[forty-six]

Thank you guys so much for your kind words and advice. It's been a pretty shitty weekend, and I think I've cried enough to fill a small pond. Even with the tequila and chick flick movies and cookie dough, I still have never felt so heart broken in my life. I cried with each comment you guys left, but they weren't sad tears, it was just validation that I deserve so much better than how he treated me and it's now finally time to move on. It still hurts, A LOT, but I'll be okay. This might just be the closure I was looking for with him. It was one big fucked up weekend, but tomorrow is a new day, and I'll keep my head high and close this chapter in my life. Thank you guys so much!!

This is a shorter chapter, and I didn't proofread it, so bare with me. HA! Thanks again guys! We really are one TWISTED family. =P

Max’s POV

“Why not?” She asked as she walked back up to me and stood between my legs. I let go of her hand and held her by her thighs. I grabbed on to the back of her thighs and pulled her down, forcing her on my lap. “You give me a hard on, then you want to go dance? We can dance, but at home.” A devilish smiled played out over her face as she stood up once again and when she went to go drag me away, I went this time. I tossed my car keys to Will as we walked by my brothers and we headed downstairs, then through a back door. “I have to grab my things, so wait right here okay?” She asked and I gave her a quick kiss and nodded my head. I leaned up against the wall, moving my legs every which way to try and hide the bulge forming under my zipper. She appeared a few moments later with two bags slung over her shoulder. I quickly took them from her, placing them on my shoulder, and I grabbed her hand and dragged her out of club. The cold air outside calmed down the emotions stirring up in my pants, but as Lillianah nibbled on my ear as we walked down the street it was a battle. I stopped on the corner and took her mouth in mine, trying to let her know that she was driving me absolutely insane at the moment. Her hand rubbed over the thick denim resting over my crotch and I shivered as she bit down on my bottom lip. She was frisky, and I was ready to take her right there on the street corner. I finally found the will power to pull away from her and continued to walk down the street in a hurried pace. As we stepped in to the elevator I pushed her up against the back wall, sucking on her neck, more than likely leaving my mark. Hearing her moan my name, I almost didn’t hear the door open behind me, but she pushed against my chest and we walked down the hallway. As we walked in to the apartment we left a trail of clothing from the front door in to the bedroom. Once we were in bed, she took full control.

As I stretched my arms above my head the following morning I could only grin. That was the best sex of my life, hands down. An animal crawled out of Lillianah’s skin and just tore me to shreds. I heard my back crack a few times and then the familiar noise of puking in the bathroom. I looked at the bathroom door and saw her black hair with tints of red, swept up by her hand as she hurled in to the toilet. I knew she had been drinking, why did she deny it? It wasn’t like it was a big deal. I got up from bed, pulled on my boxers and headed for the bathroom. I took her hair from her hand and soaked a wash cloth with cold water with my free hand. “Hung over?” I asked as she sat back and leaned up against the back wall. “No, just a really, really bad migraine,” she mumbled with her eyes pinched shut. “Do you need anything? Your migraine meds?” She took a few deep breaths as I placed the wash cloth on the back of her neck, causing her chin to fall to her chest. “If you could, they are in the kitchen with the Motrin. And can you also call Alicia and tell her I have a migraine and I will call her later tonight for coffee?” “Sure thing,” I smiled as I saw a small smile appear on her lips. “Thank you baby.” When I walked out in to the living room I couldn’t help but laugh at the scene in front of me. Our cloths we tossed all over the place were neatly folded on the kitchen table, Will and Frank sitting on the couches smiling at me. “Fucking rabbits,” Will laughed and I shot them a proud smile. “Sorry, it will be better when we move in to the house. Thicker walls there.” I grabbed her meds and headed back in to the bathroom. She was slumped over on the edge of the tub, with a toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. I never experienced a migraine before but I heard they’re pretty painful and tend to knock you out. “Lil, here take this,” I handed her the pill and she swallowed it with the glass of water I also handed her. I picked her up, over my shoulder, and carried her back to the bed. She snuggled in and grabbed my pillow and pulled it in close to her. Her eyes were pinched shut tight, but within a minute or so, they relaxed and she was asleep.

