Page 180 of Alphas Like Us

Her fingers pause on her neckline, and she meets my gaze. “I think you’ve doneenough.”

I let out a short laugh. For fuck’s sake.Should’ve expected that.But I’m a little shocked she had the nerve to say it directly to my face. “Honestly, I don’t know what you’re referringto.”

Maximoff is tugging my bathing suit trunks underneath the water. Wanting me to dive down. I have to hold onto the waistband so he doesn’t pull them off. And fuck, I’msmiling.

Grandmother Calloway instantly sees my amusement as an affront. She bristles, her lips more compressed together than before. “My grandson had a bright philanthropic career ahead of him, and then you came along. His life would’ve been better-served witha…”

She falters at the sight of my cuttingglare.

“…with someone else,” shefinishes.

“No, he wouldn’t have,” I say plainly. “There is no one better for Maximoff thanme.”

Maximoff suddenly breaches the water, wiping water off hisface.

His grandmother startles backwards. Shock parting her lips, and accusations lace her eyes. That’s when it dawns on me. Grandmother Calloway thinks that Maximoff was just blowing me in thepool.

I’m near laughter. Can’t make this shit up. Donnelly is going to be rolling on the floor when hehears.

“I should’ve known.” She’s trying to bite her tongue, but she spits out at Maximoff, “You’re just like yourmother.”

My smile fades. I instinctively hold the back of his head. He’s stunnedcold.

“Maximoff,” I whisper, wanting to draw him away from hisgrandmother.

He’s marble. Immovable. Cemented in place. “What’d you say?” Shock is seizing every part ofhim.

My hand falls to his leftshoulder.

His grandmother shakes her head. “I’m sorry, sweetie. You know I told her I’d raise you in my home. It would’ve been better. She’s admitted she has a problem, and that problem has obviously affectedyou—”

“You can’t say that to him,” I cut in, coldness frosting eachword.

“He’s mygrandson—”

“That’s his mother,” I retort. I love Lily Calloway, and she’s one of the closest things that I’ve had to a mom. So no, I won’t let this fucking old bat try to drag Lily or Lily’s sondown.

She fumes and looks to her grandson. “Max?”

I roll my eyes. “Max” is the only socially-acceptable name to this blue-bloodedaristocrat.

Maximoff unfreezes enough to speak. “I know you’ve had issues with my mom in the past. But I thought you two buried that a whileago.”

My chest caves. He’s more upset that what she said could potentially fracture his mom’s relationship with his grandmother. I squeeze hisshoulder.

Grandmother Calloway stiffens like she’s never taken a shit in her life. “We’re at a good place, but there’s room for everyone to hear advice. Especially your mother. If she can’t hear it from family, how will shegrow?”

Loren Hale exits the saloon, passing the eating area, and once he leaves the shaded part of the deck and enters the sun, I see that his target is his mother-in-law.

I’m glad he’sintervening.

Lo sends her a seething glare. “I don’t know what you’re saying, Samantha, but unless you’re here to wish my son a happy birthday, you need to movealong.”

She prickles. “Iwashere to wish my grandson a happy birthday, Loren. But come to find out he’s been underwater doing things that your wife used to do when she hadproblems.”

“Can youpleasestop talking about her like that?” Maximoff says like his heart is breaking into a million pieces, and at the same time, like he’s constructing iron walls around hisworld.

I cup his neck, and before Lo asks, I say the truth, “He was just under the water.” Shit, I’m twenty-eight; I never thought I’d need to defend something like this. We’re part of the older crew here. We’re not theteenagers.