Page 99 of Love or Leave

He'd fully expected Max to have hung his photo on the wall with a “do not serve” notice on it.

"Just a visit," he said.

She smiled. "Max is in his office. You can go back there."

"Okay," he said, throwing up a prayer as he walked. What were the odds Max would grab him by the collar and drag him out of the doors he just walked in?

Max left his door slightly ajar. He probably hadn't expected Antonio to show up.

He hesitated at the door. A week ago, he would have tapped a knock as he pushed open the door and walked right in, but things were much different now, so he lifted his fist and knocked.

"Come in," Max said.

Antonio pushed the door open and stepped inside, but as soon as Max looked up from his computer screen, his face soured and he looked back down at the computer screen.

"No," he said.

Antonio winced and walked the rest of the way in, closing the door behind him.

"I'm just gonna…" he trailed off. Max wasn’t even looking at him. Undeterred, Antonio pulled out the chair across from Max and sat down, paranoia creeping in as his eyes swept the room.

Did he keep weapons in here?

Antonio shook off the thought and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

Max didn't look up from his screen. "Hasn't anyone ever told you not to do things you need to apologize for?"

Antonio nodded. "I shouldn't have—"

"Shouldn't have what?" Max said, finally looking up. He stabbed him with a glare.

"Lied, snuck around, not signed the papers sooner—all of it."

Max narrowed his eyes. "She was in your room with you."

Antonio cringed, then deflated with a nod.

"We went for coffee together," Max said, sounding more hurt than angry. "We talked for an hour. And you just sat there, shooting the shit while my sister was in your room?"

"Yeah." Antonio remembered the frantic morning, how happy he'd been with her. He'd fallen so hard and so fast, he didn't know what to do with it.

"It was a terrible choice," he said, not sure what to say. "I'm sorry."

Max shook his head. "I asked you to stay away from her because Iknewyou would do this. You're in love with Fran—you always have been."

Antonio shook his head. "I was," he said, not sure whether to try to sugarcoat things. "I thought my marriage was worth saving, but I was wrong. Things change. Things have changed."

"What things?"

"Well, for one, I signed the papers and sent them off. I'm as good as divorced," he said, still feeling lighter than air about it. It had been such a huge weight off his shoulders.

"And you're happy about that?" Max asked.

Antonio nodded. "I'm in a good place now. It was over a long time ago. I just didn't know how to move on. Now I do."

"With my sister?" he said, voice laced with anger.

Antonio stared at Max for a moment. "I love her."

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