23. Max

I was a little late to meet up with Deck and Sasha. I was far too busy making out with a giant against a Redwood tree. If I thought he looked hot last night and early hours of this morning, then if there is a God, I need to thank him. Draven showed up today in full tactical clothing. Black multi-pocket combat trousers and over the ankle, black military boots, a black fitted shirt tucked into the waistband, topped off with a large black leather jacket.

If anyone saw us together, they would think we dressed identical on purpose. I didn't mean to slap him; I was obviously a little more pissed at him walking away from me this morning than I initially thought. And when he came over like Batman, scratch that, more like the Joker, trying to help me... I kind of… snapped. I didn't apologize and to be honest, I don't intend to either.

After what felt like an eternity of being wrapped up in his towering height and having his body pressed against mine, I had to leave.

Fuck, he is so hot. I'm not sure how I hadn't noticed before, but he has the faintest hint of freckles that scatter across his nose, reminding me of a starry night.

Ew, get a hold of yourself, Max.

"Remember what I said," he whispers in my ear before letting go of my wrist and allowing me to walk away. His mesmerizing eyes stealing every single ounce of my attention as I walk backwards from him. All I wanted to do was stay there, forget about this whole fucking thing… but I can't. I need to win; I need to get through this. He's not supposed to matter.

Nobody is.

I honestly thought Sasha would be the one to chicken out after the first maze, seems I was wrong. Upon them both getting out, Deck strolled straight to the safe zone and has been sat there ever since. Fast pacing it over to Sasha, even though my ankle is still a little soft, I know I'll be ok in this one.

"Hey." I tap her.

"Oh shit, there you are." Sasha wraps her arms around me and chuckles. "That was fucking crazy, where were—"

She pauses, looking at my mouth. "Oh, I know where you've been." Leaning in closer she smirks. "So tell me something… is it big?"

"Huge," I hold my hands out in length, then make my hand in the shape of a circle.

"Bullshit!" she exclaims.

"Swear to God, almost blew my back out last night." I stare at her with a straight face. Then in a split second the pair of us are leaning over each other in hysterics. "How come Deck chickened out?"

"Apparently a lot more sensitive than he thought." The claxon sounds in front of us as the second maze attendee steps out.

"Group one, let's go!" The words scream over the Tannoy, I turn back, searching the crowd to find Draven. The moment my eyes land on him, he's standing at the edge of the crowd again, he tips his chin at me, and I swear I see the faint tilt of his lips curving up into a slight smile.

And what a fucking smile.

"Ok maze runners," the woman speaks from the small podium, "The aim of the game, is to find Lephee's pot of gold before he finds you. If you do, you're entitled to fifty thousand dollars." The crowd of people murmur and cheer between them. "You will not get hurt... bad, because anything can happen. The leprechaun will stop at nothing to keep his money safe."

Rolling my eyes, I turn to Sasha, and I don't think I've ever seen her this excited for something. "Uh, are you good?"

Snapping her head to me she deadpans, "What do you mean?"

"You look like you're about to come in your thong and... wait a second." I turn to face her as the woman on the podium keeps speaking. "Do you like the hunter in this Maze?"

"What?... No, I don't even know what—" She sighs. "Is it that obvious?" She covers her face in embarrassment.

Sasha liking a guy is utterly unprecedented. She's bisexual sure, but after everything that went on with her and her ex-boyfriend, I was pretty sure she just gave up on anything relating to guys for a while.

The look on her face as she stares through her fingers at me, I don't think I've seen her this excited over a guy before. I mean sure, he's kind of good looking in that short king kind of way. He's not short really, but in comparison to Draven—the walking tower—he's tiny.

"What do you think he's like in bed?" She snorts, twisting some of her hair in her fingers.

"If he's anything like the weirdo he is in person, I'm guessing he's a freak."

Considering how absolutely beautiful Sasha is, I've never understood how she can be so nervous when liking someone. Jet black hair, with stunning dark brown eyes that glisten in the sun like gold, a body to fucking die for and she's worried. Immediately, an idea pops into my head.

"Ok," I say to her, "I have an idea... but, you have to trust me?"

"Okaaay?" she drawls. "Is this going to get us in trouble?"

"No but—"

"Let me rephrase, will this get us in trouble with the Big Guy? Because I'm really not looking to get choked out by him." She cocks her hip out and crosses her arms. She knows what I'm like and yes, even though this will in fact, probably… most likely piss Draven off, it's the only way to get Sasha and the green bean together.

