She, the Kingdom (She #1)(53)

Chapter Fifteen

I wiped away the fog on my bathroom mirror to make a rainbow-shaped window that revealed the worry in my eyes. The house was quiet as I towel-dried my hair, standing in the terry cloth robe I was supposed to wear on the nights I worked. Max hadn’t texted or called in a week, and even though the most recent payment due had been paid to my account on time, I wondered how long that would last. I’d saved almost every penny, worried from almost the beginning that something like this would happen.

I wasn’t sure why I thought it could work. The Kingstons seemed to know what they were doing, confident even in their experiment. I had no idea that Sophie was setting up Max, but now that I knew, I needed to know why. Max said she had her own money. Why not just divorce him? Why the antics?

My front door opened and then closed, and I stepped out of the bathroom as soon as I heard footsteps leave the hall and enter my bedroom.

Max stood in my doorway, disheveled and exhausted. He was wearing a clean T-shirt and basketball shorts with sneakers, his hair wavy and still damp from a shower. The dark circles under his eyes made him look sick. He was propping himself upright by pushing his palm against the doorjamb, and he glowered at me from under his brow.

I touched my fingers to my mouth, shocked at the sight of him. “You haven’t slept at all, have you?”

He simply stared at me. I couldn’t tell if he was angry or not, and it was beginning to worry me.

“You said you couldn’t,” Max said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I sighed, relieved that—for now, at least—we wouldn’t have the exchange I’d predicted. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s the first time that’s happened to me. I didn’t know I could.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why didn’t you hold back? Warn me? Something? I’ve done everything for you. I’ve broken rules, made excuses, crawled to your doorstep, poured money into your bank account, lied to all four thousand and twelve residents of Kills Cross. I’ve turned my world upside down to have some sort of peace again. It’s over. It’s ruined because you…” He swallowed, looking up at the ceiling again. “I just need to know why you did it. Have you grown tired of me? Is it that my needs are too demanding? Is it Colton? Did Sophie put you up to it?”

“No! I didn’t do it on purpose!”

He was struggling to keep his composure.

My cheeks burned, still unaccustomed to speaking about such things in the open. “I don’t know.”

“Tell me!” he yelled, closing his eyes.

I winced, and then the same anger I felt when I spoke to Sophie resurfaced. “When you’re grabbing at me like that and moaning, what did you expect? Everything you said, I suppose. You’ve broken rules, taken care of me, crawled to my home for comfort, fallen asleep in my arms. Yes, *, it’s come-worthy!”

His cheeks flushed red. “You’re not supposed to be able to climax from oral sex, Morgan.”

“And you’re not supposed to be able to sleep without oral sex. I guess we just bring out the unexpected in each other.”

Max fidgeted, my response taking him off-guard. He thought for a moment, and then closed his eyes tight and shook his head, only for his eyes to pop open again, this time filled with anger. “You assured me this wouldn’t happen. That’s why I chose you.”

“You chose me. Like I was sitting on the shelf, an inanimate object. Fuck you.”

“You know that’s not what I mean,” he snapped, tired and frustrated. He rubbed his forehead with his thumb on one temple, his middle finger on the other, struggling to keep his thoughts straight. He glanced up at the ceiling behind me a third time.

I turned to see what was distracting him, and then back to face him. “What do you mean, then?” I prompted.

His eyes softened and he blinked, seeming to remember where he was and who he was speaking to. “You know it’s more than that. That’s why we have to stop. I’m going to give you back your former job.”

I bristled. “Give me my job back? After you and Sophie have concocted this grand story and made sure the whole town knew? Everyone will speculate. What am I supposed to tell them?” I asked, touching my chest. “Not that they’d believe me. Best-case scenario, you and I had an affair. I’ll be the slut who tried to break up the new couple in town.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

I looked away, laughing once without humor. “Sophie practically begged me to enter into this agreement. Now she’s following me around town, threatening me—”

“Threatening you?” He bristled.

“I’ve caught her sneaking around with that old college friend and holding secret meetings at the attorney’s office. And you… you unbelievable bastard.”

He relaxed a bit, seeming relieved at my words. “You’re right. I am. I had no idea any of this would happen. I had no idea anyone but Sophie could make me feel this way. It has to stop.”

“Yes,” I seethed. “Let’s protect Sophie.”

“I’m doing this for you, Morgan. I realize you don’t understand now, but you will.”

“For me,” I repeated, unconvinced.

“You’re right. You shouldn’t go back to work. I can understand how that would look.” He thought for a moment. “You’ll be able to retire on the severance package I’ll offer.”