Chapter Seventy Eight
Liz gasp sharply in pain as Zan slammed her back into the unforgiving stonewall crowding her with his body to prevent her escape. Liz felt her fear spiral, no matter how hard she pushed he wouldn’t budge.
“I’s been wantin’ ta talk to you’s,” Zan said his eyes glinting in the faint light. He ducked his head to kiss her getting annoyed when she turned her head again. “That ain’t friendly. I’s just wantin’ a lil piece.”
“No!” Liz yelled struggling harder. She hit and kicked anywhere she could reach but it seemed to make no impression. Vomit clogged her throat as her panic skyrocketed feeling him tearing at her clothes.
“Ahh Lizzie, you need ta learn ta share. You’s take Ava from me you gotta give somethin’ in return. You can’t keep all the power,” Zan breathed in her ear enjoying her struggles. He flicked his tongue out running his stud over her ear.
Turning her head further she continued to struggle to no effect. Noticing the glint of metal catching the dim light and shining like a beacon in the darkness. She focused on his wrist as his hands moved roughly over her body. The bracelet.
“NO!” Liz cried bolting upright in bed, shaking with lingering terror.
Max bolted up beside her feeling his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest in reaction to his sudden awakening. “What is it?” Max asked moving closer and pushing the sweat-dampened hair off of her face.
Liz shook her head and brought her knees up to her chest curling up as tightly as possible. Hooking her fingers into the material covering her legs to still their trembling, she took deep shuddering breaths, bits of the dream still flickering behind her eyes.
“Liz?” Max asked, worry etching lines into his forehead.
“It was just a dream,” Liz said softly, tears evident in her voice. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed she got up, grabbing onto the headboard when it seemed like her legs might not hold her. She felt dirty and so cold.
Max watched her, his worry deepening into fear at her obvious distress. He followed her to the bathroom doorway wanting to help but not knowing what to do. He watched her draw a bath confused but patient. When she got in with her pajamas still on he stepped into the room.
Liz rested her head on her knees waiting for the tub to fill and chase away the bone deep chill. She couldn’t seem to get rid of the coppery taste of fear from her mouth no matter how many times she swallowed.
Max knelt down by the side of the tub and adjusted the temperature before taking the bar of soap from her lax hand. “Tell me?” Max asked, gently soaping her fingers, hoping the soothing motion would calm her.
“It was just a dream,” Liz answered not wanting to tell him. He would get angry, he already disliked Zan and this would just make it worse. Zan hadn’t really DONE anything it was just a dream. The bracelet flashed into her head and she frowned. “Zan was wearing my bracelet.”
Max stopped and looked at her caught by her tone. “The one the other me gave you?”
“Yeah,” Liz nodded.
“He’s never even seen it has he?” Max asked softly trying to get her to talk about the dream more.
“Yes, he has. I showed him when you were in Vegas. He looked at it,” Liz said chewing on her lip as she tried to remember what he had said about it. “We were trying to figure out why you were doing the things you were. I don’t remember taking it back.”
“You think he still has it?” Max asked.
“Maybe,” Liz said suddenly looking away from him. “Ava looked for it at Kyle’s and never found it. I’d forgotten I’d given it to him until…now.”
“Ask him about it,” Max suggested, puzzled by the way she suddenly wouldn’t look at him.
“No,” Liz shook her head. “I don’t want to talk to him. I’ll ask Ava or…something. I don’t understand why he’d want it. You made it for me, the stones where picked for certain reasons. I don’t think Zan has the same issues I do so why would he think it would do anything for him?”
“I don’t know,” Max shrugged. “Why would he keep it and not say anything? He’s just an asshole.”
Liz looked up at that statement struck by something she couldn’t quite name. “Why did you pick the bathroom today?”
“What?” Max asked confused by the change in subject.
“The bathroom. Why there?” Liz asked watching him.
“It was closest. I didn’t really think about it,” Max shrugged then tugged at his ear leaving soapsuds behind.
Liz smiled and reached over to wipe them away. “It just seems like a strange choice for you to have made. You’re so…..not into public displays.”
“I wasn’t really thinking about that at the time. Besides, kissing you on stage was pretty public,” Max reminded her.
“Exactly,” Liz said sitting back against the side of the tub. “You weren’t thinking then either.”
“What are you saying?” Max asked confused.
“I’m not sure,” Liz responded slowly still working it out in her head. “It’s just…..that doesn’t seem like you. Even when you were drunk you were more….playful and sweet then anything. Fun, I guess. I don’t know. Zan IS an asshole. He seems more the bathroom type then you do,” Liz mused then saw the look on Max’s face. “I have no complaints Max. It was you. I love you and more then that I wanted you too. It didn’t matter where we were,” Liz explained wanting to ease his anxiety. “Actually, it was kind of nice to know you wanted me that much. I don’t feel that all the time from you so it was worth the risk. Kyle was pretty cool about it.”
“Kyle?” Max asked his face a little pale.
“Oh. You didn’t hear that part?” Liz asked then to delay answering she slid down in the tub and under the water. Pushing up to slick her hair back Liz sat up and blinked away the water.
“What about Kyle?” Max persisted.
“He sort of visited the boy’s bathroom today,” Liz said casually and watched the soap slip out of Max’s hand landing with a plop in the tub. “He left right away I think. After he saw my shoes on the floor and your shirt over the door.”
“Oh god,” Max moaned color rushing into his face and turning his ears a flaming shade of red.
“I can’t believe you missed his sudden interest in my shoes,” Liz said surprised. Max had been right there when Kyle went into detail about how inspiring her shoes were.
“I just thought he was being Kyle. He’s strange at the best of times. Maybe he had a shoe fetish or I don’t know. I didn’t think…” Max trailed off with a groan.
“He does now,” Liz teased.
“That’s not funny Liz,” Max complained kicking himself for his actions.
“Relax, Kyle’s okay. He told me so. He reminded me about us catching him with Vicky Delaney in the back of that truck. Red bra,” Liz prompted when Max looked confused. “At the rave remember?”
“I guess so,” Max answered. What he remembered most was being pissed off that Kyle chose that moment to intrude. He hardly remembered Vicky at all, red bra or not.
“Okay then. Let’s just forget it,” Liz advised picking up the soap.
“I will if you tell me why you’re sitting in the bathtub in your pajamas,” Max said getting back to the topic he hadn’t really forgotten.
“I felt like a bath?” Liz asked not looking at him.
“I don’t think so,” Max replied with a shake of his head.
“Zan was hurting me. In the dream. It scared me and…..I felt cold,” Liz said giving him half of the truth. “I woke up all sweaty and gross.”
Max studied her bent head and the nervous movements of her hands quietly. Putting the missing pieces into place wasn’t that hard. He tramped down his initial flood of fury. Zan’s actions in that cabin with Nesado had never faded for him and were a large part of his dislike for the other man. That Liz would still be afraid of him, even subconsciously, bothered him. But what bothered him wasn’t the issue at the moment.
“Need any help?” Max asked softly. “I’m a pretty good washer and I heat water better then most.”
Liz looked up and nodded. “I know. You always keep me warm.”
Max kissed her head then studied her wet pajamas. “Keep those or get new ones?” Max asked thinking he could dry them for her if she didn’t want to change. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable and maybe she didn’t want to be exposed right now.
“Take ‘em,” Liz said lifting her arms so he could peel her top off.
Max carefully removed her top and dried it before tossing it aside. He repeated the action with her pants and scooted closer to the edge of the tub just watching for moment as she washed up. Dipping his fingers in the water he slowly heated the water for her, careful to not touch her.
After a few minutes Liz looked up and met Max’s eyes. “I’m okay, Max. I know it was just a dream,” Liz said softly knowing he knew what she had dreamed about. “You don’t have to worry about touching me. I never feel that way with you. I never feel…umm dirty or anything when it’s you. Even in a bathroom or a dirt cave. It’s always beautiful with you. Because it is you.”
Max slid his fingers into hers and smiled. “Then hand over that soap.”
Liz smiled and handed it over. Watching him soap her toes with such intense concentration and gentle care held the smile in place and all thoughts about nightmares fled.
That night Zan couldn’t sleep. His hand was stinging like a bitch and his fight with Ava was still grinding on him.
That she could so easily tell him to leave like she didn’t give a shit bothered him. It bothered him a lot more then he would have thought. One minute she was all happy ta see him and giving him play and the next she was looking at him like he was a piece of shit. He hated this bombed out wreck of town. Who the fuck could be stupid enough to crash here? Dumb motherfuckers. Grunting in frustration he got up and slipped on his cargo pants leaving the top button undone, giving up on sleep he tried to get his head straight.
The bracelet thing had started as an impulse. He had felt something odd about the bracelet and just slipped it into his pocket, used to following nameless impulses without thought. He had wanted to see what would happen if the bracelet was out of play for awhile.
Curiosity had him messing with it after that. Wasn’t like there was much to do here. He still wasn’t really sure what it did. He knew it was tied to Liz after a little playing. Today proved Max was in the loop somewhere, which made sense since he made the fucking thing. He knew he could influence them if he held the bracelet and sent it a burst of power, what he wasn’t sure of is why it influenced them the way it did. Was it what stone he touched? What he was feeling at the time? Or did it not have anything to do with him at all? Did it take something in them and bring it to the surface from wherever it normally hid? Then there was the fact that it had actually fried his hand today when he pulled that fire alarm. He suspected that was what caused the “short”.
Whatever the case was with how the bracelet worked it represented an investment of power between Max and Liz. A tangible piece of power. He'd just hold onto it a little bit longer. Maybe something would give him an idea of how he could use it to his advantage. Right now his problem was Ava. He could use all the help he could get.
Leftovers (CC, ML / Adult) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
Chapter Seventy Nine
When the tapping sound came from the window Ava wasn’t surprised the late hour not with standing. She was even less surprised to see Zan’s solemn face looking back at her. With an aggrieved sigh she got up and let him in, stepping back to allow him entry.
“S’up?” Ava asked casually.
Zan waited till she turned back to him after shutting the window to speak. “I wanted to talk to you’s,” Zan said quietly.
“About what?” Ava asked going to sit on the bed and folding her legs up underneath her.
After not being able to sleep he had left his postage stamp apartment feeling caged. He had spent hours walking and thinking before showing up here. “Dis game you playing,” Zan said crossing his arms over his chest.
“I ain’t playing no game. I told you that. You need to start listening ta what I’m saying,” Ava replied mildly. She was frankly unconcerned with his issues. She was tired of dealing with his posturing and mind games.
“I’m listening. Tell me again,” Zan said intently watching her.
Ava sighed and rolled her eyes. “Tell you what? I don’t know what you wanna hear.”
“I wanna hear why you picken a bunch of strangers ova you’s peeps,” Zan said feeling defensive but trying to hide it.
“You mean over you,” Ava said bluntly eyeing him. “Okay. I’m not picking them over you. I’m picking me over you.”
“What you talking ‘bout Baby Girl?” Zan asked confused.
“I’m talking about wanting to feel like I’m worth something. I can’t settle for what you can give. Not any more. These people are decent and nice. They treat me like a real person, not like a burden. I like them,” Ava shrugged.
“So what am I? I ain’t done nothing for you’s? Is that what you’s saying?” Zan asked deeply offended.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” Ava denied. “You done the best you could by me. I know that. I’m saying that we both deserve more. I deserve someone who wants to be with me. Who’s loyal and faithful. You deserve a fresh start with no baggage. No one clinging to you expecting you to save them. This is our chance Zan. A chance at a new start and I’m taking it.”
“That Alex guy…is he what you’s looking for?” Zan demanded spoiling for a fight.
“Maybe,” Ava shrugged not reacting to his hostile tone. “Maybe not. I don’t know yet. He’s fun and he treats me good. I like him. It ain’t none of you’re business anyway. We ain’t married. We neva were,” Ava pointed out a slight challenge creeping into her tone. “You played around enough so why are you getting all uptight now? You never cared what I did before.”
“I cared,” Zan objected. “I always looked out for you’s. I cared.”
“You don’t gotta look out for me anymore. I ain’t a child,” Ava said then took a deep breath. “Look, I know you’re up to something here and I want you to stop. If you really gave a shit about me you wouldn’t mess this up for me. I like it here and I like these people. I don’t want to play them or whatever it is that you’re doing. They’re nice people Zan. They care about each other and look out for each other not because they was in some pods together. They have real ties to each other. I’m starting to feel like I belong here. I’ve never had that before. Not even with the PEOPLE that I came out the pods with. I’m not afraid to go to sleep anymore. I’m not worried that I’m dragging them down. I don’t try and stay invisible all the time. I don’t wonder where you are and who you’re with anymore. If you’re even coming back or not or if you even give a shit that you left me to fend for myself with two raving lunatics that had no problem with hurting me when you weren’t looking. It’s nice,” Ava said watching him. “I like just being my age and living a pretty normal life. A life that isn’t based on one that’s over.”
Zan sucked in his breath feeling like someone had kicked him in the chest. “I neva felt like you’s was a burden. I’s sorry you felt that way,” Zan said shoving his hands in his pockets and looking away for a moment. “I look out for ya cause I want to. Not cause of some life before this one. We’s peeps. I tried ta do the best I could,” Zan shrugged feeling uncomfortable. “I care what happens ta you’s, Baby Girl. That’s it. For real.”
Ava studied him silently for a long moment, assessing the truth in his words. “We’re peeps,” Ava agreed slowly. “So stop trying to deal one over on me. I know you, Zan. I see how you look at Liz. I know you’re fucking around with something that you have no business doing. She ain’t Lonnie or one of your hook ups. Max will stand up for her.”
“I don’t want her,” Zan denied shaking his head. “I’m not trying ta take her from him. Relax. I got enough trouble wit out her tearing me up too. She’s jus some’en different. I’s jus messing wit her.”
“Don’t come crying to me when Max kicks the shit outta you for messing with her,” Ava said scowling at him. He just never learned anything the easy way. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking he won’t. Don’t think that I’ll give a shit either. You deserve it. You got no business pulling shit wit her. She’s been good to both of us, she’s the only reason Max ain’t already put his foot up your ass. So you get what you get.”
“A’ight,” Zan said a slow smirk sliding across his face. “Noted. Don’t get all worked up. I ain’t handling her or nothing.”
“Like she’d let you,” Ava scoffed rolling her eyes. “Check the ego please. Ain’t nobody wanting a piece of you ‘cept of course you’s self. You ain’t neva alone with an ego that big. Now get outta here. I got betta things ta be doing.”
“You ain’t offered ta do me, Baby Girl,” Zan pointed out with a smirk.
“Don’t hold your breath either,” Ava advised him. “You ain’t that good anyway. That’s what happens when you spread yourself too thin. I ain’t into crowds or anyone’s leftovers so bounce and find a dumb blonde to toy with ‘cause I ain’t the one.”
“You sure ‘bout that?” Zan asked reaching over to toy with a lock of her hair. When she swatted his hand away he just grinned and shrugged in the face of her glare. “Jus checkin’. I’ll be good.”
Ava watched him stroll to the window in an unhurried careless way, and spoke before he could climb out. “I meant what I said Zan. Don’t mess with these people. They don’t know you and won’t take it kindly. Tess already tried it and it didn’t get her too far.”
“I ain’t like that,” Zan defended himself. “I don’t give a fuck ‘bout the past. I’m jus trying ta keep it ta gether. That’s it. Jus trying ta protect what’s mine.”
“So is Max,” Ava said softly. “You’re the one that doesn’t want to adapt. The rules are different here. I think you’ll learn that one way or the other. Hope you like it on your own cause you’re way out there on a limb, eventually you’re gonna fall if you don’t stop shaking the tree. I’m not going to bat for you, not this time. Play it straight or just leave. Those are you’re choices. This isn’t a game. It matters.”
Zan stopped with one leg out the window and studied her. “I know’s that. Maybe I ain’t seeing things the exact same way you’s are but that don’t mean I’m kicken’ this around for thrills. I’m here cause you’s here. These people are driven’ blind and you’s along for the ride. Makes me twitchy. Maybe I neva gave you a picket fence and shit but we’s were off the radar. These peeps…..they couldn’t be anymore on the radar. Max has already been a guest of da man once. Liz has been talking to Feds after that bullshit dat went down,” Zan paused stroking his chin for a second. “Dis shit matters. You’s matter.”
Ava watched him drop out the window and cursed heartily. Slamming the window shut she scowled wondering why nothing with Zan was ever easy. No one twisted her up like he did. Which was good. Ava nodded firmly and crawled back in bed she was getting her life together and nothing was going to stop her.
Max lay on his side stroking the soft downy hair at Liz’s temple as she slept. She was sleeping peacefully but Max kept watch just in case, at the first sign of unease he was prepared to wake her. It was almost morning but he wasn’t quite ready to leave her.
He brushed a kiss over her ear realizing that this, watching out for her like this, filled a need inside him. There seemed to be so much he couldn’t protect her from so loosing a little sleep was nothing.
Now that he had time he needed to decide on how to deal with Zan. This situation had gone on long enough and he wouldn’t tolerate anything that had the potential to come back and harm Liz. The fact was they didn’t know what Zan’s intentions were. They didn’t really know him at all. Just because they looked alike didn’t mean any more then that.
It was more then obvious that they had very little, if anything, in common.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Liz mumbled sleepily.
“Am not,” Max denied a smile tilting his lips. He trailed his fingers down her arm and felt her toes curl against his leg.
“Stop that,” Liz said a smile in her voice.
“Stop what?” Max asked burying his smile behind her ear. “I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re doing a lot,” Liz countered. “You’re thinking louder then most people talk for one. You could try sleeping.”
“I could try other things too,” Max pointed out his lips brushing the sensitive skin behind her ear.
“Hmm,” Liz said squirming against him and enjoying the way his arm tightened around her. “You could but I don’t think any of those things are restful and after yesterday you need some rest.”
Max smiled at her playful tone and nipped her ear, cuddling her closer to him. “Woke up sassy?”
“Everyday,” Liz agreed grinning. “So what are we going to do with a whole day off of school?”
Max waited for her to shift around to face him feeling protective and almost fierce at the tangling of their limbs and the sheer basic rightness of this moment. He had always loved her but this was that and more.
“Max?” Liz asked in a whisper seeing his eyes blaze and feeling his fingers tighten on her back.
“We could start with breakfast,” Max suggested his fingers dipping into the dimples at the base of her spine.
“That sounds perfect,” Liz said the tip of her finger tracing over the curve of his bottom lip. “I’m already hungry. What are we going to do until the café opens?”
“Let me think,” Max started anchoring her hips to his. “About that for a second.”
“You think too much,” Liz replied stretching to nibble on his neck. “You should be saying ‘Good morning Liz’.”
“Good morning Liz,” Max parroted without thinking.
“Did you sleep well?” Liz asked reaching his ear.
Max just groaned softly as she took his earlobe between her teeth.
“Glad to hear it,” Liz breathed then returned to her torturously slow good morning greeting. She wanted to share the feelings struggling to burst free of her skin and words just didn’t seem to fit. It wasn’t about sex or tempting him. It was just sharing the joy of being able to touch him, of feeling cared for and loved, of being with the one person that felt like sanctuary. It was something she just felt and couldn’t put into words adequate enough. She just hoped he could feel it in the brush of her mouth and the gliding of her fingers.
Max’s heart raced at the almost tangible force of her emotions. No love just wasn’t the right word, what he felt was more then love, much more.
When the tapping sound came from the window Ava wasn’t surprised the late hour not with standing. She was even less surprised to see Zan’s solemn face looking back at her. With an aggrieved sigh she got up and let him in, stepping back to allow him entry.
“S’up?” Ava asked casually.
Zan waited till she turned back to him after shutting the window to speak. “I wanted to talk to you’s,” Zan said quietly.
“About what?” Ava asked going to sit on the bed and folding her legs up underneath her.
After not being able to sleep he had left his postage stamp apartment feeling caged. He had spent hours walking and thinking before showing up here. “Dis game you playing,” Zan said crossing his arms over his chest.
“I ain’t playing no game. I told you that. You need to start listening ta what I’m saying,” Ava replied mildly. She was frankly unconcerned with his issues. She was tired of dealing with his posturing and mind games.
“I’m listening. Tell me again,” Zan said intently watching her.
Ava sighed and rolled her eyes. “Tell you what? I don’t know what you wanna hear.”
“I wanna hear why you picken a bunch of strangers ova you’s peeps,” Zan said feeling defensive but trying to hide it.
“You mean over you,” Ava said bluntly eyeing him. “Okay. I’m not picking them over you. I’m picking me over you.”
“What you talking ‘bout Baby Girl?” Zan asked confused.
“I’m talking about wanting to feel like I’m worth something. I can’t settle for what you can give. Not any more. These people are decent and nice. They treat me like a real person, not like a burden. I like them,” Ava shrugged.
“So what am I? I ain’t done nothing for you’s? Is that what you’s saying?” Zan asked deeply offended.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” Ava denied. “You done the best you could by me. I know that. I’m saying that we both deserve more. I deserve someone who wants to be with me. Who’s loyal and faithful. You deserve a fresh start with no baggage. No one clinging to you expecting you to save them. This is our chance Zan. A chance at a new start and I’m taking it.”
“That Alex guy…is he what you’s looking for?” Zan demanded spoiling for a fight.
“Maybe,” Ava shrugged not reacting to his hostile tone. “Maybe not. I don’t know yet. He’s fun and he treats me good. I like him. It ain’t none of you’re business anyway. We ain’t married. We neva were,” Ava pointed out a slight challenge creeping into her tone. “You played around enough so why are you getting all uptight now? You never cared what I did before.”
“I cared,” Zan objected. “I always looked out for you’s. I cared.”
“You don’t gotta look out for me anymore. I ain’t a child,” Ava said then took a deep breath. “Look, I know you’re up to something here and I want you to stop. If you really gave a shit about me you wouldn’t mess this up for me. I like it here and I like these people. I don’t want to play them or whatever it is that you’re doing. They’re nice people Zan. They care about each other and look out for each other not because they was in some pods together. They have real ties to each other. I’m starting to feel like I belong here. I’ve never had that before. Not even with the PEOPLE that I came out the pods with. I’m not afraid to go to sleep anymore. I’m not worried that I’m dragging them down. I don’t try and stay invisible all the time. I don’t wonder where you are and who you’re with anymore. If you’re even coming back or not or if you even give a shit that you left me to fend for myself with two raving lunatics that had no problem with hurting me when you weren’t looking. It’s nice,” Ava said watching him. “I like just being my age and living a pretty normal life. A life that isn’t based on one that’s over.”
Zan sucked in his breath feeling like someone had kicked him in the chest. “I neva felt like you’s was a burden. I’s sorry you felt that way,” Zan said shoving his hands in his pockets and looking away for a moment. “I look out for ya cause I want to. Not cause of some life before this one. We’s peeps. I tried ta do the best I could,” Zan shrugged feeling uncomfortable. “I care what happens ta you’s, Baby Girl. That’s it. For real.”
Ava studied him silently for a long moment, assessing the truth in his words. “We’re peeps,” Ava agreed slowly. “So stop trying to deal one over on me. I know you, Zan. I see how you look at Liz. I know you’re fucking around with something that you have no business doing. She ain’t Lonnie or one of your hook ups. Max will stand up for her.”
“I don’t want her,” Zan denied shaking his head. “I’m not trying ta take her from him. Relax. I got enough trouble wit out her tearing me up too. She’s jus some’en different. I’s jus messing wit her.”
“Don’t come crying to me when Max kicks the shit outta you for messing with her,” Ava said scowling at him. He just never learned anything the easy way. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking he won’t. Don’t think that I’ll give a shit either. You deserve it. You got no business pulling shit wit her. She’s been good to both of us, she’s the only reason Max ain’t already put his foot up your ass. So you get what you get.”
“A’ight,” Zan said a slow smirk sliding across his face. “Noted. Don’t get all worked up. I ain’t handling her or nothing.”
“Like she’d let you,” Ava scoffed rolling her eyes. “Check the ego please. Ain’t nobody wanting a piece of you ‘cept of course you’s self. You ain’t neva alone with an ego that big. Now get outta here. I got betta things ta be doing.”
“You ain’t offered ta do me, Baby Girl,” Zan pointed out with a smirk.
“Don’t hold your breath either,” Ava advised him. “You ain’t that good anyway. That’s what happens when you spread yourself too thin. I ain’t into crowds or anyone’s leftovers so bounce and find a dumb blonde to toy with ‘cause I ain’t the one.”
“You sure ‘bout that?” Zan asked reaching over to toy with a lock of her hair. When she swatted his hand away he just grinned and shrugged in the face of her glare. “Jus checkin’. I’ll be good.”
Ava watched him stroll to the window in an unhurried careless way, and spoke before he could climb out. “I meant what I said Zan. Don’t mess with these people. They don’t know you and won’t take it kindly. Tess already tried it and it didn’t get her too far.”
“I ain’t like that,” Zan defended himself. “I don’t give a fuck ‘bout the past. I’m jus trying ta keep it ta gether. That’s it. Jus trying ta protect what’s mine.”
“So is Max,” Ava said softly. “You’re the one that doesn’t want to adapt. The rules are different here. I think you’ll learn that one way or the other. Hope you like it on your own cause you’re way out there on a limb, eventually you’re gonna fall if you don’t stop shaking the tree. I’m not going to bat for you, not this time. Play it straight or just leave. Those are you’re choices. This isn’t a game. It matters.”
