Page 66 of Invisible String (The Underground #1)

RAINEY

O nce Max and I clean up our after-sex, messy, sweaty bodies, he gives me another lingering kiss. Sweet titties, we can’t keep our hands to ourselves. As much as I would love to return to one of our homes, I need to head to the café. I’ve been gone for a few hours now.

He sighs, pulling away like it pains him to be apart from me. “I need to get my shit together for the meeting. See you tonight?”

I nod. “Can’t wait.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I grin lazily, my fingers playing with the heart of the necklace Max just gave me, and the angel wings dangle from my ears, brushing against my cool skin.

His thumb brushes his bottom lip, covering his curved smile.

He takes my breath away. He’s the sweetest, most caring man.

Sadly, his father doesn’t see how good of a man he is.

Max says he’s not good at expressing his emotions.

He’s wrong. Max told me everything I had ever dreamed of hearing.

He loves me. I’m his girlfriend. Max might not have been open years back, but he still tried to show me how he felt about me with his physical touch.

Every version of him is precious to me.

“I’ll walk you out,” he says, holding my hand. I halt his movement by placing my hand gently on his firm chest, feeling the contours of his well-defined muscles beneath the soft fabric of his cotton dress shirt.

“No.” I press my lips.

“No?” He arches his brows.

“I need to speak with your staff.” Mainly, the bitch giving you food. Speaking of food. I grab the container of dog shit to take with me. “She needs cooking lessons,” I mumble under my breath.

Max cracks a laugh. He has sharp hearing. “Ahh, I see. Well then, I’ll leave you to it. Let me know if you need me.” He kisses me tenderly, stealing another breath away. Max smacks my ass, opening the door. “See you later, mi amor .”

I walk out with a pep in my step and aching in a good way. A couple of heads turn as I walk down the long hallway. My cheeks warm up. I was just screaming mere minutes ago. Two men grin and wave. I think that’s his assistant manager.

Leo bites his lip when I approach him—holding in his laugh.

“Let it out,” I say, setting the container on his desk.

He throws his head back, laughing. I give him the stink-eye, but with a grin on my face. He’s too cute not to smile at. My heart goes out to Leo. Max might appear a grumpy asshole, but he’s such an amazing man. He assisted Leo in securing both employment and a place to live.

“Are you done?” I cross my arms to my chest, tapping my foot.

Leo gasps, catching his breath. “Sorry. It’s just that I followed when you ran to the office and when you yelled at Roxy,” he whispers. “It was funny.” He presses his lips. “And well, you both did a number on our ears. You went from an angry screaming to screaming his nam?—”

“Leo,” a deep voice resonates from behind me.

We both swivel around to see a towering man, nearly matching Max in height, but Max carries a more muscular build. The newcomer has a striking appearance, with chiseled features and bright eyes, although there is no comparison to Max, who is Greek godlike.

“If Max hears you, he’ll have your head.”

“Xander.” Leo chuckles nervously, running his fingers through his hair. “What are you doing here?”

Xander frowns at him. “Did you hit your head, dumbass? You know, I just started working here,” he says, shaking his head.

Leo rolls his eyes. “Right, you’re the new tech guy. I completely forgot, bro.”

I smile at them.

“Rainey, this is Xander. We all shoot the shit and box together. Xander was fighting in the Underground with Max.”

Xander’s lips curve into a smile. He extends his hand for me to shake. “Nice to meet you, Rainey. I’ve heard a great deal about you. You’ve come to save us by taming the beast,” he teases.

“Since when do you joke around? You’re always like Max, always all moody.”

“You know what? Tonight, I’ll get your ass in the ring. Fucker needs to get laid already. You’ve been insufferable lately.” Xander groans, then looks at me. “Do you have a sister to hook him up with?”

I’m trying so hard to stifle my laugh. They’re like brothers arguing.

Xander walks to an empty desk. A click of heels gets my attention.

My lip lifts at the bitchy woman walking toward her desk.

Roxy flops her hair to the side. The back of my palms press on the desk, my weight leaning forward.

The bitch doesn’t meet my eyes. I hope she heard me scream my man’s name.

“I’m only going to tell you once. If I ever find out you’re flirting, fixing your tits in front of him, or bringing my boyfriend food, I’ll rip the hair out of your scalp. He’s mine. Do you understand?” My tone comes across as sharp and a little too loud.