“Want to help me pack?” I asked Will and Frank as we watched some action movie on the TV that was absolutely lame and fake as can be. “Pack?” Will asked with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah, get a head start on things, so that when I get the keys to the house, it will be an easy transition.” They both shrugged and stood up. I headed to the hall closet and pulled out the boxes I had brought home from the arena. By the time Lillianah walked out of the bedroom, we had most of the living room and dining room packed up. Well, that is if you considering throwing things in to boxes without much logic, packing. “What are you doing?” she asked noticing the boxes and the now empty shelves. “Packing,” I smiled at her before leaning in and giving her a kiss. “Oh yeah, we kind of need to pack my apartment too.” I gave her a strange look. “You still have the apartment?” “Yeah, a majority of my stuff is still there.” I quickly glanced at my brothers to see them eavesdropping as usual. “Are you still paying rent?” She slowly nodded her head. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have gotten you out of your lease and you would be done with it?” “Not now Max, please. I’m going to meet Alicia for coffee, she had a date last night that’s she sounds pretty excited about. I’ll be back in a hour or two.” She leaned forward and kissed me, and as much as I wanted to press the subject of her apartment I dropped it for the evening. “Tell her I said hi,” I called back to her as I heard the front door open and then shut. “Want some advice baby brother?” Frank asked as he walked up next to me. I debated in my head for a moment to scowl or roll my eyes at him, but he began talking before I could decide. “You guys moved fast. She kept her apartment so she still had some of her own identity. Some of her own responsibility.” “And how do you know this?” I asked. “Natalia did the same thing when she first moved in with me. Kept her apartment and didn’t tell me. We got in to a huge fight over it, but hey we’re happily married now. Anyways, it’s best to be left untouched.” I nodded my head, Lillianah was a very independent woman, I could see her doing that for that reason.

Lillianah’s POV

I told myself I wouldn’t get addicted, that I would just take a hit and leave it at that. Now I find myself trekking back to my old apartment, pounding on Aaron’s door. He swung the door open shocked to see me standing there. “Did you and your boyfriend break up?” I shook my head no and walked in passed him. “I need some coke, you got any?” He cocked an eyebrow at me, not moving from the spot by the door. “Yeah I have some, but why do you want it?” “It’s for my boss.” He slowly nodded his head and disappeared in to his bedroom. When he came back out he handed me a little bag and I handed him a wad of cash, not wanting to wait to discuss a price, I gave him more than enough. I shoved the bag in my front pocket and left his apartment without another word.

When I arrived at Starbucks, Alicia was patiently waiting for me at our usual table outside. “Sorry I’m late,” I announced as I dropped my bag in the chair and grabbed some cash out of my wallet to head inside to get my drink. When I came back out, I sat down and saw the small smile slowly appear on her face. “So I take it, it was a good date?” I asked with a smile of my own. “It was amazing Lil, you have no idea how long I have waited for a guy like this. He’s just . . . I don’t want to say perfect because he’s not, but he’s perfect for me, you know?” I nodded my head and smiled at how her words described Max for me as well. “So what’s his name, what does he do?” “Well his name is Jonathan, and don’t laugh, but he’s a doctor.” I gave her a skeptical look, “why would I laugh at that?” “He’s specializes in removing tattoos.” I tried to hold back the laughter, but it was no good. “And he doesn’t mind that you’re covered in tattoos?” She shook her head no with a huge smile. “He actually loves tattoos, has a few himself, but the money is in removing them he says.” “So what did you guys do?” She went on to tell me how he took her to the Andy Warhol museum and then an exotic dinner downtown. “Oh and he’s such a good kisser!” “Kiss on the first date? Really Alicia?” She raised her eyebrow at me. “Looks who’s talking Miss ‘I trap my men with s’mores and suck the chocolate off their fingers’.” I rolled my eyes and took a long sip of my coffee. “Well I’m happy for you. When are you guys seeing each other again?” “Tomorrow night.” I smiled to my friend and felt genuinely happy for her. It had been a long time since Alicia met a guy she liked, she’s very picky when it comes to men.

