Chapter 12 - Brooke

When I opened my eyes, I didn’t know where I was. All I knew was it wasn’t my apartment, because the sheets were way too nice. They were the kind of sheets I stared at longingly at the department store I hung out at on my work breaks. The kind that were softer than a cloud, smooth and cool under my clammy skin.

The sheets were heaven, but I felt like hell, and the memories rushed back. Luca Ross had actually drugged me, abducted me, and there was a very good chance he would have killed me if it weren’t for…

Max. I was in Max’s palatial mansion, and in danger of puking on his top-quality sheets. Sitting up made me feel marginally better, and I tried to focus on my surroundings. The furniture was either actually from the eighteenth century or excellent reproductions, but somehow still managed to look clean and modern with the warm, neutral wall coverings and low-key landscape paintings. My feet dangled half a foot off the ground in the huge bed, and my eyes alighted on a chair near one of the doors in the room.

It had a pretty blue dress draped across it, with new shoes tucked under it and even a set of lacy lingerie laid on top. I looked down at the rumpled dress I’d passed out in more than once last night and was just glad I hadn’t puked on myself.

Fresh anger curled my insides as I tried to shove away the memories. It was over, and would be really over soon. I looked around for my purse or my phone, certain I had the phone at least at one point, but it was nowhere to be found. The other door in the room led to an enticing bathroom, the big tub crying out my name.

I chugged cold water from the tap, feeling better by the second. This had been a humiliating learning experience, but soon, I’d be on a plane back home. I could pick up extra shifts, start studying in advance for my upcoming summer classes, and pretend this vacation had never happened.

Foregoing a steamy bubble bath to save time, I let the hot jets of the big marble shower sluice away the last remnants of my awful date with a movie star. Not wanting to put on the dress that was a lot worse for wear and laden with bad memories, I decided to accept one more gift from Max. For now, anyway. I could always have it dry cleaned and send it back.

Wrapping myself in a plush towel, I slipped into the bedroom, where Max was waiting, sitting on the edge of the bed with a tray of food next to him. With a yelp, I pulled the towel tighter around me and could only gape at him.

“You’re going to make a beautiful bride,” he said, barely seeming to notice I was damp and naked and only covered with a towel.

“Haha, except that’s not funny.” Oh, I’d either forgotten the bargaining tool he’d used to get us out of the highrise of terror last night or blocked it out.

I retreated toward the bathroom, expecting him to be gone when I came back out, but he rose from his position and crossed the room in two strides of his long, powerful legs. A second later, I was caged against the wall by his well-muscled arms, and he was smiling down at me.

A ripple ran through me, and it wasn’t from fear, which had me pissed off at myself. How could I still be attracted to this man? He was at least partly responsible for my predicament last night. If Max hadn’t shown me so much flirtatious attention at his diner, it wouldn’t have made Luca go into rivalry mode.

I tried to shove him away, but he was immovable, like a fortified wall of pure muscle. To my utter shock, he dropped a kiss on top of my head and slid back a step, grinning at me.

“Eat your breakfast and get dressed. We’ll be heading to the courthouse shortly.”

What in the actual hell? I stared at him as he left the room, wincing at the slight click of the door. I hurried forward, but of course, I wasn’t locked in. I just hadn’t heard him right. I was still asleep, or under the influence.

Because this couldn’t be real. He had to be carrying out the joke. He and Lev had been making all sorts of jokes when we hung out by the pool, and Max had kept me laughing on my first day in LA. That seemed like weeks ago instead of just three days. Another lifetime.

In order to keep from dredging up memories of last night, I whipped off the silver cover, and my stomach rumbled at the sight of French toast and strawberries, crispy bacon, and scrambled eggs. Okay, maybe I wasn’t entirely over the lux life.

Wolfing down the breakfast made me feel much better and ready to face Max’s teasing. I jumped up to put on the new clothes, smiling at the quality of the fabric between my fingers. Of course, he was just joking around to keep me from reliving the nightmare. That’s all it was.

The dress floated around my knees, as light and airy as butterfly wings, and the color made my eyes pop. I twirled in front of the bathroom's three-way mirror, pleased with how nice I’d look on the plane back home, even though I wouldn’t be in first class this time.

