Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

Adam

Listen to Karma

by Taylor Swift

A few days after Landon left, Max came to see me.

He took me by surprise. I’d been busy doing last minute rehearsals and prep for LA, especially since the trip had been prolonged. Coop had stayed away, but Noah reached out and said it was all fucked up but he had my back and understood. There was something in his voice when he spoke that gave me an idea he knew what I was going through. I was happy the girls had forgiven Landon and Noah was cool. I did the most work with him anyway, especially with Elle and Unison.

Coop was Max’s boy so it would be a while before I heard anything from either of them. At least, that’s what I thought until I watched Max walk into the pub where I was grabbing a beer with the guys from the band. He approached like he had every right, probably expecting me to blabber a bunch of apologies and beg him to listen. Instead, I stood up and gave him a nod. “What’s up?” I asked casually.

I caught the flash of anger in his eyes until he quickly masked it. “Figured we should talk.”

“Okay. Let’s go over there.” Max got a beer and I led him to a back booth where we had some privacy. Immediately, memories of Landon and me slammed into my brain. I remembered cornering her here when she was still with Max. Watching the hunger on her face, yet still fighting the attraction. I’d ached to push her against the wall and give her everything she asked for, but it had been easier to turn that want to hate, and insults. Now, she was the most important person in my life.

I stared at Max and a piece of me grieved the loss of a friend I’d known for years. We’d shared a lot of moments and memories I’d always hold tight, but inside, he was rotten. It was easy to ignore it when I had nothing important to protect, but Landon had changed everything.

“I can’t believe this happened to us,” Max finally said. His voice was full of pain. “Sure, we had some ups and downs, and some fights. But I always had your back. Tell me the truth. Were you after Landon from the first?”

I regarded him from across the table. Emotions punched my gut in an inner war. For once, I wanted me and Max to be ruthlessly honest with each other. If there was anything to salvage, we’d decide but the slate had to be clean. “I wanted her from the first,” I finally said. Max stiffened but I continued. “The moment she walked past me I knew we had chemistry, but I buried it when she chose you. I never went after her until you fucked that girl on video. She began to doubt, and when we were together, something changed.”

“So, you went after her hard,” Max said, voice bitter.

“I gave her a choice. It was like we were drawn to each other. I tried to fight it, but I saw how unhappy she was with you, and after the video went public? She was the one who came to me.”

“But you fucked her without worrying about me.”

“Yeah, I did.” I waited for Max to go after me again but he just sat there, shaking his head. “We hid it for a few weeks but both of us knew we were going to tell the group. The night you found out was the night we were gonna put it all out there.”

“It’s so fucked up. Didn’t you even think of confronting me and telling me you wanted her for yourself?”

“No. I buried my feelings for so long, when they finally exploded, I went full force. I think I swallowed any guilt because you’d been unfaithful. It was easier once you screwed up for me to move forward.”

His face tightened. “You were supposed to be my friend. Do you know how shitty that feels, knowing I trusted you all these years and you fucked me over?”

I let out a breath. “Yeah, actually it is shitty. But I got nothing for you, Max. Am I sorry the way things went down? Yes. Am I sorry I moved in and made a move on Landon? No. I love her.”

Max’s eyes widened. “You really believe that?”

“I know it. I’m sure there’s nowhere for either of us to go now. I think we both hoped you’d find someone else and we’d be able to hang out and forget. But I’m starting to realize you love her, too.”

“I do. I screwed up but I don’t deserve to have all that time I spent with Landon just disappear. She loved me, dude. I know that—for a fact. You’re her transition. Some way to get her sick fantasies out because I know how you treat women in bed. They tell me you’re a freak and maybe Landon’s getting off on that, but she’s coming back to me.”

My heart beat fast but I kept cool. “No. She’s not. Because I’m never letting her go. And I’m not screwing up like you did.”

We stared at one another; masks ripped off. Relief cut through me. I was tired of all the fake shit Max threw, and rather battle with him in his true state. “Yeah, you’re right. I can’t ever be around someone with no morals. We’re done, " Max said.

I leaned forward. “I get it. But I’ve told my truth. We may have slept together after you broke up, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t pushing limits before. And if I had the chance to sleep with Landon, I would have. Even if you were together. That’s just the way it is.”

Max opened his mouth but I kept talking.

“Now, it’s time for you to come clean. There are no more videos to hide. It’s you and me, one last time. I need you to admit you hired that guy to go after Landon in Red. Just say it and I’ll least have some respect for you.”

I analyzed his expression, probing his gaze for that one second where there was no time to throw up barriers. God knows, I’d learned the skill young, because judging a mood or a lie had sometimes meant life and death.

“I would never hurt Landon. I never hired anyone. I was the one to protect her.”

His voice rang out loud and firm. Gaze held tight to mine; chin up, ready to fight and defend.

And I knew Max was lying. He’d definitely hired the guy and Coop knew. It was right there within those fake blue eyes like a quick flash of light. I doubted Max would ever admit it, and Coop would take the secret to his grave. Not even Elle would get a whispered word of gossip.

It made me more convinced Max was a liar to his soul, and I’d saved Landon from someone who could never love her the way she deserved.

I gave a slow smile. “Gotcha. Good to know.”

Max frowned, trying to figure out if I was serious or fucking with him. But it didn’t matter any longer. We were done.

“I hope you remember you did this to all of us. You screwed everyone and destroyed Landon’s friendships.”

I shrugged. “It is what it is.”

Max cursed and stood up. “Good luck in LA. You’re probably better staying out there with your new buddies. Doubt there’s anything back here for you. Because you’re putting a hell of a lot of pressure on Landon, when you’re just her transitional, fuck-you fling. I almost feel sorry for you, Adam.” He paused and shook his head. “Almost.”

Then he walked out.

I stared at the empty door. And I tried with all of my inner soul to believe he was lying. That Landon was my soul mate.

But his words had dug under my skin, itched, and buried in for the long haul.