The guys look at me, their mouths unhinged.

“Damn, no wonder they make the perfect couple,” someone says.

I think it was Xander.

Roxy nods. “Got it,” she squeaks.

“Good,” I say, lifting off her desk.

I wave to the guys and step outside the office.

Johnny, my bodyguard, waits for me, leaning against the wall.

I’ve grown to enjoy Johnny trailing behind me.

We have become friends. He sits at the café, and I offer him something to eat or drink.

He pulls books out from the shelves and reads while waiting for my shift to end.

I’ve learned that he’s married and has two daughters, who are younger than five.

He pulled out a photo, beaming with pride at his family.

Gary is sweet but a little shy. He’s mainly guarding at night, so I don’t see him much.

Johnny pushes off the wall. “It’s about time,” he groans. “My back was hurting, and I was getting worried you killed him and tried to bury his body somewhere,” he jokes.

He’d waited for me outside of Andrews’s office, and when I walked out, I was livid.

Johnny was so close to beating the shit out of Andrew.

I’ve come to realize he’s incredibly loyal.

He even offered to beat up Max on my behalf.

I laughed and said he’s a professional boxer.

He said, “I’m ex-military and trained in self-defense. ”

“We’re good.” It’s better than good. I still feel him all over me. It’s been so long since I’ve had sex, and my body is humming.

He nods. “The boss texted me and wants me to drive you instead of tailing behind you.”

I side-eye him as he pushes the double doors open. The fresh April air hits my face like a soft caress. Spring has always been one of my favorites.

“Why? Has something happened? Have you seen anything suspicious?” I’ve been so oblivious I haven’t paid much attention. It’s been weeks, and nothing. I really do believe he moved on and gave up on threatening Max.

“No, it’s been quiet. It’s a little too quiet for a crime organization of that size to be moving on. Often, that’s how they operate. They wait until you’re not suspecting them.”

That’s good and bad. I really wish they would leave us alone. “Okay, so what’s the reason? Max didn’t tell me any of this.”

“Your driving.” We stand next to my car.

“What’s wrong with my driving?”

He raises a brow like saying, really?

When I don’t answer, he says, “You’re a hazard. Max asked how your driving was when I trailed behind you. I told him the truth.” He shrugs. “You almost took out a lady in a parking lot.”

I blow air out of my cheeks. “Fine, starting tomorrow, you can pick me up. I feel like a princess or pop star having a bodyguard and a chauffeur. Max is getting out of hand.”

He snorts. “Get used to it because once Max fights his first pro fight, everyone is going to be gunning for him. He’s a damn good fighter. Once the world sees how skilled he is,”—he whistles—“he’s going to be the next golden boy. Knowing Max, he’s going to want to keep you safe from his threats.”

We both drive off in separate cars, Johnny trailing behind me.

His words stay rooted in my head. Threats.

I’m not worried about myself, but for him—his health is too important.

Too many hits can be dangerous, but regardless, I’ll always support him.

Then there’s another problem I have to deal with—my father.

How dare he give Max money to keep him away from me?

I won’t see him today, but I will once I cool off.

He needs to stop meddling in my business.

Max is mine, and I’m not letting him go because he feels he’s not good enough for me.

My eyes widen when we drive up to Max’s house.

He lives about ten minutes from mine. The house is a vast two-story house.

There are numerous trees and rose bushes in the front yard.

Daisy barks on my lap, excited to be at her other home.

Max steps out of the car to open the door for me.

He smells so good, freshly showered. I have fallen so deep.

I craved his touch the entire car ride. His hand was on my thigh, making heat rush between my legs.

“You have a beautiful home,” I tell him, and I haven’t even stepped inside.

He bestows me with a dazzling smile, teeth and all. “Thank you.”

Daisy runs to the door. When he opens it, her footsteps echo on the tiled pathway, as she rushes in.

My gaze roams the home. My eyes wander around the house, taking in the details.

In the expansive living room, a sprawling sectional sofa, upholstered in rich, dark leather-brown fabric, dominates the space.

It wraps around a sleek glass coffee table that gleams under the overhead lights.

My attention shifts to the enormous flat-screen TV mounted on the wall, casting a faint glow across the room.

We walk into the kitchen, and I gasp. My jaw is completely unhinged.

Holy shit.