Page 62 of Lust and Honor

His tone is so firm it leaves no room for argument. I slip his jacket off my shoulders and hand it back. As I open the door, I see Maxim leaning against the wall, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His stare is so intense, I feel like I’m being crushed under its weight. Has he been watching us the whole time? My eyes drop to his hand, tightening around the glass. Even though I’ve done nothing wrong, I feel like I’m about to be punished. Forcing myself to look away, I head back toward the ballroom.

Halfway there, Emily grabs my arm from behind, whispering excitedly in my ear, “Where were you, girl? You missed everything!”

“What happened?”

“Maxim broke Viola’s leg!”

It’s like every sound around me just vanishes. The world goes quiet. I don’t know what Emily sees on my face, but she bursts out laughing. “Breathe, girl.”

That’s when I realize I’ve stopped breathing. “W-What are you talking about?”

“He took that smug girl on stage, danced with her a little, then when the music picked up, he spun her around, lifted her in the air, and dropped her before her feet touched the floor.”

“Why would he do that?”

She raises an eyebrow mischievously. “I don’t know, but since I was the first to reach the scene, I might’ve heard him whisper, ‘Stay away from my girls.’”

My jaw drops as I turn and see Maxim now standing on the terrace with Enrico, seemingly talking calmly, but I can sense the tension radiating from him in Enrico’s stiff expression.

What the hell is going on?

Thirteen

Ava

It’s two in the morning, and I’m still tossing and turning. Aurora was so worn out from playing with the boys that she slept the entire way home in the car, not even stirring when Maxim carried her inside. Frustrated, I get out of bed, crack open my door, and peek out. Maxim’s bedroom door at the end of the hall is open, which means he’s not there. He’d never leave it open if he were inside.

I tiptoe toward the staircase and descend a few steps, but the dark, quiet downstairs tells me he’s not there either. Did he go out chasing women again? I shake my head at my own stupidity. Why do I even care? I have no right to get all worked up over his nightlife.

I take a deep breath, return to my room, and grab the baby monitor in case Aurora wakes up. Still in my thin satin slip that barely covers my ass, I quietly head back down the stairs. Maxim’s probably out whoring around, and Alex never shows up unannounced, so I figure I’m safe.

I descend the second staircase to the modern lower level where Maxim has his private gym, indoor pool, and sauna. I just want to sit by the pool’s edge and dip my feet in the water. Maybe it’ll help me relax enough to sleep.

As I step past the sensor, the glass door slides open automatically, and I step inside. The only light comes from the underwater pool lights, and I don’t bother turning on anything else. I prefer it this way—quiet, dim, peaceful.

“What are you doing here?”

The sound of his voice nearly makes me jump out of my skin. I let out a scream and spin around, stumbling backward. My ankle twists, and I almost fall straight into the pool when he swiftly grabs my arm and yanks me toward him. I crash into his bare chest, realizing he’s drenched in sweat and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.

“What? Did you see a ghost?” he grumbles.

I scowl, raising my voice slightly. “You scared the hell out of me! Why are you lurking in the dark?”

His tone softens. “Didn’t expect you to be sleepwalking at this hour.”

He raises the gun in his other hand to my face, showing he’s ready for anything, any time of night. “Why aren’t you in bed?”

Now that the initial panic fades, I realize I’m standing practically naked in his arms. Embarrassed, I pull back. He doesn’t resist but keeps holding my arm.

I squirm under his hold and mumble, “Let me go put something on.”

His voice drips with mockery. “You and I fucked like two feral cats in heat. There’s not an inch of my body you haven’t seen, nor a part of yours I’ve forgotten. Drop the act.”

I shoot him a glare and change the subject. “I couldn’t sleep. Why are you up?”

He releases my arm and turns away. “I was working out.”

Maxim’s gym is separated from the pool area by a glass wall. I cross my arms over my chest to cover my nipples, which have perked up under the thin satin just from standing this close to him.