“So Max found out I still have my apartment.” “What did he say?” I bit my bottom lip and tried to figure out if he was mad or not, maybe confused? “He said he would have gotten me out of my lease and just be done with it, but I just feel like that’s the last part of me I have to hold on to. I live in his place, he won’t let me pay for anything, not even groceries. I feel like I’m freeloading.” She nodded her head in understanding. “What happens when you guys move?” “Well there’s no rent, since he bought the house upright. He found this new service that delivers groceries to the house weekly for one monthly payment. I just, I feel like I’m contributing nothing.” “You’re giving him sex. Hot, dirty sex I’m sure that’s all he wants.” I couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t know, I attempt to cook, I clean, but I just feel like I need to contribute financially. And it’s so frustrating because I know he wants to get married, which don’t get me started on that, but I don’t know if he’s the one I should marry. He doesn’t want kids.” She shook her head as she turned around and tossed her cup in the trash can. “From what it sounds like he’s up in the air about it. You guys will get married, I can see it, your mother can see it. He has a ring, it’s just a matter of time.” I drew my lips in to a thin line, not wanting to talk about it anymore. “Well when do I get to meet Jonathan?” “After the fourth date, you know how I work,” she smiled at me and I laughed.

“Talby’s! I’m home!” I shouted as I walked through the front door to see Max, his brothers and it seemed like half the team inside the apartment packing things up. “Hey baby, got carried away and a little excited, we get the keys tomorrow,” Max smiled before placing a kiss on my lips. Tomorrow? Already? With wide eyes I looked around the apartment and in the corner Kris was staring at me. I nodded my head toward him and headed in to the bedroom. I changed in to some of Max’s work out clothes and headed back out to the living room to see where I could help. Just as I placed a few candles in a box a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. I felt lips land on my neck and I smiled when I looked down and saw the hairy hands and arms that belonged to Max. “We’re moving in to a house. Can you believe it?” I turned around in his arms and kissed him on the lips. “Is this a smart idea moving in to a house in the middle of your season?” He shrugged his shoulders. “I just want to start this next part of my life already, I’m anxious, I’m impatient. Let’s get a move on things you know. I want to be able to come home to my beautiful girlfriend and make as much noise as we want without having to worry about Miss Lawrence across the hall. I want to break in every single room with you, including the balcony.” I laughed and kissed his jaw, “this is all about sex then, no?” “It’s a big part of it. But this apartment is my apartment, and your apartment is yours. This house is going to be ours.” I nodded my head and kissed him again before the guys started yelling at us about labor laws.

...

So I hate that I haven't updated since the 4th, and I planned on updating this weekend, considering the next chapter is 80% complete. But watching your ex-boyfriend who you're still in love with and claims he still loves you, propose to his current girlfriend in front of you, kind of throws your mind for a loop. So I'm going out to get some tequila with a friend, then sleep away half of my day tomorrow, and hopefully have cleared my mind by then and I'll work on this chapter, because I have to get my mind on SOMETHING ELSE.

Sorry for complaining about my pathetic past relationship. I'm just angry.

And also, thank you guys for your support with this story, it means a lot to me. I love writing, it's so freeing and gets my mind off of the drama in my own life. I feel like getting all sappy like a really bad Golden Globes speech, but I guess I'm just emotional, so I'll shut up now before I begin rambling. Might be too late for that. Sorry.

Thanks!!

