Chapter 14.

"You seriously broke up with him because he's afraid of spiders?" Max asked after the rest of the Predators had returned to the concert. Penni and Grace had moved toward the large stage where Kaden Cross was playing. Max had hung back to ask the question, curious as to why she had crushed Penni's burgeoning dream.

"No."

"Then why?"

"Because Jackal looked like he was about to go after Jayce if I didn't."

"So you did it to protect your lame ex-boyfriend?"

"Jayce isn't lame," Casey snapped.

"If he's afraid of spiders, he's lame." Max gazed down at the empty table. "If you're done, I'll help you load the table."

Casey began breaking down the table with Max's help. When it was folded closed, he followed her to her car, placing it in the trunk.

"Thanks, Max."

"You're welcome. Let's go listen to the music." He took her hand, tugging her along behind him.

"Wait, I was going home."

"It's Sat.u.r.day night, so you don't have to work tomorrow. Let's have some fun," he told her, brushing her objections aside. He stopped at the back of the crowd, listening to Kaden Cross, and placed an arm around her waist, situating her in front of him so she could get a better view.

Max sensed her wariness.

"Relax, enjoy the show." The anger he had first felt toward Casey after finding out she had played him had lessened in the last week. Something didn't sit right, though he couldn't place his finger on what it was. The motive behind her actions was still a concern, but until she trusted him, he would be no closer to an explanation.

It took several minutes before he felt her give him her weight. Then she began swaying to the music.

Kaden started a new song which had the crowd becoming more boisterous. Three men who were trying to pick up women around them kept brushing up against Casey. The first time they did it, he let it slide, giving them the benefit of doubt that it could have been an accident. The second time, he called them on their maneuver.

Reaching out, he shoved the largest of the group away. "Rub against her again, and I'll break your f.u.c.king hand."

"You threatening me?"

"Yeah, you going to do anything about it?"

"Me and my buddies don't like to be threatened!" The belligerent man was standing with a cup of sloshing beer.

"Watch it!" Max moved Casey to his side so it wouldn't spill on her.

"Can I get you a drink?" The a.s.shole actually thought he was going to steal Casey away from him. Max didn't like men who only found courage when drunk, and he sure as s.h.i.t didn't want him flirting with a woman who was his.

Max's fist flew out, slamming into the grin that was aimed at Casey. He was satisfied when he saw the punk fall backward into the crowd.

"f.u.c.k!" One of his friends threw his beer down onto the ground before lunging toward him. Max pushed Casey to the side then kicked the man in the nuts before he could take another step.

"Max, stop!" Casey clutched his arm, but his anger screamed at him to attack the men who had disrespected him.

"I'm giving you a chance to get the h.e.l.l out of here. Stay and I'm going to kick all your a.s.ses." Max gave each of them a glare, letting them know he was ready to take them all on, either one at a time or together.

The men scurried away into the crowd.

"Are you crazy? What were you thinking, trying to take them all on at once by yourself? None of the Predators are around to back you up."

Although Max laughed at her frightened expression, some of the hurt she had done to his pride was soothed at the thought that she might care whether he was hurt or not.

"I don't need anyone to help me. I am the back up."

The f.u.c.kers weren't even practice for him. Max was willing to bet his last dime that none of those p.r.i.c.ks had ever been in a cutthroat fight.

He pulled her back in front of him as the music swelled. "I'm fine; those f.u.c.kers are fine."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you afraid of spiders?"

Max had to harden himself against her teasing, wanting to pick her up and toss her onto his bike then spend the night f.u.c.king her. He wanted to punch himself for still being attracted to her. He steeled himself against the feelings she was stirring inside of him. He was determined to play the same game with her that she had him.

"No, but snakes scare the s.h.i.t out of me."

Casey smiled up at him.

Taking advantage of her guard being down, Max slid a hand behind her neck then lowered his mouth to hers.

He felt her brief hesitation until his tongue parted her lips and thrust inside her warm mouth. Max groaned, liking the taste of her and the way she tentatively responded to him before going to her toes, giving him more than he expected. He parted her mouth wider, taking all she was giving him, their tongues dueling as their bodies pressed closer to each other. His hand went to her a.s.s, pressing her against his c.o.c.k.

Casey broke away from him, gasping for breath, her wide eyes staring up at him with trepidation.

"What's this for?" Max brushed the frown lines on her forehead.