Zan stopped with one leg out the window and studied her. “I know’s that. Maybe I ain’t seeing things the exact same way you’s are but that don’t mean I’m kicken’ this around for thrills. I’m here cause you’s here. These people are driven’ blind and you’s along for the ride. Makes me twitchy. Maybe I neva gave you a picket fence and shit but we’s were off the radar. These peeps…..they couldn’t be anymore on the radar. Max has already been a guest of da man once. Liz has been talking to Feds after that bullshit dat went down,” Zan paused stroking his chin for a second. “Dis shit matters. You’s matter.”
Ava watched him drop out the window and cursed heartily. Slamming the window shut she scowled wondering why nothing with Zan was ever easy. No one twisted her up like he did. Which was good. Ava nodded firmly and crawled back in bed she was getting her life together and nothing was going to stop her.
Max lay on his side stroking the soft downy hair at Liz’s temple as she slept. She was sleeping peacefully but Max kept watch just in case, at the first sign of unease he was prepared to wake her. It was almost morning but he wasn’t quite ready to leave her.
He brushed a kiss over her ear realizing that this, watching out for her like this, filled a need inside him. There seemed to be so much he couldn’t protect her from so loosing a little sleep was nothing.
Now that he had time he needed to decide on how to deal with Zan. This situation had gone on long enough and he wouldn’t tolerate anything that had the potential to come back and harm Liz. The fact was they didn’t know what Zan’s intentions were. They didn’t really know him at all. Just because they looked alike didn’t mean any more then that.
It was more then obvious that they had very little, if anything, in common.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Liz mumbled sleepily.
“Am not,” Max denied a smile tilting his lips. He trailed his fingers down her arm and felt her toes curl against his leg.
“Stop that,” Liz said a smile in her voice.
“Stop what?” Max asked burying his smile behind her ear. “I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re doing a lot,” Liz countered. “You’re thinking louder then most people talk for one. You could try sleeping.”
“I could try other things too,” Max pointed out his lips brushing the sensitive skin behind her ear.
“Hmm,” Liz said squirming against him and enjoying the way his arm tightened around her. “You could but I don’t think any of those things are restful and after yesterday you need some rest.”
Max smiled at her playful tone and nipped her ear, cuddling her closer to him. “Woke up sassy?”
“Everyday,” Liz agreed grinning. “So what are we going to do with a whole day off of school?”
Max waited for her to shift around to face him feeling protective and almost fierce at the tangling of their limbs and the sheer basic rightness of this moment. He had always loved her but this was that and more.
“Max?” Liz asked in a whisper seeing his eyes blaze and feeling his fingers tighten on her back.
“We could start with breakfast,” Max suggested his fingers dipping into the dimples at the base of her spine.
“That sounds perfect,” Liz said the tip of her finger tracing over the curve of his bottom lip. “I’m already hungry. What are we going to do until the café opens?”
“Let me think,” Max started anchoring her hips to his. “About that for a second.”
“You think too much,” Liz replied stretching to nibble on his neck. “You should be saying ‘Good morning Liz’.”
“Good morning Liz,” Max parroted without thinking.
“Did you sleep well?” Liz asked reaching his ear.
Max just groaned softly as she took his earlobe between her teeth.
“Glad to hear it,” Liz breathed then returned to her torturously slow good morning greeting. She wanted to share the feelings struggling to burst free of her skin and words just didn’t seem to fit. It wasn’t about sex or tempting him. It was just sharing the joy of being able to touch him, of feeling cared for and loved, of being with the one person that felt like sanctuary. It was something she just felt and couldn’t put into words adequate enough. She just hoped he could feel it in the brush of her mouth and the gliding of her fingers.
Max’s heart raced at the almost tangible force of her emotions. No love just wasn’t the right word, what he felt was more then love, much more.
Chapter Eighty
Liz slid into the booth and sent Max a beaming smile.
“Been waiting long?” Liz asked wondering how he got back here so fast. He hadn’t left more then an hour ago.
“Not long,” Max answered. “I just had to pick up Holden before Isabel got pissed. Your dad already put in our order.”
“Not eggs right?” Liz asked wrinkling her nose. Her dad always tried to get her to eat eggs.
“For me but not you,” Max assured her. “You got the lunar waffles with fruit salad on the side. That okay?”
“Yeah,” Liz agreed then looked around the café. “Glad I’m not working it’s busy in here today. What are we going to do later?”
“I have to check in with Brody before we do anything. He didn’t write out a schedule so I don’t know when I work but I was thinking that we should practice your offensive powers a little. Isabel says you’re a little weak there so I thought I could help out,” Max said and took a sip of his juice waiting for her response.
“Sure, I guess so,” Liz answered on a sigh.
“Liz, you need to practice just in case,” Max pointed out softly.
“I know, I said I would,” Liz defended meeting his eyes. “But not all day okay? It’s a free day and I don’t have to work so I’d like to have some fun.”
Max grinned seeing her lower lip pooch out into a small pout. “Blasting at me isn’t fun? I thought you’d jump at the chance.”
“You have a shield. It isn’t as much fun that way,” Liz teased arching her eyebrow even as she smiled.
“That’s why you need to practice,” Max said grinning at her eye roll.
“Yes, sensei,” Liz drawled watching him. Maybe a little practice was in order. He was just a tad too cocky.
So wrapped up in their teasing conversation they didn’t notice the entrance of the burly man in his late forties until he was standing at the end of their table.
“You Max Evans?” The man demanded his fists bunched at his sides.
“Uhh yeah?” Max replied glancing over at Liz in confusion. At her shrug he turned his eyes back to the stranger.
“Where’s my daughter?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded loudly, drawing the eyes of the room.
“I told you I don’t know,” Max said not missing the sudden quiet in the dining room. “I haven’t seen her I’m sorry.”
“DON’T LIE TO ME! I know you know where she is!” Mr. Rodriguez shouted his face growing a frightening shade of red. “You were seeing her behind my back! Don’t bother to deny it! I talked to Matia!”
“I don’t know who your talking about and I wasn’t seeing her the way you’re implying,” Max denied looking to Liz.
“Mr. Rodriguez? I’m sorry about your daughter but we don’t where she is I swear,” Liz said softly hoping to calm the man down.
In a booth over by the door Agents Davis and Lewis sipped their coffee and listened to the building argument with interest. Hearing shouting from the dining room, Jeff left the grill to Jose and pushed through the doors in time to see Mr. Rodriguez round on Liz.
“Who are you? How do you know my daughter?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded.
“I’m Liz Parker. We were in the same class at school and Max is my boyfriend,” Liz answered him softly. “We don’t know where she is. If we did, we would tell the Sheriff. I’m really sorry about what’s happened but we don’t know anything that could help. We already told the Sheriff everything we knew.”
“I know what I know,” Mr. Rodriguez stated, his eyes narrowing. “My daughter wouldn’t desert her family so that means you must have done something to her. Why didn’t she ever mention you? If you were friends then why didn’t she ever say so? I’ll tell you why! You were seeing her behind my back knowing she wasn’t allowed to date! You got her in trouble and now you’re trying to hide it!”
“What?” Max asked shocked. “No! I told you, I don’t know why she didn’t mention the project. I was just her partner on a school project. That’s it. I don’t know any more then that.”
“Max would never…” Liz started but was cut off by Mr. Rodriguez shouting.
“Shut up! I demand that you tell me what you did to my daughter!” Mr. Rodriguez yelled his patience at an end.
“You need to leave,” Jeff cut in firmly from by Mr. Rodriguez’s elbow.
“Who are you?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded the veins in his forehead throbbing with pent up rage.
“I’m the owner of this café and that’s my daughter that you’re shouting at,” Jeff answered seeing red. “Now get the hell out of my café!”
“Daddy…” Liz said softly surprised at her father’s obvious anger.
“Just because you let your daughter carry on with…” Mr. Rodriguez started.
“I know what my daughter does and who her friends are,” Jeff cut in. “I’m sorry about what’s happened to you and your family but I will not allow you to come here and disrupt my business and yell and my daughter and her boyfriend. Max is a nice young man and he’s told the police everything he knows. I suggest that you go down and talk to the Sheriff if you have any concerns. Not come into my café and start yelling at a couple of teenagers. Now leave or I will call the Sheriff myself and have you removed,” Jeff said clearly, stomping down on his anger and trying to deal with the man reasonably.
Max watched with wide eyes as Jeff escorted Mr. Rodriguez to the door and stepped outside to talk to him. “Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” Liz said glancing from her father to Max. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Max said then met her eyes. “Your dad was awesome.”
“I told you he liked you,” Liz said lacing her fingers through his on top of the table. A frown crossed her face for a moment at the thought of Sophia. “Max….”
“Yeah?” Max asked softly, seeing her expression and feeling the change in her mood.
“Do you think that you could get a flash from something of hers? Maybe see where she is?” Liz asked softly.
“I don’t know,” Max shrugged. “Sometimes that works sometimes not. I don’t think it would be a good idea to poke around though. Mr. Rodriguez is already sure I did something to Sophia and that might make it worse.”
“Yeah,” Liz agreed but started gnawing on her bottom lip. Sophia had sisters, so maybe if she talked to one of them they could bring her something of Sophia’s. Or maybe the Sheriff could.
“What’s with the dude outside?” Michael asked sliding into the booth next to Max. “Mr. P is getting pissed.”
“That’s Sophia’s father,” Max answered.
“Oh. Shit,” Michael said briefly. “That sucks.”
Liz rolled her eyes at Michael’s comments but didn’t say anything.
“What are you doing here?” Max asked surprised to see Michael up and out when school had been called off for the day.
“Zan called,” Michael said shrugging. “I’m meeting him here and we’re gonna check out a bike that’s for sale.”
Max’s lips tightened but he didn’t say anything. Looking over at Liz when her fingers slid out of his, his scowl deepened to see her looking down at the table. When she lifted her eyes to his and gave him a reassuring smile he made an effort to lighten his expression and smile back.
Liz sighed seeing Max’s feelings clearly in his eyes. She had been hoping that he would forget about Zan but that didn’t seem likely at the moment.
“I thought you were meeting Maria to work on the project today?” Liz asked remembering what Maria had told her last night.
“Oh. Yeah. I will later,” Michael said unconcerned.
“Michael,” Liz said her tone a clear warning.
“What? This won’t take long then I’ll meet Maria,” Michael defended himself.
“Right. You didn’t even remember you were supposed to two minutes ago,” Liz pointed out.
“Back off. What are you the project police?” Michael asked getting defensive. So he forgot a few things once in a while. So what. Deal with it.
“Fine. Be an idiot like you always are,” Liz said getting irritated. “Forgive me for trying to help you out. I’ll let Maria do it her way. She’s already requested one of those tether things for your ankle like the people on parole have to wear.”
“The hell you say! I’m not wearing a damn leash!” Michael said getting angry.
“Whatever,” Liz shrugged. “Not my problem.”
Before Michael could respond Agnes slammed two plates down on the table. “Breakfast.”
“Thank you Agnes,” Liz said smiling at Max, amused that he had jumped at the loud noise.
“Stellar wait staffing skills there Ag’s,” Michael smirked.
Agnes just frowned at him fiercely thinking what a punk he was. She turned on her thick rubber soled shoes and left. Break time.
“Now back to you,” Michael started pointing at Liz across the table.
“Jab that finger at me again and I’m keeping it,” Liz warned her eyes shooting sparks across the table. “Get some manners Michael.”
“Listen here,” Michael started wondering vaguely how he got embroiled in another argument with Liz.
“No, you listen,” Liz said slamming her fork down on the table before she was tempted to stab him with it. “You sat down here uninvited and started your shit. I tried to remind you about plans YOU made with Maria to save you the coming lecture but do you say thank you? No! You mouth off is what you do. I don’t care anymore what you do. Maria’s more then ready to order something’s out of that catalog where Alex got the stun gun, and frankly I’d like to see how some of that stuff works, so go ahead and pull your usual crap. Just do it somewhere else so I can eat in peace.”
“Max?” Michael asked folding his arms over his chest and looking for help.
“I’d like to see that tether myself,” Max shrugged suppressing a smile. “That other thing looked a little painful but whatever works I guess.”
“Fine,” Michael said throwing up his hands and sliding out of the booth. “Maria’s the crazy one but I’m the one that gets yelled at. That makes a lot of sense.”
“Hold up your end and there’s no problem,” Max pointed out. “You’re the one that insisted on keeping Maria as your partner. Time to deal with the results.”
Michael blew out an annoyed breath and then stomped out.
“He’s just……so…..Michael,” Liz complained then took a bite of her waffle. “Why does he do that?”
“Pick a fight?” Max asked smiling and when Liz nodded he answered. “I’ve decided over the years that it’s his way of making sure you care. Otherwise I’d have gone nuts or just killed him by now.”
“Then he should be satisfied,” Liz said stabbing her next piece of food. “The only one he’s not arguing with is Zan.”
Max scowled slightly at that but didn’t comment. As they were finishing breakfast Zan walked in and threw himself into the booth next to Liz.
“S’up? Where’s Mikey?” Zan asked.
“He left,” Liz said scooting away from him as far as she could.
“Why don’t you follow him?” Max said glaring at Zan.
“Tense much? Shit, I’s jus hooking up wit him ta check out a ride,” Zan said snagging a piece of fruit from Liz’s plate.
“Well he’s not here,” Max said his fists bunching under the table as he struggled to control his temper. “Now get the hell away from Liz.”
Zan stopped chewing and really looked at Max for second. A smirk eased over his face seeing Max’s stiff posture and the anger snapping in his eyes. A little tussle might be fun. Working off some energy sounded like the best idea he’d had lately.
Liz looked from Max to Zan and could practically see the hair bristling down their backs like they were wolves. “Umm yeah, see this isn’t a good idea,” Liz said and when neither of them looked at her she continued. “Café full of people, father present, and this is just silly. Hello? Anyone hear me talking?”
“Miss Parker?”
Liz’s head snapped up and she met the eyes of Agent Davis. “Umm hi, Agent Davis right? What….what are you doing back here?”
“We heard about the two missing girls,” Agent Davis smiled at her then looked over at the other two in the booth. “Well one missing girl and one murdered girl.”
“We understand you know both of them,” Agent Lewis said softly his eyes trained on Liz.
“Small town,” Liz shrugged. “I went to school with both of them. Pam had the locker next to mine and Sophia was in a class with me and Max.”
“And you are?” Lewis asked his eyes shifting to Zan.
“Jus a friend,” Zan said and slid out of the booth. “‘xcuse me. I need ta order my’s food.”
Lewis’s eyes followed Zan as he walked up to the counter and sat down.
“I was wondering if you could come down and talk to us later today?” Davis asked smoothly. “Maybe you know something you don’t realize you know about those two girls.”
“Sure, I mean we already talked to the Sheriff but I’d be happy to help if you think that’s possible,” Liz said glancing at Max.
“Mr. Rodriguez seems to think you know his daughter rather well,” Davis said looking to Max.
“He’s mistaken. I didn’t even know her at all before we were paired up for a project at school,” Max said evenly his eyes steady on the agent. He felt Liz’s foot hook behind his under the table and relaxed. This time they really didn’t have anything to hide.
“You don’t think this has something to do with what happened to me do you?” Liz asked glancing between both agents.
“No connection yet. That’s why we wanted to ask a couple questions,” Davis assured her.
“Yeah, I’d be happy to help. I really like Sophia. What time do you need us?” Liz asked as her dad walked up.
“Is eleven too soon?” Davis asked.
“Eleven’s fine,” Liz agreed.
Jeff waited till the agents left then looked at Max. “Max, I think you better go in back and call your dad. I’d feel better if he could come down with us. Just in case.”
“Right,” Max said and sent Liz a look before sliding out of the booth.
Liz slid into the booth and sent Max a beaming smile.
“Been waiting long?” Liz asked wondering how he got back here so fast. He hadn’t left more then an hour ago.
“Not long,” Max answered. “I just had to pick up Holden before Isabel got pissed. Your dad already put in our order.”
“Not eggs right?” Liz asked wrinkling her nose. Her dad always tried to get her to eat eggs.
“For me but not you,” Max assured her. “You got the lunar waffles with fruit salad on the side. That okay?”
“Yeah,” Liz agreed then looked around the café. “Glad I’m not working it’s busy in here today. What are we going to do later?”
“I have to check in with Brody before we do anything. He didn’t write out a schedule so I don’t know when I work but I was thinking that we should practice your offensive powers a little. Isabel says you’re a little weak there so I thought I could help out,” Max said and took a sip of his juice waiting for her response.
“Sure, I guess so,” Liz answered on a sigh.
“Liz, you need to practice just in case,” Max pointed out softly.
“I know, I said I would,” Liz defended meeting his eyes. “But not all day okay? It’s a free day and I don’t have to work so I’d like to have some fun.”
Max grinned seeing her lower lip pooch out into a small pout. “Blasting at me isn’t fun? I thought you’d jump at the chance.”
“You have a shield. It isn’t as much fun that way,” Liz teased arching her eyebrow even as she smiled.
“That’s why you need to practice,” Max said grinning at her eye roll.
“Yes, sensei,” Liz drawled watching him. Maybe a little practice was in order. He was just a tad too cocky.
So wrapped up in their teasing conversation they didn’t notice the entrance of the burly man in his late forties until he was standing at the end of their table.
“You Max Evans?” The man demanded his fists bunched at his sides.
“Uhh yeah?” Max replied glancing over at Liz in confusion. At her shrug he turned his eyes back to the stranger.
“Where’s my daughter?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded loudly, drawing the eyes of the room.
“I told you I don’t know,” Max said not missing the sudden quiet in the dining room. “I haven’t seen her I’m sorry.”
“DON’T LIE TO ME! I know you know where she is!” Mr. Rodriguez shouted his face growing a frightening shade of red. “You were seeing her behind my back! Don’t bother to deny it! I talked to Matia!”
“I don’t know who your talking about and I wasn’t seeing her the way you’re implying,” Max denied looking to Liz.
“Mr. Rodriguez? I’m sorry about your daughter but we don’t where she is I swear,” Liz said softly hoping to calm the man down.
In a booth over by the door Agents Davis and Lewis sipped their coffee and listened to the building argument with interest. Hearing shouting from the dining room, Jeff left the grill to Jose and pushed through the doors in time to see Mr. Rodriguez round on Liz.
“Who are you? How do you know my daughter?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded.
“I’m Liz Parker. We were in the same class at school and Max is my boyfriend,” Liz answered him softly. “We don’t know where she is. If we did, we would tell the Sheriff. I’m really sorry about what’s happened but we don’t know anything that could help. We already told the Sheriff everything we knew.”
“I know what I know,” Mr. Rodriguez stated, his eyes narrowing. “My daughter wouldn’t desert her family so that means you must have done something to her. Why didn’t she ever mention you? If you were friends then why didn’t she ever say so? I’ll tell you why! You were seeing her behind my back knowing she wasn’t allowed to date! You got her in trouble and now you’re trying to hide it!”
“What?” Max asked shocked. “No! I told you, I don’t know why she didn’t mention the project. I was just her partner on a school project. That’s it. I don’t know any more then that.”
“Max would never…” Liz started but was cut off by Mr. Rodriguez shouting.
“Shut up! I demand that you tell me what you did to my daughter!” Mr. Rodriguez yelled his patience at an end.
“You need to leave,” Jeff cut in firmly from by Mr. Rodriguez’s elbow.
“Who are you?” Mr. Rodriguez demanded the veins in his forehead throbbing with pent up rage.
“I’m the owner of this café and that’s my daughter that you’re shouting at,” Jeff answered seeing red. “Now get the hell out of my café!”
“Daddy…” Liz said softly surprised at her father’s obvious anger.
“Just because you let your daughter carry on with…” Mr. Rodriguez started.
“I know what my daughter does and who her friends are,” Jeff cut in. “I’m sorry about what’s happened to you and your family but I will not allow you to come here and disrupt my business and yell and my daughter and her boyfriend. Max is a nice young man and he’s told the police everything he knows. I suggest that you go down and talk to the Sheriff if you have any concerns. Not come into my café and start yelling at a couple of teenagers. Now leave or I will call the Sheriff myself and have you removed,” Jeff said clearly, stomping down on his anger and trying to deal with the man reasonably.
Max watched with wide eyes as Jeff escorted Mr. Rodriguez to the door and stepped outside to talk to him. “Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” Liz said glancing from her father to Max. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Max said then met her eyes. “Your dad was awesome.”
“I told you he liked you,” Liz said lacing her fingers through his on top of the table. A frown crossed her face for a moment at the thought of Sophia. “Max….”
“Yeah?” Max asked softly, seeing her expression and feeling the change in her mood.
“Do you think that you could get a flash from something of hers? Maybe see where she is?” Liz asked softly.
“I don’t know,” Max shrugged. “Sometimes that works sometimes not. I don’t think it would be a good idea to poke around though. Mr. Rodriguez is already sure I did something to Sophia and that might make it worse.”
“Yeah,” Liz agreed but started gnawing on her bottom lip. Sophia had sisters, so maybe if she talked to one of them they could bring her something of Sophia’s. Or maybe the Sheriff could.
“What’s with the dude outside?” Michael asked sliding into the booth next to Max. “Mr. P is getting pissed.”
“That’s Sophia’s father,” Max answered.
“Oh. Shit,” Michael said briefly. “That sucks.”
Liz rolled her eyes at Michael’s comments but didn’t say anything.
“What are you doing here?” Max asked surprised to see Michael up and out when school had been called off for the day.
“Zan called,” Michael said shrugging. “I’m meeting him here and we’re gonna check out a bike that’s for sale.”
Max’s lips tightened but he didn’t say anything. Looking over at Liz when her fingers slid out of his, his scowl deepened to see her looking down at the table. When she lifted her eyes to his and gave him a reassuring smile he made an effort to lighten his expression and smile back.
Liz sighed seeing Max’s feelings clearly in his eyes. She had been hoping that he would forget about Zan but that didn’t seem likely at the moment.
“I thought you were meeting Maria to work on the project today?” Liz asked remembering what Maria had told her last night.
“Oh. Yeah. I will later,” Michael said unconcerned.
“Michael,” Liz said her tone a clear warning.
“What? This won’t take long then I’ll meet Maria,” Michael defended himself.
“Right. You didn’t even remember you were supposed to two minutes ago,” Liz pointed out.
“Back off. What are you the project police?” Michael asked getting defensive. So he forgot a few things once in a while. So what. Deal with it.
“Fine. Be an idiot like you always are,” Liz said getting irritated. “Forgive me for trying to help you out. I’ll let Maria do it her way. She’s already requested one of those tether things for your ankle like the people on parole have to wear.”
“The hell you say! I’m not wearing a damn leash!” Michael said getting angry.
“Whatever,” Liz shrugged. “Not my problem.”
Before Michael could respond Agnes slammed two plates down on the table. “Breakfast.”
“Thank you Agnes,” Liz said smiling at Max, amused that he had jumped at the loud noise.
“Stellar wait staffing skills there Ag’s,” Michael smirked.
Agnes just frowned at him fiercely thinking what a punk he was. She turned on her thick rubber soled shoes and left. Break time.
“Now back to you,” Michael started pointing at Liz across the table.
“Jab that finger at me again and I’m keeping it,” Liz warned her eyes shooting sparks across the table. “Get some manners Michael.”
“Listen here,” Michael started wondering vaguely how he got embroiled in another argument with Liz.
“No, you listen,” Liz said slamming her fork down on the table before she was tempted to stab him with it. “You sat down here uninvited and started your shit. I tried to remind you about plans YOU made with Maria to save you the coming lecture but do you say thank you? No! You mouth off is what you do. I don’t care anymore what you do. Maria’s more then ready to order something’s out of that catalog where Alex got the stun gun, and frankly I’d like to see how some of that stuff works, so go ahead and pull your usual crap. Just do it somewhere else so I can eat in peace.”
“Max?” Michael asked folding his arms over his chest and looking for help.
“I’d like to see that tether myself,” Max shrugged suppressing a smile. “That other thing looked a little painful but whatever works I guess.”
“Fine,” Michael said throwing up his hands and sliding out of the booth. “Maria’s the crazy one but I’m the one that gets yelled at. That makes a lot of sense.”
“Hold up your end and there’s no problem,” Max pointed out. “You’re the one that insisted on keeping Maria as your partner. Time to deal with the results.”
Michael blew out an annoyed breath and then stomped out.
“He’s just……so…..Michael,” Liz complained then took a bite of her waffle. “Why does he do that?”
“Pick a fight?” Max asked smiling and when Liz nodded he answered. “I’ve decided over the years that it’s his way of making sure you care. Otherwise I’d have gone nuts or just killed him by now.”
“Then he should be satisfied,” Liz said stabbing her next piece of food. “The only one he’s not arguing with is Zan.”
Max scowled slightly at that but didn’t comment. As they were finishing breakfast Zan walked in and threw himself into the booth next to Liz.
“S’up? Where’s Mikey?” Zan asked.
“He left,” Liz said scooting away from him as far as she could.
“Why don’t you follow him?” Max said glaring at Zan.
“Tense much? Shit, I’s jus hooking up wit him ta check out a ride,” Zan said snagging a piece of fruit from Liz’s plate.
“Well he’s not here,” Max said his fists bunching under the table as he struggled to control his temper. “Now get the hell away from Liz.”
