Page 33 of Maximus (Gold Team #4)

“Well, that’s one way to put your foot in your mouth,” Zane said, looking down at his phone.

“Screw you!”

“I have to say, I was skeptical. Not so much anymore.”

“Great,” I snapped. “I’ll call the—”

“Christ, you’re a pain in the ass. You need to chill out, brother, before you give yourself an ulcer. Give her a minute, then you can go to her and grovel while trying to explain that your supremely idiotic statement was just that—thoughtless and stupid.”

“It came out wrong.”

“You said that already. But I know you, so I know you were genuinely shocked she didn’t use what she had on Tracy Eklund to get her husband to pay out. I’ll admit, I’m impressed she didn’t when she could’ve—she was in a tight spot wanting to get her kids back from her ex.

“But you and I are cynical assholes, and on top of that, you generally think all women are liars and opportunists. Which, knowing how your mom, aunt, and the bitch ex treated you, I don’t blame you.

But it seems Eva Dawson is not what she was made to be.

What she is, is a mother who loves her kids and would go to great lengths to protect them.

“And you know I got nothing but respect for Bubba, but as a father, I understand Eva. Hate that Bubba and Zoey got caught up in Eva’s shit—but if someone took Eric from me, I’d scorch the earth until I had him back and I wouldn’t apologize to anyone who got burned.”

My jaw ached from clenching my teeth. I didn’t mean to hurt Eva and Zane had it wrong. I wasn’t shocked she hadn’t blackmailed Kenneth, I knew she didn’t have it in her. I knew she felt rotten to her core over what she’d had to do to Bubba and Zoey.

She’d put her life in danger hitchhiking from Seattle to Alaska.

Anyone could’ve picked her up and done any number of horrific things to her.

She could’ve been killed. Then when Tex found her, she was living in a fleabag roadside motel and working at a motherfucking strip club trying to scrounge together three-hundred-K—like that was a possibility.

“No, Z, you got it all wrong. I trust Eva.”

I would’ve laughed at the comical way Zane’s jaw dropped open and his eyes bulged if I wasn’t so pissed.

“You what?”

“Let me get this straight. Earlier you spouted some crazy bullshit about me being in love but now you’re looking at me like I’ve cracked because I trust her.”

“Ah, yeah.”

“Don’t you have to trust someone to love them?”

“For a normal person, yes.”

“Now you’re pissing me off.”

My boss, who’d become a close friend over the years, stared at me in disbelief, and as much as I understood why, it was time to get back to business.

“Did you message Tex?” I asked in an effort to get back on track .

“I did. He said he wants to hear the recordings.”

“Then I better get to groveling.”

“Yeah, you better get on that.” Zane smiled. “Should I have Rena charter a jet?”

Rena was Zane’s assistant. She was scary efficient, and before Zane’s wife Ivy came along, Rena managed every aspect of Zane’s life both personal and private. Now the two women split the herculean chore of keeping Zane straight.

“As long as Tex can clear the path for Eva, I don’t want any surprises. We’ll fly up, meet with the prosecutor, and fly back. Eva doesn’t need to be in Alaska for one second longer than necessary.”

“Didn’t think it would be this easy,” Zane mumbled.

“Come again?”

“Everyone else fought it, you’re not. I never actually thought I’d see the day a woman caught your attention, but I figured if it did happen, we’d need to hit the bomb shelter.

I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed you’re depriving me of the pleasure of threatening to kick your ass and fire you. ”

“What can I say, boss? I’m smarter than everyone else.

Why the hell am I going to fight against it when I need to be fighting for it?

Hasn’t she had enough assholes in her past that put her through enough?

Haven’t those kids? She understands me in a way that no one else does, because she’s been there.

She knows what it’s like to have nothing, then lose more. ”

“Fucking hell, Tex was right.”

Before I could ask Zane what he was talking about, I caught Elijah walking down the hall.

“Hey, bud.”

“Where’s Mommy?”

“I think she’s in the bathroom,” I lied .

No way in hell was I going to tell the boy I’d hurt his mother’s feelings and she’d run from me.

“I’m thirsty.”

“Come on, let’s get you something to drink then.”

It was a crapshoot whether Eli would follow me into the kitchen or retreat to the bedroom.

The four-year-old had warmed up to me but he wasn’t overly friendly, not like Liam was.

I found it astounding that after all of the abuse Liam had endured at the hands of a man who was supposed to love him and protect him, the kid could be as sociable as he was.

I credited Eva for Liam’s progress. She was open and loving with both of them.

She’d done a great job putting her life back together.

I found the plastic cups Eva had been using for the boys and poured Eli some apple juice. The sweet scent filled my nostrils, making the ache in my chest intensify. I’d forever associate apples with Eva—the smell, the sugary flavor on her tongue the first time I kissed her.

“Max?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we going to live here now?”

I looked down at Eli and smiled.

If someone had told me I would be standing in a kitchen with a little boy, pouring him a drink, ready to take a leap into an unknown situation full of land mines that could obliterate my heart, I would’ve called them stupid.

And if I was told that I’d find a woman who I could trust to guide me through those explosives, a woman who could teach me how to love and be loved, I would’ve called them a liar—right before the yearning to have just that set in.

Eva was everything I never allowed myself to have.

“That’s up to your mom,” I told him, then asked. “Do you like it here?”

The boy shrugged his shoulders .

“You don’t know?” I teased.

“I like the swings.”

Eli put his cup on the counter and rushed off before I could offer to take him out to the backyard. Which was probably for the best because I needed to finish up with Zane and talk things out with Eva.

Then after that, I was going to give her the day she wanted—the one free of drama, hitmen, and impending trips to Alaska.

I still didn’t agree with her talking to the authorities.

I seriously hated the idea of taking her back to a place I knew would cause her pain.

But none of this was about me and it didn’t matter what I wanted—this was about Eva and what she needed to do.

All she needed from me was for me to trust she knew her own mind and to support her by way of protection.

I’d make her safe while she did what she had to do in order to move on with her life.

I just hoped she was moving on with me.