Page 36 of Surrender: XXX Maxim
I don’t even have the sense of mind to scold him for cursing. “Holy shit.”
The house has a massive pool that pales in comparison to the view of a sandy beach and the ocean beyond it—but I barely notice those features. Because on the lush green lawn below the terrace, someone dropped a random carnival.
I rub my eyes. I’m delirious, that explains it. But when I look again, nothing’s changed.
“This is insane,” Mikie exclaims. “The twins are gonna lose their shit. They’ve been begging to go to shitty Fun Mountain for weeks—” He eyes me from over his shoulder, suddenly serious. “If this is your rich boyfriend’s attempt at buying our affection, then consider me fucking bought. This isinsane!”
Insane is one way to put it. Colorful tents stand erect in the morning light, bathed in the shade of massive palm trees. An actual fucking carousel and some kind of spinning ride add to the impossible illusion. Staff in fitting costumes mill about, setting up machinery and equipment.
And standing stoically amongst it all, I spot a lone figure directing the chaos.
“He gets mad points for this,” Mikie adds, his voice dripping awe. “Even if he is in the fucking mafia—”
“Watch your mouth!” I flinch, pressing Ainsley to my chest, though she’s seemingly too busy eyeing the scene beyond the glass to listen. “What are you even saying?”
“Frankie. I’m not fucking stupid.” He shoots me another brutally honest glance, and my cheeks catch fire. “Normal people don’t dress like him. He has a private jet. Armed security. And…” His eyes skim the length of me, surprisingly sharp, missing nothing. “You’re always on edge around him—”
“Here.” I do my best to hand Ainsley to him. “I’ll be right back.”
“No! Don’t go!” She squirms, but Mikie’s strong enough to hold her. Regardless, I have to rip myself away, and her nails sink into me one final time, drawing blood.
“Go ahead. I’ve got her,” Mikie insists, wincing as she claws at his arm next. “It’s okay. Right?All of thisis okay?”
I turn away, unable to answer him. My heart pounds as I race deeper into the house and eventually find a set of French doors that exit onto the terrace. A wall of heat hits me like a slap, and sweat instantly slicks my skin. My brain buzzes with the scent of sea salt, and I sway, blinking to adjust. It’s like I’m in a different world entirely from the cold, gray realm of Fair Haven.
One presence serves as my anchor to this reality, however. He stands near the edge of the pool, his back to me. Presumably, due to the heat, he wears a crisp white linen button-down and slacks instead of a suit.
“You’re awake.” I stiffen at the formality of his tone. He barely inclines his head in acknowledgment as I approach. “How did you sleep?”
“Fine.” I cross my arms over my chest, self-conscious of my rumpled clothing and messy hair. At his subtle reminder, my back throbs in full force, sore after sleeping upright. “But what is this?” I gesture to the scene unfolding before us. “Where did you even—”
“This?” He sounds as though waking up to find a popcorn machine in your backyard is a totally normal occurrence. A boring one, even. “This is…amusement,” he says. “Though I hope you realize why a visit to a real park is out of the question.”
“What?” I stare, stunned. Then it dawns on me, what I said to him in the club.My kids should be in a fucking amusement park or something…
“No.” I shake my head, tearing at my hair. “You didn’t…” The insanity of it all is harder to process when viewed up close. The scent of cotton candy and popcorn taint the ocean air. It’s as if he really has transported an amusement park here, to only God knows where. Just for the kids?
No.A telltale pinch in my chest warns me that isn’t the only reason.
“I was just… I was being hysterical,” I croak. “You didn’t have to—”
“Get dressed. I need to ensure everything is in order.” He turns his attention to one of the passing workers, leaving me behind.
I watch him go, my throat tight. A man of his resources is capable of making the unbelievable possible daily. Like committing murder undetected. Or making problems disappear. Moving families across the world on a whim seems to be his favorite pastime lately. But of all of those actions…
I can’t fathom this one.
Confused, I return to the house and enter one of the bathrooms. I wash up at the sink, but without any fresh clothes, I keep on the same dress and comb my hair with my fingers. By the time I return outside, all of the kids are already fully dressed, descending on the lawn. Racing past me, they fan out, rushing from attraction to attraction, all while laughing. Fucking around. Taunting each other in a way they did back in our shitty living room while fighting over video games.
I didn’t realize until now how long it’s been since I’ve heard them like this…
They actually sound happy.
And the lone figure responsible stands apart from them, silently watchful. The heat is affecting him as well, gluing the hair to his shoulders and making him glisten beneath a sheen of sweat. He doesn’t look anywhere near as rough as I do, though. It’s like he thrives within the change of environment, dominating the world even beyond the city. Untouchable. Unfazed.
Unreadable.
Lucius stands beside him, speaking intently. From this distance, I catch snippets of what he’s saying. “…Mr. Hood called again this morning, sir.”