“You look amazing,” Max said when I came down the stairs.

He didn’t look so bad himself, in a dark suit and crisp white shirt with a black and green striped tie. Almost like he was dressed for a wedding.

I laughed as we got into the car, kind of respecting how far he was willing to take his joke. I didn’t bring up how grateful I was, because it still stuck in my craw that I’d been reduced to calling him for help at all. Since I didn’t know much about Los Angeles, I wasn’t sure where we were heading, and just assumed it was back to Katie’s house where I could pack up my things. My phone was long gone, but I could get a new one.

“Are we heading toward downtown?” I asked.

“Yes, that’s where the courthouse is,” he said.

“Okay, this really isn’t funny now,” I told him, turning to glare.

He looked back at me mildly. “I’m taking this completely seriously.”

And then we arrived, where a woman about my age met us with a bouquet in her hands and a sheaf of papers we needed to sign. She barely got to introduce herself as Olivia before rushing off with our paperwork while we took a seat in a hallway.

Before I could find the presence of mind to ask what was going on, Luca arrived in sunglasses and a ball cap, doing a terrible job of going incognito. Doing a worse job of hiding his simmering rage at Max. A few people around us clearly recognized him but showed restraint since they were waiting for their time before the judge.

As Max greeted Luca, I could tell he was angry as well, but there was a triumphant gleam in his eyes as he led the way to the designated floor. When Olivia reappeared to deal with Luca, I hustled Max aside.

“What do you think you’re doing? What did I just sign? Don’t you think you’re taking this way too far?”

He looked down at me with concern, then answered my questions one by one in an infuriatingly calm manner. “I’m marrying you to save your skin from that degenerate. You signed the papers I had Olivia get in order to push this through in a hurry. And no, I’m not taking it too far.” When I only gaped at him, he pulled me further from Luca’s burning stare and leaned close. “This is the only thing that will get him off your back. You need to trust me on this.”

Except I didn’t. Not at all. However, I felt sick having Luca anywhere near me, to the point my skin was crawling, and I decided to go along with Max’s charade. He must have had some kind of plan to get both of us out of this. The very fact that someone as powerful as Max was going to such lengths told me how ruthless Luca must be.

I could just say this was all a mistake and run out. Who would stop me with all these witnesses? But who should I fear more? And what lengths would I have to go to to stay hidden from those powerful men if I ran?

My mind was spinning, and having Luca’s presence so soon after he’d attacked me kept me pinned to Max’s side. Before I knew it, we were officially married and heading back to his house. Only when we pulled into his long, curving driveway and parked in front of the grand mansion did I realize how deep I was in this.

“I want to go back to Katie’s,” I said. “I’ve had enough. I appreciate you getting me out of this, but—” the words clogged in my throat as Max took my arm and led me into the house.

He slammed the heavy door shut and breathed out through his nose in a huff. “You still don’t understand how fixated Luca can get. I can almost guarantee that he’ll be driving past this place sometime today or tonight, and if he thinks you’re not here, he’ll go looking for you.”

I didn’t want to believe this, but the blank, soulless look in Luca’s eyes when he locked me in his apartment was still fresh in my mind.

“Tell me the truth about him,” I sighed.

Max led me down the entrance hall and pulled out a kitchen chair, his face so serious I almost didn’t want to know. I sat down heavily, and he crouched down in front of me, searching my face in earnest.

“All you need to know is I’m going to take care of it. For now, you’re safest with me. I don’t want that monster near my sister-in-law or my niece, and believe me, he’s not getting near you while you’re here.”

I let out a small sob, horrified that I’d been about to lead that stalker to Katie’s. Max pulled me close, rubbing my arms in a soothing way. Until it wasn’t so relaxing, but rather had me feeling overly warm. Memories of the heated makeout session on the first night I arrived had been awakened by the quick kiss he gave me at the courthouse, to seal the deal in front of our angry witness.

I leaned into him, resting my head against his sturdy shoulder. He smelled so good I breathed deeply, making him think I was about to start crying again. I shook my head, turning into the smooth skin of his neck, and let out a sigh.