Zan stopped chewing and really looked at Max for second. A smirk eased over his face seeing Max’s stiff posture and the anger snapping in his eyes. A little tussle might be fun. Working off some energy sounded like the best idea he’d had lately.
Liz looked from Max to Zan and could practically see the hair bristling down their backs like they were wolves. “Umm yeah, see this isn’t a good idea,” Liz said and when neither of them looked at her she continued. “Café full of people, father present, and this is just silly. Hello? Anyone hear me talking?”
“Miss Parker?”
Liz’s head snapped up and she met the eyes of Agent Davis. “Umm hi, Agent Davis right? What….what are you doing back here?”
“We heard about the two missing girls,” Agent Davis smiled at her then looked over at the other two in the booth. “Well one missing girl and one murdered girl.”
“We understand you know both of them,” Agent Lewis said softly his eyes trained on Liz.
“Small town,” Liz shrugged. “I went to school with both of them. Pam had the locker next to mine and Sophia was in a class with me and Max.”
“And you are?” Lewis asked his eyes shifting to Zan.
“Jus a friend,” Zan said and slid out of the booth. “‘xcuse me. I need ta order my’s food.”
Lewis’s eyes followed Zan as he walked up to the counter and sat down.
“I was wondering if you could come down and talk to us later today?” Davis asked smoothly. “Maybe you know something you don’t realize you know about those two girls.”
“Sure, I mean we already talked to the Sheriff but I’d be happy to help if you think that’s possible,” Liz said glancing at Max.
“Mr. Rodriguez seems to think you know his daughter rather well,” Davis said looking to Max.
“He’s mistaken. I didn’t even know her at all before we were paired up for a project at school,” Max said evenly his eyes steady on the agent. He felt Liz’s foot hook behind his under the table and relaxed. This time they really didn’t have anything to hide.
“You don’t think this has something to do with what happened to me do you?” Liz asked glancing between both agents.
“No connection yet. That’s why we wanted to ask a couple questions,” Davis assured her.
“Yeah, I’d be happy to help. I really like Sophia. What time do you need us?” Liz asked as her dad walked up.
“Is eleven too soon?” Davis asked.
“Eleven’s fine,” Liz agreed.
Jeff waited till the agents left then looked at Max. “Max, I think you better go in back and call your dad. I’d feel better if he could come down with us. Just in case.”
“Right,” Max said and sent Liz a look before sliding out of the booth.
Surprise! Yeah it's an update!
Chapter Eighty One
Zan followed Max down the steps into the UFO Center brimming with resentment and anger. His already sour mood had taken a dive since the arrival of the FBI and he was looking to work some of it off in whatever manner was most satisfying. This was exactly what he had not wanted. To get dragged into this mess. So why the hell hadn’t he left? An idiot could have seen this coming.
“So?” Zan asked as Max reached the bottom and turned to look at him. “You gonna speak or ya just wanna look at me?”
Max glared at Zan wishing for one solid hit to his smirking face. A glance at Liz showed her pausing on the steps, her eyes meeting his, showing her knowledge of what was floating through his head with the quick shake of her head.
“Stop it,” Liz said in a low tone to Zan.
“Stop what? I haven’t even started. When I do…you’ll know it,” Zan boasted his eyes on Max as a slow smile replaced his smirk. “I can understand why you’s confused about when things are kicking. You jus don’t know no different. Yet.”
Watching Max’s ears turn red Liz realized this situation was getting out of hand really quickly. Hostility was thick in the air making the fine hair on her arms lift. With a sigh she took the last couple of steps trying to reach Max before something happened but Zan’s hand on her arm halted her before she reached the bottom.
“Let go of me,” Liz said her voice devoid of emotion. Turning to look at Zan, her eyes steady and serious, as she calmly looked back at him waiting for him to release her.
“You sure?” Zan asked smiling wider but releasing her even as he asked the question.
“Never more sure of anything,” Liz answered, her eyes flickering over him disdainfully. “Now why don’t we get back to the point?”
“Which is?” Zan asked arrogantly, eyes narrowed as he watched Liz brush her fingers over Max’s abdomen as she walked by.
“You being where you’re not supposed to be,” Max said between gritted teeth. It was taking every ounce of self-control to hang onto his temper. “We agreed that you wouldn’t show up at the Crash when it’s full of people. Or at the school. For obvious reasons, do I need to run down the list of places that it’s not wise to go? Places where you might raise suspicions.”
“You agreed. I ain’t agreed to shit,” Zan said folding his arms over his chest and glaring right back at Max. “I go where I go.”
“That’s smart,” Max said his anger spiraling. “Why don’t you walk up to my house and knock on the goddamn door. You could introduce yourself to my mother.”
“You ain’t got a mother,” Zan said stepping off the last step and hitting Max hard with his shoulder, shoving him back. “Less you talking bout the pod we’s came from.”
Liz heard the low sound rumbling through Max and shot Zan a scathing look. “Knock it off Zan. Don’t be a total prick everyday of your life.”
“Look here,” Zan said getting tired of this shit. “I gotta eat. Mikey said ta meet him there so what the fuck? How was I ta know you’d be blowing some Feds? You gotta cut this shit out Sweets. Not everybody’s gonna be snowed by those big brown peepers of yours along wit that innocent act you put on. You got some flava, I’ll give ya that, but it ain’t cherry.”
Max punched him hard in the face before his smirk could even form, taking immense satisfaction from the spray of blood coming from Zan’s nose.
Liz’s mouth dropped open as Zan tackled Max to the floor and the two guys started throwing punches furiously. She scrambled back out of the way as they rolled toward her, curses and grunts flying along with their fists.
“Stop!” Liz yelled to no effect. “Just stop it! This isn’t helping!”
Zan managed to gain the upper hand pinning Max and landing several solid body shots. After landing a sharp blow under Zan’s chin, snapping his head back, Max used a wrestling move to maneuver Zan around onto his back.
“Max! Stop!” Liz shouted as Max continued to throw punches. Disgusted when he paid as much attention to her as Michael routinely did to Maria she edged around into a better position. Taking several deep breaths she centered herself, planting her feet firmly.
When the next jockey for position came she was ready.
Zan grunted in surprised pain as he was thrown to his back so hard he skidded across the floor. When he struggled to his feet, wiping at a trail of blood trickling down the side of his face, he couldn’t help but grin. Liz had a firm grip on Max’s ear as she glared at over at him.
“Don’t even think about it,” Liz warned Zan as he moved closer.
“You gonna twist my ear too?” Zan asked amusement in his tone.
Liz mentally repeated Max’s instructions on shielding as she put up her hand, concentrating fiercely, and sending up a wobbling shield blocking Zan from coming closer. “No more fighting.”
“Um Liz? You can let go now,” Max said speaking up with a wince. “No more fighting. Promise.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed and dropped his ear and her shield, sweating with the strain of maintaining such a concentrated effort.
“That wasn’t bad,” Zan complimented her. “You been working.”
“A girls gotta have a strong defense,” Liz replied her look a pointed statement on why she would need such a strong defense. “Now. Can we please actually talk about the problem? FBI? Remember?”
“Yeah, sorry,” Max said rubbing his ear sheepishly.
Zan shook his head and rolled his eyes thinking Max was whipped harder then any damn guy he’d ever seen. Watching Liz chew on her lip as she looked Max over for damage, gently touching his split lip and the bruise beginning to show above his eye, he could almost see why didn’t like upsetting her.
“Where’s the boss man?” Zan broke in quickly.
“The museum doesn’t open till one on weekdays during school,” Max said absently answering Zan’s question. Trapping Liz’s hand against his chest he quickly healed his face before brushing a kiss over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I just…he’s so..”
“Got it,” Liz said quirking her eyebrow. “You’re a little testy but you know I hate fighting.”
“Yeah, I remember that from the bathroom,” Max teased her.
“Hey! That was Maria,” Liz denied smiling.
“Really? Hmm Isabel might disagree with that,” Max mused ignoring Zan in favor of easing Liz’s mind.
“All lies,” Liz refuted. “I’m the calm boring one remember?”
“I guess I missed that,” Max answered rubbing his chin against her temple. “That was a pretty good shield. I could feel the pull of power.”
“So we’re done practicing for today then right?” Liz bargained leaning into him and turning her head to keep an eye on Zan. When she found him already looking at her she closed her eyes tightening her arms around Max’s waist.
“I guess. I think we’ll be busy with other stuff now,” Max agreed with a sigh. “How are we going to explain you Zan?”
Zan shrugged his shoulders moving to lean against the information booth sticking his hand in his pocket. A flash bloomed behind his eyes of watching Liz walk down those stairs in slow motion.
Shaking his head to clear it he moved toward the stairs. “I wouldn’t say shit. Jus roll wit it. I knew “Tess” from back east, followed her here ta hook up. Keep it simple. Who da hell knows why we look alike. You’s adopted so no telling right?”
“They aren’t going to go for that,” Liz said as Max led her to the stairs. She sat down one step below him, between his knees so she could lean back into him as they talked. “They look for answers for a living. That’s their job. We can’t afford for them to be looking at us. Any of us.”
“We aren’t going to be able to stop it,” Max said quietly. “They already are looking. This will just get them focusing harder. There’s no help for it now. We’ve been taking a chance for months. We just have to keep our heads. See what they say when we go in and go from there. We’ll go with the Zan’s story in part. We’ll just say that Tess thought we were related because of the resemblance,” Max shrugged. “They can’t force us to take a blood test so what can they do? We don’t have anything to do with what happened to Pam or Sophia so there isn’t anything to find there. My Dad will be there too so….we’ll ride this out.”
“We have other things to hide though,” Liz reminded them. “If we can’t even get along then it’s just a matter of time before they find something out.”
“Hey, I’ll be a good boy,” Zan said sitting with his back to the wall so he could see them both. “I ain’t meaning ta cause a full out alien hunt dig? That ain’t good for no one. I’s jus wanna look out for Baby Girl. Stay close keep an eye out. Jus cause I ain’t a joiner don’t mean I’s gonna take ya down. Baby Girl wants ta be here so..” Zan shrugged. “we’s peeps, I guess.”
Max eyed him not buying in. Zan’s definition of “peeps” left a hellva lot to be desired. Two of his peeps had already tried to take him out and Max was starting to see their point of view. “Leave Liz alone. No more pulling shit or touching her. No baiting her or making comments. Then we’ll get along fine. Just stay away from her.”
“She’s yours,” Zan agreed smirking. “I ain’t trying ta dog your action.”
“That right there,” Max said tensing. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Max, he can’t be anything but himself,” Liz pointed out reasonably. “He’s gotta share some sort of gene with Michael I swear. Just don’t touch me and we’re fine. I can deal with everything else.”
“Hands off,” Zan agreed easily. “So. Your pops. He cool?”
“I guess so,” Max said a worried expression creeping over his face. “We’re about to find out. He’ll keep the FBI in line I think. What he does after that I don’t know.”
“What did he say on the phone?” Liz asked.
“Not much. I mean I had told him about some of it before this. He knew I was partners with Sophia on the project, she came over once to drop off the baby so he’s met her. He knows the public version of what happened with you. He just asked me what exactly they said and about the argument with Mr. Rodriguez then said he’d meet us at the police station,” Max explained a slight frown working over his face. “It’s hard to get a read on him. He had his lawyer tone going the whole time. I couldn’t tell what he really thought.”
“You know….They didn’t ask to talk to Ava this time,” Liz pointed out into the silence that fell after Max quieted. Looking over her shoulder at Max, she saw how worried he looked and couldn’t help but feel her own worry escalate.
“I’m jus gonna….bounce,” Zan said as the staring contest continued.
Neither Max or Liz noticed him leave.
“So. You showed,” Maria said after opening her front door.
“Course,” Michael declared walking in and looking around. “So where are we doing this?”
“Excuse me?” Maria asked spinning around to face him.
“Where are we, as in you and I, going to do this, meaning our joint venture into parenthood?” Michael asked sarcastically. “You must have a plan. Liz was all over me to get here.”
“Really?” Maria asked arching her eyebrow as she felt her back go up in response to his tone. “Planning is really Liz’s department. I just plug along. You know. Do the work involved in at least attempting to pass my classes. Unlike some people.”
“So glad I came by for this,” Michael replied, feeling the familiar sense of frustration welling up inside him. Why was she so damn difficult?
“I am charming,” Maria responded glaring at him. Why was he such an ass? Was it really that difficult to drop the attitude? For two minutes?
“When your lips aren’t moving,” Michael muttered strolling closer. Glancing down at the mouth he was talking about had his eyes dropping lower. “Nice shirt.”
Maria scowled and crossed her arms causing an amazing reaction to her cleavage that was totally unintended.
“Problem?” Michael asked smiling.
“What are you doing?” Maria asked suspiciously her eyes meeting his.
“I’m going to do this and it’s going to be really good,” Michael said coming to a decision in his own mind.
Maria opened her mouth to question him but he captured her lips before the words left her. Her hands went to his chest to push him away but hesitated as his tongue did amazing things to hers. Her fingers twisted in his shirt as she struggled to recall why this was such a bad idea. He was really really good at this.
Michael moved closer easing her body back into the closed door. Pressing even closer as he pulled back to look into her eyes. “Nothing to say?” Michael asked smiling at the cloudy look in her eyes.
“That it? You call that really good? You need to get out more,” Maria said blinking and letting a challenging look replace the dazed one. “I know the whole alien on Earth thing is a challenge but really Michael, Earth girls aren’t this easy okay? Get a clue.”
Michael scowled down at her for second but then bent to kiss her neck. She smelled so good, so warm, and she tasted incredible. “I never said you were easy Maria,” Michael said between biting kisses.
“That’s good to hear,” Amy said from behind them.
“Did I fail to mention my mother was here?” Maria asked smiling sweetly as she watched Michael pale.
Michael dropped his hands and stepped back almost stumbling in his haste. “Hi, Mrs. DeLuca.”
“Michael,” Amy greeted him with narrowed eyes. “I’d say it’s nice to see you but I’d rather see you over there. Away from my daughter.”
“Right,” Michael agreed moving in slow steady movements so as not to draw any more wrath. Glancing at Mrs. DeLuca’s hands he relaxed slightly not seeing a rolled up newspaper.
“Well parenthood calls,” Maria chirped then when her mom looked at her she corrected that statement. “Not parenthood as in real parenthood but pretend parenthood. As in our school project. For school.”
“Let’s focus on that pretend part okay?” Amy said looking between Michael and Maria.
“Focusing,” Maria agreed.
“I’m there,” Michael agreed quickly. “I’m up for pretend project parenting. Yep.”
“Good. Then we’re all on the same page here,” Amy replied. “The books are in there.”
Michael followed Maria into the living room without protest. He chose the seat a safe distance from Maria and tried to look attentive. This day was circling the bowl faster and faster. Someone should just flush it and put it out of its misery.
Maria bit back her smile at Michael’s discomfort and decided to take full advantage. They just might get this project off of its feet after all.
Zan followed Max down the steps into the UFO Center brimming with resentment and anger. His already sour mood had taken a dive since the arrival of the FBI and he was looking to work some of it off in whatever manner was most satisfying. This was exactly what he had not wanted. To get dragged into this mess. So why the hell hadn’t he left? An idiot could have seen this coming.
“So?” Zan asked as Max reached the bottom and turned to look at him. “You gonna speak or ya just wanna look at me?”
Max glared at Zan wishing for one solid hit to his smirking face. A glance at Liz showed her pausing on the steps, her eyes meeting his, showing her knowledge of what was floating through his head with the quick shake of her head.
“Stop it,” Liz said in a low tone to Zan.
“Stop what? I haven’t even started. When I do…you’ll know it,” Zan boasted his eyes on Max as a slow smile replaced his smirk. “I can understand why you’s confused about when things are kicking. You jus don’t know no different. Yet.”
Watching Max’s ears turn red Liz realized this situation was getting out of hand really quickly. Hostility was thick in the air making the fine hair on her arms lift. With a sigh she took the last couple of steps trying to reach Max before something happened but Zan’s hand on her arm halted her before she reached the bottom.
“Let go of me,” Liz said her voice devoid of emotion. Turning to look at Zan, her eyes steady and serious, as she calmly looked back at him waiting for him to release her.
“You sure?” Zan asked smiling wider but releasing her even as he asked the question.
“Never more sure of anything,” Liz answered, her eyes flickering over him disdainfully. “Now why don’t we get back to the point?”
“Which is?” Zan asked arrogantly, eyes narrowed as he watched Liz brush her fingers over Max’s abdomen as she walked by.
“You being where you’re not supposed to be,” Max said between gritted teeth. It was taking every ounce of self-control to hang onto his temper. “We agreed that you wouldn’t show up at the Crash when it’s full of people. Or at the school. For obvious reasons, do I need to run down the list of places that it’s not wise to go? Places where you might raise suspicions.”
“You agreed. I ain’t agreed to shit,” Zan said folding his arms over his chest and glaring right back at Max. “I go where I go.”
“That’s smart,” Max said his anger spiraling. “Why don’t you walk up to my house and knock on the goddamn door. You could introduce yourself to my mother.”
“You ain’t got a mother,” Zan said stepping off the last step and hitting Max hard with his shoulder, shoving him back. “Less you talking bout the pod we’s came from.”
Liz heard the low sound rumbling through Max and shot Zan a scathing look. “Knock it off Zan. Don’t be a total prick everyday of your life.”
“Look here,” Zan said getting tired of this shit. “I gotta eat. Mikey said ta meet him there so what the fuck? How was I ta know you’d be blowing some Feds? You gotta cut this shit out Sweets. Not everybody’s gonna be snowed by those big brown peepers of yours along wit that innocent act you put on. You got some flava, I’ll give ya that, but it ain’t cherry.”
Max punched him hard in the face before his smirk could even form, taking immense satisfaction from the spray of blood coming from Zan’s nose.
Liz’s mouth dropped open as Zan tackled Max to the floor and the two guys started throwing punches furiously. She scrambled back out of the way as they rolled toward her, curses and grunts flying along with their fists.
“Stop!” Liz yelled to no effect. “Just stop it! This isn’t helping!”
Zan managed to gain the upper hand pinning Max and landing several solid body shots. After landing a sharp blow under Zan’s chin, snapping his head back, Max used a wrestling move to maneuver Zan around onto his back.
“Max! Stop!” Liz shouted as Max continued to throw punches. Disgusted when he paid as much attention to her as Michael routinely did to Maria she edged around into a better position. Taking several deep breaths she centered herself, planting her feet firmly.
When the next jockey for position came she was ready.
Zan grunted in surprised pain as he was thrown to his back so hard he skidded across the floor. When he struggled to his feet, wiping at a trail of blood trickling down the side of his face, he couldn’t help but grin. Liz had a firm grip on Max’s ear as she glared at over at him.
“Don’t even think about it,” Liz warned Zan as he moved closer.
“You gonna twist my ear too?” Zan asked amusement in his tone.
Liz mentally repeated Max’s instructions on shielding as she put up her hand, concentrating fiercely, and sending up a wobbling shield blocking Zan from coming closer. “No more fighting.”
“Um Liz? You can let go now,” Max said speaking up with a wince. “No more fighting. Promise.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed and dropped his ear and her shield, sweating with the strain of maintaining such a concentrated effort.
“That wasn’t bad,” Zan complimented her. “You been working.”
“A girls gotta have a strong defense,” Liz replied her look a pointed statement on why she would need such a strong defense. “Now. Can we please actually talk about the problem? FBI? Remember?”
“Yeah, sorry,” Max said rubbing his ear sheepishly.
Zan shook his head and rolled his eyes thinking Max was whipped harder then any damn guy he’d ever seen. Watching Liz chew on her lip as she looked Max over for damage, gently touching his split lip and the bruise beginning to show above his eye, he could almost see why didn’t like upsetting her.
“Where’s the boss man?” Zan broke in quickly.
“The museum doesn’t open till one on weekdays during school,” Max said absently answering Zan’s question. Trapping Liz’s hand against his chest he quickly healed his face before brushing a kiss over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I just…he’s so..”
“Got it,” Liz said quirking her eyebrow. “You’re a little testy but you know I hate fighting.”
“Yeah, I remember that from the bathroom,” Max teased her.
“Hey! That was Maria,” Liz denied smiling.
“Really? Hmm Isabel might disagree with that,” Max mused ignoring Zan in favor of easing Liz’s mind.
“All lies,” Liz refuted. “I’m the calm boring one remember?”
“I guess I missed that,” Max answered rubbing his chin against her temple. “That was a pretty good shield. I could feel the pull of power.”
“So we’re done practicing for today then right?” Liz bargained leaning into him and turning her head to keep an eye on Zan. When she found him already looking at her she closed her eyes tightening her arms around Max’s waist.
“I guess. I think we’ll be busy with other stuff now,” Max agreed with a sigh. “How are we going to explain you Zan?”
Zan shrugged his shoulders moving to lean against the information booth sticking his hand in his pocket. A flash bloomed behind his eyes of watching Liz walk down those stairs in slow motion.
Shaking his head to clear it he moved toward the stairs. “I wouldn’t say shit. Jus roll wit it. I knew “Tess” from back east, followed her here ta hook up. Keep it simple. Who da hell knows why we look alike. You’s adopted so no telling right?”
“They aren’t going to go for that,” Liz said as Max led her to the stairs. She sat down one step below him, between his knees so she could lean back into him as they talked. “They look for answers for a living. That’s their job. We can’t afford for them to be looking at us. Any of us.”
“We aren’t going to be able to stop it,” Max said quietly. “They already are looking. This will just get them focusing harder. There’s no help for it now. We’ve been taking a chance for months. We just have to keep our heads. See what they say when we go in and go from there. We’ll go with the Zan’s story in part. We’ll just say that Tess thought we were related because of the resemblance,” Max shrugged. “They can’t force us to take a blood test so what can they do? We don’t have anything to do with what happened to Pam or Sophia so there isn’t anything to find there. My Dad will be there too so….we’ll ride this out.”
“We have other things to hide though,” Liz reminded them. “If we can’t even get along then it’s just a matter of time before they find something out.”
“Hey, I’ll be a good boy,” Zan said sitting with his back to the wall so he could see them both. “I ain’t meaning ta cause a full out alien hunt dig? That ain’t good for no one. I’s jus wanna look out for Baby Girl. Stay close keep an eye out. Jus cause I ain’t a joiner don’t mean I’s gonna take ya down. Baby Girl wants ta be here so..” Zan shrugged. “we’s peeps, I guess.”
Max eyed him not buying in. Zan’s definition of “peeps” left a hellva lot to be desired. Two of his peeps had already tried to take him out and Max was starting to see their point of view. “Leave Liz alone. No more pulling shit or touching her. No baiting her or making comments. Then we’ll get along fine. Just stay away from her.”
“She’s yours,” Zan agreed smirking. “I ain’t trying ta dog your action.”
“That right there,” Max said tensing. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Max, he can’t be anything but himself,” Liz pointed out reasonably. “He’s gotta share some sort of gene with Michael I swear. Just don’t touch me and we’re fine. I can deal with everything else.”
“Hands off,” Zan agreed easily. “So. Your pops. He cool?”
“I guess so,” Max said a worried expression creeping over his face. “We’re about to find out. He’ll keep the FBI in line I think. What he does after that I don’t know.”
“What did he say on the phone?” Liz asked.
“Not much. I mean I had told him about some of it before this. He knew I was partners with Sophia on the project, she came over once to drop off the baby so he’s met her. He knows the public version of what happened with you. He just asked me what exactly they said and about the argument with Mr. Rodriguez then said he’d meet us at the police station,” Max explained a slight frown working over his face. “It’s hard to get a read on him. He had his lawyer tone going the whole time. I couldn’t tell what he really thought.”
“You know….They didn’t ask to talk to Ava this time,” Liz pointed out into the silence that fell after Max quieted. Looking over her shoulder at Max, she saw how worried he looked and couldn’t help but feel her own worry escalate.
“I’m jus gonna….bounce,” Zan said as the staring contest continued.
Neither Max or Liz noticed him leave.
“So. You showed,” Maria said after opening her front door.
“Course,” Michael declared walking in and looking around. “So where are we doing this?”
“Excuse me?” Maria asked spinning around to face him.
“Where are we, as in you and I, going to do this, meaning our joint venture into parenthood?” Michael asked sarcastically. “You must have a plan. Liz was all over me to get here.”
“Really?” Maria asked arching her eyebrow as she felt her back go up in response to his tone. “Planning is really Liz’s department. I just plug along. You know. Do the work involved in at least attempting to pass my classes. Unlike some people.”
“So glad I came by for this,” Michael replied, feeling the familiar sense of frustration welling up inside him. Why was she so damn difficult?
“I am charming,” Maria responded glaring at him. Why was he such an ass? Was it really that difficult to drop the attitude? For two minutes?
“When your lips aren’t moving,” Michael muttered strolling closer. Glancing down at the mouth he was talking about had his eyes dropping lower. “Nice shirt.”
Maria scowled and crossed her arms causing an amazing reaction to her cleavage that was totally unintended.
“Problem?” Michael asked smiling.
“What are you doing?” Maria asked suspiciously her eyes meeting his.
“I’m going to do this and it’s going to be really good,” Michael said coming to a decision in his own mind.
Maria opened her mouth to question him but he captured her lips before the words left her. Her hands went to his chest to push him away but hesitated as his tongue did amazing things to hers. Her fingers twisted in his shirt as she struggled to recall why this was such a bad idea. He was really really good at this.
