“No,” I lied.
“Yeah, you are.”
“No, I’m not.”
His eyes roamed my face and his arms tightened around me. “Jesus, Nina, how in God’s name can you be pissed?”
“I’m not,” I lied again.
“Babe, you are.”
“Let me go, it’s hot in here, hotter when we’re touching.”
“Nina –”
I pushed against his chest. “Max, let me go.”
His tight arms gave me a shake and he clipped, “Nina.”
I calmed and tried to look at him without glaring at him.
“Jesus,” he muttered.
“You had something to say?” I prompted.
“Yeah,” he bit off. “I was gonna say that I know we’ve only known each other a week and I know you’re scared outta your f**kin’ skull because I got you after all those ass**les chewed you up but what happened today and what happened tonight even you can’t ignore.”
I managed to stare at him without glaring at him mainly because my mouth had dropped open and my mind had gone blank.
Then I whispered, “What?”
“We’re connected now.”
It was breathy this time when I repeated, “What?”
“Very connected.”
“Max –”
“You think you can walk outta Mindy’s life, Brody’s life, my life after what happened today, what happened between us tonight –”
I broke in, saying, “I thought you were going to send me away.”
His head jerked and it was his turn to ask, “What?”
“I thought you were done with me.”
Max stared at me a second and I watched in budding, yet weirdly rapt terror as a dark, ominous shadow drifted over his face.
“I’m not those f**kin’ guys,” he growled so low I barely heard him.
My stomach pitched and I whispered, “Max –”
“Don’t ever f**kin’ mistake me for one of those f**kin’ guys.”
“I –”
“I don’t know all they did, I just know what it did to you and, Nina, I’m not one of those f**kin’ guys.”