Free Max (A Carter Brother series Book 4) by Lisa Helen Gray Page B

movie, it’s not real and it still doesn’t explain you becoming a creeper coming into my room,’’ I scold playfully, still not able to hide the grin from my face. My cheeks are hurting so bad from smiling and laughing but it feels good.
    “I wasn’t being creepy. I just wanted to know if you were awake.’’
    “And when I didn’t answer the first time you didn’t clue in?’’
    “I thought you were ignoring me,’’ he shrugs looking away and I know he’s lying which makes me smile. “Plus, I told you, I keep hearing noises.’’
    “What kind of noises?’’
    “Creepy ones,’’ he shudders, lying back down on the pillow and shoving his hands behind his head. The movements cause his top to ride up a little and what I wouldn’t give for a little light right now.
    Just get comfy, I think sardonically when he starts shifting pillows.
    “And how do creepy noises sound?’’
    “Like, I don’t know, creepy. The floorboards kept creaking and, I swear, the walls were talking to me, with a tick-tock sound clicking in the background.’’
    “One: it’s because we’ve all come to bed. My mom used to tell me it was the floorboards relaxing having so many people walking on them all day. Two: you do realise the tick-tock sound could actually be the clock above the fire place making the noise?’’
    “What is your mom like?’’ he asks, catching me off guard. My body tenses and I find myself unable to answer for a few seconds.
    “Don’t change the topic,’’ I snap a little too heatedly.
    “Look, I’m scared as fucking shit. In fact, I’ve checked my fucking boxers twice just to make sure I’ve not shit me self. All I’m asking is for you to reach into your heart and let me have the right side of the bed.’’
    “I’m not sleeping with you,’’ I shout, then wince and listen out for Hope, the grouchy little cookie.
    “Babe, I’m not going to touch you. I’m too fucking scared. In fact, touching you reminds me of that clip you showed me of Piranha 3D where the fish eats his dick. Inside the fucking woman,’’ he shudders, holding his crotch.
    I laugh; I can’t help it. I told him he could watch that or this movie about dolls. When I showed him that clip from Piranha my plan couldn’t have gone any better. That was until he started cursing me for putting on the new doll movie.
    “Okay, Okay, but you’ve got the next Hope duty,’’ I add, holding my hand out.
    He takes my hand with a scoff before shaking it. “You’re going to be the death of me. You’re a cunning woman and so tiny too.’’
    “Goodnight,’’ I smile and roll over onto my side.
    I’m drifting into the place between dreams and reality when Max speaks.
    “Are you awake still?’’
    Maybe if I ignore him now we’ve already spoken he will let me sleep. My eyes are stinging and I can’t see Hope staying asleep much longer.
    “Max, go to fucking sleep.’’
    “Okay, but can I ask a question, a serious one?’’
    “Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I’ll answer,’’ I answer him, my eyes now wide open, wondering what he’s going to ask me.
    “Why were you sleeping on the streets? You could have gotten a job and rented a place, or hell, even gone to the council and gotten the help you need to get a place.’’
    His question is so innocent but so personal at the same time. However, unlike any other time someone asks me a personal question; I find myself answering honestly as I can instead of avoiding it.
    “Some people don’t deserve the luxury of a home, the fullness of a decent meal and fresh, hot water to bathe in. Don’t kid yourself by thinking I’ve been given a shitty hand; where I am, Max, is where I deserve to be. Never mistake that for one second,’’ I breathe out quietly. Neither of us says anything else but I can hear him thinking from all the way over here. I tune out his heavy breathing and the thick tension now between us and fall to sleep.

CHAPTER FOUR
MAX
     
    I’m lagging and dragging