Michael moved closer easing her body back into the closed door. Pressing even closer as he pulled back to look into her eyes. “Nothing to say?” Michael asked smiling at the cloudy look in her eyes.
“That it? You call that really good? You need to get out more,” Maria said blinking and letting a challenging look replace the dazed one. “I know the whole alien on Earth thing is a challenge but really Michael, Earth girls aren’t this easy okay? Get a clue.”
Michael scowled down at her for second but then bent to kiss her neck. She smelled so good, so warm, and she tasted incredible. “I never said you were easy Maria,” Michael said between biting kisses.
“That’s good to hear,” Amy said from behind them.
“Did I fail to mention my mother was here?” Maria asked smiling sweetly as she watched Michael pale.
Michael dropped his hands and stepped back almost stumbling in his haste. “Hi, Mrs. DeLuca.”
“Michael,” Amy greeted him with narrowed eyes. “I’d say it’s nice to see you but I’d rather see you over there. Away from my daughter.”
“Right,” Michael agreed moving in slow steady movements so as not to draw any more wrath. Glancing at Mrs. DeLuca’s hands he relaxed slightly not seeing a rolled up newspaper.
“Well parenthood calls,” Maria chirped then when her mom looked at her she corrected that statement. “Not parenthood as in real parenthood but pretend parenthood. As in our school project. For school.”
“Let’s focus on that pretend part okay?” Amy said looking between Michael and Maria.
“Focusing,” Maria agreed.
“I’m there,” Michael agreed quickly. “I’m up for pretend project parenting. Yep.”
“Good. Then we’re all on the same page here,” Amy replied. “The books are in there.”
Michael followed Maria into the living room without protest. He chose the seat a safe distance from Maria and tried to look attentive. This day was circling the bowl faster and faster. Someone should just flush it and put it out of its misery.
Maria bit back her smile at Michael’s discomfort and decided to take full advantage. They just might get this project off of its feet after all.
IN TWO POSTS DUE TO LENGTH
Chapter Eighty Two
Dipping his head, Max nuzzled Liz’s ear, his breath tickling the long strands of her hair. Forgetting all about Zan’s presence as he saw the anxiety swimming in her eyes. “This will work out. They can’t pin anything on us because we don’t have anything to do with this.”
“I know but….why don’t they want to see Ava too?” Liz asked glad for the solid wall of his chest supporting her back. “They think we have something to do with this and that’s problem enough. What if they start following us?”
“What if they do?” Max shrugged. “We don’t do anything that interesting. We’ll just have to avoid the pod chamber from now on. No big deal. Tell everyone to keep their eyes open. Really the same rules apply. Don’t use your powers in public, be aware of your surroundings, that kind of thing.”
“I guess,” Liz agreed softly. Chewing on her lip she continued to worry. She still had a shit load of money stuffed behind her dresser that would be awfully hard to explain should they, for whatever reason, get a search warrant and take a look around. Then there was always the slip of the tongue to worry about. Someone could always slip up and say something suspicious in front of the wrong person. What if they called Ava by her name instead of Tess’s? What if the agents weren’t who they said they were? What if they were from the Special Unit? What if they took Max again?
Feeling the tension invading her back, Max slipped his arms around her and moved closer, nuzzling her hair aside to reach her neck.
Liz’s mental list of possible catastrophes cut off abruptly as Max attached his mouth to her neck. She moaned softly, tilting her head to give him greater access, as he sucked on her skin. When his fingers slipped under her shirt to glide over her stomach she reflexively sucked in her breath.
Scooting closer, he crowded her almost off of her step as he slid down behind her, needing a better angle to reach more of her with his mouth.
It was the push of his erection nudging her in the back that brought her to attention. “Umm Max?”
“Hmm?” Max asked not lifting his head. Soothing her reddened skin with his tongue he was only half listening.
“Where’s Zan?” Liz asked her voice coming out a little breathy.
“Who?” Max asked against her ear before nipping at it lightly.
“Zan,” Liz moaned pushing back into him, no longer caring much about his answer. If he just kept doing what he was doing she wouldn’t care about much else for a long time.
Max’s head popped up and he quickly looked around missing Liz’s small noise of protest. “I think he left. Shit! I was gonna ask him about that bracelet. Why didn’t you remind me?”
“Ask him or beat on him hoping it would fall out of his pockets?” Liz asked her lips twitching up into a smile.
Max smiled briefly before bending his head back to her throat. “That sassy mouth of yours could get you into trouble,” Max warned then opened his mouth over her skin using a small amount of suction to pull at her, marking her.
Her eyes fluttered closed, her fingers tightening on his thighs as heat spread through her body settling low in her abdomen. “You think so? I thought you liked my mouth.”
With a groan Max propelled them to their feet, walking them down the last couple of stairs. “I’ve got something to show you.”
“Now?” Liz asked as Max walked them deeper into the UFO Center. Looking over her shoulder she was met by his steady smoldering gaze and felt her stomach tighten.
“Uh huh. Right now,” Max said firmly, moving his hands to her hips, both holding her tightly against him and guiding her to where he wanted them to go.
After what seemed like forever to him, they finally reached their destination. Reaching past her he opened the door and nudged her inside, allowing the door to close before he turned on the light.
Liz blinked in the sudden brightness and looked around. “Wow, Max. Brody let you do this?” Liz asked looking around at what used to be the overcrowded supply closet. It was now empty except for a desk, chair, and one stack of boxes in the corner.
“Yeah,” Max said guiding her over to the small desk. “I had to have somewhere for us to have lunch.”
“Lunch?” Liz asked, her eyebrow lifting. “Isn’t this the only room without a camera in it? That is what you told me right?”
“I did. It also has a door. With a lock that I have the key for,” Max supplied his eyes dancing.
“You need a locked door to have lunch now?” Liz asked teasing him as he moved to sit on the desk.
“When a certain brown haired waitress delivers it I do. She’s a handful,” Max said with a grin.
Liz, amused by his response, climbed up to straddle him, repressing a grin at his surprised expression, and when his hands moved to her bottom to keep her from falling, she just couldn’t resist. “I guess that’s about right. You do seem to have your hands full,” Liz agreed, eyes teasing as she leaned forward to taste his smile.
A groan of pleasure rumbled through his chest as her tongue traced over the seam of his mouth, which parted for her immediately. He felt her fingers brush over his cheeks before moving to the nape of his neck, her nails combing through the hair curling over his nape, fanning the flames already building inside him.
Liz felt his desire jump in the way his fingers clenched, dragging her even closer. She followed his tugging motions, rocking against his straining fly as her tongue tangled with his. Her worries, the coming interview, everything else that wasn’t right here in this room just didn’t exist for her anymore. Max had always been able to do that to her, no matter the circumstances. A desperate need scittered through her belly, driving the movement of her hips, encouraging him to respond.
He caught her lower lip in his mouth and tugged at it, raking it with his teeth. Pulling back he looked up into her flushed face panting lightly with every breath he took.
“God, Liz,” Max groaned amazed, as always, at the combustible nature of his need for her. He didn’t protest when her fingers started yanking at his shirt.
“You didn’t lock the door,” Liz pointed out as she pushed his shirt past his shoulders. She sucked at her swollen lip tasting him almost as vividly as if she were still kissing him. Door forgotten she abandoned his shirt, leaving it tangled around his elbows, in favor of skimming her lips over his neck to his collarbone and as far down as she could reach in her current position. She traced every curve, every hollow with her tongue enjoying the differences between them.
“Oh damn,” Max gasp as her mouth trailed over his skin, nibbling and tasting.
Liz slipped off his lap moving lower. The varied flavors of his skin were addicting, she moved back to lave the hollow of his throat as her fingers worked at the button on his jeans.
A little dazed Max wrestled with his shirt ignoring the ripping noise that preceded his release from its confines. He frantically needed to touch her and couldn’t tolerate anything in his way. Feeling her fingers sliding down his zipper he sucked in his breath.
Liz looked up at him through lowered lashes deeply satisfied with her handy work. His eyes glittered, darker then normal, and his ears were glowing with telltale color. Trailing the tips of her fingers down his chest she watched his chest heave and the muscles of his abdomen jump under her touch.
“Liz, I….” Max started but gave up with groan, pushed past his limit by the look on her face and the simmering heat in her eyes.
Liz blinked and lost both her sweater and shirt to Max’s deft hands.
Max looked down at what he had exposed transfixed. “God,” Max said through a tight throat, barely aware of speaking out loud. “You are so…” Stopping to take a breath and swallow he tried again. “Incredibly…” Loosing his train of thought he bent his head and pressed a soft kiss to her nipple, which went from quiescent to diamond hard distension at his touch.
When Max opened his mouth and captured the firm tip of her breast, lightening shot through her as he tugged gently. “Ummm Max,” Liz moaned her neck loosing the strength to support her head.
Max cradled her closer, widening his stance enough to pull her between his legs, allowing his hands to glide over her back as his tongue circled her nipple slowly. She infused his senses, seeping into his very cells and setting them aglow. Her skin was so soft, so absolutely smooth all the way down to the waistband of her pants. She was singularly unique in her creation. No one could ever duplicate her. There could never be two of her, something this perfect only happened once.
Feeling him slowly release her, his lips brushing tender kisses on the swell of her breast, the hollow above her collar bone, her shoulder as he slowly stood Liz raised her arms looping them around his neck and holding onto him so tightly. She never wanted to be away from him.
When her lips met his she felt a moment of total stillness deep inside where everything was exquisitely and totally perfect. She didn’t need anymore then this one moment to feel her life had meant something. In that one moment she knew on a level deeper then thought that he loved her just as ferociously as she did him. Their lips clung together, extending the moment for as long as possible, not wanting to be completely separate.
Max felt her lower lip tremble against his and stilled it with his teeth. Soothing the tremble with the tip of his tongue he thanked whatever was responsible for causing him to crash in exactly the right spot at precisely the right time to meet the only person that just fit. He felt a sense of power that owed nothing to size or strength but was solely due to being loved unconditionally and without reservation. Her love and trust was there to see, to feel, and he had never felt less alien, less invisible in his life. To her he wasn’t either and that was all that was important. It made the long journey to here worth everything.
“Liz Parker, have I told you how much I love you today?” Max asked and felt her smile against his lips.
“Yes,” Liz answered nodding slowly, her nose rubbing against his.
“Really? When did I do that?” Max asked his hands still stroking her skin, unable to stop touching her.
“You do better then tell me,” Liz said sliding her hands down his sides and around to his lower back. “You show me everyday, you always have. I can see it in your eyes and feel it whenever you touch me…even when you really tried not to show it,” Liz teased, brushing a feather-light kiss over his mouth, pausing to nibble at the full curve of his lip.
“You’re a mind reader huh?” Max forced out as her fingers toyed with the waistband of his already slipping pants.
“Only yours,” Liz responded with a smile in her voice. “You don’t really try to hide from me. Not hard enough. You have very expressive eyes. Very pretty ones too,” Liz said laughing softly as he tickled her briefly in silent protest.
Max kissed her hair hugging her close, enjoying the way her breasts flattened against his ribs. “I always knew I didn’t have to hide from you. I just knew.”
“What do you know right now?” Liz asked her eyes dancing.
“I know…” Max paused inhaling sharply as her hand pushed at his pants, sending them down around his ankles.
“You know….” Liz prompted while nibbling along his jaw.
“I know….God Liz..” Max stumbled, his fingers tightening on her back as she skimmed her hand down his abdomen and under his boxer briefs. “Ahhh,” Max groaned as her fingers closed securely around his dick. Taking quick desperate gasps for air as her tongue tested the rougher texture of his chin while her hand stroked over his length. “Don’t….Ugh Liz don’t…”
“Don’t?” Liz asked pausing.
“Don’t stop,” Max gasp out. “I know I don’t want you to stop.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed, more then happy to comply with his request. Pushing off his boxer briefs she took him back into her hand as she placed an opened mouth kiss over his heart.
“Ah God Liz,” Max groaned watching the movement of her hand over the top of her head, mesmerized by the smooth glide of her small hand.
Hearing a new husky note entering his voice, Liz looked up and felt a wild rush of heat spear through her simply amazed that she put that look on his face, that tone in his voice. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from away from him, she’d never seen anything more beautiful to her then he was. His skin was tight, flaring with heated color over his cheekbones, his eyes looked almost as dark as her own, pupils swallowing his more natural golden hue. Her eyes drifted down to his mouth, looking full and still wet from her last kiss and felt a surge of possessive pleasure that was new to her along with a wave of unrestrained need.
Max leaned heavily against the desk as Liz nibbled her way down his chest, her tongue taking swift tastes that were driving him out of his mind along with the continued motions of her hand. When she stopped over the place where she had marked him several times at his request he groaned, his hand moved to tangle in her hair, holding her there. Asking for what he couldn’t voice out loud. That was all Liz needed, she set her mouth firmly, scraping her teeth over his skin, biting down just enough to hold on as his muscles twitched under her lips.
Max couldn’t stop the harsh rumble that escaped him at the strong pull of her mouth. He watched her delicately lick the spot, her eyes meeting his as she moved to kneel in front of him. The restless heat in her eyes pushed him further past reason, aroused him past boundaries. Before he could move, react to the raging call of his body she bent forward and engulfed him in the wet heat of her mouth.
The sharp rapping on her window had Ava whirling around clutching her shirt in front of her chest. Seeing Zan looking back had her scowling. Motioning for him to turn around so she could finish getting dressed had him scowling but after a roll of his eyes he did turn around.
“What are you doing here? AGAIN?” Ava asked aggravated as she lifted the window.
Zan flicked his eyes over her as he climbed in. “Why’d ya botha ta make me turn around? You ain’t much more covered now and I seen it all before anyways.”
“That was then,” Ava said sharply. “I never gave you a lifetime pass. Now what are you doing here?”
“FBI’s here,” Zan answered slipping his hands in his pockets. “Gonna be talk’en ta Liz and Maxie.”
“When?” Ava asked worry creasing her brow.
“Where’s your tat?” Zan asked scowling.
“Got rid of it,” Ava answered shrugging. “Are they being interviewed now? Am I supposed to go down there?”
“You got rid of it? Why?” Zan demanded upset.
“Hello? Why is that important?” Ava asked scowling. “I think the FBI is just a little more pressing then why I got rid of that huge pointless bit of ink. Get over it already!”
Confused himself about why that upset him so much Zan just glared at her, fingers automatically finding the bracelet inside his pocket like he would a talisman. He straightened abruptly, his temperature soaring as a confusing mass of raw emotion exploded in his chest swiftly overloading him.
“Zan?” Ava asked as he stiffened his eyes glazing over. Rushing over when he didn’t respond she touched his cheek not knowing what to do to help him. She jerked her hand away from him as glowing trails of light followed her fingers path. Wiping her hands on her hips hoping to wipe away the lingering tingles in her fingers she got angry. “Zan! I’m not playing with you! Cut it out!” Ava yelled shoving him.
Zan stumbled and blinked confused about what was happening. “Why ya shoving me? Shit Ava! You’s hostile!” Zan accused rubbing his chest where she’d pushed him. “Damn girl! What’s you’s problem?”
“You are!” Ava yelled furious.
“Me? I ain’t done nothing. I jus came ova ta talk ta ya. Why you hating?” Zan asked trying to focus by dropping the bracelet.
“You never DO anything! You just breathe and cause problems!” Ava accused jabbing her finger at him. “What are you hiding? What’s with the pocket pool? Are you some perv or what?”
“WHAT?” Zan yelled his eyes going wide at her attack.
“You come ova here peeping in windows playing with you’s self. You’re disgusting!” Ava screamed right back. Glaring at him she was so furious that she wanted to hit him. Just for being here.
“You crazy or som’en?” Zan asked totally confused about what was going on. What’d he do this time?
“Go find some crazy ass ho that thinks that’s attractive you bastard! I’m done. Don’t be coming ova here think’en you gonna get a little som’en. You ain’t, got it? So go play wit you’s self somewhere’s else!” Ava raged shoving him toward the window.
“Now hold up!” Zan protested grabbing her wrists. “None of dat’s even close ta what’s going on here. You seeing things.”
“I ain’t blind!” Ava yelled wiggling to get away from him. “Let go of me!”
“So you can beat on me? I ain’t buying that. Jus calm down Baby Girl,” Zan said his voice dropping, coaxing her to listen. He didn’t like seeing her so upset.
Dipping his head, Max nuzzled Liz’s ear, his breath tickling the long strands of her hair. Forgetting all about Zan’s presence as he saw the anxiety swimming in her eyes. “This will work out. They can’t pin anything on us because we don’t have anything to do with this.”
“I know but….why don’t they want to see Ava too?” Liz asked glad for the solid wall of his chest supporting her back. “They think we have something to do with this and that’s problem enough. What if they start following us?”
“What if they do?” Max shrugged. “We don’t do anything that interesting. We’ll just have to avoid the pod chamber from now on. No big deal. Tell everyone to keep their eyes open. Really the same rules apply. Don’t use your powers in public, be aware of your surroundings, that kind of thing.”
“I guess,” Liz agreed softly. Chewing on her lip she continued to worry. She still had a shit load of money stuffed behind her dresser that would be awfully hard to explain should they, for whatever reason, get a search warrant and take a look around. Then there was always the slip of the tongue to worry about. Someone could always slip up and say something suspicious in front of the wrong person. What if they called Ava by her name instead of Tess’s? What if the agents weren’t who they said they were? What if they were from the Special Unit? What if they took Max again?
Feeling the tension invading her back, Max slipped his arms around her and moved closer, nuzzling her hair aside to reach her neck.
Liz’s mental list of possible catastrophes cut off abruptly as Max attached his mouth to her neck. She moaned softly, tilting her head to give him greater access, as he sucked on her skin. When his fingers slipped under her shirt to glide over her stomach she reflexively sucked in her breath.
Scooting closer, he crowded her almost off of her step as he slid down behind her, needing a better angle to reach more of her with his mouth.
It was the push of his erection nudging her in the back that brought her to attention. “Umm Max?”
“Hmm?” Max asked not lifting his head. Soothing her reddened skin with his tongue he was only half listening.
“Where’s Zan?” Liz asked her voice coming out a little breathy.
“Who?” Max asked against her ear before nipping at it lightly.
“Zan,” Liz moaned pushing back into him, no longer caring much about his answer. If he just kept doing what he was doing she wouldn’t care about much else for a long time.
Max’s head popped up and he quickly looked around missing Liz’s small noise of protest. “I think he left. Shit! I was gonna ask him about that bracelet. Why didn’t you remind me?”
“Ask him or beat on him hoping it would fall out of his pockets?” Liz asked her lips twitching up into a smile.
Max smiled briefly before bending his head back to her throat. “That sassy mouth of yours could get you into trouble,” Max warned then opened his mouth over her skin using a small amount of suction to pull at her, marking her.
Her eyes fluttered closed, her fingers tightening on his thighs as heat spread through her body settling low in her abdomen. “You think so? I thought you liked my mouth.”
With a groan Max propelled them to their feet, walking them down the last couple of stairs. “I’ve got something to show you.”
“Now?” Liz asked as Max walked them deeper into the UFO Center. Looking over her shoulder she was met by his steady smoldering gaze and felt her stomach tighten.
“Uh huh. Right now,” Max said firmly, moving his hands to her hips, both holding her tightly against him and guiding her to where he wanted them to go.
After what seemed like forever to him, they finally reached their destination. Reaching past her he opened the door and nudged her inside, allowing the door to close before he turned on the light.
Liz blinked in the sudden brightness and looked around. “Wow, Max. Brody let you do this?” Liz asked looking around at what used to be the overcrowded supply closet. It was now empty except for a desk, chair, and one stack of boxes in the corner.
“Yeah,” Max said guiding her over to the small desk. “I had to have somewhere for us to have lunch.”
“Lunch?” Liz asked, her eyebrow lifting. “Isn’t this the only room without a camera in it? That is what you told me right?”
“I did. It also has a door. With a lock that I have the key for,” Max supplied his eyes dancing.
“You need a locked door to have lunch now?” Liz asked teasing him as he moved to sit on the desk.
“When a certain brown haired waitress delivers it I do. She’s a handful,” Max said with a grin.
Liz, amused by his response, climbed up to straddle him, repressing a grin at his surprised expression, and when his hands moved to her bottom to keep her from falling, she just couldn’t resist. “I guess that’s about right. You do seem to have your hands full,” Liz agreed, eyes teasing as she leaned forward to taste his smile.
A groan of pleasure rumbled through his chest as her tongue traced over the seam of his mouth, which parted for her immediately. He felt her fingers brush over his cheeks before moving to the nape of his neck, her nails combing through the hair curling over his nape, fanning the flames already building inside him.
Liz felt his desire jump in the way his fingers clenched, dragging her even closer. She followed his tugging motions, rocking against his straining fly as her tongue tangled with his. Her worries, the coming interview, everything else that wasn’t right here in this room just didn’t exist for her anymore. Max had always been able to do that to her, no matter the circumstances. A desperate need scittered through her belly, driving the movement of her hips, encouraging him to respond.
He caught her lower lip in his mouth and tugged at it, raking it with his teeth. Pulling back he looked up into her flushed face panting lightly with every breath he took.
“God, Liz,” Max groaned amazed, as always, at the combustible nature of his need for her. He didn’t protest when her fingers started yanking at his shirt.
“You didn’t lock the door,” Liz pointed out as she pushed his shirt past his shoulders. She sucked at her swollen lip tasting him almost as vividly as if she were still kissing him. Door forgotten she abandoned his shirt, leaving it tangled around his elbows, in favor of skimming her lips over his neck to his collarbone and as far down as she could reach in her current position. She traced every curve, every hollow with her tongue enjoying the differences between them.
“Oh damn,” Max gasp as her mouth trailed over his skin, nibbling and tasting.
Liz slipped off his lap moving lower. The varied flavors of his skin were addicting, she moved back to lave the hollow of his throat as her fingers worked at the button on his jeans.
A little dazed Max wrestled with his shirt ignoring the ripping noise that preceded his release from its confines. He frantically needed to touch her and couldn’t tolerate anything in his way. Feeling her fingers sliding down his zipper he sucked in his breath.
Liz looked up at him through lowered lashes deeply satisfied with her handy work. His eyes glittered, darker then normal, and his ears were glowing with telltale color. Trailing the tips of her fingers down his chest she watched his chest heave and the muscles of his abdomen jump under her touch.
“Liz, I….” Max started but gave up with groan, pushed past his limit by the look on her face and the simmering heat in her eyes.
Liz blinked and lost both her sweater and shirt to Max’s deft hands.
Max looked down at what he had exposed transfixed. “God,” Max said through a tight throat, barely aware of speaking out loud. “You are so…” Stopping to take a breath and swallow he tried again. “Incredibly…” Loosing his train of thought he bent his head and pressed a soft kiss to her nipple, which went from quiescent to diamond hard distension at his touch.
When Max opened his mouth and captured the firm tip of her breast, lightening shot through her as he tugged gently. “Ummm Max,” Liz moaned her neck loosing the strength to support her head.
Max cradled her closer, widening his stance enough to pull her between his legs, allowing his hands to glide over her back as his tongue circled her nipple slowly. She infused his senses, seeping into his very cells and setting them aglow. Her skin was so soft, so absolutely smooth all the way down to the waistband of her pants. She was singularly unique in her creation. No one could ever duplicate her. There could never be two of her, something this perfect only happened once.
Feeling him slowly release her, his lips brushing tender kisses on the swell of her breast, the hollow above her collar bone, her shoulder as he slowly stood Liz raised her arms looping them around his neck and holding onto him so tightly. She never wanted to be away from him.
When her lips met his she felt a moment of total stillness deep inside where everything was exquisitely and totally perfect. She didn’t need anymore then this one moment to feel her life had meant something. In that one moment she knew on a level deeper then thought that he loved her just as ferociously as she did him. Their lips clung together, extending the moment for as long as possible, not wanting to be completely separate.
Max felt her lower lip tremble against his and stilled it with his teeth. Soothing the tremble with the tip of his tongue he thanked whatever was responsible for causing him to crash in exactly the right spot at precisely the right time to meet the only person that just fit. He felt a sense of power that owed nothing to size or strength but was solely due to being loved unconditionally and without reservation. Her love and trust was there to see, to feel, and he had never felt less alien, less invisible in his life. To her he wasn’t either and that was all that was important. It made the long journey to here worth everything.
“Liz Parker, have I told you how much I love you today?” Max asked and felt her smile against his lips.
“Yes,” Liz answered nodding slowly, her nose rubbing against his.
“Really? When did I do that?” Max asked his hands still stroking her skin, unable to stop touching her.
“You do better then tell me,” Liz said sliding her hands down his sides and around to his lower back. “You show me everyday, you always have. I can see it in your eyes and feel it whenever you touch me…even when you really tried not to show it,” Liz teased, brushing a feather-light kiss over his mouth, pausing to nibble at the full curve of his lip.
“You’re a mind reader huh?” Max forced out as her fingers toyed with the waistband of his already slipping pants.
“Only yours,” Liz responded with a smile in her voice. “You don’t really try to hide from me. Not hard enough. You have very expressive eyes. Very pretty ones too,” Liz said laughing softly as he tickled her briefly in silent protest.
Max kissed her hair hugging her close, enjoying the way her breasts flattened against his ribs. “I always knew I didn’t have to hide from you. I just knew.”
“What do you know right now?” Liz asked her eyes dancing.
