never been this open and honest before, always hiding from the
truth of what all this was doing to him. “Max…” Horatio said
thickly.
Max turned away again and cold reality hit
him full force; him coming around was putting Max in torment. The
man wasn’t capable of feeling free to be with Horatio…and he never
would.
Do you love him enough to let him go? To just go
away and leave him in peace? Ease his suffering?
He licked his lips slowly and felt the warm
tears on his cheeks. “I’m sorry, Max.” he whispered. “I’ve…I’ve
been very selfish. I won’t…” He licked his lips again and tasted
his own tears. “I won’t be coming around anymore.” His legs felt
weighted as he walked unsteadily to the door and gripped the
handle. “Please forgive me.” Then he was gone.
***
Max had remained holed up in his office
nearly all day; mere random, sparse appearances the only indication
he was still at the club. And when Horatio Kaplan walked through
the club entrance at around seven that evening – Dane anticipated
emotional turmoil. He didn’t believe Kaplan was there to fuck with
Max and twist up his heart purposely, but that the man simply
didn’t possess the strength of will to stay away.
The raised voices coming out of Max’s office
hadn’t been lost on Dane. He had half expected one of the two men
to storm out of there in a rage. But when Horatio Kaplan had
emerged, it wasn’t in a flurry of anger. In fact, the guy walked
out subdued, looking like an unbearable weight had been suddenly
dropped on his shoulders. There was no fight in him, just pain–as
was evident in the tears wetting his face. Something monumental had
just gone down between him and Max, and Dane suspected his boss
wasn’t in much better condition.
He glanced at the office door to see if Max
would step out, possibly go after Kaplan. But the door remained
closed tight and silence reigned on the other side; no cursing or
objects breaking. Nothing to indicate the man was in a rage. But
the quiet was more unsettling. When one went silent, it usually meant they
were pulling their pain inward rather than releasing it. And that
was never a good thing.
When Kaplan left the club, Dane walked to the
office door and knocked quietly. “Max?”
No answer.
Dane twisted the knob and opened the door
slowly then stepped inside, closing it behind him. His heart broke
when he saw Max sitting on the sofa, head in his hands–crying. Max
was one of the strongest minded men Dane had ever met. It took a
lot to break a man like that. But here he sat… broken .
Remaining silent, Dane went to him and sank
to one knee. He cupped his head and kissed his hair, then gently
stroked the back of his neck. The man trembled and shook. Whatever
he’d been holding back for so long was finally breaking loose–and
it was more than he could handle.
“Come on.” Dane murmured. “Let me take you
home. You don’t need to be here right now.”
Max said nothing as he slowly stood up. He
didn’t look at Dane, just stared blankly at the floor. Whatever had
happened had left him an empty shell. Temporarily at least. Dane
hoped not permanently.
They left through the rear entrance and got
into Dane’s car. He didn’t know if he could do anything to help the
man, but he was damn well going to try.
***
Angel scribbled down the number and gave it
to Maddy. “You keep this. Memorize it.” he said. “This is where I’m
working. If Wade brings anyone into the apartment and they try to
mess with you, then run. Get out of the apartment if you can, and
call this number. The guy who answers will probably be Carl. Just
ask for me. Tell him it’s an emergency and he’ll come get me.”
Nodding, Maddy took the scrap of paper.
“Okay.” He murmured. After yesterday, the boy was even more afraid
to be left alone with their stepbrothers, and Angel hated to leave
him.
“Listen.” Angel hugged him then stepped back.
“Maybe I can talk to Wade
truth of what all this was doing to him. “Max…” Horatio said
thickly.
Max turned away again and cold reality hit
him full force; him coming around was putting Max in torment. The
man wasn’t capable of feeling free to be with Horatio…and he never
would.
Do you love him enough to let him go? To just go
away and leave him in peace? Ease his suffering?
He licked his lips slowly and felt the warm
tears on his cheeks. “I’m sorry, Max.” he whispered. “I’ve…I’ve
been very selfish. I won’t…” He licked his lips again and tasted
his own tears. “I won’t be coming around anymore.” His legs felt
weighted as he walked unsteadily to the door and gripped the
handle. “Please forgive me.” Then he was gone.
***
Max had remained holed up in his office
nearly all day; mere random, sparse appearances the only indication
he was still at the club. And when Horatio Kaplan walked through
the club entrance at around seven that evening – Dane anticipated
emotional turmoil. He didn’t believe Kaplan was there to fuck with
Max and twist up his heart purposely, but that the man simply
didn’t possess the strength of will to stay away.
The raised voices coming out of Max’s office
hadn’t been lost on Dane. He had half expected one of the two men
to storm out of there in a rage. But when Horatio Kaplan had
emerged, it wasn’t in a flurry of anger. In fact, the guy walked
out subdued, looking like an unbearable weight had been suddenly
dropped on his shoulders. There was no fight in him, just pain–as
was evident in the tears wetting his face. Something monumental had
just gone down between him and Max, and Dane suspected his boss
wasn’t in much better condition.
He glanced at the office door to see if Max
would step out, possibly go after Kaplan. But the door remained
closed tight and silence reigned on the other side; no cursing or
objects breaking. Nothing to indicate the man was in a rage. But
the quiet was more unsettling. When one went silent, it usually meant they
were pulling their pain inward rather than releasing it. And that
was never a good thing.
When Kaplan left the club, Dane walked to the
office door and knocked quietly. “Max?”
No answer.
Dane twisted the knob and opened the door
slowly then stepped inside, closing it behind him. His heart broke
when he saw Max sitting on the sofa, head in his hands–crying. Max
was one of the strongest minded men Dane had ever met. It took a
lot to break a man like that. But here he sat… broken .
Remaining silent, Dane went to him and sank
to one knee. He cupped his head and kissed his hair, then gently
stroked the back of his neck. The man trembled and shook. Whatever
he’d been holding back for so long was finally breaking loose–and
it was more than he could handle.
“Come on.” Dane murmured. “Let me take you
home. You don’t need to be here right now.”
Max said nothing as he slowly stood up. He
didn’t look at Dane, just stared blankly at the floor. Whatever had
happened had left him an empty shell. Temporarily at least. Dane
hoped not permanently.
They left through the rear entrance and got
into Dane’s car. He didn’t know if he could do anything to help the
man, but he was damn well going to try.
***
Angel scribbled down the number and gave it
to Maddy. “You keep this. Memorize it.” he said. “This is where I’m
working. If Wade brings anyone into the apartment and they try to
mess with you, then run. Get out of the apartment if you can, and
call this number. The guy who answers will probably be Carl. Just
ask for me. Tell him it’s an emergency and he’ll come get me.”
Nodding, Maddy took the scrap of paper.
“Okay.” He murmured. After yesterday, the boy was even more afraid
to be left alone with their stepbrothers, and Angel hated to leave
him.
“Listen.” Angel hugged him then stepped back.
“Maybe I can talk to Wade
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