"Remember that time at the Bull Pin club on my twenty-first, the guy you liked, and you were too nervous to—"

"Oh!" she squeals. "Yes, ok!" As much as I hate this, the only way we are gonna get that gold from him is by going this way. While people are scrambling around, I'll just go find him instead. With Sasha in tow.

"Group number one, you will have a twenty seconds head start to scramble, this maze is big and remember, find his gold before he finds you." The double doors open as green and gold lights shine through the door. Irish music plays deep within the clutches of the maze, and I roll my eyes. Just typical of him really.

As the group of five slowly make their way in through the maze the doors close behind us. That Irish Riverdance music blares from the speakers above the door and the first claxon sounds, indicating our head start.

Taking hold of Sasha's hand, I whisper in her ear. "I'm going to put you somewhere, then I'll go find him and lead him back toward you, ok?" She nods to me, lacing her fingers with me, we both begin to run through the hallway and into the first open plan area of the maze and honestly, I don't think anything could have prepared me for this.

If he doesn't find me from the hysterics I'll be in, then he's awful at tracking. The walls are covered in shiny, foiled shamrocks with little children singing some creepy, slowed down version of an Irish song.

I know there's no way of me getting hurt in here, so I don't really have to worry about that. However, if he catches me, I'm disqualified and that's not happening. As soon as the twenty seconds are up, the metal gate clangs behind us and I hear the hysterical laughter of Lephee, or Troy, as Draven said his name was, bounding through the maze in search of the five contestants looking for his gold. You really can't make this shit up. I know there's no way he will hurt me, or Sasha, but it's still scary having someone chase you through a maze.

"I'm coming for you!" he shouts into the room behind us. The three other people who entered with us, scramble off down alternate hallways looking for the money, or the exit. Either way, we are on our own. Everything is illuminated with green and black lighting, thousands of gold decorations hanging from the wall and ceiling as Irish dance music continues to play through the maze.

Like someone threw up Ireland in here.

Is he even Irish?

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I can hear his feet pounding on the pathway in the distance, as we continue looking for a place where I can hide Sasha away for the plan to work perfectly. So she can distract him, while I run about looking for that fucking money. I'm fighting against three other people in here, and none of those assholes are getting away with it.

Turning down one corner, I drag Sasha behind me and as we turn left again, it's a dead end. I turn to face her and smile. "Stay here."

"Ok," she shakes her head nervously.

"Remember, nothing can hurt you here. Draven promised me and I'm promising you." She releases a deep breath. "I'll lead him this way and then you can take care of him." I wink, walking back a few steps, turn, and run back through the way I just came, hearing him shout in a room adjacent to the one I'm in.

"You're out!" he bellows, laughing hysterically. "Get the fuck to the safe zone, pussy!" I move through the walkway of the maze and suddenly the space breaks off into bars. The wall behind, painted with a huge leprechaun dancing the Irish jig on a rainbow.

"Lepheeee!" I sing. "I've come for your pot o' gold there!" I mimic an Irish accent, laughing halfway through the words. Scanning through the bars as I try my hardest not to laugh. A hand comes stretching through the middle and I jump back in fright.

"Well, well, well... if it isn't my friend's little sweet treat." Walking to the left, slightly away from me, and bouncing his fingers along the bars, they make a soft clanging sound.

"Where's the gold then?" I ask, sliding my body along the wall away from him in case I need to bolt out of there. Enticing him to follow me to where I need him to be.

Left, right, left, left.

That's where Sasha is.

"Nowhere you'll find Max, it moves with me, all the time." He steps out from the gap in the wall, and I can't help but throw my head back and laugh. "What?" He asks, dropping character for a split second, looking down at himself.

I point at him. "You look so fucking ridiculous bro." Clutching my stomach, I bend forward; still laughing at the sight in front of me.

A slow and incredulous smile spreads on his face. "You'll pay for that."

I hold my hands up and shake my legs. "I'm shaking in my fucking sneakers, little boy."

"Little boy?" He steps forward and I mirror him by stepping back. "What, because the one obsessed with you is a giant? That makes me little."

"No, you being little is what makes you little."

Reaching out, he aims for my upper arm, but I dodge him, laughing as I do. "Too slow, chipmunk," I cackle, flipping him off. "See ya!"

That's when I bolt, running through the hallway with laughter on my breath. Taking the first left turn, I grip the corner of the wall and swing myself round. I just hope my ankle holds out. The lights now begin to flicker between orange and green. Gripping the corner of another wall, I swing my body around, skidding on the wooden flooring as I turn. The rubber on the souls of my sneakers squeaking as I do.