“I know…” Max paused inhaling sharply as her hand pushed at his pants, sending them down around his ankles.
“You know….” Liz prompted while nibbling along his jaw.
“I know….God Liz..” Max stumbled, his fingers tightening on her back as she skimmed her hand down his abdomen and under his boxer briefs. “Ahhh,” Max groaned as her fingers closed securely around his dick. Taking quick desperate gasps for air as her tongue tested the rougher texture of his chin while her hand stroked over his length. “Don’t….Ugh Liz don’t…”
“Don’t?” Liz asked pausing.
“Don’t stop,” Max gasp out. “I know I don’t want you to stop.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed, more then happy to comply with his request. Pushing off his boxer briefs she took him back into her hand as she placed an opened mouth kiss over his heart.
“Ah God Liz,” Max groaned watching the movement of her hand over the top of her head, mesmerized by the smooth glide of her small hand.
Hearing a new husky note entering his voice, Liz looked up and felt a wild rush of heat spear through her simply amazed that she put that look on his face, that tone in his voice. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from away from him, she’d never seen anything more beautiful to her then he was. His skin was tight, flaring with heated color over his cheekbones, his eyes looked almost as dark as her own, pupils swallowing his more natural golden hue. Her eyes drifted down to his mouth, looking full and still wet from her last kiss and felt a surge of possessive pleasure that was new to her along with a wave of unrestrained need.
Max leaned heavily against the desk as Liz nibbled her way down his chest, her tongue taking swift tastes that were driving him out of his mind along with the continued motions of her hand. When she stopped over the place where she had marked him several times at his request he groaned, his hand moved to tangle in her hair, holding her there. Asking for what he couldn’t voice out loud. That was all Liz needed, she set her mouth firmly, scraping her teeth over his skin, biting down just enough to hold on as his muscles twitched under her lips.
Max couldn’t stop the harsh rumble that escaped him at the strong pull of her mouth. He watched her delicately lick the spot, her eyes meeting his as she moved to kneel in front of him. The restless heat in her eyes pushed him further past reason, aroused him past boundaries. Before he could move, react to the raging call of his body she bent forward and engulfed him in the wet heat of her mouth.
The sharp rapping on her window had Ava whirling around clutching her shirt in front of her chest. Seeing Zan looking back had her scowling. Motioning for him to turn around so she could finish getting dressed had him scowling but after a roll of his eyes he did turn around.
“What are you doing here? AGAIN?” Ava asked aggravated as she lifted the window.
Zan flicked his eyes over her as he climbed in. “Why’d ya botha ta make me turn around? You ain’t much more covered now and I seen it all before anyways.”
“That was then,” Ava said sharply. “I never gave you a lifetime pass. Now what are you doing here?”
“FBI’s here,” Zan answered slipping his hands in his pockets. “Gonna be talk’en ta Liz and Maxie.”
“When?” Ava asked worry creasing her brow.
“Where’s your tat?” Zan asked scowling.
“Got rid of it,” Ava answered shrugging. “Are they being interviewed now? Am I supposed to go down there?”
“You got rid of it? Why?” Zan demanded upset.
“Hello? Why is that important?” Ava asked scowling. “I think the FBI is just a little more pressing then why I got rid of that huge pointless bit of ink. Get over it already!”
Confused himself about why that upset him so much Zan just glared at her, fingers automatically finding the bracelet inside his pocket like he would a talisman. He straightened abruptly, his temperature soaring as a confusing mass of raw emotion exploded in his chest swiftly overloading him.
“Zan?” Ava asked as he stiffened his eyes glazing over. Rushing over when he didn’t respond she touched his cheek not knowing what to do to help him. She jerked her hand away from him as glowing trails of light followed her fingers path. Wiping her hands on her hips hoping to wipe away the lingering tingles in her fingers she got angry. “Zan! I’m not playing with you! Cut it out!” Ava yelled shoving him.
Zan stumbled and blinked confused about what was happening. “Why ya shoving me? Shit Ava! You’s hostile!” Zan accused rubbing his chest where she’d pushed him. “Damn girl! What’s you’s problem?”
“You are!” Ava yelled furious.
“Me? I ain’t done nothing. I jus came ova ta talk ta ya. Why you hating?” Zan asked trying to focus by dropping the bracelet.
“You never DO anything! You just breathe and cause problems!” Ava accused jabbing her finger at him. “What are you hiding? What’s with the pocket pool? Are you some perv or what?”
“WHAT?” Zan yelled his eyes going wide at her attack.
“You come ova here peeping in windows playing with you’s self. You’re disgusting!” Ava screamed right back. Glaring at him she was so furious that she wanted to hit him. Just for being here.
“You crazy or som’en?” Zan asked totally confused about what was going on. What’d he do this time?
“Go find some crazy ass ho that thinks that’s attractive you bastard! I’m done. Don’t be coming ova here think’en you gonna get a little som’en. You ain’t, got it? So go play wit you’s self somewhere’s else!” Ava raged shoving him toward the window.
“Now hold up!” Zan protested grabbing her wrists. “None of dat’s even close ta what’s going on here. You seeing things.”
“I ain’t blind!” Ava yelled wiggling to get away from him. “Let go of me!”
“So you can beat on me? I ain’t buying that. Jus calm down Baby Girl,” Zan said his voice dropping, coaxing her to listen. He didn’t like seeing her so upset.
With a strangled growl Max reached down and manacled her wrist tugging her to her feet, backing her up to the desk his eyes turned almost feral as her tongue slicked over her lower lip.
“I thought you didn’t want me to stop?” Liz questioned, slightly disgruntled at the interruption, the fingers of her free hand whisping over his inner thigh coaxing him.
Chest jerking in a breath, Max felt like his insides were scorched from the heat building between them. A soft warning growl emanated from deep within his chest as she tried to free her hand from his fingers, stilling her movements immediately and causing her to blink up at him in surprise.
She relaxed leaning against him, fitting her body to his more closely. Rubbing her cheek against his upper chest as his arms closed around her, he dropped her wrist in favor of holding her. Pushing his hands down the swell of hips he longed to feel her bare skin. His fingers moved to the button on her jeans growing frustrated when he had trouble undoing it.
“Max? Go lock the door and I’ll do that,” Liz suggested softly then nuzzled his ear with her nose.
Ava looked up at Zan with suspicious slightly hostile eyes as he tugged her closer.
“I jus came ova ta talk ta you. I was at the Crash this morning ta meet Mikey and the Feds saw me wit Max. Some psycho was screaming bout shit and causing a scene wit Max then the Feds was all up in their face. They’s suposta go in and answer some questions this morning. That’s what I came ta tell you’s. Seriously. I didn’t come by ta get a piece kay? Don’t be getting all tight,” Zan explained in slow even tones. “I’s scared for you’s. This place….I ain’t trying ta talk ya into leaving but….I need ta look afta ya see? So we’s need ta work out what we’s gonna do bout all dis shit.”
“Max will deal with them. Don’t get all wigged out. We just need to wait and see what happens. I’ll go down there just in case and make sure nothing happens to them. You need to stay out of it. If they see you hanging around there….it’ll be a problem,” Ava brushed off the FBI problem. They’d have to take that as it came and not panic. She was more worried about something else. “What’s going on with you Zan? Don’t tell me nothing either. You just spaced out right in front of me. You’re acting like a prick 24/7. We got here and you just….freaked.”
“I ain’t the one that changed,” Zan protested.
“Yes, you did and not for the better. You’ve always been difficult but now it’s out of control. I made some changes but I’m still the same too. I’m just standing up for what I always wanted. What are you doing?” Ava asked preventing him from getting closer by putting her hands on his chest.
Liz whimpered as Max’s teeth sank into the inside of her thigh. She was afraid that she was going to slide right off the desk into a boneless puddle any second.
Max felt like he’d been kicked by a horse as he looked up at her, his hand moved to rub his chest over his heart as he stared at her unable to look away. If he’d been standing he was sure his knees would have given out. “Oh Liz….” He whispered his heart thundering. “Love you so much.”
Liz felt herself blushing under his enraptured gaze and hooked her fingers around his neck and slid off the desk onto his lap. “I know,” Liz answered moving to kiss him, her mouth opening over his as she pressed closer. Max’s arms wrapped around her as the kiss climbed out of control, his heart easing into hers. She didn’t notice as Max lay back carrying her with him, so absorbed in sinking into the bottomless need that lived in them both. She didn’t pause to wonder at where that need came from or if it was right. She didn’t think enough to question anything at all. It felt right and that’s all she needed to know.
Her hair curtained his face, such a small thing after everything, but his entire body felt untamed with need with that one small action. Rolling them over he slipped his hand between her legs searching for her moist heat, needing to touch her. The mewling noise she made along with the uncontrolled counter movement of her hips against his hand set his blood on fire and drove his fingers deeper into her slick cleft.
His name was driven out of her in one long attenuated moan as she felt the sensitive velvet tip of him pressing at her heated moist entrance. “Oh please, Oh please, Oh Max,” Liz chanted not aware of speaking at all. Forcing her eyes opened she met the molten gold of his. She loved watching him, the way passion etched into his face, turning his amber eyes to gold.
His body surged forward in powerful stroke, his eyes on hers blazing with searing heat, his soul bare for her to see. The dilation of her eyes, the soft almost smile on her parted lips, and the way she tilted her pelvis to bring him deeper had his jaw clenching. When he pulled back, dragging against the swollen overly sensitive inner tissues hugging his invading length, Liz shuddered her eyes going blind as soft keening cry escaped her, wiping away the last of his restraint.
Liz clung to him hooking one leg over his thigh, encouraging his frenzied movements. Her body gathered, growing heavy with languid liquid heat, clasping his rigid sex tightly, the fever between them growing with each movement.
As his hands moved to grip her hips, holding her still for his pounding thrusts, Liz swirled her tongue over his skin her hands tugging at him trying to pull him deeper inside. He was her anchor, her safety in the midst of the frenzy of lust and love. She cried out, transported, stars bursting behind her eyes as she convulsed around him, pulling him with her, demanding that he follow.
Gritting out her name between clenched teeth, he thrust deeply, falling into her as he pulsed, spilling himself in her, eyes blazing into hers with possession and fierce commitment. The intensity of his feelings shared in that moment, shimmering between them.
“FUCKING HELL!” Zan cried, as a searing pain burned into his leg where the bracelet was. Shoving Ava away from him his hand dove into his pocket gripping the bracelet and tossing it out of his pocket. It landed on the carpet arches of electricity leaping to the lights, electrical sockets, and appliances throughout the room.
Ava looked from the bracelet to Zan glaring at him before slapping the side of his head. “Stupid ass!” Ava yelled furious.
“Shit Ava! That fucking hurt!” Zan said catching her wrist in his hand.
“Good! I can’t believe you STOLE that from Liz! What’s wrong with you?” Ava demanded.
“I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it,” Zan protested.
“Without permission which is the definition of stealing you asshole!” Ava shook him off and crossed to the now quietly resting bracelet and scooped it up.
“Give it here,” Zan said crossing the room to her.
“Like hell,” Ava said firmly and dropped it down her shirt. “Try and retrieve it and I’ll hurt you. It’s not yours and it’s actual owner wants it back. Now get the hell out of my room.”
“No,” Zan said and went to lay down on her bed. “You’s can’t kick me out jus for pinching a trinket. We was conversing.”
“And now we’re not,” Ava replied smartly. “I got my answers. Go find yours. Figure out why you’re acting like this because I don’t like this person. I don’t want to be around this person, Zan. If I’d wanted a thieving prick with no morals I would’ve hooked up with Rath.”
“That’s cold, Baby Girl,” Zan said quietly.
“Yeah? What if this bracelet needs to be with Liz? You don’t know that it doesn’t. What you do know is that it isn’t YOURS. You are becoming part of the problem, Zan. How do you think Rath started out? Besides defective? He was jealous and petty and he grew to hate you,” Ava said so angry she was sure she was making no sense. “You’re taking from others. For what? What has Max or Liz done to you? What is this bracelet going to do FOR you? I don’t understand. I don’t think you know what the hell you’re doing or why. You say one thing and do another and I’m tired of it. Go lie to someone else cause I’m tired. Tired of listening to one lie after another. You don’t care about me because you have no idea what I’m about. You can’t love me or anyone else more then you do yourself. So go love yourself BY yourself. I’m done.”
“It ain’t even like that,” Zan protested sitting up. “I’m sorry okay? It was a stupid impulse. I jus wanted ta see what it was about. Thas all. You’s jus looking ta throw me ova now. Why’s that? I was good nough ta kick it wit before we’s got here. You didn’t wanna see me as road kill then, now you’d use me as a fucking speed bump. Check yourself Baby Girl.”
“Whatever,” Ava replied scornfully.
Seeing red Zan got up and crossed to her. “No, not whateva.”
Her blue eyes flashed with defiance and her jaw thrust out obstinately. “Whatever, I don’t gotta listen to you. You ain’t my master. You ain’t even master of yourself.”
Like fire to a stick of dynamite emotions exploded between them with uncontrollable combustion. Difference of opinion fanned the flames higher into a fierce battle of wills. When his mouth slammed over hers the fight abruptly drained out him, gentling his kiss, shocking him even more then it did her. Lifting his head he looked into her confused eyes for second before he bolted.
Ava stood there watching as he leapt out the window and disappeared.
“I thought you didn’t want me to stop?” Liz questioned, slightly disgruntled at the interruption, the fingers of her free hand whisping over his inner thigh coaxing him.
Chest jerking in a breath, Max felt like his insides were scorched from the heat building between them. A soft warning growl emanated from deep within his chest as she tried to free her hand from his fingers, stilling her movements immediately and causing her to blink up at him in surprise.
She relaxed leaning against him, fitting her body to his more closely. Rubbing her cheek against his upper chest as his arms closed around her, he dropped her wrist in favor of holding her. Pushing his hands down the swell of hips he longed to feel her bare skin. His fingers moved to the button on her jeans growing frustrated when he had trouble undoing it.
“Max? Go lock the door and I’ll do that,” Liz suggested softly then nuzzled his ear with her nose.
Ava looked up at Zan with suspicious slightly hostile eyes as he tugged her closer.
“I jus came ova ta talk ta you. I was at the Crash this morning ta meet Mikey and the Feds saw me wit Max. Some psycho was screaming bout shit and causing a scene wit Max then the Feds was all up in their face. They’s suposta go in and answer some questions this morning. That’s what I came ta tell you’s. Seriously. I didn’t come by ta get a piece kay? Don’t be getting all tight,” Zan explained in slow even tones. “I’s scared for you’s. This place….I ain’t trying ta talk ya into leaving but….I need ta look afta ya see? So we’s need ta work out what we’s gonna do bout all dis shit.”
“Max will deal with them. Don’t get all wigged out. We just need to wait and see what happens. I’ll go down there just in case and make sure nothing happens to them. You need to stay out of it. If they see you hanging around there….it’ll be a problem,” Ava brushed off the FBI problem. They’d have to take that as it came and not panic. She was more worried about something else. “What’s going on with you Zan? Don’t tell me nothing either. You just spaced out right in front of me. You’re acting like a prick 24/7. We got here and you just….freaked.”
“I ain’t the one that changed,” Zan protested.
“Yes, you did and not for the better. You’ve always been difficult but now it’s out of control. I made some changes but I’m still the same too. I’m just standing up for what I always wanted. What are you doing?” Ava asked preventing him from getting closer by putting her hands on his chest.
Liz whimpered as Max’s teeth sank into the inside of her thigh. She was afraid that she was going to slide right off the desk into a boneless puddle any second.
Max felt like he’d been kicked by a horse as he looked up at her, his hand moved to rub his chest over his heart as he stared at her unable to look away. If he’d been standing he was sure his knees would have given out. “Oh Liz….” He whispered his heart thundering. “Love you so much.”
Liz felt herself blushing under his enraptured gaze and hooked her fingers around his neck and slid off the desk onto his lap. “I know,” Liz answered moving to kiss him, her mouth opening over his as she pressed closer. Max’s arms wrapped around her as the kiss climbed out of control, his heart easing into hers. She didn’t notice as Max lay back carrying her with him, so absorbed in sinking into the bottomless need that lived in them both. She didn’t pause to wonder at where that need came from or if it was right. She didn’t think enough to question anything at all. It felt right and that’s all she needed to know.
Her hair curtained his face, such a small thing after everything, but his entire body felt untamed with need with that one small action. Rolling them over he slipped his hand between her legs searching for her moist heat, needing to touch her. The mewling noise she made along with the uncontrolled counter movement of her hips against his hand set his blood on fire and drove his fingers deeper into her slick cleft.
His name was driven out of her in one long attenuated moan as she felt the sensitive velvet tip of him pressing at her heated moist entrance. “Oh please, Oh please, Oh Max,” Liz chanted not aware of speaking at all. Forcing her eyes opened she met the molten gold of his. She loved watching him, the way passion etched into his face, turning his amber eyes to gold.
His body surged forward in powerful stroke, his eyes on hers blazing with searing heat, his soul bare for her to see. The dilation of her eyes, the soft almost smile on her parted lips, and the way she tilted her pelvis to bring him deeper had his jaw clenching. When he pulled back, dragging against the swollen overly sensitive inner tissues hugging his invading length, Liz shuddered her eyes going blind as soft keening cry escaped her, wiping away the last of his restraint.
Liz clung to him hooking one leg over his thigh, encouraging his frenzied movements. Her body gathered, growing heavy with languid liquid heat, clasping his rigid sex tightly, the fever between them growing with each movement.
As his hands moved to grip her hips, holding her still for his pounding thrusts, Liz swirled her tongue over his skin her hands tugging at him trying to pull him deeper inside. He was her anchor, her safety in the midst of the frenzy of lust and love. She cried out, transported, stars bursting behind her eyes as she convulsed around him, pulling him with her, demanding that he follow.
Gritting out her name between clenched teeth, he thrust deeply, falling into her as he pulsed, spilling himself in her, eyes blazing into hers with possession and fierce commitment. The intensity of his feelings shared in that moment, shimmering between them.
“FUCKING HELL!” Zan cried, as a searing pain burned into his leg where the bracelet was. Shoving Ava away from him his hand dove into his pocket gripping the bracelet and tossing it out of his pocket. It landed on the carpet arches of electricity leaping to the lights, electrical sockets, and appliances throughout the room.
Ava looked from the bracelet to Zan glaring at him before slapping the side of his head. “Stupid ass!” Ava yelled furious.
“Shit Ava! That fucking hurt!” Zan said catching her wrist in his hand.
“Good! I can’t believe you STOLE that from Liz! What’s wrong with you?” Ava demanded.
“I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it,” Zan protested.
“Without permission which is the definition of stealing you asshole!” Ava shook him off and crossed to the now quietly resting bracelet and scooped it up.
“Give it here,” Zan said crossing the room to her.
“Like hell,” Ava said firmly and dropped it down her shirt. “Try and retrieve it and I’ll hurt you. It’s not yours and it’s actual owner wants it back. Now get the hell out of my room.”
“No,” Zan said and went to lay down on her bed. “You’s can’t kick me out jus for pinching a trinket. We was conversing.”
“And now we’re not,” Ava replied smartly. “I got my answers. Go find yours. Figure out why you’re acting like this because I don’t like this person. I don’t want to be around this person, Zan. If I’d wanted a thieving prick with no morals I would’ve hooked up with Rath.”
“That’s cold, Baby Girl,” Zan said quietly.
“Yeah? What if this bracelet needs to be with Liz? You don’t know that it doesn’t. What you do know is that it isn’t YOURS. You are becoming part of the problem, Zan. How do you think Rath started out? Besides defective? He was jealous and petty and he grew to hate you,” Ava said so angry she was sure she was making no sense. “You’re taking from others. For what? What has Max or Liz done to you? What is this bracelet going to do FOR you? I don’t understand. I don’t think you know what the hell you’re doing or why. You say one thing and do another and I’m tired of it. Go lie to someone else cause I’m tired. Tired of listening to one lie after another. You don’t care about me because you have no idea what I’m about. You can’t love me or anyone else more then you do yourself. So go love yourself BY yourself. I’m done.”
“It ain’t even like that,” Zan protested sitting up. “I’m sorry okay? It was a stupid impulse. I jus wanted ta see what it was about. Thas all. You’s jus looking ta throw me ova now. Why’s that? I was good nough ta kick it wit before we’s got here. You didn’t wanna see me as road kill then, now you’d use me as a fucking speed bump. Check yourself Baby Girl.”
“Whatever,” Ava replied scornfully.
Seeing red Zan got up and crossed to her. “No, not whateva.”
Her blue eyes flashed with defiance and her jaw thrust out obstinately. “Whatever, I don’t gotta listen to you. You ain’t my master. You ain’t even master of yourself.”
Like fire to a stick of dynamite emotions exploded between them with uncontrollable combustion. Difference of opinion fanned the flames higher into a fierce battle of wills. When his mouth slammed over hers the fight abruptly drained out him, gentling his kiss, shocking him even more then it did her. Lifting his head he looked into her confused eyes for second before he bolted.
Ava stood there watching as he leapt out the window and disappeared.
Chapter Eighty Three
“Oh God, Max! You have to stop,” Liz gasp out, her chest heaving with the effort to breathe.
Max shifted up onto his elbows and watched her eyes flutter closed as he moved inside her just a little. “I do?” Max asked pleased with her reaction.
“No,” Liz said on a moan then forced her eyes open. “Yes.”
“I’ll take the first answer,” Max murmured dipping his head to kiss her. “I like that one better.”
“Maaaax,” Liz groaned when he lifted his head. Already weakening she tried to remind him that they had somewhere they had to be. Where did he get his energy from anyway? After the second time she was so tired she wasn’t even sure she could get dressed under her own power. “You know we have to…..Ohmigod!” Liz cried out as he laved her sensitized nipple lightly with his tongue.
Max groaned himself as Liz’s body tightened around his, her hips automatically tilting to bring him deeper, causing his semi erect shaft to swell in response. Pulling her closer to the edge of the desk he rolled his hips slowly, pushing deeper, unable to stop himself. He HAD to have her.
“Go in to answer…,” Liz started again only to trail off as common sense receded, need overshadowing reason. Her skin literally itched for the feel of his hands. She could feel the marks he had left on her skin from both of the other two times begin to pulse in a way she recognized.
He could feel her submission in the softening of her body under his and the flexing of her fingers on his back. That was all the permission he needed. Dipping his head nibbled on her lower lip for a moment before needing more.
Liz opened for the demanding invasion of his tongue, sucking delicately at him as fire licked along her skin wherever it met his. The two times before this one might never have happened at all she needed him so much. She was beyond rational thought, responding instinctively to the feel of him, helpless to do anything else. She moaned into his mouth as his hand caressed the petite underside of her breast, cupping her in his hand.
Moving his hand to encircle her breast, his palm brushing her sensitive nipple, he felt her arch into his hands, her hips undulating under his. He promptly went up in flames, the contrast of her small delicate structure and the firm supple muscle moving under her dewy skin drove all other thoughts from his mind.
Utterly uninhibited she moved urgently, meeting his forceful thrusts, feeling the tension draw tighter. She moaned as he drove deeper, striving to hold them together.
His mouth moved down her chin, his panting breaths heating her skin further, down to her throat, placing biting kisses along the graceful length. His hands where everywhere, stroking, gliding over damp skin, coaxing her for more.
Liz opened further, surrendering to him, listening to his broken words of need, attention captured by his husky tone, feeling his words resonate deep inside. She didn’t feel the hard surface of the desk under her back, the edge digging into the soft curve of her bottom, none of that mattered. Her focus was solely on Max and the pull of their combined desires.
Hearing her cries spiral several octaves higher, his movements turned sharp and heavy, pushing her harder, working toward something more then climax. Feeling her fracture under him, her body contracting wildly around him, he thrust even harder, feeling her seal burning bright, moving under her skin. With a hoarse groan he shuddered, emptying deep inside her with bone rattling force.
Finally coming back to himself, he blinked the sweat out of his eyes and sank down onto his forearms. Brushing a soft kiss over Liz’s swollen lips he tasted salt. Drawing back enough to see her face he gently stroked her damp hair away from her face. When her eyes slowly drifted open he smiled.
“You okay?” Max asked.
“I can’t move,” Liz answered lazily.
“That’s because I’m still laying on you,” Max pointed out.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to move again,” Liz said, her lips turning up slightly at the corners. “And it’s all your fault.”
“You said that last time,” Max said ducking to nibble on her ear.
“I mean it this time,” Liz whispered her eyes drifting shut. “You can explain to the FBI and our fathers why we’re late and you’re carrying me into the station,” Liz said on a yawn.
“Okay,” Max agreed too happy to be worried. His fingers drifted over her temples, softly stroking back and forth over the delicate skin and into her hair. She was radiant. Tired, sweaty, and quite simply the most beautiful girl ever.
“You might TRY and wipe off that goofy grin,” Liz said without opening her eyes, her expression serene.
“What goofy grin?” Max asked, the goofy grin in question growing even wider.
“The one I can see with my eyes closed,” Liz answered amusement in her voice.
Max leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose. “I was just thinking how much I like my new office.”
“I’m so glad,” Liz replied on a sigh. “Maybe that’ll make up for being….” Liz lifted her arm and looked at her watch. “at least thirty minutes late for our official questioning,” Liz paused for a beat before her smile broke free and her eyes opened meeting his. “At least I’m so tired I doubt I’ll look nervous. Just very very rumpled.”