The feel of his hands moving up and down my back had me scooting closer and putting my arms around him, just for a moment of support. Just to breathe in his masculine, earthy scent, like he’d been out in the rain and stirring up freshly cut grass. I turned my face a little more at the same time he did and our lips brushed.

Everything disappeared except the feel of him as his hands moved swiftly up my back to tug on my hair. Our mouths crashed together as he rose, pulling me up to stand with him, crushing my body close to his. Every bit of me was pressed tight against him as his lips teased mine to open so his tongue could enter me. Our tongues found each other like long-lost lovers, and I moaned without a single thought as I dragged myself even closer to his rock-hard chest.

Rock hard everywhere. I ground against him, heat pooling lower as the hand that didn’t grip my hair ran up my side. His thumb brushed my breast, and we both moaned. I’d never, never experienced such a rush of pure longing in my life. It was like a jackhammer had replaced my heart, and the senses of a wild animal had replaced my mind. I was starving, on the hunt, and Max was my prey.

What the hell? I pulled away, breathless, barely able to see.

“I feel dizzy,” I gasped.

His hands tightened on me, holding me up. I blinked away some of the haze of lust and saw concern in his darkened eyes.

“You need more rest,” he said, thinking it was the aftereffects of the drugs that had me nearly swooning in his arms. “Let me get you up to your room so you can take it easy. I’ll be here if you need me.”

I staggered away, brushing off his offer to carry me. That was the last thing I needed. Still, he stayed by my side until I was safely sinking onto the bed in the same guest room I’d spent the previous night in.

“Don’t worry about a thing,” he said, leaving me with a long look.

The only thing I was worried about just then was how damn attracted I was to him after everything that had happened. How was it possible? One thing I knew for sure was that I had to fight it, or I’d be miserable once this was all sorted and I was back at home.

Unsure how I managed to fall asleep at all, I woke up an hour or so later, feeling like myself again. No more grogginess or feeling like I was slogging through mud, and definitely no more crazy feelings for Max. Now that I was clear, it hit me that Jenna must have been going out of her mind with worry.

My phone was still missing, but it might have fallen out of my pocket in Max’s car, or maybe he’d grabbed it and put it somewhere and, in all the confusion hadn’t remembered to give it back to me. I straightened my hair and my dress, and went downstairs to look for him.

I found him in the kitchen, sitting at the long granite bar, sending messages.

On my phone.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, lunging for it. He deftly held it out of my reach, shocking and enraging me.

“You don’t have to worry about it,” he said.

“If you tell me that one more time, I’m going to scream,” I said. “What are you doing on my phone?” Did he take it on purpose?

“I texted Jenna that you had a minor emergency and had to get back to San Francisco early.”

I snorted. “Without my things? She’d never believe that.”

He held up my phone. “She already did.” I peered at it, still out of my reach, to see that she did indeed fall for his baloney. “I’ll keep texting her as long as I need to.”

“Why?” I asked, more confused than pissed off just then.

“Because I want to keep my wife to myself for a little while,” he answered, as if that should have been obvious.

I shook my head in disbelief and mounting horror. “How long? I have a job to get back to next week.”

“Not anymore,” he answered. “I put in your resignation.”

Okay, now I was furious. I’d worked so hard to get that high-end boutique job, had proven myself as a top salesperson to the point my boss had been making noises about giving me an assistant manager position. I loved that damn job, and it was good money. But I could still explain if I got my phone back.

I threw myself at him, and he moved from the barstool to stand a foot away, making me stumble as I missed grabbing his arm. Undeterred, I practically climbed his body like a tree trying to get my phone back, but he held it high. Since he was almost a foot taller than me, there was no shot unless I climbed the bar and flew at him like an enraged cat. His mild laughter as he easily kept my phone from me made me want to do just that, along with clawing his eyes out.

I finally gave up and stomped over to the kitchen table and slammed into a chair, crossing my arms over my heaving chest. I’d never beat him like this, I had to stop and think. Nothing was lost. My boss would understand once I got out of there and was able to explain.

If I ever got out of there.