But Maxx isn’t so stupid as all that.
“You kissed me like you were saying goodbye,” he snaps, and I curse myself vigorously for letting him see that deeply into my plans for today. “This thing with Justin isn’t happening.”
“You might be able to play pretend in the bedroom, but you’re not telling me what to do now.” I lift my chin, and his expression cracks a little. I know he’s just worried about me, that he’s just trying to help, that there’s all this weirdness between us that wasn’t there before and neither of us knows what to do about it.
We both pause at the sound of footsteps, and I scramble over to GG’s cage to pretend like I’m in here because of the damn rabbit.
“Dakota.” There’s a slight whisper from the hallway, and Maxx opens the door to reveal Delphine. She looks nervous, wringing her hands slightly in front of her. “There’s a girl at the gate, saying that she’s a classmate of yours. I thought I’d better tell you before Tess finds out.”
Maxx and I exchange a look.
“Want me to check it out?” he asks, and I nod. I have a bad feeling about this. Who would come to see me that wouldn’t think to message or call first? That’s right: fucking no one. Even under ideal circumstances, there are only two classmates who would ever come over here, and I don’t think either Danyella or Lumen are up for paying me a visit.
Please tell me it isn’t Maxine, I think, but even as X peels away from me, I know that’s who it’s going to be. Didn’t he say he tried to talk her down from coming over?
I feel nauseous, clutching a hand against my chest as I pace past Delphine and into my room. She joins me at the window, looking out and toward the gate at the end of the drive. It’s hard to see many details from here, but I can make out three figures on the other side of the gate. Two cops and a girl. With long dark hair. Wearing what appears to be overalls.
No, no, no, no, no.
Not only does my sister’s presence risk Parrish’s life—Justin forbid me from having any contact with her—but it also risks her life. I couldn’t handle that. I can deal with a lot of shit—even betraying my sister with her ex-boyfriend—but not any risk to her life. No way.
“Tess,” Delphine begins again, pausing to let out a long sigh. “I mean, Mrs. Vanguard, is in a foul mood today. I didn’t think she’d appreciate knowing that your friend was here.” She glances over at me, her brown eyes magnified by the lenses of her glasses, like doe eyes or something. At least she’s still talking to me. At this point, she’s one of a select few humans in my life who doesn’t hate me—with good, manufactured reason. Delphine lowers her voice to a whisper as I stare out the window, watching as Maxx literally runs down the length of the driveway.
So … he must’ve checked the gate cam. And then whoever he saw on it was fuel enough for him to sprint like a bat out of hell. He opens the gate, but when the person who I know without even being able to see shit is Maxine, rushes forward, he grabs her by the shoulders and walks her back a few steps.
The gate closes, and I can see her gesturing frantically as the two posted police officers look on with apparent boredom. Thankfully, the reporters have been pushed back to the end of the street, so they’re not right on top of that mess. They probably have a good view of it though. Will probably plaster the internet with pictures of the confrontation.
“Mrs. Vanguard threw her full coffee cup at the wall right after she got a phone call this morning.”
The shock of that news is almost enough to break my focus on Maxim and Maxine.
What great couple names they could’ve had. I shiver and grit my teeth, shame running hot and violent through me. How could I do that to her? How? What is wrong with me? Once again, Justin might’ve forced my hand, but he didn’t make me enjoy it. He didn’t make me arch back against Maxx as his fingers slid between my thighs. No, we’d already completed his ask by that point.
That was all me and Maxx right there.
We’re horrible people. Chasm and I are horrible people.
“Tess threw her cup?” I ask, struggling to imagine her losing control like that. But then I remember the way she almost threw herself at Justin yesterday. That would explain who was on the other end of that phone call.
“Dakota.”
It’s Tess. I startle so badly that I end up slamming my shoulder into Delphine as I spin around. She very frantically sprays the window and begins to swipe at the glass with a paper towel, keeping herself busy and off of Tess’ radar.