Max pushed up straight and stepped back almost groaning with disappointment at the separation. Shoving his hands through his hair he looked around at their scattered clothes. “You know…..the FBI is really inconveniencing me here.”
Liz lifted up onto her elbows, her eyebrow lifted in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“Now I have to get dressed,” Max grumbled.
Liz bit her lip to quell her urge to laugh. “They do tend to like it when you’re clothed,” Liz agreed her eyes following his movements as he scooped up an article of clothing. “I know my dad would really appreciate it.”
Max hummed in agreement as he tugged on his boxer briefs, glancing over his shoulder as Liz sank back down onto the desk her eyes looking back at him, drowsy and content. Walking back to her he bent over and kissed her, lingering, his lips tasting hers lovingly.
“This is how this started,” Liz warned softly then laved his full lower lip with her tongue.
“Um hmm,” Max agreed. “But you taste so good. I can’t help it,” Max teased.
Liz sighed as her lips once again sought his, her fingers stroking his ears. “I never did like cherry flavored anything,” Liz said so softly he almost missed it. “Tastes like medicine.”
“What?” Max asked pulling back in surprise.
“Nothing,” Liz answered softly shaking her head. “It’s nothing. I’m just babbling.”
“That should entertain the FBI,” Max teased smiling when she rolled her eyes.
Pushing at his chest Liz sat up with a wince when he stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” Max asked immediately, seeing her wince of pain.
“Nothing, just sore. This office of yours needs a soft surface for future reference,” Liz answered not attempting to stand. Her thighs were protesting enough already and her back was stiff and aching now that she was aware enough to notice.
Max stepped back to her side and quickly placed his hand over her belly directly over her seal, connecting easily with the added boost provided by their seals. It was seductive connecting like this, the pull to be together stronger, more tempting. Like they were supposed to be together completely, in all ways. Pushing that call aside, he focused on relieving her discomfort. It wasn’t even that difficult because her needs always came first, if she was hurting he needed to fix it.
Liz made a small sound of pleasure as warmth exploded through her, soothing muscles aching from over use, along with any kinks from being too long on first the floor and then the desktop. “Oh Max. You are soo good at that,” Liz said when his eyes once again fully focused on hers.
Max smiled and kissed her temple. “I bet you say that to all the hybrids that heal you.”
“I do,” Liz agreed, her voice full of play. “And they believe it.”
Max smiled against her temple lightly nuzzling her with his nose, content now that the anxious tone had disappeared from her voice. He ignored the first stirrings of reawakening desire, his protective urges overriding that desire and demanding that he take care of her. See to her happiness and wellbeing.
“I suppose you want your clothes,” Max said in a put upon tone of voice going along with her playful mood.
“Yes, please. I’m ready to get this over with so we can get on with our day off school,” Liz said then tilted her head. “The FBI really is an inconvenience.”
“Told you,” Max said grinning.
Liz smiled back shaking her head as she pushed him back enough to stand.
Max watched her get dressed mourning the need for the covering.
“Oh yuck,” Liz said scowling as she shoved her hair back. “I’m totally gross and sweaty. Max! This is two days in row you’ve done this!”
“Done what?” Max asked innocently.
“Don’t even! You know what I’m talking about. How did I let you talk me into…the sad thing is…you don’t even have to talk!” Liz started berating herself but stopped as Max moved closer. She knew that look. “Stop right there! I’m serious,” Liz declared hopping backwards on one shoe as she tried to put on the other. She knew better then to let him touch her. That was exactly how they ended up on the desk. She had let him help her with her sweater and he helped her right back out of it. “You can just stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” Max asked edging forward every time Liz looked away to continue dressing.
“Like that!” Liz pointed at him sharply. “Exactly like that. Our DADS are waiting! I have to get dressed!”
“Okay,” Max agreed still creeping closer.
“No!” Liz said scrambling into her shirt. “You said okay the last time. Just stay over there,” Liz hurrying to tuck the shirt into her pants, looking for the shirt to act as armor to shore up her own weak resolve. “You’re not even dressed, Max.”
Max scooped up his jeans and quickly pulled them on, leaving them undone as he moved closer. “My shirts behind you,” Max said innocently to explain his continued advancement.
Liz turned to locate and hand him the shirt, taking her eyes off of Max for no more then two or three seconds. “There’s no shirt here,” Liz said as Max slipped his arms around her. Turning back to him she shot him an accusing look. “You cheater.”
Max tried to look hurt but failed miserably. “That’s not nice, Liz. I could feel hurt by that,” Max said nuzzling her ear.
“Sometimes the truth hurts,” Liz murmured, her arms slipping around his neck. “You don’t seem damaged to me. Here you are slipping your hands under my shirt.”
Max froze in guilty amusement, his stifled laugh tickling her ear. “I’ll be good, promise. I just need to…”
“Touch,” Liz sighed playing with the ends of his hair. “I know.”
“Yeah,” Max sighed feeling a warm glow inside that connected him to her. He wanted to hang onto that feeling, which was always stronger when they were touching.
“Okay,” Liz agreed wanting the same thing. “But the clothes stay on.”
“Deal,” Max agreed a smile splitting his face.
Phillip drove toward the police station with his mind churning over this latest set of events. He couldn’t help but think that his son had never been in any sort of trouble before he hooked up with the Parker girl. She seemed like a lighting rod for trouble.
Pulling into the station he parked and turned off the ignition before sitting quietly for a moment. Trying to gather his thoughts and turn his passion for law into practical help for his son. He’d never thought that he would need to combine the two.
“Oh God, Max! You have to stop,” Liz gasp out, her chest heaving with the effort to breathe.
Max shifted up onto his elbows and watched her eyes flutter closed as he moved inside her just a little. “I do?” Max asked pleased with her reaction.
“No,” Liz said on a moan then forced her eyes open. “Yes.”
“I’ll take the first answer,” Max murmured dipping his head to kiss her. “I like that one better.”
“Maaaax,” Liz groaned when he lifted his head. Already weakening she tried to remind him that they had somewhere they had to be. Where did he get his energy from anyway? After the second time she was so tired she wasn’t even sure she could get dressed under her own power. “You know we have to…..Ohmigod!” Liz cried out as he laved her sensitized nipple lightly with his tongue.
Max groaned himself as Liz’s body tightened around his, her hips automatically tilting to bring him deeper, causing his semi erect shaft to swell in response. Pulling her closer to the edge of the desk he rolled his hips slowly, pushing deeper, unable to stop himself. He HAD to have her.
“Go in to answer…,” Liz started again only to trail off as common sense receded, need overshadowing reason. Her skin literally itched for the feel of his hands. She could feel the marks he had left on her skin from both of the other two times begin to pulse in a way she recognized.
He could feel her submission in the softening of her body under his and the flexing of her fingers on his back. That was all the permission he needed. Dipping his head nibbled on her lower lip for a moment before needing more.
Liz opened for the demanding invasion of his tongue, sucking delicately at him as fire licked along her skin wherever it met his. The two times before this one might never have happened at all she needed him so much. She was beyond rational thought, responding instinctively to the feel of him, helpless to do anything else. She moaned into his mouth as his hand caressed the petite underside of her breast, cupping her in his hand.
Moving his hand to encircle her breast, his palm brushing her sensitive nipple, he felt her arch into his hands, her hips undulating under his. He promptly went up in flames, the contrast of her small delicate structure and the firm supple muscle moving under her dewy skin drove all other thoughts from his mind.
Utterly uninhibited she moved urgently, meeting his forceful thrusts, feeling the tension draw tighter. She moaned as he drove deeper, striving to hold them together.
His mouth moved down her chin, his panting breaths heating her skin further, down to her throat, placing biting kisses along the graceful length. His hands where everywhere, stroking, gliding over damp skin, coaxing her for more.
Liz opened further, surrendering to him, listening to his broken words of need, attention captured by his husky tone, feeling his words resonate deep inside. She didn’t feel the hard surface of the desk under her back, the edge digging into the soft curve of her bottom, none of that mattered. Her focus was solely on Max and the pull of their combined desires.
Hearing her cries spiral several octaves higher, his movements turned sharp and heavy, pushing her harder, working toward something more then climax. Feeling her fracture under him, her body contracting wildly around him, he thrust even harder, feeling her seal burning bright, moving under her skin. With a hoarse groan he shuddered, emptying deep inside her with bone rattling force.
Finally coming back to himself, he blinked the sweat out of his eyes and sank down onto his forearms. Brushing a soft kiss over Liz’s swollen lips he tasted salt. Drawing back enough to see her face he gently stroked her damp hair away from her face. When her eyes slowly drifted open he smiled.
“You okay?” Max asked.
“I can’t move,” Liz answered lazily.
“That’s because I’m still laying on you,” Max pointed out.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to move again,” Liz said, her lips turning up slightly at the corners. “And it’s all your fault.”
“You said that last time,” Max said ducking to nibble on her ear.
“I mean it this time,” Liz whispered her eyes drifting shut. “You can explain to the FBI and our fathers why we’re late and you’re carrying me into the station,” Liz said on a yawn.
“Okay,” Max agreed too happy to be worried. His fingers drifted over her temples, softly stroking back and forth over the delicate skin and into her hair. She was radiant. Tired, sweaty, and quite simply the most beautiful girl ever.
“You might TRY and wipe off that goofy grin,” Liz said without opening her eyes, her expression serene.
“What goofy grin?” Max asked, the goofy grin in question growing even wider.
“The one I can see with my eyes closed,” Liz answered amusement in her voice.
Max leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose. “I was just thinking how much I like my new office.”
“I’m so glad,” Liz replied on a sigh. “Maybe that’ll make up for being….” Liz lifted her arm and looked at her watch. “at least thirty minutes late for our official questioning,” Liz paused for a beat before her smile broke free and her eyes opened meeting his. “At least I’m so tired I doubt I’ll look nervous. Just very very rumpled.”
Max pushed up straight and stepped back almost groaning with disappointment at the separation. Shoving his hands through his hair he looked around at their scattered clothes. “You know…..the FBI is really inconveniencing me here.”
Liz lifted up onto her elbows, her eyebrow lifted in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“Now I have to get dressed,” Max grumbled.
Liz bit her lip to quell her urge to laugh. “They do tend to like it when you’re clothed,” Liz agreed her eyes following his movements as he scooped up an article of clothing. “I know my dad would really appreciate it.”
Max hummed in agreement as he tugged on his boxer briefs, glancing over his shoulder as Liz sank back down onto the desk her eyes looking back at him, drowsy and content. Walking back to her he bent over and kissed her, lingering, his lips tasting hers lovingly.
“This is how this started,” Liz warned softly then laved his full lower lip with her tongue.
“Um hmm,” Max agreed. “But you taste so good. I can’t help it,” Max teased.
Liz sighed as her lips once again sought his, her fingers stroking his ears. “I never did like cherry flavored anything,” Liz said so softly he almost missed it. “Tastes like medicine.”
“What?” Max asked pulling back in surprise.
“Nothing,” Liz answered softly shaking her head. “It’s nothing. I’m just babbling.”
“That should entertain the FBI,” Max teased smiling when she rolled her eyes.
Pushing at his chest Liz sat up with a wince when he stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” Max asked immediately, seeing her wince of pain.
“Nothing, just sore. This office of yours needs a soft surface for future reference,” Liz answered not attempting to stand. Her thighs were protesting enough already and her back was stiff and aching now that she was aware enough to notice.
Max stepped back to her side and quickly placed his hand over her belly directly over her seal, connecting easily with the added boost provided by their seals. It was seductive connecting like this, the pull to be together stronger, more tempting. Like they were supposed to be together completely, in all ways. Pushing that call aside, he focused on relieving her discomfort. It wasn’t even that difficult because her needs always came first, if she was hurting he needed to fix it.
Liz made a small sound of pleasure as warmth exploded through her, soothing muscles aching from over use, along with any kinks from being too long on first the floor and then the desktop. “Oh Max. You are soo good at that,” Liz said when his eyes once again fully focused on hers.
Max smiled and kissed her temple. “I bet you say that to all the hybrids that heal you.”
“I do,” Liz agreed, her voice full of play. “And they believe it.”
Max smiled against her temple lightly nuzzling her with his nose, content now that the anxious tone had disappeared from her voice. He ignored the first stirrings of reawakening desire, his protective urges overriding that desire and demanding that he take care of her. See to her happiness and wellbeing.
“I suppose you want your clothes,” Max said in a put upon tone of voice going along with her playful mood.
“Yes, please. I’m ready to get this over with so we can get on with our day off school,” Liz said then tilted her head. “The FBI really is an inconvenience.”
“Told you,” Max said grinning.
Liz smiled back shaking her head as she pushed him back enough to stand.
Max watched her get dressed mourning the need for the covering.
“Oh yuck,” Liz said scowling as she shoved her hair back. “I’m totally gross and sweaty. Max! This is two days in row you’ve done this!”
“Done what?” Max asked innocently.
“Don’t even! You know what I’m talking about. How did I let you talk me into…the sad thing is…you don’t even have to talk!” Liz started berating herself but stopped as Max moved closer. She knew that look. “Stop right there! I’m serious,” Liz declared hopping backwards on one shoe as she tried to put on the other. She knew better then to let him touch her. That was exactly how they ended up on the desk. She had let him help her with her sweater and he helped her right back out of it. “You can just stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” Max asked edging forward every time Liz looked away to continue dressing.
“Like that!” Liz pointed at him sharply. “Exactly like that. Our DADS are waiting! I have to get dressed!”
“Okay,” Max agreed still creeping closer.
“No!” Liz said scrambling into her shirt. “You said okay the last time. Just stay over there,” Liz hurrying to tuck the shirt into her pants, looking for the shirt to act as armor to shore up her own weak resolve. “You’re not even dressed, Max.”
Max scooped up his jeans and quickly pulled them on, leaving them undone as he moved closer. “My shirts behind you,” Max said innocently to explain his continued advancement.
Liz turned to locate and hand him the shirt, taking her eyes off of Max for no more then two or three seconds. “There’s no shirt here,” Liz said as Max slipped his arms around her. Turning back to him she shot him an accusing look. “You cheater.”
Max tried to look hurt but failed miserably. “That’s not nice, Liz. I could feel hurt by that,” Max said nuzzling her ear.
“Sometimes the truth hurts,” Liz murmured, her arms slipping around his neck. “You don’t seem damaged to me. Here you are slipping your hands under my shirt.”
Max froze in guilty amusement, his stifled laugh tickling her ear. “I’ll be good, promise. I just need to…”
“Touch,” Liz sighed playing with the ends of his hair. “I know.”
“Yeah,” Max sighed feeling a warm glow inside that connected him to her. He wanted to hang onto that feeling, which was always stronger when they were touching.
“Okay,” Liz agreed wanting the same thing. “But the clothes stay on.”
“Deal,” Max agreed a smile splitting his face.
Phillip drove toward the police station with his mind churning over this latest set of events. He couldn’t help but think that his son had never been in any sort of trouble before he hooked up with the Parker girl. She seemed like a lighting rod for trouble.
Pulling into the station he parked and turned off the ignition before sitting quietly for a moment. Trying to gather his thoughts and turn his passion for law into practical help for his son. He’d never thought that he would need to combine the two.
Chapter Eighty Four
“They’re here,” Hansen said ducking his head just inside the room the agents had “borrowed” for this latest visit.
Agent Lewis looked at his watch.
“Should I show them all back?” Hansen finally asked when neither agent responded.
Davis looked over to Lewis letting him answer since this was his idea.
“No, let them wait. I’ll buzz you when we’re ready,” Lewis answered dismissing the deputy.
Davis waited for the door to close before speaking. “What are we waiting for? I don’t understand why we’re even here. You can’t really think that these two kids have been traveling around to different states killing people.”
“No, I don’t think that,” Lewis agreed slowly then frowned. “Something’s been bugging me about these kids. I did a little digging.”
“And?” Davis asked when his partner paused letting his statement dangle in the air.
“Did you know that these two kids were under investigation by the Bureau previously? The boy in particular.”
“What?” Davis asked shocked surprise coloring his expression. “What for?
“I don’t have any idea. I just found the traces of old files by entering their names in our system. Even more interesting is that it was the Special Unit that was in charge of the investigation,” Lewis said watching Davis closely.
“What? That doesn’t make sense. That unit was shut down for lack of results and improper actions,” Davis objected. “What would that have to do with our case anyway?”
“It might not,” Lewis agreed. “I just find it interesting. These aren’t a couple of normal kids. Not when they’re the subjects of not one but two FBI investigations.”
Davis wanted to protest that the kids couldn’t be faulted for being the victims of a crime, or more then one crime, but held his tongue knowing that once Lewis was set on something it was very hard to change his mind about it. “So besides the old file, what’s bothering you about them? You think they’re lying? We verified the Parker girl’s statement and it checks out. What does this file say exactly?”
“It doesn’t say anything. It was deleted. All I got was the old case number and their names, not much more then that. I know her statement checked out but…..Something isn’t right here,” Lewis said, brow wrinkled as he tried to put his feelings into words. His gut was telling him something was off and it was rarely wrong. “I just want to see what they say, see what they look like while they say it.”
“Okay, so what are we waiting for?” Davis asked.
“I want to observe what they’re like before they come in here,” Lewis said nodding his head at the monitor that still worked in what used to be the watch commanders office. Now, Roswell didn’t really need a watch commander and had fallen back into a more casual way of doing their job, but the equipment still worked, leftovers from a more paranoid time when the army had been a real presence in town. “I want to watch then while they wait.”
Davis turned to watch the teens wondering what Lewis hoped to see. All he saw were two teens, maybe a little more intense then some but then that wasn’t really surprising considering.
Phillip also found himself watching his son and his girlfriend. Their explanation for their tardy arrival aside, he wasn’t blind. Absently nodding as Hansen babbled on, he studied the pair.
Max shifted on the hard bench, bringing Liz even closer to his side, playing with her fingers as she talked softly with her father. Studying her profile he sighed as his eyes landed on her neck and the marks that were slowly blooming on her skin, apparently he hadn’t gotten all of them.
“Daddy, it’ll be okay. It’s understandable that they would have some questions and if anything we tell them helps to find Sophia then I can’t complain about being harassed,” Liz said softly, trying to sooth her worried father.
“You already answered their questions. I don’t get the feeling that this is about those poor girls at all and every time they pull you in here for questioning it just fuels the questions around town. It’s irresponsible of them to put you in more danger for no reason,” Jeff argued stubbornly. What if that wacko who had taken those two girls found out that Liz was being questioned? What if he started focusing on Liz and her friends? What could Liz possibly know that made the risks of this continued questioning worthwhile? Hadn’t Liz been through enough already?
Liz sighed and shrugged. “It’s not going to help to get upset. All we can do is tell them what we know and hope it helps. I don’t know what else to do.”
Jeff sighed and glanced at Max, who seemed to be hearing what Liz wasn’t saying, his expression didn’t change but his eyes looked worried and never left Liz. “That’s why Phillip’s here. We can’t be too careful after what happened with that reporter. I won’t let them trample on your rights and set that kind of thing in motion again. We’ll answer their questions and then that’s it. We’re done.”
Liz scooted closer to Max, unconsciously seeking the reassurance that his presence always gave her. “Dad, really. It’s not like that at all. We’re only here because we know them a little. That’s all. Let’s not look for problems okay?”
“Right,” Jeff agreed then continued. “I’m just going to go and talk to Hansen. See what’s taking so long.”
Liz sighed and leaned her back against Max’s chest. “This isn’t going very good is it?”
“He’s just worried about you…..for you,” Max soothed kissing her hair.
“I know,” Liz agreed softly.
They didn’t talk anymore as they waited, the peace of being together stealing through them. They both tried to keep in mind their audience and keep the touching casual, normal, when it felt anything but. They had mixed success.
It was clear to anyone watching they were anything but casual, which after his talk with Max, Jeff already knew. He chose to see only that his daughter was happy and had chosen a caring young man. Phillip’s vision showed him something a little different.
What it said to the agents watching in the next room was just as varied. Davis saw two high school sweethearts. Nothing strange about that, he’d had his own sweetheart in school.
Lewis held off on reaching any kind of conclusions that might be influenced by his own preconceived notions and just watched for anything unusual. Truthfully, he didn’t hold the Special Unit in high regard and never had. To him they were a bunch of alarmists that were motivated by fear, draining much needed resources away from other more important areas, to engage in fruitless witch-hunts. That they had received any funding at all was a crime in his opinion. He did find it curious that they would focus on the same group of kids that kept popping up on the radar though.
It made him wonder if maybe someone else could be focusing in on them as well. They did seem to draw more then their fair share of attention if what he’d learned was anything to go by.
His gut told him there was more here then two kids who kept getting into trouble. They were both excellent students with good families. If you looked at them on paper there was nothing unusual about them at all. But he was looking at them in person and there was something more then the norm there. He just couldn’t place what it was exactly.
Max watched Liz walk down the hall and disappear into the bathroom and had to force himself to sit and wait. The longer she was gone the more edgy he got until finally he got up and tried to casually stroll in the direction she had disappeared. Hovering around the girl’s bathroom he was tempted to knock and make sure she was okay but a glance down the hall showed his father watching him. Rubbing his neck he continued on to the drinking fountain but as he drank his eyes went to the bathroom door causing him to crane his neck at an odd angle to keep it in sight.
When Liz suddenly appeared he lost track of what he was supposed to be doing and sprayed himself in the face with a stream of water.
Liz caught sight of him, water dripping off his face, and smiled. “Problem?”
“I was thirsty,” Max said sheepishly as he wiped at his face.
“I can see that,” Liz agreed walking over to him. Unable to resist, she brushed a quick chaste kiss over his chilled lips that she ruined with an even faster swipe of her tongue, capturing the few drops of water that he had missed. “Can you spare some for me? I’m still a little…hot and thirsty.”
“Yes,” Max said his eyes darkening as he moved aside for her, automatically putting himself between her and everyone waiting down the hall.
Bending over she took a long drink feeling the weight of his stare on her the whole time. Standing up she licked at a stray drop of water on her lip, slowly moving closer to him, drawn by her need to touch him. It was stronger then her sense of caution for their audience, it felt elemental and necessary.
“Better?” Max asked, starting to sweat as her body called to his. As his eyes swept over her all the small signs of arousal were there, mocking him with his inability to do anything about it. What he wouldn’t give to be able to just pull her into the bathroom, jerk off those jeans, and bury himself inside her.
“Uh huh,” Liz agreed tilting her head slightly, watching his eyes follow the naked length of her neck. “I’m not thirsty anymore.”
“Liz,” Max warned softly, his fingers twitching at his sides with the need to touch her. “You’re playing with fire.”
Liz smiled her eyes dancing. “Maybe you need to get a little wetter, to put out the fire I mean. I can’t play right now. Busy,” Liz said with a casual shrug and laughing eyes.
“Yet somehow you still manage to cause trouble,” Max observed quirking an eyebrow at her.
“Me?” Liz asked pointing at her chest. “No,” Liz disagreed shaking her head. “I think you’re the problem here. You seem to be the one with the issue.”
“I don’t have a problem,” Max denied.
“Really? You might want to discuss that with the body part that seems to have a mind of it’s own,” Liz said, pointedly dropping her eyes lower. “Unless you want to greet the FBI with something other then a hand shake. I think there’s a slight uprising to deal with in your pants.”
“An uprising you provoked,” Max accused softly. “Wait, slight?”
“I just got a drink. You’re the one with the wandering eyes leading to wandering thoughts. I didn’t ask you to follow me down here,” Liz said defending herself when she knew she had no defense, ignoring his question completely. “I swear you’re going to get me in so much trouble. This is crazy. This isn’t normal.”
Max’s lips twitched once before he started laughing softly. He couldn’t help it, the helpless confusion on her face mixed with her outraged tone were just too much. “You know this isn’t all me.”
“I know!” Liz cried, disgusted with her own lack of good sense. The throbbing heat of her seal drew her to him, built on the echo from his seal, in a viscous out of control cycle that fed on itself. She didn’t know how to dampen it down even if she wanted to, which was also in question.
He drew her into his chest, feeling the same need that had been driving him all day. The same need that had forced him down the hall after her. When her fingers slipped between his, linking them together as much as their audience allowed, he felt better, more centered.
As they walked down the hallway holding hands, Liz could feel his seal pulsing against her palm and hers matching it, good thing she was wearing jeans. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable just distracting, pulling them into their own world separate from everyone else. Taking their seat their eyes met and held, sharing their desire to get out of there away from everyone.
“Max?” Phillip said trying for the third time to grab his son’s attention. “They’re ready to start.”
Max blinked, a furrow appearing between his brows, with a sigh he looked up and nodded. Standing and pulling Liz up along with him, he stopped when his father put a restraining hand on his arm.
“They want to talk to each of you separately first. Liz with her father in there and I’ll go with you right next to them,” Phillip explained shortly.
“Right, okay,” Max agreed.
Phillip watched them look at each other before Max reluctantly released her. Flashing a quick smile Liz followed her father into the room where Agent Davis waited. Max hesitated until the door shut, cutting off his view of Liz. It was only then that he walked into the room where Agent Lewis awaited.
Davis looked down at the notebook in front of him with the same questions Lewis was asking Max Evans in the next room. “How well did you know each of the victims? Let’s start with Pam Troy.”
“I’ve known her since grade school but I wouldn’t say I knew her well. We never really got along,” Liz answered.