[forty-five]

Max’s POV

It was just past 3 AM and I slowly opened the door, hoping to not wake up my dingbat brothers. I stepped inside and closed and locked the door behind me. I opened the hall closet and hung up my jacket and discarded my shoes. I walked in to the apartment and saw my brothers fast asleep on the couches. I headed to the bedroom when I heard a faint voice calling my name from behind me. I turned on my heel and headed back toward the living room. “Dining room,” she whispered and I headed in to the dining room where I saw her sitting on the table looking out the windows. The moonlight from outside outline her silhouette and I took in the sight for a moment before I walked around the table and stood in front of her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me on the lips, slowly falling forward in to me. “Why are you still awake?” I mumbled against her lips as I wrapped my arms around her waist, taking a step forward, pushing myself up against her. “I was too excited to see you I couldn’t sleep, but now, now I’m tired.” This is exactly why I wanted her to move in with me. This is exactly why I want to marry her. I never would have thought I’d come home to a beautiful woman who’s excited to see me when I come home. Yet here I was, wrapped up in her arms, hearing her tell me she stayed up to see me come home. “I love you,” I whispered before kissing her again, lifting her up in my arms. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I carried her to the bedroom. I laid her down on the bed and headed to the closet where I stripped down to my boxers and tossed my clothes in the hamper. I turned around and saw her looking at me with a smile on her face. “I haven’t changed in to pajamas yet,” she whispered and I looked down her body to see she was in a grey t-shirt and jeans. “Want me to get them for you?” “I’m too tired to change, will you help me?” A flash of lust flashed through her eyes, with a playful smile on her face. I walked over to the foot of the bed in front of her and climbed on top of her. I knew I wouldn’t get laid, not tonight anyways, but I was going to enjoy her body regardless.

I felt something bouncing on top of me and I slowly opened one eye at a time, seeing Lillianah straddling me, bouncing up and down. I glanced over at the clock to see it was a little after 10:30 in the morning. “What are you doing?” “Well see here’s the deal,” she smiled as she pulled her shirt off over her head and laid down on top of me, pressing her bare chest to mine. “My boyfriend’s been gone for five days, and normally I would fill that void by playing with myself to you know, take care of some things. But this boyfriend of mine has two brothers and it just didn’t seem morally right to play with myself when they are just down the hall.” I raised an eyebrow at her and looked over at the door, seeing that it was locked. “Where are they now?” “I sent them on some errands, they should be gone for a few hours, because these errands I sent them on, well it’s going to take them all over town.” I smiled and shook my head at her, she was a genius. “So what do you want to do?” I asked just as her hips started to grind against mine. “I have a few ideas, that is of course you agree.” “Oh I agree to anything you have going through your mind right now.” She grinned before she sat up and wasted no time taking my boxers off of me. She stood up on the bed, with me between her legs as she slid her underwear down, stepping out of them, then sent them flying across the room by her toes. “So Mr. Talbot, I’d like to introduce you to a little toy of mine. I went out and bought it yesterday, and I’ve been waiting to use it.” I couldn’t help but laugh at how funny that sounded. She sat back down on my legs and reached forward, under her pillow and pulled out this rubber ring. “Have you ever used one of these before?” She asked as she placed it in my hand and I looked at it. There was a silver egg looking thing on top of the ring with a button, when I pushed the button it began to vibrate. “Um, where does this go?” I asked as I turned it off and watched as she plucked it out of my hand and moved her hands south. She slipped the ring over my penis, resting it at the base. She pushed the button and I immediately bucked my hips up. That’s something I’ve never felt before.

