This is the last chapter that I already have written, so it'll be a couple days before the next chapter is up. Also, there are only two more chapters left so.... I'm kinda sad... kinda elated. It will be my first finished story
Never thought I'd be able to say that. Anyway, enjoy! And as always, feedback is much appreciated.Chapter Eleven
Max’s Point of View
“Max?”
I look up at Liz from where I’m sitting on the couch holding a phone to my ear. I hold a finger up at her asking her to hold on a minute. The boss is on the phone. Joy.
“I want the money soon.”
“I understand that, but as it is we’ve already got police combing through the cities near us, we’ve got to lay low. You’ll get your money as soon as I can get it.”
“I’ve got better things to do with my time than sit here trying to get through into that head of yours when I want the money. You know when I want it, and you know what I’ll do to get it.” With that the phone goes dial tone and I sigh as I turn off the phone.
“Max?”
“Yeah?”
“Is he gonna let you wait until my birthday?”
“He’s rushing it, but I’m calling his bluff, I think that as long as he gets his damn money within the original time limit he set we’ll be fine.”
I pull her down onto my lap and she makes herself comfortable burying her head in my neck.
“I hope you’re right Max.”
I love the feeling of her body curled up next to mine. Not that I should get too used to it. I find it hard to imagine that I won’t be able to kiss her full lips, or just have her rest her head on my chest at night when we go to sleep. These past few weeks have been as peaceful as can be under the circumstances. Liz and I manage to ignore Michael and Maria the majority of the time.
Two weeks ago Kyle called and notified us that the police know what I look like, more or less anyway. So I’ve taken to staying cooped up into the house with Liz while we send the other two out on the errands. I can tell Liz is getting antsy and wants to leave the house, but she insists she’s fine. Then she said she knows that WE will be fine. Then it was like BOOM! My full conscience came back and suddenly I’ve been completely rethinking my past actions.
If I hadn’t given in to the blind date that Maria set me up on, I never would have fallen for Kember. I never would have pissed off this Darren guy with all his high and mighty connections, and I never would have met Liz. And because of that one point I don’t know whether to curse him or bow down to him. I hate it. I can honestly say that I love her, not the same way I felt for Kember, but I love her. Kember I gave up when I knew it was better for her, Liz? She’s still here isn’t she? Three months is completely unacceptable to keep her. I could have had the half a million dollars by now if I had just allowed myself to keep things with Liz the way it should be when you kidnap someone.
Liz’s Point of View
Max tightens his arms around my waist. He’s been silent for almost five minutes now, and I have no idea what to do. I’ve seen what happens when someone disturbs him, hell I’ve even been on the receiving end a couple of times. I look up at him and can’t help but let my mind wander to these past few weeks.
I told him about my trust fund, and how I’ll have access in exactly one month now. That way everyone is fine. He won’t be stealing the money, Kember will be safe, well supposedly anyway. He was reluctant, saying it wasn’t fair, why should I have to give up my money. But why should my grandmother? Then he brought up the fact that no matter what after the money is transferred to Darren’s account that I won’t be able to have any contact with him. When I told him that I couldn’t do that, that I love him. He gave me this small smile and left the room. Since then we’ve both acted like I never blurted out those three words. When the door shut behind him I let the tears fall. I know he heard me crying but he left. I screamed, I shouted, I pleaded with him to just come back so that we could talk about it. But damn him, he just slid down the wall and listened. I don’t know what he was thinking, what he was wishing, or what goes through his mind as we watch the television report on my status. I know just as much as to what is going through his mind now as I did then. It frustrates me. I know he feels something for me, I can feel it when he touches me. When we make love.
Max slides me off of his lap, and kisses my forehead before going into the kitchen. Sure the house is peaceful. Only because ignorance is bliss. If we don’t address certain subjects, they just don’t exist. I gave up a couple of weeks ago in trying to get through to Max, he already has his mind made up, as soon as the money is where it needs to be, I’m gone.
I’m just completely confused. Does he want me gone? Am I just temporary? I don’t know, but I’ve got a month to find out. Because I’ll be old enough to make my own decisions, legally anyway.
“Max?” I ask as I step onto the cool tile floor in the kitchen. He’s sitting at the table with a soda can in his hand staring out the window. Still green leaves, hmmmm. I can definitely see what’s so very interesting.
“Yeah?”
“Whatcha thinking about?”
“Stuff.”