~~~~~~~~
“I didn’t know her,” Max answered Lewis. “I knew who she was but that’s it.”
“Really? When we spoke to some of her friends they implied you were interested in her,” Lewis replied watching every flicker in his eyes and every expression that crossed his face.
“What? No! No way,” Max answered aghast. “I don’t know why they said that but they’re mistaken. Very mistaken.”
“Because you’re seeing Liz,” Lewis stated.
“Yeah, and because I wasn’t interested in Pam, at all, ever,” Max stated firmly.
~~~~~~~~
“The reason you two didn’t get along wasn’t Max Evans was it?” Davis asked twirling his pen between his fingers.
“Umm no,” Liz answered confused. “We never did get along right from the beginning. Max and his sister weren’t even in Roswell then.”
“Oh. So he didn’t date her and then leave her for you?” Davis asked.
Liz couldn’t help but smile at that question. “Max? With Pam? No. We just never got along at all. She didn’t like me much and the feeling was mutual.”
“What about Sophia? Her father seems to believe Max was close to her,” Davis asked his face impassive.
“Well he’s wrong,” Liz said firmly. “They were partners on a school project, which she didn’t seem to want her father to know about. That’s a far cry from being a couple.”
~~~~~~~~
“I told you,” Max said getting frustrated. “Just like I told her father, I barely know her. We didn’t choose our partners they were assigned. I certainly never dated her. I never did anything social with her at all. Every time I saw her it was about our project.”
“Do you think Liz believes that?” Lewis asked calmly.
“I know she does because she knows me,” Max said his brows drawing together in annoyance.
“How are these questions going to help you find the missing girl, which is what we’re here to help with?” Phillip cut in not liking the direction of the agent’s questions.
“What about that Zan person? Did he ever meet either of the girls?” Lewis asked ignoring Phillip.
“I don’t…..I think maybe he saw Sophia once,” Max stumbled. “But I don’t think it was much more then that. Sophia never hung around with us or anything, she was always to busy.”
“What is Zan’s full name?” Lewis asked.
“I don’t know,” Max answered briefly.
~~~~~~~~
“I don’t know if he has a last name. If he does he’s never mentioned it but I think he likes to be a mystery,” Liz answered Davis her tone light and even.
“Who is he? Is he related to Max?” Davis answered.
“He’s a friend of Tess’s. He just showed up to visit her awhile back. Tess always said she knew this guy that looked like Max but when he got here it was a shock. I can’t tell you if they’re related, since Max and Isabel are both adopted. They could be,” Liz shrugged unconcerned. “You could find Zan and ask him but he’s never seemed to want to talk about it.”
“Did Zan ever hang around with either Sophia or Pam?” Davis asked.
“No, not that I know of. I doubt he ever saw Pam at all, she never really came into the café that much. He met Sophia on Saturday but she left right away and he hung out with the rest of us,” Liz said trying to remember. “I can’t be positive but I thought he left with Michael when he got off of work but I might be mixing up my days. No, I’m pretty sure that’s right because I had dinner with Max on Sunday so it had to have been Saturday I’m thinking about.”
~~~~~~~~
“So you’re saying you don’t remember anything before you were picked up? Nothing before the age of say….five?” Lewis asked Max.
“That’s right,” Max said stiffly.
“What does this have to do with anything?” Phillip demanded.
“I just find it strange that this Zan person shows up here and looks just like you,” Lewis stated trying to throw Max enough to get some information.
“You find it strange? Try being me and looking into a face so different from yours but not. It’s strange alright and he’s NOT just like me,” Max said forcefully. “All I know is that he grew up in New York somewhere. That’s it and frankly, that’s enough for me. I have a family and have no desire to search out any other relatives. I was abandoned Agent Lewis. Why would I try and track down the people that left me and my sister in the desert by the side of the road? Or care if any of them showed up? I think we stopped being family at that point.”
“Can I speak with you outside Agent Lewis?” Phillip said sternly, his face flushing with temper.
“Of course,” Lewis agreed.
~~~~~~~~
After her father and Agent Davis were called out of the room Liz began pacing, feeling confined and edgy. It wasn’t the questions or the implied meaning of the questions that were getting to her however.
She needed to see Max.
The throbbing sensation that had been distracting at first had slowly built, forcing her to her feet, and sending her pacing her “cage” like a restless cat. The urge to seek him out was strong, the call of his seal whispered to her at a level below conscious thought, driving her restlessness.
Every time she paced passed their joint wall her steps slowed until finally she stopped, staring at the wall with fierce concentration.
~~~~~~~~
Max stood up quickly, sending his chair screeching back across the floor, but he didn’t hear it. Striding over to the wall separating them, he could feel her discomfort and need. He could almost feel the heat of her body through the wall keeping them apart, needing to be as close as he could to her he leaned his back against the wall where he felt her the strongest and willed this thing to be over.
He’d answered their questions. Now he needed to be with Liz.
~~~~~~~~
Liz slowly slid down the wall to the floor, drawing her knees up against her chest. It was scorching hot in here. Were they trying to torture her?
The persistent call of the seal continued despite the fact that she knew Max was just on the other side of the wall. This was bad.
She knew she couldn’t pull off any more questions at this point. One look at her would shatter the illusion of normal she was trying so hard to present.
Taking slow deep breaths she floated free, leaving her body and all it’s demands behind. Searching out Max the only way open to her.
~~~~~~~~
Max opened his eyes, feeling his desperation lessen marginally, and locked eyes with Liz. Blinking in confusion at the differing messages his senses were sending him, he simply stared. His eyes said she was here, in front of him, but yet he could still feel her on the other side of the wall.
“Liz? What?” Max whispered confusion in his tone. He watched her shake her head and put her finger to her lips, telling him without words to be quiet.
When she moved closer, leaning into his chest, he didn’t feel her weight, but he did feel her. It was similar to when they connected but without any of the physical sensation. It was almost enough.
“They’re here,” Hansen said ducking his head just inside the room the agents had “borrowed” for this latest visit.
Agent Lewis looked at his watch.
“Should I show them all back?” Hansen finally asked when neither agent responded.
Davis looked over to Lewis letting him answer since this was his idea.
“No, let them wait. I’ll buzz you when we’re ready,” Lewis answered dismissing the deputy.
Davis waited for the door to close before speaking. “What are we waiting for? I don’t understand why we’re even here. You can’t really think that these two kids have been traveling around to different states killing people.”
“No, I don’t think that,” Lewis agreed slowly then frowned. “Something’s been bugging me about these kids. I did a little digging.”
“And?” Davis asked when his partner paused letting his statement dangle in the air.
“Did you know that these two kids were under investigation by the Bureau previously? The boy in particular.”
“What?” Davis asked shocked surprise coloring his expression. “What for?
“I don’t have any idea. I just found the traces of old files by entering their names in our system. Even more interesting is that it was the Special Unit that was in charge of the investigation,” Lewis said watching Davis closely.
“What? That doesn’t make sense. That unit was shut down for lack of results and improper actions,” Davis objected. “What would that have to do with our case anyway?”
“It might not,” Lewis agreed. “I just find it interesting. These aren’t a couple of normal kids. Not when they’re the subjects of not one but two FBI investigations.”
Davis wanted to protest that the kids couldn’t be faulted for being the victims of a crime, or more then one crime, but held his tongue knowing that once Lewis was set on something it was very hard to change his mind about it. “So besides the old file, what’s bothering you about them? You think they’re lying? We verified the Parker girl’s statement and it checks out. What does this file say exactly?”
“It doesn’t say anything. It was deleted. All I got was the old case number and their names, not much more then that. I know her statement checked out but…..Something isn’t right here,” Lewis said, brow wrinkled as he tried to put his feelings into words. His gut was telling him something was off and it was rarely wrong. “I just want to see what they say, see what they look like while they say it.”
“Okay, so what are we waiting for?” Davis asked.
“I want to observe what they’re like before they come in here,” Lewis said nodding his head at the monitor that still worked in what used to be the watch commanders office. Now, Roswell didn’t really need a watch commander and had fallen back into a more casual way of doing their job, but the equipment still worked, leftovers from a more paranoid time when the army had been a real presence in town. “I want to watch then while they wait.”
Davis turned to watch the teens wondering what Lewis hoped to see. All he saw were two teens, maybe a little more intense then some but then that wasn’t really surprising considering.
Phillip also found himself watching his son and his girlfriend. Their explanation for their tardy arrival aside, he wasn’t blind. Absently nodding as Hansen babbled on, he studied the pair.
Max shifted on the hard bench, bringing Liz even closer to his side, playing with her fingers as she talked softly with her father. Studying her profile he sighed as his eyes landed on her neck and the marks that were slowly blooming on her skin, apparently he hadn’t gotten all of them.
“Daddy, it’ll be okay. It’s understandable that they would have some questions and if anything we tell them helps to find Sophia then I can’t complain about being harassed,” Liz said softly, trying to sooth her worried father.
“You already answered their questions. I don’t get the feeling that this is about those poor girls at all and every time they pull you in here for questioning it just fuels the questions around town. It’s irresponsible of them to put you in more danger for no reason,” Jeff argued stubbornly. What if that wacko who had taken those two girls found out that Liz was being questioned? What if he started focusing on Liz and her friends? What could Liz possibly know that made the risks of this continued questioning worthwhile? Hadn’t Liz been through enough already?
Liz sighed and shrugged. “It’s not going to help to get upset. All we can do is tell them what we know and hope it helps. I don’t know what else to do.”
Jeff sighed and glanced at Max, who seemed to be hearing what Liz wasn’t saying, his expression didn’t change but his eyes looked worried and never left Liz. “That’s why Phillip’s here. We can’t be too careful after what happened with that reporter. I won’t let them trample on your rights and set that kind of thing in motion again. We’ll answer their questions and then that’s it. We’re done.”
Liz scooted closer to Max, unconsciously seeking the reassurance that his presence always gave her. “Dad, really. It’s not like that at all. We’re only here because we know them a little. That’s all. Let’s not look for problems okay?”
“Right,” Jeff agreed then continued. “I’m just going to go and talk to Hansen. See what’s taking so long.”
Liz sighed and leaned her back against Max’s chest. “This isn’t going very good is it?”
“He’s just worried about you…..for you,” Max soothed kissing her hair.
“I know,” Liz agreed softly.
They didn’t talk anymore as they waited, the peace of being together stealing through them. They both tried to keep in mind their audience and keep the touching casual, normal, when it felt anything but. They had mixed success.
It was clear to anyone watching they were anything but casual, which after his talk with Max, Jeff already knew. He chose to see only that his daughter was happy and had chosen a caring young man. Phillip’s vision showed him something a little different.
What it said to the agents watching in the next room was just as varied. Davis saw two high school sweethearts. Nothing strange about that, he’d had his own sweetheart in school.
Lewis held off on reaching any kind of conclusions that might be influenced by his own preconceived notions and just watched for anything unusual. Truthfully, he didn’t hold the Special Unit in high regard and never had. To him they were a bunch of alarmists that were motivated by fear, draining much needed resources away from other more important areas, to engage in fruitless witch-hunts. That they had received any funding at all was a crime in his opinion. He did find it curious that they would focus on the same group of kids that kept popping up on the radar though.
It made him wonder if maybe someone else could be focusing in on them as well. They did seem to draw more then their fair share of attention if what he’d learned was anything to go by.
His gut told him there was more here then two kids who kept getting into trouble. They were both excellent students with good families. If you looked at them on paper there was nothing unusual about them at all. But he was looking at them in person and there was something more then the norm there. He just couldn’t place what it was exactly.
Max watched Liz walk down the hall and disappear into the bathroom and had to force himself to sit and wait. The longer she was gone the more edgy he got until finally he got up and tried to casually stroll in the direction she had disappeared. Hovering around the girl’s bathroom he was tempted to knock and make sure she was okay but a glance down the hall showed his father watching him. Rubbing his neck he continued on to the drinking fountain but as he drank his eyes went to the bathroom door causing him to crane his neck at an odd angle to keep it in sight.
When Liz suddenly appeared he lost track of what he was supposed to be doing and sprayed himself in the face with a stream of water.
Liz caught sight of him, water dripping off his face, and smiled. “Problem?”
“I was thirsty,” Max said sheepishly as he wiped at his face.
“I can see that,” Liz agreed walking over to him. Unable to resist, she brushed a quick chaste kiss over his chilled lips that she ruined with an even faster swipe of her tongue, capturing the few drops of water that he had missed. “Can you spare some for me? I’m still a little…hot and thirsty.”
“Yes,” Max said his eyes darkening as he moved aside for her, automatically putting himself between her and everyone waiting down the hall.
Bending over she took a long drink feeling the weight of his stare on her the whole time. Standing up she licked at a stray drop of water on her lip, slowly moving closer to him, drawn by her need to touch him. It was stronger then her sense of caution for their audience, it felt elemental and necessary.
“Better?” Max asked, starting to sweat as her body called to his. As his eyes swept over her all the small signs of arousal were there, mocking him with his inability to do anything about it. What he wouldn’t give to be able to just pull her into the bathroom, jerk off those jeans, and bury himself inside her.
“Uh huh,” Liz agreed tilting her head slightly, watching his eyes follow the naked length of her neck. “I’m not thirsty anymore.”
“Liz,” Max warned softly, his fingers twitching at his sides with the need to touch her. “You’re playing with fire.”
Liz smiled her eyes dancing. “Maybe you need to get a little wetter, to put out the fire I mean. I can’t play right now. Busy,” Liz said with a casual shrug and laughing eyes.
“Yet somehow you still manage to cause trouble,” Max observed quirking an eyebrow at her.
“Me?” Liz asked pointing at her chest. “No,” Liz disagreed shaking her head. “I think you’re the problem here. You seem to be the one with the issue.”
“I don’t have a problem,” Max denied.
“Really? You might want to discuss that with the body part that seems to have a mind of it’s own,” Liz said, pointedly dropping her eyes lower. “Unless you want to greet the FBI with something other then a hand shake. I think there’s a slight uprising to deal with in your pants.”
“An uprising you provoked,” Max accused softly. “Wait, slight?”
“I just got a drink. You’re the one with the wandering eyes leading to wandering thoughts. I didn’t ask you to follow me down here,” Liz said defending herself when she knew she had no defense, ignoring his question completely. “I swear you’re going to get me in so much trouble. This is crazy. This isn’t normal.”
Max’s lips twitched once before he started laughing softly. He couldn’t help it, the helpless confusion on her face mixed with her outraged tone were just too much. “You know this isn’t all me.”
“I know!” Liz cried, disgusted with her own lack of good sense. The throbbing heat of her seal drew her to him, built on the echo from his seal, in a viscous out of control cycle that fed on itself. She didn’t know how to dampen it down even if she wanted to, which was also in question.
He drew her into his chest, feeling the same need that had been driving him all day. The same need that had forced him down the hall after her. When her fingers slipped between his, linking them together as much as their audience allowed, he felt better, more centered.
As they walked down the hallway holding hands, Liz could feel his seal pulsing against her palm and hers matching it, good thing she was wearing jeans. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable just distracting, pulling them into their own world separate from everyone else. Taking their seat their eyes met and held, sharing their desire to get out of there away from everyone.
“Max?” Phillip said trying for the third time to grab his son’s attention. “They’re ready to start.”
Max blinked, a furrow appearing between his brows, with a sigh he looked up and nodded. Standing and pulling Liz up along with him, he stopped when his father put a restraining hand on his arm.
“They want to talk to each of you separately first. Liz with her father in there and I’ll go with you right next to them,” Phillip explained shortly.
“Right, okay,” Max agreed.
Phillip watched them look at each other before Max reluctantly released her. Flashing a quick smile Liz followed her father into the room where Agent Davis waited. Max hesitated until the door shut, cutting off his view of Liz. It was only then that he walked into the room where Agent Lewis awaited.
Davis looked down at the notebook in front of him with the same questions Lewis was asking Max Evans in the next room. “How well did you know each of the victims? Let’s start with Pam Troy.”
“I’ve known her since grade school but I wouldn’t say I knew her well. We never really got along,” Liz answered.
~~~~~~~~
“I didn’t know her,” Max answered Lewis. “I knew who she was but that’s it.”
“Really? When we spoke to some of her friends they implied you were interested in her,” Lewis replied watching every flicker in his eyes and every expression that crossed his face.
“What? No! No way,” Max answered aghast. “I don’t know why they said that but they’re mistaken. Very mistaken.”
“Because you’re seeing Liz,” Lewis stated.
“Yeah, and because I wasn’t interested in Pam, at all, ever,” Max stated firmly.
~~~~~~~~
“The reason you two didn’t get along wasn’t Max Evans was it?” Davis asked twirling his pen between his fingers.
“Umm no,” Liz answered confused. “We never did get along right from the beginning. Max and his sister weren’t even in Roswell then.”
“Oh. So he didn’t date her and then leave her for you?” Davis asked.
Liz couldn’t help but smile at that question. “Max? With Pam? No. We just never got along at all. She didn’t like me much and the feeling was mutual.”
“What about Sophia? Her father seems to believe Max was close to her,” Davis asked his face impassive.
“Well he’s wrong,” Liz said firmly. “They were partners on a school project, which she didn’t seem to want her father to know about. That’s a far cry from being a couple.”
~~~~~~~~
“I told you,” Max said getting frustrated. “Just like I told her father, I barely know her. We didn’t choose our partners they were assigned. I certainly never dated her. I never did anything social with her at all. Every time I saw her it was about our project.”
“Do you think Liz believes that?” Lewis asked calmly.
“I know she does because she knows me,” Max said his brows drawing together in annoyance.
“How are these questions going to help you find the missing girl, which is what we’re here to help with?” Phillip cut in not liking the direction of the agent’s questions.
“What about that Zan person? Did he ever meet either of the girls?” Lewis asked ignoring Phillip.
“I don’t…..I think maybe he saw Sophia once,” Max stumbled. “But I don’t think it was much more then that. Sophia never hung around with us or anything, she was always to busy.”
“What is Zan’s full name?” Lewis asked.
“I don’t know,” Max answered briefly.
~~~~~~~~
“I don’t know if he has a last name. If he does he’s never mentioned it but I think he likes to be a mystery,” Liz answered Davis her tone light and even.
“Who is he? Is he related to Max?” Davis answered.
“He’s a friend of Tess’s. He just showed up to visit her awhile back. Tess always said she knew this guy that looked like Max but when he got here it was a shock. I can’t tell you if they’re related, since Max and Isabel are both adopted. They could be,” Liz shrugged unconcerned. “You could find Zan and ask him but he’s never seemed to want to talk about it.”
“Did Zan ever hang around with either Sophia or Pam?” Davis asked.
“No, not that I know of. I doubt he ever saw Pam at all, she never really came into the café that much. He met Sophia on Saturday but she left right away and he hung out with the rest of us,” Liz said trying to remember. “I can’t be positive but I thought he left with Michael when he got off of work but I might be mixing up my days. No, I’m pretty sure that’s right because I had dinner with Max on Sunday so it had to have been Saturday I’m thinking about.”
~~~~~~~~
“So you’re saying you don’t remember anything before you were picked up? Nothing before the age of say….five?” Lewis asked Max.
“That’s right,” Max said stiffly.
“What does this have to do with anything?” Phillip demanded.
“I just find it strange that this Zan person shows up here and looks just like you,” Lewis stated trying to throw Max enough to get some information.
“You find it strange? Try being me and looking into a face so different from yours but not. It’s strange alright and he’s NOT just like me,” Max said forcefully. “All I know is that he grew up in New York somewhere. That’s it and frankly, that’s enough for me. I have a family and have no desire to search out any other relatives. I was abandoned Agent Lewis. Why would I try and track down the people that left me and my sister in the desert by the side of the road? Or care if any of them showed up? I think we stopped being family at that point.”
“Can I speak with you outside Agent Lewis?” Phillip said sternly, his face flushing with temper.
“Of course,” Lewis agreed.
~~~~~~~~
After her father and Agent Davis were called out of the room Liz began pacing, feeling confined and edgy. It wasn’t the questions or the implied meaning of the questions that were getting to her however.
She needed to see Max.
The throbbing sensation that had been distracting at first had slowly built, forcing her to her feet, and sending her pacing her “cage” like a restless cat. The urge to seek him out was strong, the call of his seal whispered to her at a level below conscious thought, driving her restlessness.
Every time she paced passed their joint wall her steps slowed until finally she stopped, staring at the wall with fierce concentration.
~~~~~~~~
Max stood up quickly, sending his chair screeching back across the floor, but he didn’t hear it. Striding over to the wall separating them, he could feel her discomfort and need. He could almost feel the heat of her body through the wall keeping them apart, needing to be as close as he could to her he leaned his back against the wall where he felt her the strongest and willed this thing to be over.
He’d answered their questions. Now he needed to be with Liz.
~~~~~~~~
Liz slowly slid down the wall to the floor, drawing her knees up against her chest. It was scorching hot in here. Were they trying to torture her?
The persistent call of the seal continued despite the fact that she knew Max was just on the other side of the wall. This was bad.
She knew she couldn’t pull off any more questions at this point. One look at her would shatter the illusion of normal she was trying so hard to present.
Taking slow deep breaths she floated free, leaving her body and all it’s demands behind. Searching out Max the only way open to her.
~~~~~~~~
Max opened his eyes, feeling his desperation lessen marginally, and locked eyes with Liz. Blinking in confusion at the differing messages his senses were sending him, he simply stared. His eyes said she was here, in front of him, but yet he could still feel her on the other side of the wall.
“Liz? What?” Max whispered confusion in his tone. He watched her shake her head and put her finger to her lips, telling him without words to be quiet.
When she moved closer, leaning into his chest, he didn’t feel her weight, but he did feel her. It was similar to when they connected but without any of the physical sensation. It was almost enough.
Chapter Eighty Five
“Just what kind of investigation are you running here Agent Lewis?” Phillip Evans demanded, rounding on the agent as soon as the door closed behind him.
“An investigation into murder and kidnapping Mr. Evans. I’d have thought that would have been clear by now,” Lewis said, noting the vein at the other mans temple throbbing angrily but not particularly bothered by it.
“Then explain to me how my son being left in the desert has ANYTHING to do with any CURRENT investigation,” Phillip hissed so pissed off his head was starting to throb. “How do ANY of those questions relate to this investigation?”
“How do you explain that people close to both of the recent victims have made statements that place your son close to those girls? Then let’s look back to Liz Parker’s still open case. Another girl he’s close to in danger. Isn’t that just stretching the bounds of coincidence a little too far?” Lewis asked watching the other man’s face turn a darker shade of red with each question.
“You can’t honestly think my son committed those crimes! That’s ridiculous!” Phillip barked out harshly.
“No, I don’t believe he did but what about this Zan person? What do you know about him? Why do you think I’m asking about him? I need to know everything those kids know about him. Where he’s from, why he’s here, where he’s been, everything. It’s my job to follow every possible lead in this case and right now Roswell seems to be teeming with crime. One assault, four girls kidnapped, one murder, and one of those four girls is still missing. Right at the center of all this crime are those two kids along with some of their friends. If I have a question I’m going to ask it,” Lewis said not backing down.
Both men paused as the door to the next room opened and a very stormy faced Jeff stalked out followed by Agent Davis.
“I want the name of your direct boss,” Jeff demanded of Davis, not waiting for the door to close completely. “My daughter has already been the victim of a crime and a sleazy tabloid. I will not allow her to become the scapegoat for your incompetence. You have her statement about her abduction and the one she gave the Sheriff about what happened the Saturday that girl disappeared. What more do you want? She’s TOLD you what she knows. Where does this end? How many times are you going to drag her down here for questions that have nothing to do with anything?”
“Mr. Parker, I understand you’re upset,” Davis started.
“You understand?” Jeff asked his voice going dangerously soft. “Do you really? So you understand that I’m afraid that through your complete and utter inability to do your job that you’re placing my daughter in even more danger? Either you’re incredibly stupid or you think I am. There is obviously a murderer in Roswell and you’re painting a big target sign on my daughter that just gets bigger every time you bring her in here. Tell me again what type of girl this man is interested in? Long dark hair? Pretty? Girls who have been in the papers maybe? Girls like MY DAUGHTER?” Jeff roared. “I will not allow you to use my daughter as bait.”
“Mr. Parker, please,” Agent Lewis cut in stepping up to help his overwhelmed partner. “Let’s just discuss this calmly.”
“I’ve been calm. I’ve allowed this to continue despite my better judgement because Liz wants to help but it stops here. This isn’t helping those girls and it could cause harm to her. What is the purpose of this? You tell me,” Jeff demanded.
“Sir, as I was just explaining to Mr. Evans, there are more then a few people that have put Max Evans close to all the girls that have been attacked in the last few months,” Lewis started but paused as Jeff’s Parker’s face slowly turned to stone, a muscle twitching in his jaw with bludgeoning anger.
“Are you actually trying to tell me that my daughter’s boyfriend is a suspect because he knows these girls? Just how stupid are you?” Jeff demanded enraged. “I know every student in town by sight and most by name. Am I a suspect too?”
“No….Sir,” Davis broke in but shut up when Mr. Parker’s eyes narrowed on him. Swallowing he looked to his partner wishing he’d protested this idea a little harder.
