Page 51 of Every Sunset
Knowing that maniac – Callum – was out there somewhere when my son was alone terrified me. I just needed Max to be with me, where I could keep him safe.
“Here, hon. Drink this,” Cat said, startling me. I looked to my right and found her stood at my side, holding out a glass of amber liquid. “It’s whiskey. It might stop you from shaking quite so much.”
I didn’t usually drink hard liquor. The smell of it reminded me of my father, and those were not memories I wanted to relive, but I took the glass anyway, and drank it all down in one gulp. I was a mess and I’d try anything to force me to pull myself together.
“They’re here,” Tate said, and I whipped my head around to look outside again. Sure enough Maddox was already parked up right outside the window and climbing out. A sob of relief slipped from me when I saw my son round the car and follow right behind Madd. He looked anxious, but he was unharmed and safe.
By the time I got to my feet on my shaky legs, Tate had unlocked and opened the door.
“Hey man? Everything good?” Tate asked as Maddox walked in.
“Yeah. You see anyone hanging around?” Madd asked. I didn’t hear what else was said, because the second my son walked in I ran to him and had him wrapped tightly in my arms.
“Max! Are you alright?” I cried as I clutched him. He hugged me back just as tight and I could feel how tense his whole body was.
“Is it true?” he asked unsteadily. “Is….is he here? Is he alive?”
“I…I saw him, Max. I saw him outside the store. He’s here,” I sniffled as I tried to fight back my overwhelming fears. Max just held me even tighter as a sob escaped.
“Hey,” I felt another body surround my back, and realized Maddox was holding the both of us. “Everything’s gonna be fine. Logan and I aren’t gonna let anything happen to either of you,” he told us as he pulled us both against his body and held us tight.
“How can this be happening? I…I killed him, right mom? He…he was dead. You said he w-was dead, right?” Max questioned, and I hated the waver in his voice. I knew he was either crying, or very close to it.
“I thought he was,” I replied as I lifted my head and looked up at Maddox. He was going to be confused, and likely alarmed by this conversation…except he didn’t look either of those things.
“Max told me some of it,” he told me. “We’ll discuss the rest back at the house. Let’s just keep things quiet until Logan get’s here, okay?” he suggested as he glanced to where Cat and Tate sat at a table close enough to hear us if they tried to.
“Madd’s right. We shouldn’t talk about any of this here,” I told Max, and I was relieved when he lifted his head and looked at me, then nodded. I was right, he was crying and he looked sickly gray. I reached up and placed my hand over his cheek, hoping to soothe him. I was somewhat relieved when he forced a wobbly smile for me. “You’ll be fine, Max. I won’t let it be any other way,” I promised him.
“It’s not me I’m worried about, mom,” he sniffled as he looked at me with so much unmasked fear.
“You’ll both be fine. Logan and I will see to that,” Maddox cut in, his words firm and sure.
“You shouldn’t get mixed up in all of this,” I sighed as I turned enough to meet his gaze. “This is my mess. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”
“Enough,” Madd growled as he moved his arm from around me and gently cupped my cheek in his huge palm. “I don’t want to hear this crap, Anna, and neither will Logan. You guys are our family now, and that means we will do whatever we need to do to always keep you both safe.”
“But…”
“No, baby. No but’s, and no arguing. You know what you mean to Logan and I. We want you to be ours, and that means we want Max to be ours too. We love you both. Whoever this guy is, whatever is going on, we’ll handle it together.”
“What does that mean? Are you guys…is it serious now?” Max asked as he took a step back and looked to Maddox with confusion. “Mom?” He turned his look on me and I had no idea what to say.
“Later, kid. We can talk about everything once we get home. For now let’s just sit down and wait for Logan to get here. Your mom’s pretty shaken up,” he pointed out, and I was grateful that he chose not to mention the fact Max looked just as shaken as I did.
Max took a deep breath as he swiped at his eyes, then he took my hand and led me over to sit in one of the leatherette booths near the window. Maddox followed us over and settled his hand on my thigh as he slid into the seat beside me. The heat of his skin on mine make me feel a comfort I needed desperately in that moment, and I found myself leaning to the side and against his warm body. Max slid into the seat opposite us. Madd had told me that he and Logan loved me and my son. Maybe that should have scared me, but it didn’t because I could feel it too, even if I dare not fully admit it yet. I could feel the strength of my trust in those two men, and the intensity of my feelings for the both of them every time they were near. I knew the feeling I got when they touched me – that complete sensation of safety and comfort – had to be love. Nothing else could feel so strong and unbreakable.
LOGAN
I knew my driving was reckless as I sped through town and came to a screeching halt outside of the diner, but I didn’t have it in me to care about that, or about anything other than seeing for myself that Anna and Max were safe. Even the text from my brother assuring me he had the both of them, hadn’t settled my racing heart, or stopped my hands from sweating against the wheel of my truck as panic and fear filled me.
It had only been a matter of weeks that Anna, Max, Madd, and I had known each other, but those weeks had been enough toconvince me that Anna and Max were meant to be with Madd and I. I had no doubts about that. I was in love with Anna, which was such a crazy thing for me to admit to myself when I had ony ever loved my brother in my entire life, but Anna – she was just special. It was like she was made for me – for Madd and I. She made me feel an inner peace and contentment I had never known before when I held her close and was surrounded by everything she was.
Knowing she had been in danger, and Max too, had made every macho, alpha instinct that I had within me, come roaring to life, and all I wanted was to get to the both of them and know they were protected and whole.
The first thing I saw as I all but threw myself through the door of the diner, was Max. He was sitting in a booth opposite my brother. He was pale…too fucking pale, and his eyes were red and puffy. I was sure the way he was biting his bottom lip was his attempt not to cry any further and it ripped me apart to see him hurting and afraid. He was just a kid – sure he seemed smart, and wise beyond his years, but he was only fifteen really – and I couldn’t stand to see him looking so afraid.
“Max,” I gasped as I rushed over to him. I couldn’t see Anna, but I knew she was there somewhere because Maddox had told me so.
