Page 133 of Joey

She frowns. “It’s not private if I give you permission.”

“Anya? Please? This feels too important. What if I fuck it up?”

Her frown shifts into a beautiful smile. “You won’t. I promise you that.”

I stare at her, the white envelope scorching my hand. I don’t want this, but what choice do I have?

Anya stands and brushes the creases from her dress. “Read it now and we will never speak of it again. You will know when the time is right.”

“Anya?”

“Promise me you will give it to him when the time is right, Max.”

I stare at her face, etched with anguish and pain—not for herself though, never for her. It’s all for him. He will break when she dies. He will lose himself, and who knows if he’ll ever recover? “I promise.”

“Thank you,” she whispers, and then she walks out of the room, leaving me alone.

My fingers actually tremble when I unfold the top of the envelope. Carefully, I pull out the pale pink pages, unfurling them gently so I don’t damage the precious contents in any way.

Sitting back on the sofa, I read the words a dying woman wrote to the man she loves more than anything in the world. I am not an emotional man and I never have been, but tears stream down my face as I accept the enormity of what she’s asked me to do.

ChapterFifty-Six

JOEY

Islick on a final coat of lipstick right as Max storms into my bedroom. I figure he’s here to tell me that we need to leave and I’m about to tell him I’m almost done, but I’m distracted by how good he looks in his suit. I mean he looks good in anything, but there’s just something about this man in a finely tailored suit that makes me want him to nail me into next week.

He strides over and stops directly in front of me. His eyes look a little red and his brow is furrowed in a frown, but like he’s angry at the whole world rather than at me.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“I need to fuck you,” he breathes, dropping his head and running his lips over my neck.

My body shivers in anticipation. “We can’t. The cars will be leaving in fifteen minutes.”

“I need to fuck you, baby girl,” he repeats, gliding his hands over my hips and palming my ass.

I giggle, slapping his hands away but he’s undeterred. “There’s no time.” He pushes me backward until I’m pressed against the wall.

“I’m not asking, Joey,” he growls, his hot breath sending a shiver of pleasure up my spine.

He tugs my dress up, and I almost lose my breath and my resolve. “Max, It’s Gabriella’s christening day. We’re her godparents. I can’t stand at the front of the church with your cum dripping out of me,” I whisper as I wrap my arms around his neck.

“Your panties will soak it up.”

I bite my lip as his hands tug at the expensive fabric and he drags his teeth over the sensitive skin of my neck.

“I’m not wearing any.” My cheeks flush with heat.

That certainly gets his attention. He stops and stares into my eyes. “You intended to go to church with no panties on?”

“Yeah.”

“Such a naughty little slut.” Frenzied, he yanks my dress all the way up until it bunches around my waist. His hand gropes between my thighs, his fingers sliding through my folds and making me groan.

“Max. What are you doing?”

“I already told you. I need to fuck you.” He unzips his pants and frees his thick cock.