosby. It’s cheating, so a few people in his circle can make a shit ton of money. What about the people without any inside knowledge, hm? What about someone like your dad? The ones who keep showing up, betting on fixed matches, hoping they get lucky even though they’re so in the hole theirkidneeds to pick up the pieces?” Maxine spits.

I place my hands on my hips. “And what areyougoing to do, Maxine? Take down everyone involved? Is that your grand plan when this whole tennis thing stops working out for you? Or will you go after drug dealers next? Become a narc, some sort of anti-drug vigilante? That’s probably better for you. Go avenge your brother’s death. I’llbet,” I seethe, “you’ll find out really quickly that when you cut off the head of the snake of drug or gambling rings, one doesn’t just grow back—threedo.”

“Yeah, well, it’s better than being silent.” Maxine steps closer to me. “Orcomplicit.”

“If you’re going to hold shit I did adecadebefore I met you against me for the rest of our lives, we’re going to have another problem to add on top of this mess you already dragged both of us into.”

Maxine raises her eyebrows. “I wasn’t aware you were the kind of guy who gets dragged into anything he doesn’t want to do. Leave me to handle Hunter.” She turns and begins walking in the opposite direction along the dark, quiet road—the opposite way of my house.

“Where are you going?”

“Home,” she shouts over her shoulder.

I scramble to my running car, hop in to follow her, and roll down the window. “You want to be with me, right?”

“Not right now. You’re acting like a prick.”

“But you want no secrets, not about us, not between us, don’t you, Maxine?” I have to speed up because, injured or not, Maxine walks relatively fast. “You just put him on the hook for over a million dollars publicly. So let me break the news to you—he’ll go public about us if he hasn’t already.”

Maxine comes to a quick stop, and I hit the brakes.

“He thinks I’m running things with you.” I lean across the console and open the door, waiting for her to get in.

“He can’t be that stupid,” Maxine says, and I am about to agree when she continues, folding her arms across her chest. “I don’t need money.”

I hate seeing her cold more than I’m actually annoyed with the theatrics, so I toss her my jacket. She eyes it with disdain before quickly snatching it off the leather of the front seat.

“Neither does Hunter,” I remind her. “That guy was born sitting on butt loads of money. But it’s not about money any more than it’s about drugs. It’s a need for more. If we’re talking about illness, nothing in this world is more deadly than greed and pride, Maxine. Don’t underestimate it.”

“So, what then? I have to front his donation?”

“You have to front the donation you pledged on behalf of him in front of everyone, yes. Because he won’t be made a fool, and he damn well won’t let you drive this train.” I rub my eyes, staring through the windshield at the open road. “Should I park here, or can we finish this conversation at home?”

Maxine raises her head to the stars and sighs before climbing back in my car, and I turn around, heading back toward my house. The short drive is quiet, and when we get inside, Maxine remains silent as she enters the kitchen and fills a glass with water.

I toss my keys on the counter and roll up my shirt sleeves. “I know it’s not what you want to hear to lose out on that money—”

She puts the glass down. “What is it with everyone andmoney? At what point in my life did I ever open my mouth about money? My dad, you... I don’t want Hunter to give that money because I’m afraid of losing it. I want him to pay, what don’t you understand about that?”

I press my lips together. When isn’t it about money? I look around.

I needed to save this house when my dad died and my mother had nowhere to go. The solution? Money.

---