"Max!!" He shouts, both of us stopping by the huge rainbow in the middle of the room. Pointing to me, a wide smile plastered on his face he jumps from left to right, trying desperately to catch me out. "Get your juicy little ass back here!"

I burst out laughing, "I'll tell Grim you said that." I take off running again, both our feet pounding into the wooden slats as he chases me. Both of us laughing together like kids in a schoolyard.

"I'm sure he'll love knowing you're checking out my juicy ass," I call back over my shoulder. Turning my head for a split second before I notice how close he is. Laughter leaves my chest again and I snatch my ponytail over my shoulder a split second before he grabs for it.

"Booga, booga!" he cries out. Our laughter now blending together even louder as he makes scary noises behind me. I keep going, sliding around, and taking a right this time, my ankle twinging as I hit the wall. Pushing off, I keep going.

"Shit!" I squeal.

"You're fast," he calls to me.

"I run track in university!" I respond. Finally turning left and a sharp left again, I come to the dead end, Sasha hidden away to my right.

"Oh look," he croons from behind me, "the teeny tiny mouse got caught." I slowly turn around, hands up and watching as he slowly stalks toward me.

"Where's the gold?" I ask again.

"I told you Max," another step, "It moves with me."

The minute he reaches out to touch me, Sasha steps out of the corner, aggressively barging him back against the wall. The surprise on his face when he realizes what's happened, makes the both of us girls giggle.

There's no way either of us, alone could put him on his ass, but I have the best idea that might make him weak. Stepping forward, I stand in front of him with Sasha, holding him against the wall with her hands pressed to his chest.

"The gold," she holds out her hand.

"Kiss me and I'll tell you." He winks at her, the gold light cascading over the both of them and I seriously feel like the odd one out. "Matter of fact, kiss Max and I'll tell you."

"Tell us," we both lean in a little closer, inciting a groan from his chest. "And we'll… kiss you."

"I already..." He groans in pause, looking down I see Sasha rubbing her hand against his very hard and surprisingly huge cock. "Told you..." he breathes, looking at her, his hand comes behind her neck, pulling her closer.

Ok, free porn.

That's when I see it, there's a small loop attached to the keys that are clipped to his trousers.

And what do you know, there's a small pot of gold on there. Wrapping my hands around it, I snatch it from his person and grin. Taking a step, I'm yanked back toward him by my hair.

"You have the pot Max." Looking at me, his eyes flick down to my lips. "Now... kiss her." Jutting me toward Sasha, I look her in the eyes. "That was the deal."

He smiles through his words. Looking over at Sasha, we both chuckle. Leaning in, her lips touch mine and I listen as Troy groans beside us. A delicate hand on the back of each of our necks, I slide my tongue inside Sasha's mouth and massage hers with mine. In turn, she sucks it.

"Fuck." Another groan. "Keep going, Jesus."

I feel Sasha slightly turning her head toward his and well, I guess I have to go with her. Engaging in a three-way kiss was not what I had on my bingo card but what does it matter. It's not like I belong to Draven or anything. I'm not his girlfriend either, so really… I can do anything I want here.

Yet, the moment his lips connect with mine, I almost feel… bad. Like I'm doing something wrong… it feels as though I'm cheating.

What the fuck ?

I instantly pull back, wiping my mouth with the cuff of my hoodie, watching as he wraps his arm around her waist, pushing me away.

"You got what you came for," he speaks against her lips. "Left, right, straight, left... now fuck off, Max."

"I feel like a proud mother." I giggle as I begin to run in the directions, he gave me. Honestly, I'm really praying that Draven doesn't smell Troy on me in anyway. Well, who the fuck am I kidding, of course he will. The man is a bloodhound.

Crashing through the exit door, I run down the ramp. Slowing my feet down and instantly pressing my hands to my knees. My chest is burning like crazy. I know I run track, but this is ridiculous. Standing up straight, I have the pot of gold wrapped tightly in my hand as I continue to take deep cleansing breaths. The cold air sinking into my lungs feels euphoric.

Turning around, I see Draven walking toward me. The corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly that a normal person would miss it. Holding my hand up, I let the keyring dangle from my palm, as he stops in front of me.

"Congratulations." He nods once.

Still out of breath, I lean forward and take his hand. Turning it palm side up, I hand it to him. "Hold it for me," I breathe. "Keep it safe." Taking a further step, he leans toward me slightly, angling his head and narrowing his eyes slightly. When he sniffs me twice I know he smells him.