I know I’m an athlete, but as I walked out in to the living room I felt and looked like I had run twenty miles all while smoking a pack of cigarettes. “Fuck, it’s about time.” My head shot up and I saw Frank and Will on the couches. I glanced over at the clock, it was just past 1 PM. “Holy shit,” I smiled when I noticed the time. I didn’t know I could have sex like that for two hours straight. “Eh fuck you guys, I haven’t seen my girl in five days. Anyways, I thought she said you two would be gone for a few hours.” “Maxime, it has been a few hours. Fucking rabbit.” I smiled as I watched Lillianah walk in to the kitchen and head straight for the coffee, her hair still a mess. “Elle m’a allumé!!” I shouted to Will and Frank as the three of us began to laugh. Lillianah slowly turned around and gave us an odd look. “T’es un putain!” Frank laughed and I picked up the pillow behind Will’s head and chucked it at him. “Dare I ask what you three are talking about?” Lillianah asked as she stood next to me and wrapped her arm around my waist. “Umm, well, see, they’ve been back for awhile now and I told them you led me on, and Frank just called me a whore.” “Well you are a whore,” she laughed as she let go of me and headed back in to the bedroom. “Maxime, good job picking her,” Will smiled as he headed in to the kitchen and went straight for the fridge. “You guys have fun while I was gone?” “Oh she’s a riot. We had a blast!” Frank laughed from his stationary spot on the couch. “So she knows about the ring,” Will whispered to me as he stood next to me. “Yeah I know,” I mumbled as I dropped my head. “She asked if we knew when you planned on using it.” I raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “Really?” “Yeah, but we don’t know so that’s what we told her, and obviously you don’t know either.” I nodded my head, Will was right, I didn’t know. “I’ll be right back,” I smiled as I headed in to the bedroom to see Lillianah walk out of the bathroom, freshly showered with a towel wrapped around her body. “So I was thinking the weekend of the 20th we should bring our parents out like we talked about. I have two home games, that Friday and that Sunday, they can stay through Monday, what do you think?” She reached in to her purse and pulled out her calendar, flipping forward two pages. “Yeah that should work, I do have work that Saturday, but I think I can get it off.” “Okay, I’ll call them,” I smiled and watched as she walked up to me and gave me a kiss before retreating back in to the bathroom.

I closed my laptop after booking four flights. Two from Montreal and two from Philadelphia. I could tell in the voices of our mothers that they were very excited to meet. “Alright you assholes, what’s on the agenda for today?” “Well, you need to shower, because you smell like sex, then we’re going to see this house you want.” I tilted my head as I looked at Will, “we can’t just walk in you know, we-“ “I know I called the real estate agent,” Lillianah interrupted as she sat down next to me. I looked up at her head and began to laugh, slowly at first. “What’s so funny?” she asked as she turned on the couch to look at me straight on. “Don’t be mad, promise me you won’t be mad.” Her look turned hard, slicing me in half. “You look like you’re balding. Your blond roots with the black hair.” “Balding? Really? Well if you must know, I’ve learned to not dye my hair on days I work because I sweat so much it runs and usually ruins my clothes.” I nodded my head as I tried to understand, but really, I didn’t. “You work tonight?” “Yeah, but only from 9 to 11, and it’s my understanding you three ‘assholes’, as you put it, are coming as well as some of the guys on the team.” I nodded my head again, faintly remembering having this conversation with Sid and Flower the night before. “Alright, well I better go shower then.” I kissed Lillianah quickly before heading for the bedroom.

Lillianah’s POV

I held on tightly to Max’s hand as we stepped inside the house. “So it’s four bedrooms, one downstairs, two on the main level then the master bedroom takes up the whole top floor, which also has a wrap around balcony. Two and half baths, a very open floor plan and you saw the two car garage out front.” My eyes lit up as I looked around the empty room. Beautiful was an understatement, it was an absolute masterpiece. With each step we took the house got better and better. “I think you need to buy it now, and move in today so we can sleep in actually bedrooms and not on couches,” Will laughed which made the real estate agent laugh as well, giving a hopeful look to Max. “Yeah this is amazing, but the key is the master bedroom,” he stated before shooting a wink my way. “No darling, the key is the kitchen,” I smiled as I dragged him toward the kitchen in the back of the house. The minute my foot hit tile I felt like I was in a Martha Stewart magazine. I didn’t want to show my excitement as this was Max’s deal, so when I looked over and saw the huge smile and his eyes light up like on a little kid’s on Christmas morning, I squeezed his hand before letting go and went deeper in to the kitchen. Windows lined the back wall, with a sliding glass door that led out to a small balcony. There was no view, but it didn’t really matter. The view was inside the house. “All of the cabinets are bamboo, brand new stainless steel appliances and the counters are granite,” the realtor read off a sheet as we moved through the kitchen. “Color Maxime, do you see this? Color!” I laughed as I ran my hand over the granite that almost looked like the Mojave desert with the reds blending in with the golds. In the center of the kitchen was a huge island with a stove top in the middle. I looked out toward the eating area and could see Max and all of his friends gathered, laughing, sharing a beer while I cooked up something in the kitchen. “This is amazing,” I whispered to myself, suddenly feeling a pair of arms wrap around my waist. “Can you see yourself making s’mores in here?” He whispered in to my ear. I leaned back in to his chest and smiled. “I could see myself doing a lot more than just making s’mores in here.”