“Stuff, well it certainly is a complex enough topic to turn your brain to mush. Maybe I need to be more specific what kinda “stuff” are you thinking about?”
He hasn’t so much as given me a glance up until now. The smile is unhappy. Not that mine probably looks any better.
“The complex kind.”
“Well, that must mean I’m a part of them.”
“You play a factor.”
“Will you miss me?” What? I really didn’t mean to blurt that out. I’m not too sure if I want to hear the answer. Ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is bliss.
“Liz-“
“You don’t have to answer that, Max. I really didn’t even mean to say it.” Max looks at me then sighs as he stands up.
“Liz, I have never lied to you.”
“You haven’t exactly told me what you’re feeling either, therefore there was nothing for me to think you lied about.”
“Please don’t complicate this.”
“I’m a woman, it’s my duty to make sure everything is complicated.” I say as I close the distance between us. I look up at him and I can’t stand it. I can’t the fact the fact that I can’t see what’s going on behind his eyes. I hop up onto the counter and pull him along to stand in front of me. “Max, look at me. Will you miss me?”
“I don’t know, you’re not gone yet.”
Ouch. Prick.
“Max, stop that. I know you feel something, and I’m tired of repeating this to you. I’m the last person that needs to tell you how you feel. But just don’t lie to me.”
“Dammit Liz, don’t you understand it doesn’t matter? Because no matter how I feel I am still going to have to get the money to give to Darren. I am still going to have to let you go. And after I let you go I will still never be able to see you again. So what the hell do you want Liz? Do you want me to say I love you? Because I do. Do you want me to say that I never want to let you go? Because I don’t. Do you want me to say that I’ll be miserable without you? That I’ll always have this unbelievable itch to find you and take you away and never give you back? Because I will. I admit it. But it won’t change my mind. Because I know it’s what is best.”
He loves me?
Sure, I heard everything else he’s said but it doesn’t matter. That was all I needed to hear.
“I love you too.”
“NO! Liz, god.” He says as he pushes himself away to the other side of the room. “Listen to me. Don’t let yourself.”
“What you can say it, but I can’t?”
“Yes! No. Liz, just leave it alone. This is just one big mistake.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. This never would have happened if I could have just kept my hands to myself.”
“So, this is only about the sex?”
“Is that what it will take?”
He’s being impossible. He’s trying so hard to do this. Even though I know he’s not telling the truth, it still hurts. Whatever happened to going with the flow? Seeing where this leads us? He just made the decision to make me go away.
“Max. Stop wasting my time with that shit.”
The front door opens causing me to look away from Max.
“Michael, could you stop being such an asshole for a minute?” Maria shrieks as she rushes into the kitchen dropping two shopping bags onto the floor before noticing Max and I sitting on the floor on opposite sides of the room. “Ummm….”
Michael walks into the room and raises and eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Fuck off.” Michael turns his gaze to me and it’s not looking too nice.
“Michael leave her the hell alone.”
“Oh my noble hero!” Max looks at me and frowns. What the hell did he want? Forgive me if I’m not in the most pleasant mood.
Sighing he stands up and leaves the room. Next thing I hear is the jeep leaving the drive way, right before I start crying. Go figure the guy who kidnaps me is the only person to break my heart.
Max’s Point of View
I know I shouldn’t have left like that. Hell I probably shouldn’t have said any of that. But when she sat up on that counter I just wanted to lift her off and tell her I love her. But when I saw the vulnerability in her eyes, and the hope for the future I let everything flow out. I told her I love her. Truth be told it wasn’t in the most idyllic of ways, I still said it. I told her how I felt about her and with every word that passed through my mouth the light in her eyes got that much brighter. She just doesn’t seem to understand that I can’t be with her after this is done. We’ve talked about it before, and she’s always said we’d just see how things went. I figured we’d have a while anyway so why push it?
A little bit ago we were on the same subject and she blurted out that she loved me. It was hard enough walking away from her that time but when I actually saw her say it his time, when she said it to my face it made me feel horrible. The last time I sat outside her door as I listened to her cry. I couldn’t get myself to leave her alone, so I went back in and we acted like she never said anything.
But this time I wanted to take her in my arms and never let go. I do want to be with her, but it would either be us living in fear that someone would find out and then I’d go to jail and that would be the end of that, or she can go home and find someone new. I pushing her towards option two. Even if it kills me inside that’s what I’ll do.