And it did.
But the crushing disappointment waiting to land on my chest wouldn’t help me if my suspicions about Max were correct.
With everything I’d learned about their families,andwith the things Max had said, it couldn’t be that simple. And if the coming engagement was a lie, then walking away from Max wasn’t that simple, either.
We all deserved a choice.
I wouldn’t sit by if he didn’t have one, so I needed to get through to him before I gave into the alternative.
I needed to try.
I also needed a plan, and the first one that came to mind was getting under his skin.
Baiting him to react the same way he’d been baiting me.
“You can’t even talk to me now?” When I scoffed and narrowed my eyes on his, he skirted his gaze away with a huff. I didn’t appreciate that, so I pushed him a little. “Is that your decision or your darling Vivian’s?”
Max flicked his gaze to Landon. “Tighten the reins on yourLady, Golden Boy.”
My jaw dropped, but Max ignored it. He didn’t spare me a second glance, but he did turn and look over his shoulder.
I peeked around him right as Vivian walked out of her room. She glared at Max and gestured with one finger for him to come over to her.
Max clenched his fists at her silent command, and tension radiated up his arms while I waited for him to ignore her and turn back around, but he didn’t.
So, I pushed harder. “You know, Max, I think if she gets you to sit and stay, that makes you her bitch.”
Laughter tittered around us, fading quickly as Max glared at everyone in eyesight. And in hindsight, I probably overshot the mark on what I was trying to do, but Vivian ordering Max around and him kowtowing to it pissed me off.
“Says the one who wears Landon’s hand necklace like a collar.” Max faced me slowly as the courtyard fell silent. “Must be a nice change for a stray, though.” He smirked, and I gritted my teeth. “Hopefully, he does us all a favor and adds a muzzle.”
“Thanks for the suggestion, big guy.” I winked at Max before turning to Landon. “Maybe we can try that later while you do that thing to my ass I like so much?”
Max’s posture stiffened, his onyx eyes burning with anger.
It wasn’t even close to how mad I planned to make him.
“That, or you can bury your dick in my throat.” I smiled sweetly at Landon as the crude words left my mouth. Running my hand over his chest, I stared directly at Max as I let a nickname roll off my tongue. “What do you think,baby?”
Landon leaned in and kissed my neck, his eyes stern even as he played along. “You do take me so well.”
“Yeah, I do.” I dropped my head back as Landon’s tongue trailed a hot path up my neck. Closing my eyes, I parted my lips with a quiet moan. “You’resoworth it.”
Peeking at Max, I got proof my new plan would work.
He showed one flash of vulnerability, before he shuttered his expression. His teeth ground together, the muscle in his jaw working hard before he finally brought his eyes back to mine.
But they were empty and cold, emotionless as he stared at me, instead of filled with heat. No sign of the Max Dread I’d shared truths with hid in those black depths, as if he’d completely closed himself off.
“Are you done?”
My brow furrowed. “What?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and spoke slowly, drawing out each word, as if speaking to someone hard of hearing. “Are. You. Done?”
My anger flared. “No, Max. I’m not done. I want to?—”
Heaving a sigh, he glanced over my head and spoke to Landon again. “Seriously, do me a favor and take care of your woman. I thought it would please me to have her chasing after my dick because you couldn’t satisfy her, but this is pathetic.”
