Page 35 of Max

“Heya, Max,” she waved while still hanging off Jason, a wonky smile on pulling at her full lips.

“Are you drunk, Bean?”

“See, I told you, he doesn’t know my name.” She looked at Rory, or where she guessed Rory was, she was off by two feet and threw a handout, palm up my way.

“I know your name, Bean,” I declared. “I know your fucking name.”

“No, he doesn’t,” she whispered, cocking her head, and stumbling while doing it.

“Max, take your woman,” Jason demanded.

He looked at me expectantly. I didn’t know whether to laugh or yell at Rory. I told her to take Skylar out and have a good time. Not to drown her in alcohol. At least they didn’t end up in jail.

That was a plus.

“Are you drunk, Bean?” I repeated my question, looking down at her.

She hugged me with both arms and shrugged. I made a mental note to get her drunk in the future and see what kind of fun the two of us could have. But right then, I needed to get her in bed.

She had a long, hard day, and I was whipped. All I wanted was to throw Rory and Jason out of my house and crawl in bed with Skylar.

“We need to talk,” Rory announced as Jason sat on the couch and rubbed his forearm and closed his eyes.

He looked as if he would fall asleep any second. Pussy. He faced guys big as a fucking building every week but helping a woman stay on her feet exhausted him.

“Not now, Rory,” I dismissed her, my focus going back to the woman in my arms.

“You need to lock that woman and do it right,” Rory said, and I regrettably had to look away from Skylar that was staring dreamily up at me, not even hearing a word of what was being said.

“What?”

“She’s lost,” Rory looked to Skylar briefly to check if she was aware that she was talking about her.

She wasn’t.

Skylar was oblivious to everything going on around her and was residing in her happy land. Rory kept going.

“She’s lost, and she's now finding herself, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch.”

“Rory, I-” I knew she would find a way to make me pay.

I also knew it would be some kind of torture. What I didn’t expect was my sister to try and have a heart to heart with me at two in the morning. I didn’t get a chance to say more.

“I watched you die,” Rory whispered, her eyes filled with tears. “You were there one-second, and in the next, a ghost sat in front of me.”

My gut clenched, watching Rory as words fell out of her mouth, each one filled with pain. I also knew what she was talking about.

Laura.

My ex.

The woman I was prepared to die for.

The woman I wanted to marry.

A woman I was prepared to do almost anything for.

Anything, except to change who I was.