“I know, but.” Caroline's eyes welled up with tears, and dread filled her. "Max," she whispered, her voice trembling, “I—"
"I love you." Max cut her off, his voice filled with sincerity and vulnerability.
“You—wait, what?”
"I've loved you since you came charging at me in the park—full of opinions I needed to hear.”
“I didn’t know it was you!”
She’d never seen such a tender expression as the one on Maxwell’s face.
“Everything you said that day was perfect—things I didn’t know I needed to hear. How could I not fall for you?”
“Really?” Was she dreaming now?
“I didn’t know how empty my life was—before.” He closed his eyes and some of the blood drained out of his face. “And to think—" His voice broke.
"I love you too," she hurried to say. “Oh, Max. Oh, Max. I couldn’t help but love you.”
“I don’t deserve you.” He leaned in, his lips meeting hers in a gentle, sweet kiss. It was as gentle and vulnerable as this newfound love. “But I’m not letting you go.”
“What about your secret?”
“I’ll worry about that.”
She pressed her hand against his chest, for comfort—to feel the rhythm of his heart beating. Her palm touched bare flesh.
“You aren’t wearing a shirt.” Her eyelids felt heavy, her mind foggy.
“Right.” But then he touched his fingertips to her mouth. “Rest, love. We’ll discuss everything later.”
It was enough. It had to be.
For now.
Caroline nestled into Max's comforting embrace, giving in to the hypnotizing rhythm of the horses' hooves. She was suddenly so very tired, and her entire body ached.
Alone with Max, however, the outside world ceased to exist. They were two souls, bound together by fate and passion.
He’d said he loved her.
She closed her eyes, letting go of her fears, resting in this man’s arms.
Not knowing what the future held, but releasing her dreams to fate, she succumbed to sleep.
Her mother had been right again.
Because he loved her. And she loved him.
She hoped it was enough.
COOLING HIS HEELS, AGAIN
Max was a relatively patient man, but when it came to cooling his heels while others attended to Caroline…
He was not.
Winterhope and Beckworth were reporting everything back to Malum and their team, and had promised they’d meet with one of their people at Scotland Yard. Aside from that, Max barely remembered what had been said in those frantic minutes after Pip…