I braced myself as we headed up the stairs to the master bedroom. I knew that if it was anywhere as amazing as the rest of the house I was in serious risk of cardiac arrest. I closed my eyes as we walked through the doors and when I felt Max squeeze my hand I slowly opened my eyes. Huge windows filled all three walls, a sliding glass door on the wall in the back of the room. I smiled as I moved around freely, there was enough room for two or three beds. I pulled over the bathroom door and laughed when I saw the black counters, white walls and grey trim. I knew I couldn’t get away from that color scheme that easily. His and her sinks, a tall linen closet, a huge shower with an even bigger shower head. I stepped back out and headed for the closet, easily twice the size of our current one. Next I headed for the balcony, smiling widely at Max as I walked past him. I stood in the back corner looking at all the old buildings surrounding us. My eyes wandered down and I smiled at the tiny garden that was next to the house. “This place is amazing.” I turned around and smiled at Will and Frank as they joined me outside. “It is. I think Max really likes it too.” “He’s ecstatic that you like it,” Will smiled to me as the three of us looked back down at the garden. Wondering where Max was, I headed back in to the house where I saw him and the realtor in the bathroom and Max was signing something. “What are you doing?” I asked as I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m becoming a home owner,” he stated like it was no big deal. “Serious?” He set the pen down and turned in my arms, kissing me on the forehead. “Serious.”

“Hey Max!” I shouted from our bedroom as I was getting ready for work. A moment later he walked in tossing a kitchen towel over his shoulder. “Want to help me pick out my outfit for tonight?” A smiled crept over his face as he tossed the towel on the bed and opened the bottom drawer of the dresser. My work clothes drawer. “Um, how come I’ve never seen these before?” He asked as he pulled out my black leather chaps. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled as he handed them to me. A white bikini top and then black booty shorts fell on the bed next to me. “Going for Coyote Ugly tonight are we?” I laughed as I stripped down my clothes and slipped on the ones he picked out for me. I slipped in to black boots, then Max helped me put on my pea coat. I grabbed my bag which had an change of clothes in it and walked out of the bedroom. “Alright, so I will see you guys later, remember I’m off at 11, so if you want to enjoy this outfit you need to be there by 10.” Will and Frank’s eyes immediately shot up at us and I laughed as I kissed Max and left the apartment. As I walked to work I pulled out my phone and sent a text message to Alicia. Max bought a house today, it’s beautiful. I pulled my arms close to my chest as a cold breeze came up blowing my hair in my face. I whipped my hair to the side when I felt my phone vibrate in my hand. Well aren’t we becoming domesticated! Ha! I have a date tonight, so coffee tomorrow? A huge smile came over my face when I read she had a date. She was always looking for the right guy, the guy that wouldn’t screw her over, so she only went on dates it seemed like once every six months. Yes, coffee indeed, call me in the morning, not too early though. Once I got to the club I did a quick run through of the VIP list. I laughed to myself when I read ‘Ring leader plus six’. I began to set up and when I turned on my laptop I began to laugh as my new desktop wallpaper was a picture of Max and I at the brewery. It was a cute picture, he was kissing my cheek and I had a cheesy ass smile on my face. I couldn’t wait to see him later, I wanted to dance with him, to drink with him. I just want to be with him.

