Unravel(35)

“Naomi,” Max laid his hand on my shoulder, stealing my one chance to tell Lana’s dad off. “It’s getting late. We should be going.”

My throat was closing. Lungs were constricting. Max tugged on my arm. I wanted to push him away. I wanted to say so much, but I didn’t. It felt like I was seconds away from passing out. It was almost as if my anger for Lana’s dad was so powerful and all consuming, my body couldn’t handle it.

Max smoothly maneuvered us through the crowd, all the while saying good-bye to a few guests. I remained tight lipped the entire time. I looked over my shoulder. Lana’s dad was staring at us with calculating eyes. Something was brewing inside that f*cked up head of his. A plan was sliding into place, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared.

Okay, a lot scared.

When we exited the room, I jerked my arm out of his grasp. Max breathed through his nose and made no attempt to hold me again. We said nothing on the way to his car. And when I did get into the car, I slammed the door behind me.

He started the car and the radio blasted. It was some upbeat song and it was the last thing I wanted to hear. Max instantly turned off the radio, as if he could read my mind. I stared out the window, watching the many silhouettes coming from the ballroom windows. I had been so, so close.

Max turned in his seat. I knew he was staring at me, waiting for me to speak. But I could wait him out. I could wait all f*cking night if I had to. Finally he gave up and pulled out of the parking space.

There was pent-up anger in both of us. It swirled around us. Made the air thick and heavy. We should have said something, anything, to release it. I couldn’t, though. I had too many thoughts ricocheting in my head. My mind refused to hold onto a single one.

Max’s eyes remained on the road. He took one hand away from the wheel and loosened his tie with impatient jerks. Streetlights were lined along the road, slanting dull yellow light across his face, letting me see his grim expression. His grip tightened on the steering wheel.

He broke the silence first.

“When I saw him, I had to control myself from wrapping my hands around his neck and choking him,” he confessed. Max looked over at me. “I didn’t think I’d have to worry about you.”

I stared straight ahead. The road seemed to go on forever. Headlights illuminated our faces for a millisecond before we were washed in darkness. I looked out of the window and saw nothing but a black landscape.

Neither one of us said a word the rest of the ride.

He pulled into his driveway and parked. The engine ticked slowly. “So this is how we’re going to end tonight?” he said.

I didn’t want tonight to end like this. This was the time where people relaxed and settled in for the evening. But the two of us were anything but relaxed. We were two ticking time bombs, only seconds away from exploding. I had to get out.

I grabbed the door handle, took one good look at Max before I slammed the door. My heels clicked against the ground. Not even a second later, another door slammed and I heard footsteps behind me. I walked up the porch steps.

Max gripped my arm. “Wait.”

I stopped in my tracks. He let go of my arm.

I paced the length of the porch, just listening to the sound of cicadas in the distance. I finally stopped and rested my palms on the railing. “I just can’t do it,” I said, “I can’t be around him.”

“Then don’t.”

“You make it sound so simple!” I whirled around, my anger finally getting the best of me. Max stared at me. In the depths of his eyes, I saw just how much this ate him up. “Tell me how to deal with this,” I said quietly.

I crossed my arms, rubbing my goose bumps away. Max was silent. He stared at me thoughtfully and walked up the steps.

“I’ve talked to him,” he said.

I slowly straightened. Before he spoke, my heart had finally slowed down. But now it had picked back up, pounding wildly.

“What?” I asked.

He leaned against the railing and crossed his arms, staring at the floor. “He came to my office today and I told him that I knew everything.”

“What?” That seemed to be the only word I could say.

“I told you I wouldn’t do anything yesterday,” he reminded me. “And I didn’t.”

My fingertips dug into my skin as I stared at him.

“It makes me f*cking sick to know this and not do anything about it. So I reacted,” Max explained. “He had an appointment with me this morning. He talked about stocks and money and the whole time I pictured myself reaching across the desk and choking the f*cking life out of him.”

I swallowed. I’d had the same kind of thoughts. More than I’d like to admit.

“What did he say?” I finally asked.

His lips thinned. “He denied the whole thing.”

“He’s lying!” I shouted.

“You don’t think I know that?”

“Did he say anything else?”

Max stared at me, an inscrutable look on his face.

“I have to know,” I said slowly.

“He said nothing happened. Told me that he would never touch his daughter,” Max’s eyes darkened. “He smiled and told me he hoped these accusations wouldn’t affect our business relationship.”

My heart sank at his words. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”