"I guess I'm afraid about why you're being so nice to me after what I did. I know you still have to be mad."

"We've known each other a while, and have you ever known me to hold a grudge?"

"No, but..."

"It's cool, Casey. You could still be upset at me keeping you for that day. Are you?"

"No," she admitted, lowering her head. "I know what you guys do is wrong, but I shouldn't have used the trust you had in me to deceive you. I feel bad about it, Max. I really do."

"I know you do."

By the time he was finished with her, he intended for her to feel more than bad. He was going to destroy her to the point where there would be nothing of the old Casey remaining.

"I wish I could tell you why." Max waited to see if she would tell him more. "But I can't."

He nodded, unhappy with her answer, but didn't let her see it. "I can wait. How about we just let bygones be bygones and start over?"

"I'd really like that."

Max felt guilty for a brief moment at the happiness mixed with suspicion shining in her eyes, until he remembered just a few days ago she was trying to have him and his friends put away.

"Then shake that a.s.s. This is the best song Kaden sings."

They spent the rest of the concert talking and dancing occasionally to the harder rock songs that were played. He used every opportunity to keep his hands on her. By the time he walked her to her car, she had a pretty blush on her face as she walked next to him with his arm over her shoulders.

He opened her car door for her, bending down to kiss her, using all his skill to heighten her desire, which he had no plan to relieve. He wanted her to beg for his d.i.c.k before he gave it to her again.

"Goodnight," she sighed into his mouth as she pulled away.

"Goodnight, Casey." Max took a step away, letting her slide into the car before shutting the door for her.

She gave him a casual wave as she drove away.

"I hope this time you're thinking with the right head," Jackal said snidely from behind him.

"I know what I'm doing," Max snapped over his shoulder.

"I hope so. Ice won't be happy if you get caught in her trap twice."

"The only one going to get caught is Casey, and when I'm done with her, she'll mean no more to me than any of the club wh.o.r.es. Besides, you don't have to worry about me. You have your own problems."

Jackal frowned. "I don't have a problem."

"No?" Max pointed at where Penni was walking next to Kaden's head of security. Even from where they were standing, it was obvious the blonde was flirting.

"I don't think Alex is afraid of spiders."

Max stared at the goop cooking in the pan on the stove.

"When's dinner going to be ready?" Maxim complained.

"When it's done. Go help your brother with his homework."

"It's Friday. They don't give homework on the weekends."

"That's why schools are failing you kids. I had homework on the weekend when I was a kid."

"Mom said you never graduated high school." Maxim reached across the counter for a bag of chips, which Max took away.

"Dinner won't be long. Go play a game with Randy."

"Mom sent me a TV dinner." Maxie opened the freezer, pulling it out, but Max took it away, shoving it back inside the freezer.

"Out! Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes." His children grumbled as they filed out of the room.

Stirring the SpaghettiOs in the pot, he realized he had the stove turned up too high and had scorched the gooey mess.

"Dammit!" Max pulled it from the stove, turning it off.

Going to the freezer, he opened the door, hoping he had more than one frozen dinner. "f.u.c.k." Max stared at the empty shelves. "f.u.c.k!" Closing the freezer, he pulled out his cell phone and pushed a b.u.t.ton.

"h.e.l.lo?" Casey answered her phone on the first ring.

"What's up?"

"Uh, nothing. Watching television."

"Want to come to dinner at my house tonight?"

Silence met his invitation.

"Come on, my kids are here. You're not doing anything, so why not come over for a while?" Nothing was going to allay her suspicions like having her around his kids. He wasn't going to feel guilty for using the kids against her when she had used their parents' marriage as way in to the club.

"All right. What's your address?"

"I'll text it to you. On your way over, would you mind stopping and picking up a bucket of chicken? And you might as well bring some potatoes and slaw." He could kill two birds with one stone-feed his kids and mislead Casey.

"Let me get this right; you're inviting me to bring dinner to your house?"

"Kind of," Max admitted. "I burned dinner and"-he lowered his voice-"I'm scared of my kids when they're hungry. It's a dangerous situation."

A gurgle of laughter brought an unwilling smile to his face.

"I'll be there as fast as I can. If you have to lock yourself in the bathroom until I get there, I'll rescue you."

"Thanks, Casey, and don't forget dessert."

"For the kids or you?"

"Get the kids the chocolate cake. I already know what I'm having for dessert."