“Don’t –”
“Never.”
“Is everything all right?” Mindy asked and my head twisted on the bed as Max looked up and we saw Mindy standing at the top of the stairs.
“Give us a minute, darlin’,” Max said to her.
“Is everything all right?” Mindy repeated.
“We’re fine, sweetheart,” I said softly. “Down in a minute.”
“Max?” she called, her eyes on him, her face pale.
“We’ll be down in a minute.”
She studied us a second, whispered, “Okay,” then turned and ran down the stairs.
“So that’s the reason for the shield,” Max said, my head twisted back and my eyes hit his.
“Max –”
His gaze unfocused and he muttered, “Fucking hell.”
“I made those choices, Max, I wasn’t exactly blameless,” I told him and his eyes refocused so much my breath caught at their intensity.
“Don’t you dare,” he ordered.
“Sorry?”
“Don’t you f**kin’ dare take on that blame. Cheats, thieves, abusers, it’s their problem. You take on that blame you got no choice but to build a shield.”
“Max –”
“This guy now, the one you’re shakin’ off, he drink?”
“No.”
“Say shit to you?”
“Max –”
“Does he?”
“No!”
“Lift his hand to you, without your brother around to have your back?”
“Of course not.”
“Just doesn’t f**kin’ care.”
I couldn’t deny that.
“Max, please, get off.”
“Lonely path,” he said and I didn’t reply but he wasn’t looking for one, he kept talking. “You hate it.”
“I –”