It’s wellpast midnight by the time Max and I get home that night. A night I’ll never forget, for good or bad. We managed to double the goal for the night. And Start A Revolution is going to begin helping so many kids because of everyone’s generosity. Including the generosity of the man arming the alarm next to me.
I slip my shoes off and moan as I stretch out my feet. “I swear, women should never be expected to wear heels for that many hours straight. I love shoes more than the average person, but that was just cruel and unusual punishment.”
Max slips his strong arms around my back and under my legs as he scoops me up and carries me to his room. “You were great tonight, Daphne. I’m so proud of you.” He stands me at the foot of the bed and unzips my zipper, then holds my dress for me to step out of it. “Do you want to shower?”
I shake my head. “I just want to sleep. Will you lie down with me?”
“I’ll do anything with you. Just give me a few minutes.”
I strip off my bra and panties and throw on one of Max’s shirts. He’s not going to have any left at the rate I keep stealing them. And as soon as I slip under the cool, soft sheets, I close my eyes and drift off.
I’m not sure how much later it is when I feel his lips against my skin.
“Hey...” I murmur, my voice raspy.
He wraps his arms around me. His chest is against my back, and he buries his face in my hair, a sigh leaving his lips.
“Max...” I know we need to talk about this. I’ve pushed it off as long as possible. “I’m sorry I never talked to you about my father. Maybe if I had, tonight could have been avoided.” I roll over in his arms and rest my head on his chest.
His fingers drag up my neck. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped.”
“I’m not sure. Shame maybe? Mixed with an insane amount of pain.” I sit up and lean back against the headboard. “Seriously, Max. Your father is a legend, and mine got himself into so much trouble, he sold the team, sold our home, stole my trust fund, and ran out of town to hide.” I pull my knees up protectively in front of myself.
Max pulls himself up next to me. “Jesus, Daphne. I can’t believe he’d do that to you. I knew something was wrong. I should have pushed harder. I want you to be able to tell me anything. Everything.”
“Pushing wouldn’t have worked. I wasn’t ready to talk then.” I take in a shaky breath. I’m not even sure I’m ready to talk now. But I keep going. “He didn’t even have the decency to tell me any of it to my face. He left me a note. Then, he called a few weeks later and demanded I sell my mother’s wedding rings. Then he had the nerve to be furious when I told him no.” Angry tears threaten to spill free, but I push them back down. I’m not giving my father any more of my tears.
“I wish you felt like you could talk to me about all this.” His fingers lightly push the hair away from my face. “You can, you know? I won’t judge. I might want to kill him for you, but I’ll never judge.” His lips gently skim over my head. “You know, Sam told me your dad left and that he owed a lot of money.”
“What?” Embarrassment drags me down. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“It was the night of the bachelor party. It was why I came over. I was worried about you. But I got distracted as soon as I saw you. I find that happens a lot when you’re around, siren. Sam’s made sure your dad’s enemies know you’re off-limits. No one will come for you, even if he never pays his debts.” He strokes my face with the gentlest touch. “You’ll always be safe with me.”
I crawl into his lap, straddling him, and cradle his face in my hands. “I know that now. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you with it before.” I grab his hand in mine and lift it to my lips. “I’m sorry I caused this issue between you and your brother.”
Max’s dick grows hard beneath me. “You didn’t cause anything. Becket’s a grown man, and so am I. I’ve been in a relationship before where all she was after was my name and what it could get her. Becks was there for that. He’s been through it too. And it’s hard to learn that someone you care about is using you. But that doesn’t excuse his actions.”
I wiggle in his lap. “I don’t want to hear about your relationships, Max. I never want to think about you with anyone else.” I plant my lips on his and sigh.
“Only you, Daphne.” He tilts my head. “It will only ever be you.” His tongue licks over the corner of my mouth before pushing inside as he drags his hands up my body and tosses his t-shirt that I stole down to the floor. Max angles his mouth over mine and cups my breasts in his hands before one slides down my body and into my panties.
He licks down the column of my neck, his teeth grazing as he goes, and it’s the sweetest, slowest burn of torture. “Max,” I keen. “I need you inside me.”
“Not yet.” He slips two fingers inside me and presses down on my clit with his thumb. “Come for me first, Daphne.” The hunger in his eyes is intoxicating. “Drip your come all over my hand, then I’ll give you my cock. Show me how much you want it.”
I ache at his words and throw my head back, riding his hand as his mouth latches onto my hard nipple, and that slow burn turns into a five-alarm fire. My pussy pounds with need, and I’m so close. “I’m gonna come, Max.”
“You fucking better. Come now, siren.” He pushes his tongue into my mouth, and I tremble around him as I come so hard my toes curl until they cramp. But Max doesn’t stop. No. He removes his fingers, then shoves them into my mouth. It’s dirty and sexy. And oh my God, I suck them clean.
He doesn’t even peel my panties from my body, just shoves them aside and pushes his boxers down, then he rubs the head of his cock along the seam of my hypersensitive sex, and I nearly shoot off the bed. “Oh my God, I can’t take it, Max. It’s too much.”
“You’ll take it, baby.” He pulls back slowly, then pushes up with his arms wrapped around me.
Desire surges through me as I struggle to breathe. Panting and gasping. Matching each thrust of his hips with a grind of my own.
His mouth latches onto the soft spot between my shoulder and neck, and I cry out, desperate for more. I wrap my arms around his neck and fist his hair until his face tilts up toward mine.
“I love you.” I swivel my hips again, taking him deeper.