I stopped and starred as I saw what looked like three triplets walk through the front doors. They walked alike, and with every head turn Max made, Will and Frank would follow, not wanting to miss out on any of the action. The brothers made it past security a lot easier this time around and I grinned as I watched them, along with Sidney and Marc, with their girlfriends, walk by. Max of course stopped and took his time looking at my outfit. “Do you take requests?” He asked with a slick smile on his face. I rolled my eyes at him and turned around to my lap top where I mixed in “Crash and Burn”. “You’re just too much,” he smiled as he reached out and pinched my exposed thigh. “See you soon.” I nodded my head and counted down the minutes until I could change and relax with my boyfriend. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with a towel and felt a hand land on my shoulder. I turned around and smiled at the radio DJ, then my eyes lit up as I realized it was Bonics. A friend of mine that works at a radio station, who I hadn’t seen in a few years. “Hello Miss Lil, I heard you’re dating a rather famous hockey player.” I pulled away from our hug and rolled my eyes. “Who said he was famous?” I laughed as I pointed over to the VIP where the guys were all drinking and enjoying themselves. “Talbot, that’s awesome. Well hey, I’ll take over from here, but we should get together sometime.” “I’d like that,” I smiled as I packed up all my stuff and headed downstairs to store my things and change. I changed in the bathroom in to a 70’s inspired white tunic and a pair of skinny low rise jeans, with white stilettos. I grabbed my bags and headed toward Andrew’s office. When needed I always dropped my stuff off in his office for safe keeping so when I opened his door and felt five pairs of eyes starring at me as my eyes laid on the white lines in front of them, I froze. “Jesus Lil, come in or out, and knock next time would you,” Andrew shouted and I hesitated for a moment before I stepped inside shutting the door behind me. I suddenly didn’t feel so safe leaving my things in that room. I trusted Andrew though, probably a little too much. I opened his closet and tucked my things inside, shutting the door and turning back around. As my hand reached the handle, Andrew called out after me, “want any?” My whole body and senses were screaming yes, but a tiny image of Max sitting in the VIP waiting for me was stuck in my mind. Then all at once, the voices in my head that I managed to push out a year ago were back, telling me that one hit wouldn’t hurt anything. It was just one hit, no harm, no foul. I walked over to the table and Andrew handed me his credit card. I swiped away a reasonable line, not huge, but enough to get a high. I grabbed a straw off the table and bent over. In one swift motion my nose felt like it was going to start bleeding at any moment and I had to blink my eyes hard a few times to get the first effects out of the way.

As I walked up the stairs the whole building looked a thousand times more beautiful than it actually was. The lights bouncing off the walls kept my attention for the most part. Once I reached the top of the stairs my eyes fell on Max’s as he sat on a couch, by himself with both of his arms outstretched hanging over the back of the couch. He smiled at me as I approached him and stood between his legs. I crawled on to his lap, straddling him, not caring who was around, not even knowing if anyone was around anyways. The feeling of his thighs against my legs sent a hot flash through my body and I pressed my chest in to his. He felt like a solid pillow. Something I wanted to melt in to. I wanted to climb in to Max and stretch out, enjoy the heat and safety he brings me. “Are you drunk?” he asked with a laugh and I shook my head no. “I’m turned on.” His hands found the small of my back and I nearly jumped as they felt cold as ice. The further his hands moved up the colder I got. “Stop moving your hands,” I demanded before kissing his neck. “I’m not moving my hands Lil. Are you sure you’re not drunk?” I pulled away and looked in to his eyes. Something flashed over his but I dismissed it the moment I saw it. I sat up on my knees, pushing my chest in to his face, running my hands through his hair. I sat back down and leaned forward, pressing my mouth to his ear, “come dance with me.” I didn’t want to let Max out of my touch, he felt too good. I loved that every part of my body he touched made me tingle. The feeling of his hand running down my arm as I climbed off of him sent chills through my whole body. I held on to his hand and headed toward the dance floor but I was stopped. I looked over my shoulder to see Max still sitting on the couch. “Max, come dance with me!” He squinted his eyes at me then tilted his head, “no.”