My first instinct was to turn and run back the way we came, faster than my legs could carry me. Away from this deeper mess, I was about to put myself into. Away from this disastrous night ahead of me.
I was too dazed to even talk. The alarm bells were ringing loud like sirens in my ears, and fucking Lord, I wanted nothing but to heed them. The problems couldn’t stop coming. Up until now, Max knew nothing about Finn. Involving his family made me feel even more guilty than ever, and all I could imagine was the worst scenario possible. What if they got all personal and wanted to know more about me; my family, my occupation before I met Max, my life in Manhattan? What if they asked if I’d ever gotten an abortion? If I had a child?
I wanted to throw up so bad.
There was no way I could lie to them. It wasn’t in my DNA to be so deceptive, and I couldn’t evade this night since we were here already. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to go. This wasn’t how I wanted to tell Max. Not with his family present.
He’d regret this. Hell, he’d wish he’d never met me. I couldn’t deal with his hate with his people around.
“Max,” I shut my eyes, trying not to break down right there, and bawl my heart out. “I thought you were joking when you said… we’re not done with the getting-to-know-ourselves-better stage yet, and now this?” I gulped, eyes widening in fright. “Why didn’t you tell me we’d be coming here tonight? Why did you lie?”
He beamed and kissed my lips briefly, his cold hands on either side of my face, making me shiver. “Because I know you wouldn’t agree to come. I knew you’d get all nervous and perhaps run away from me.”
I tried not to laugh. Running away was an understatement. I wanted to fucking disappear.
He tugged me forward and I felt the bile so close that any minute now, I’d be doubling over and retching the content in my stomach on the granite stairs. I could hear my chest hammering hard in my chest, my baser instincts telling me to bolt. To flee. I wasn’t pretending just to him anymore. I was pretending to his family as well now. It was all I was ever good at.
God. What sort of a person was I? Not a good one, I supposed.
He pressed a button by the side of the door, and I heard a tune play from inside the house. A tall, dark man putting on equally dark goggles that his eyes so well and framed his roundish face pulled the door open. Max extended his hand for a handshake. “Good evening, Bruce. Elaine, this is Bruce Chapstick, my uncle’s head of security. Bruce, this is Elaine Matthews. My assistant at work.”
A ghost of a smile appeared on Bruce’s lips as I reluctantly shook his hand, my breath shallow. Head of security? I didn’t understand what that entailed.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Elaine. Please, if you don’t mind, I’d like to search you thoroughly before I admit you into the house. Sir Max can come in, but you must be searched. It’s protocol,” he turned and tilted his head. “Greg?”
A blonde hunk appeared out of nowhere, blocking my view of the plush lobby. How rich were these people? I glanced at Max as the blonde man tugged at my handbag.
Max placed a hand over his wrist to stop him. “That won’t be necessary, Greg. She’s with me. Leave her alone.”
“I’m so sorry, Sir. But we can’t bypass protocol on this. Even if she’s with you.”
Max’s jaw tightened but I patted his arm, forcing a smile. “It’s fine. They’re just doing their jobs.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but she’s an exception, boys,” a male voice boomed behind Greg. The hunk moved away to reveal a tall, middle-aged man beaming at us, with a little boy that looked very much like Finn in his arms. He turned to Bruce. “Thank you, man. But I’ll take it up from here.”
“Good evening, uncle,” Max chuckled as they shook hands. “This is Elaine, the girl I’ve been telling you about.” He presented me proudly. “And Elaine, this is my dear uncle Samson, and the little man in his arms is my youngest cousin, Maxwell.”
Samson’s smile didn’t waver as he sized me up once more, silently assessing me in his mind. When he noticed that I was watching him intently, he shook his head and took my hand, shaking it warmly. “Hello, Elaine. So good to finally meet you. Say hello to Aunt Elaine, Max,” he prompted the little boy.
I pinched his chubby cheeks softly and swoon over how hopelessly cute he looked. He reminded me so much about Finn when he was a baby. The resemblance was uncanny.
“Hello, Aunt Elaine,” he squeaked adorably.
Despite being slightly advanced, Samson was tall – a stunning six foot five just like Max, with silky black hair that had strands of white, thanks to his age, and a muscular physique. Though older, he still had the dazzling features intact that could make any woman throw down their panties for him.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as my eyes trailed down his square jaw, his well-trimmed beards and sideburns, and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing suit pants and a thin white shirt that I could see through. Though he looked handsome just like Max, his was an entirely different way. I could sense the playfulness in his eyes and gestures, which Max didn’t possess, unfortunately.
There wasn’t a single doubt that he’d have broken the heart of a lot of girls in his youth, just like how Max was doing before he met me. Holy crap.
Samson pressed an adoring kiss on his son’s forehead as he hoisted the racing car toy, he was holding over his father’s head, and I felt my insides turn to goo. There was this softness that alpha males used in handling their kids that was just… just so beautiful. I wished to see that light in Max’s eyes, that softness when he finally saw Finn for the first time.
Oh, Mother Earth. I couldn’t take this anymore. Here I was, lying to the man I cared about. Wishing for an uncertain future.
I racked my brain for something, anything tangible to say but found nothing. Great, I was messing up at holding a conversation as well.
Samson’s smile widened, his eyes flickering between me and Max with a mischievous glint in them. I knew what he was doing. He was stamping his approval… subtly telling Max that he made the right choice. Oh, fuck. Kill me now.
He gestured back into the house. “Please come inside and meet my wife and family. We’ve all been dying to see you ever since Max told us that he’s found his missing rib.”
I flushed scarlet. This was it. God, what if he threw me for a loop and proposed tonight? It was a preposterous idea, but I didn’t know what was going on in that mind of his. Missing rib? Damn, I needed to tell him now. I needed to save face in front of his family. I couldn’t lie to them. Max tried tugging me forward with him, but I stood still, sick to my stomach.
“M-Max,” I spluttered.
He turned to face me with a frown, cupping the two sides of my face with his hands. “What’s the matter, Cherry?”
I stared into his eyes, searching for something I couldn’t quite describe. “I feel that this is too fast. I mean, we don’t even know each other that well, yet. Now we’re meeting your family…”
He sighed, exhaustion rolling off him in waves. “Elaine, this isn’t fast. In fact, it’s even too late. I should’ve brought you over to see them five years ago. They might come off as eager, but it’s only because you’re the first girl I’m bringing over to meet them. You should be happy.”
I paled. “First girl? Max… we need to talk. Like, right now.”
How much worse could this possibly get?
“Not now, Elaine. We’ll keep everyone waiting. Come on, you can trust me on this. They’re going to love you. You’re the best.”
“Is anything the matter?” We both turned to see Samson looking worried. Max waved him off.
“We’re just settling something. Right behind you, uncle.” He pulled me once more, and this time I followed him. I could feel the excitement bubbling in his demeanor. He was more than excited to have me here, and that left me guilty as a hardened criminal.
He deserved the world, not me.