Page 145 of Are You Going to Love Me

Eden turned around. “Yeah. He’s okay?”

“He’s asking for you.”

Eden followed the doctor to the room they’d moved Maximus into. IV drip, heart monitor, and a bandaged shoulder. She wanted to run to him and fall on his chest, but she remained cautious and schooled herself and her emotions.

“How are you feeling?”

Maximus took in her bewildered state. “How you feeling?”

Eden shrugged, keeping her distance. “Not good.”

“Me neither. E-”

“I don’t want to, Max. Not right now. I can wait. I should’ve just waited.”

“Don’t do that,” he softly warned. “Don’t hold that. That ain’t on you.”

“Well, you’re shot so. It’s on me.”

Maximus washed his hand down his face. “Can you stop that and get over here and hug me or something? Or are you that mad?”

“I’m that mad, but unfortunately, it doesn’t stop me from loving you or caring,” she huffed.

“You’ve been crying.”

“Panic attack,” she admitted. “Still reeling actually.”

Maximus swung his legs over the bed and stood.

“You’re supposed to be resting,” Eden fussed, moving over to him. “All these wires and-”

He pulled her into him and kissed the top of her head. “Eden, I need you to listen to me.”

“Max, I-”

“Listen to me. Please. I need you to go home to the apartment. Mama knows where I lay my head. Gus knows where I lay my head. Your building is secure, and Brody will be with you.”

“Max.”

“Listen,” he gritted. “I need to handle this. Everything else, we will handle when I come get you. Until then, be cool. Stay grounded. You can turn up on me when I come back.”

“You’re going to come back, right?” she looked up at him, tears pricking her eyes. “You’re not going to keep me waiting and never come back.”

“I am. I promise you, I'm coming back to you. The minute I walk in, cuss me out. Until then, hold your head and do not leave that apartment.” He swiped a tear from her cheek. “I love you. Regardless of what I did or didn’t do. Know that.”

“I-”

“My momma is one thing. But you. He almost took you from me. Ain’t nobody getting away with that. Nobody. Blood, gang, nobody.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her. “Go home. Brody is downstairs waiting for you.”

forty-six

. . .

“Thanks for meeting me,”Anzel hesitated, as Staysha stopped short of her table.

Anzel was tucked away in a corner booth of Lex, a Caribbean fusion spot she hadn’t tried yet. She was hoping to bond in some way with Staysha, but with Eden putting her on ice, there was no way Staysha was letting her in.

“Mm. You only called me a hundred times. Which is crazy, being that you haven’t called since you left,” Staysha scoffed, sitting down. “And Eden isn’t talking to me, so I’m really only here to figure out your motive.”

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