“Becca told me about Mindy.”
At his tone, I pulled in breath, pushed down my irritation and asked, “Sorry?”
“She told me that she was worried somethin’ like today would happen.”
I uncrossed my arms and lifted my head to see he was also gazing at the fire.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Max replied, not shifting his eyes from the fire. “That’s why we moved her out of her place and into Becca’s. Becca and I decided it on Tuesday. We needed to keep a closer eye on her so we worked it and got it when Damon fell into our plans, bein’ such a dick.”
Something was wrong in his tone, in the blankness of his face so I called, “Max.”
“Shoulda kept her up here with us,” Max whispered and I knew what was wrong.
I slid my arm along his belly and curled it around his side, whispering, “Max.”
“Shoulda told Brody.”
“Max.”
“Shoulda took her myself to talk to someone.”
I gave him a squeeze and said more firmly, “Max, look at me.”
Slowly, his eyes went from the fire to me and what I saw in them made me melt into him as my arm left his middle and my hand went to his neck.
“Darling, this stuff will torture you if you don’t let it go.”
“Nina –”
“I missed the signs too and I’ve seen them before.”
“Nina.”
“You couldn’t have stopped today if this was where she was heading. You can’t do that to yourself.”
“Hard not to think I f**ked up when all I got in my head is you jumpin’ into that river and her floating in it.”
Yes, I was such an idiot.
My fingers flexed at his neck and I pulled myself up to get closer to him.
“Max, you didn’t f**k up.”
“Coulda took you both.”
“Max –”
“Woulda been on me if it did.”
I pulled up closer and my hand slid into his hair.
“Stop it,” I whispered, Max opened his mouth to speak and I moved to stop him, pulling up further and pressing my mouth to his.
His hand slid up my spine, my head came up from my kiss and I saw his eyes were still dark with bleak emotion.
I slid my nose alongside his and spoke again. “Max, stop it, everyone’s safe and I won’t run into anymore rivers, I promise.”