“It’s just as ridiculous to assume that because Max knows these girls he’s somehow connected to this. I’ve known that boy since he was coming into the café with his parents. I’ve watched him watch my daughter for years before he could even speak to her. Now you’re trying to tell me that he grabbed a whole string of girls of the street in broad daylight?” Jeff scoffed. “That’s the biggest bunch of crap I’ve ever heard. Next you’ll be trying to tell me it was him that abducted Liz and held a knife to her throat,” Jeff said, ready to collect Liz and get the hell out of here. This was pointless.
“I’m not suggesting that at all,” Agent Lewis said tonelessly. “Max Evans is not a suspect. He hasn’t missed classes on the days around the times in question. His boss verified that he hasn’t missed work. No, Max Evans isn’t a suspect.”
“Wait a minute here!” Phillip broke in. “You’re saying that you DID consider him a suspect. That’s not at all what was said before now.”
“What was said is that if I have a question I’m going to ask it,” Lewis said coolly. “I asked.”
“What he means is that with the statements of the other people we’ve questioned it seemed best to rule him out,” Davis broke in not wanting to alienate anyone any further. “We got all kinds of crazy suggestions of what could be true. Other relationships, suggestions of a cult, vendetta’s, and petty jealousy. The quickest way to rule him out was to document his whereabouts.”
“Correct,” Lewis agreed. “Which leads me back to Zan. Now that Max is cleared there remains the possibility that some of those people confused Max with Zan. The wilder stories aside it IS possible that this Zan person could be of interest. He has traveled around to some extent, as we all know. He showed up here at about the correct time,” Lewis paused letting that sink in for a moment before continuing. “There’s also the possibility that it’s someone else completely. If that’s true then it still leads me to wonder about a few things. Things that one or both of those two might know the answers to. All I want is for the killing to stop. Now, no one can deny that something has brought the person I’m searching for here, to your town. I’d like to stop them here before anyone else gets hurt. I do not intend to use anyone as bait,” Lewis said, his eyes drifting to Jeff Parker. “But be that as it may, Liz Parker may have already drawn the killers interest. She has been in the papers, which may have drawn the killer here in the first place, who can say? The point is, that the sooner I get my answers the faster I will find the person responsible and the safer everyone will be. Some of these questions, as odd as they are, may turn up helpful answers.”
“Just how much does this Zan person resemble my son?” Phillip asked curious. He was unwilling to admit that he had never heard that name out of either of his children’s mouths and had no idea who they were talking about.
“They look a lot alike,” Lewis answered.
“I don’t know about that,” Jeff said doubtfully. “You’d have to change a lot to have them be mistaken for the other. There’d be an awful lot of tattoo’s and piercings to cover up. The minute Zan spoke, he’d give himself away if his plan was to pass for Max.”
“So you know Zan. He comes into the café?” Lewis asked his eyes sharpening.
“I’ve seen him. I know a lot of people,” Jeff said crossing his arms over his chest and daring the agent to make another remark. He wasn’t fooled by the agent’s speech about making the world a safer place. Lewis was playing games, he’d be damned if he’d play along like the dumb hick they clearly thought he was. His job here was to look after the interests of his daughter and he didn’t think that these FBI agents had the same interest. “I think I mentioned that before.”
Phillip looked between Jeff and both of the agents and could see the way this was going. He tried to take a step back from his role as father to look at this as a lawyer.
“That room there?” Ava asked softly.
“Yeah, make sure to wipe any tapes clean that you see. Nothing of importance to the Sheriff’s office is stored in there,” Jim advised. “You sure you can do this?”
“Yup,” Ava said grinning. “It’s a sitch. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.”
Jim watched her walk around the corner into plain sight and stroll down the hall. No one even blinked as she walked past them, of course they were busy arguing back and forth rather heatedly. The cocky grin she flashed him before disappearing into the old watch commander’s office had him shaking his head in amazement.
The first thing to catch her eye after entering the office was the black and white monitor. Walking closer she leaned in to get a better look the screen, it showed four different pictures from different cameras throughout the station. Her eyes widened as she looked back and forth between the side by side views of Max and Liz, each in their separate rooms. From here it looked like they were resting against the same wall in the exact same place.
Ava frowned as she studied the screen. No, this just wouldn’t do. The FBI didn’t need to have any further interest in either one of them and this would spark some interest.
With a quick look at the screen to make sure everyone was still where they were supposed to be, she set about destroying federal evidence. Making a tisking noise she wondered who was going to loose their ass for not checking the old antiquated equipment to make sure it still worked properly.
“Look, Agent Lewis, if you want to get answers then you need to start sticking to questions about the Saturday in question. Those are the only questions I’m going to allow them to answer,” Phillip stated, suggesting a reasonable comprise. “If you want to reach into the past then you need to find another way to do it. We seem to be in agreement that neither Max or Liz are direct suspects in either case so they need to be treated as witnesses. Not suspects. Are we clear?”
“We’re clear,” Davis answered for his partner. Frankly, he was tired of wasting his time on his partner’s bizarre hunches. The evidence was pretty clear that neither of these kids could be the one they were looking for and he couldn’t blame their parents for getting pissed off about this. It was ridiculous.
“So let’s get on with it,” Jeff said in a surly tone. “I have a business to run.” Pushing passed the two agents he walked back into the room where Liz was waiting and stopped. “Liz? Honey, what’s wrong?”
Liz looked up from her seat at the table where she had been resting with her head on her folded arms. “I’m a little hot in here,” Liz said softly looking from her father to the two agents behind him.
Jeff walked up and put his hand to her forehead, frowning at how warm she felt. Looking her over he noted her flushed face and the sweat damping her hairline. “You do feel hot. I think you’re running a fever. Do you feel up to answering any more questions? Are you sick to your stomach or anything?” Jeff fretted.
“No, I’m a little tired but I don’t feel sick really,” Liz hedged. “I would rather just get this over with. Do you have more questions?” Liz asked directing her question to the two agents hanging in the doorway. She was feeling a little light headed and needed to get this over with as soon as possible. She moved her arms off the table and folded them over her pulsing seal, trying for a casual change in position.
“Can you take us through that Saturday? Everything you remember,” Lewis asked, struck suddenly by her fragile appearance. She looked so tiny and strained, like she wasn’t entirely healthy.
“Sure,” Liz agreed. “Umm Max and Isabel were in the café because Max had agreed to meet Sophia so Max could take his turn with their baby. Sophia said that she had Mass on Sunday's so that was Max’s day. I was working so I was there when she dropped off the baby,” Liz shrugged. “She didn’t seem upset or anything but she didn’t stay long, which wasn’t unusual, she never hung around long. I got the impression she had to babysit a lot.”
“Did she ever talk about her family? Maybe her father?” Lewis asked.
“No, she kept to herself. She didn’t even give Max her phone number or anything. She always met him somewhere like the café or his house to drop off the baby,” Liz answered.
“Did you ever see bruises on her? Any signs of abuse?” Davis asked, having met her father he wouldn’t be shocked if that was the case.
“No,” Liz answered thinking hard. “I don’t know. She didn’t wear very revealing clothes, you know? It’s not exactly summer either so….”
“Okay,” Lewis nodded excepting that answer. “Who else was in the café that day?”
“Umm, Michael was working,” Liz said then paused chewing on her lip. “So was Maria. Zan came in to meet Michael I think. I can’t remember anyone else. Oh….Umm Pam was there too I think. I mean, I don’t really remember her IN the café but she was outside the café. We sort of had a run in while I was taking out the trash.”
“What kind of run in?” Lewis asked.
“She just said some stuff,” Liz said rolled her eyes. “The same as always really. Like I thought I was so perfect, that kind of thing. I did tell her I was tired of dealing with her though and told to stay out of the café. I was tired of listening to the nasty comments all the time. Then I went back inside. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“It was a big enough deal to make you bar her from the café,” Lewis pointed out.
“Not really,” Liz disagreed. “It’s just with all the fallout from that article and everything it was wearing thinner then usual. Like I said before we never fought or touched each other. She was on the sidewalk by the street and I was by the dumpster in the alley behind the café. It really wasn’t a big thing, I just said my peace and went back to work.”
“But could someone else have overheard or seen the argument?” Lewis asked.
“I guess so,” Liz agreed, feeling more tired the longer she sat there. “Other people were walking by while we were talking.”
“Any one you can remember?” Lewis asked.
“No,” Liz sighed lifting her hand to rub her forehead. She could feel Max pacing in the next room and longed to just feel his arms surrounding her. “I really don’t remember anyone.”
Seeing her fingers tremble briefly Jeff spoke up. “I think that’s enough. Any more questions are going to have to wait until she’s feeling better.”
“Thank you, Miss Parker, for taking the time to talk to us,” Davis said heading off his partner before he could object.
Liz sent him a shaky smile and stood. “I wish I could remember more but nothing really stands out.”
“If you do remember anything,” Lewis held out his card. “Just give us a call.”
Liz reached out and took the card, her fingers brushing his by accident. Violent snap shots flashed behind her eyes complete with sound, making her jump slightly and drop the card. Watching it flutter to the floor in slow motion she suddenly knew that he knew Agent Pierce personally, had at the very least met him more then once. The resulting bubble of panic hit fast, freezing her in place.
In the next room Max also froze in the middle of answering his father’s question about Zan.
“Max?” Phillip asked sharply. He had felt like he’d only had half of Max’s attention as it was but now he was trailing off in the middle of a conversation, frustration welled.
“Sorry, what was the question?” Max asked then shook his head. “When can we leave? I’ve told them everything. If you want to meet Zan fine, I’ll ask him over but right now I’d really like to see Liz. If she’s sick then I’d like to make sure she’s okay.”
Phillip sighed and gave up. Max was already halfway out the door.
“I’m sorry,” Liz stammered, quickly moving to pick up the dropped card. “I’ll ummm if I think of anything…I’ll ummm call. Thank you.”
Davis watched her edge away from Lewis curious about the sudden change in her demeanor.
Making sure she didn’t come into contact with him, Liz edged around the older agent and through the doorway, eager to escape. She gasp in surprise as Max caught her elbows, guiding her into his chest.
Feeling her fingers clutching at the sides of his shirt just above his waist his eyes moved over her head searching for the cause of her distress. “You okay?” Max asked softly.
“Yeah, I umm….yeah. I just want to go now,” Liz answered, unable to say more.
“Okay, let’s go,” Max agreed keeping her under the shelter of his arm as he moved them down the hallway.
“Max,” Phillip called, stopping him in his tracks. “You’re coming with me. Jeff can drive Liz home.”
“The Jeep is here anyway,” Max protested. “I’ll come right home.”
“No,” Phillip said firmly. It was time he had a talk with Max before things got totally out of hand. Seeing Liz stroke a soothing hand down his arm before stepping back he frowned. “We’ll pick up the Jeep later.”
Max ground his teeth together but didn’t say anything, looking to Liz to gauge whether she was really okay.
“I’m just going to go and take a nap,” Liz assured him softly, feeling his father’s eyes on them. She wanted to make sure Max left the station, now, with his father was fine as long as he was away from Agent Lewis. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Taking a deep breathe he nodded, then after seeing her father busy talking to Sheriff Valenti down the hall, he moved in and kissed her. Intending on it being a gesture of reassurance. The firestorm of disturbing flashes turned it into something else.
Pulling back he looked into her wide startled eyes and pushed aside his own sudden burst of nauseating fear to brush a gentle kiss over her forehead.
“It’ll be okay,” Max whispered so softly that she felt it more then heard him. Her eyes teared, feeling the brief surge of remembered terror from him. “I’ll call you.”
“Kay,” Liz agreed and reluctantly released him, forcing herself to step back away from him. She watched him leave, relief washing over her as he passed by the front desk and out the doors into the sun. She didn’t even realize she was shivering until she felt a light touch on her arm.
“Are you okay?” Agent Davis asked in concern.
“Umm I think my dad must be right and I’m getting sick,” Liz replied passing off her chills.
“Let me get your coat,” Davis said then quickly strode down the hall and to the bench where Liz had left her coat.
Lewis watched his partner help her into her coat then escort her down the hall to her father before turning to collect his notes.
“Just what kind of investigation are you running here Agent Lewis?” Phillip Evans demanded, rounding on the agent as soon as the door closed behind him.
“An investigation into murder and kidnapping Mr. Evans. I’d have thought that would have been clear by now,” Lewis said, noting the vein at the other mans temple throbbing angrily but not particularly bothered by it.
“Then explain to me how my son being left in the desert has ANYTHING to do with any CURRENT investigation,” Phillip hissed so pissed off his head was starting to throb. “How do ANY of those questions relate to this investigation?”
“How do you explain that people close to both of the recent victims have made statements that place your son close to those girls? Then let’s look back to Liz Parker’s still open case. Another girl he’s close to in danger. Isn’t that just stretching the bounds of coincidence a little too far?” Lewis asked watching the other man’s face turn a darker shade of red with each question.
“You can’t honestly think my son committed those crimes! That’s ridiculous!” Phillip barked out harshly.
“No, I don’t believe he did but what about this Zan person? What do you know about him? Why do you think I’m asking about him? I need to know everything those kids know about him. Where he’s from, why he’s here, where he’s been, everything. It’s my job to follow every possible lead in this case and right now Roswell seems to be teeming with crime. One assault, four girls kidnapped, one murder, and one of those four girls is still missing. Right at the center of all this crime are those two kids along with some of their friends. If I have a question I’m going to ask it,” Lewis said not backing down.
Both men paused as the door to the next room opened and a very stormy faced Jeff stalked out followed by Agent Davis.
“I want the name of your direct boss,” Jeff demanded of Davis, not waiting for the door to close completely. “My daughter has already been the victim of a crime and a sleazy tabloid. I will not allow her to become the scapegoat for your incompetence. You have her statement about her abduction and the one she gave the Sheriff about what happened the Saturday that girl disappeared. What more do you want? She’s TOLD you what she knows. Where does this end? How many times are you going to drag her down here for questions that have nothing to do with anything?”
“Mr. Parker, I understand you’re upset,” Davis started.
“You understand?” Jeff asked his voice going dangerously soft. “Do you really? So you understand that I’m afraid that through your complete and utter inability to do your job that you’re placing my daughter in even more danger? Either you’re incredibly stupid or you think I am. There is obviously a murderer in Roswell and you’re painting a big target sign on my daughter that just gets bigger every time you bring her in here. Tell me again what type of girl this man is interested in? Long dark hair? Pretty? Girls who have been in the papers maybe? Girls like MY DAUGHTER?” Jeff roared. “I will not allow you to use my daughter as bait.”
“Mr. Parker, please,” Agent Lewis cut in stepping up to help his overwhelmed partner. “Let’s just discuss this calmly.”
“I’ve been calm. I’ve allowed this to continue despite my better judgement because Liz wants to help but it stops here. This isn’t helping those girls and it could cause harm to her. What is the purpose of this? You tell me,” Jeff demanded.
“Sir, as I was just explaining to Mr. Evans, there are more then a few people that have put Max Evans close to all the girls that have been attacked in the last few months,” Lewis started but paused as Jeff’s Parker’s face slowly turned to stone, a muscle twitching in his jaw with bludgeoning anger.
“Are you actually trying to tell me that my daughter’s boyfriend is a suspect because he knows these girls? Just how stupid are you?” Jeff demanded enraged. “I know every student in town by sight and most by name. Am I a suspect too?”
“No….Sir,” Davis broke in but shut up when Mr. Parker’s eyes narrowed on him. Swallowing he looked to his partner wishing he’d protested this idea a little harder.
“It’s just as ridiculous to assume that because Max knows these girls he’s somehow connected to this. I’ve known that boy since he was coming into the café with his parents. I’ve watched him watch my daughter for years before he could even speak to her. Now you’re trying to tell me that he grabbed a whole string of girls of the street in broad daylight?” Jeff scoffed. “That’s the biggest bunch of crap I’ve ever heard. Next you’ll be trying to tell me it was him that abducted Liz and held a knife to her throat,” Jeff said, ready to collect Liz and get the hell out of here. This was pointless.
“I’m not suggesting that at all,” Agent Lewis said tonelessly. “Max Evans is not a suspect. He hasn’t missed classes on the days around the times in question. His boss verified that he hasn’t missed work. No, Max Evans isn’t a suspect.”
“Wait a minute here!” Phillip broke in. “You’re saying that you DID consider him a suspect. That’s not at all what was said before now.”
“What was said is that if I have a question I’m going to ask it,” Lewis said coolly. “I asked.”
“What he means is that with the statements of the other people we’ve questioned it seemed best to rule him out,” Davis broke in not wanting to alienate anyone any further. “We got all kinds of crazy suggestions of what could be true. Other relationships, suggestions of a cult, vendetta’s, and petty jealousy. The quickest way to rule him out was to document his whereabouts.”
“Correct,” Lewis agreed. “Which leads me back to Zan. Now that Max is cleared there remains the possibility that some of those people confused Max with Zan. The wilder stories aside it IS possible that this Zan person could be of interest. He has traveled around to some extent, as we all know. He showed up here at about the correct time,” Lewis paused letting that sink in for a moment before continuing. “There’s also the possibility that it’s someone else completely. If that’s true then it still leads me to wonder about a few things. Things that one or both of those two might know the answers to. All I want is for the killing to stop. Now, no one can deny that something has brought the person I’m searching for here, to your town. I’d like to stop them here before anyone else gets hurt. I do not intend to use anyone as bait,” Lewis said, his eyes drifting to Jeff Parker. “But be that as it may, Liz Parker may have already drawn the killers interest. She has been in the papers, which may have drawn the killer here in the first place, who can say? The point is, that the sooner I get my answers the faster I will find the person responsible and the safer everyone will be. Some of these questions, as odd as they are, may turn up helpful answers.”
“Just how much does this Zan person resemble my son?” Phillip asked curious. He was unwilling to admit that he had never heard that name out of either of his children’s mouths and had no idea who they were talking about.
“They look a lot alike,” Lewis answered.
“I don’t know about that,” Jeff said doubtfully. “You’d have to change a lot to have them be mistaken for the other. There’d be an awful lot of tattoo’s and piercings to cover up. The minute Zan spoke, he’d give himself away if his plan was to pass for Max.”
“So you know Zan. He comes into the café?” Lewis asked his eyes sharpening.
“I’ve seen him. I know a lot of people,” Jeff said crossing his arms over his chest and daring the agent to make another remark. He wasn’t fooled by the agent’s speech about making the world a safer place. Lewis was playing games, he’d be damned if he’d play along like the dumb hick they clearly thought he was. His job here was to look after the interests of his daughter and he didn’t think that these FBI agents had the same interest. “I think I mentioned that before.”
Phillip looked between Jeff and both of the agents and could see the way this was going. He tried to take a step back from his role as father to look at this as a lawyer.
“That room there?” Ava asked softly.
“Yeah, make sure to wipe any tapes clean that you see. Nothing of importance to the Sheriff’s office is stored in there,” Jim advised. “You sure you can do this?”
“Yup,” Ava said grinning. “It’s a sitch. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.”
Jim watched her walk around the corner into plain sight and stroll down the hall. No one even blinked as she walked past them, of course they were busy arguing back and forth rather heatedly. The cocky grin she flashed him before disappearing into the old watch commander’s office had him shaking his head in amazement.
The first thing to catch her eye after entering the office was the black and white monitor. Walking closer she leaned in to get a better look the screen, it showed four different pictures from different cameras throughout the station. Her eyes widened as she looked back and forth between the side by side views of Max and Liz, each in their separate rooms. From here it looked like they were resting against the same wall in the exact same place.
Ava frowned as she studied the screen. No, this just wouldn’t do. The FBI didn’t need to have any further interest in either one of them and this would spark some interest.
With a quick look at the screen to make sure everyone was still where they were supposed to be, she set about destroying federal evidence. Making a tisking noise she wondered who was going to loose their ass for not checking the old antiquated equipment to make sure it still worked properly.
“Look, Agent Lewis, if you want to get answers then you need to start sticking to questions about the Saturday in question. Those are the only questions I’m going to allow them to answer,” Phillip stated, suggesting a reasonable comprise. “If you want to reach into the past then you need to find another way to do it. We seem to be in agreement that neither Max or Liz are direct suspects in either case so they need to be treated as witnesses. Not suspects. Are we clear?”
“We’re clear,” Davis answered for his partner. Frankly, he was tired of wasting his time on his partner’s bizarre hunches. The evidence was pretty clear that neither of these kids could be the one they were looking for and he couldn’t blame their parents for getting pissed off about this. It was ridiculous.
“So let’s get on with it,” Jeff said in a surly tone. “I have a business to run.” Pushing passed the two agents he walked back into the room where Liz was waiting and stopped. “Liz? Honey, what’s wrong?”
Liz looked up from her seat at the table where she had been resting with her head on her folded arms. “I’m a little hot in here,” Liz said softly looking from her father to the two agents behind him.
Jeff walked up and put his hand to her forehead, frowning at how warm she felt. Looking her over he noted her flushed face and the sweat damping her hairline. “You do feel hot. I think you’re running a fever. Do you feel up to answering any more questions? Are you sick to your stomach or anything?” Jeff fretted.
“No, I’m a little tired but I don’t feel sick really,” Liz hedged. “I would rather just get this over with. Do you have more questions?” Liz asked directing her question to the two agents hanging in the doorway. She was feeling a little light headed and needed to get this over with as soon as possible. She moved her arms off the table and folded them over her pulsing seal, trying for a casual change in position.
“Can you take us through that Saturday? Everything you remember,” Lewis asked, struck suddenly by her fragile appearance. She looked so tiny and strained, like she wasn’t entirely healthy.
“Sure,” Liz agreed. “Umm Max and Isabel were in the café because Max had agreed to meet Sophia so Max could take his turn with their baby. Sophia said that she had Mass on Sunday's so that was Max’s day. I was working so I was there when she dropped off the baby,” Liz shrugged. “She didn’t seem upset or anything but she didn’t stay long, which wasn’t unusual, she never hung around long. I got the impression she had to babysit a lot.”
“Did she ever talk about her family? Maybe her father?” Lewis asked.
“No, she kept to herself. She didn’t even give Max her phone number or anything. She always met him somewhere like the café or his house to drop off the baby,” Liz answered.
“Did you ever see bruises on her? Any signs of abuse?” Davis asked, having met her father he wouldn’t be shocked if that was the case.
“No,” Liz answered thinking hard. “I don’t know. She didn’t wear very revealing clothes, you know? It’s not exactly summer either so….”
“Okay,” Lewis nodded excepting that answer. “Who else was in the café that day?”
“Umm, Michael was working,” Liz said then paused chewing on her lip. “So was Maria. Zan came in to meet Michael I think. I can’t remember anyone else. Oh….Umm Pam was there too I think. I mean, I don’t really remember her IN the café but she was outside the café. We sort of had a run in while I was taking out the trash.”
“What kind of run in?” Lewis asked.
“She just said some stuff,” Liz said rolled her eyes. “The same as always really. Like I thought I was so perfect, that kind of thing. I did tell her I was tired of dealing with her though and told to stay out of the café. I was tired of listening to the nasty comments all the time. Then I went back inside. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“It was a big enough deal to make you bar her from the café,” Lewis pointed out.
“Not really,” Liz disagreed. “It’s just with all the fallout from that article and everything it was wearing thinner then usual. Like I said before we never fought or touched each other. She was on the sidewalk by the street and I was by the dumpster in the alley behind the café. It really wasn’t a big thing, I just said my peace and went back to work.”
“But could someone else have overheard or seen the argument?” Lewis asked.
“I guess so,” Liz agreed, feeling more tired the longer she sat there. “Other people were walking by while we were talking.”
“Any one you can remember?” Lewis asked.
“No,” Liz sighed lifting her hand to rub her forehead. She could feel Max pacing in the next room and longed to just feel his arms surrounding her. “I really don’t remember anyone.”
Seeing her fingers tremble briefly Jeff spoke up. “I think that’s enough. Any more questions are going to have to wait until she’s feeling better.”
“Thank you, Miss Parker, for taking the time to talk to us,” Davis said heading off his partner before he could object.
Liz sent him a shaky smile and stood. “I wish I could remember more but nothing really stands out.”
“If you do remember anything,” Lewis held out his card. “Just give us a call.”
Liz reached out and took the card, her fingers brushing his by accident. Violent snap shots flashed behind her eyes complete with sound, making her jump slightly and drop the card. Watching it flutter to the floor in slow motion she suddenly knew that he knew Agent Pierce personally, had at the very least met him more then once. The resulting bubble of panic hit fast, freezing her in place.
In the next room Max also froze in the middle of answering his father’s question about Zan.
“Max?” Phillip asked sharply. He had felt like he’d only had half of Max’s attention as it was but now he was trailing off in the middle of a conversation, frustration welled.
“Sorry, what was the question?” Max asked then shook his head. “When can we leave? I’ve told them everything. If you want to meet Zan fine, I’ll ask him over but right now I’d really like to see Liz. If she’s sick then I’d like to make sure she’s okay.”
Phillip sighed and gave up. Max was already halfway out the door.
“I’m sorry,” Liz stammered, quickly moving to pick up the dropped card. “I’ll ummm if I think of anything…I’ll ummm call. Thank you.”
Davis watched her edge away from Lewis curious about the sudden change in her demeanor.
Making sure she didn’t come into contact with him, Liz edged around the older agent and through the doorway, eager to escape. She gasp in surprise as Max caught her elbows, guiding her into his chest.
Feeling her fingers clutching at the sides of his shirt just above his waist his eyes moved over her head searching for the cause of her distress. “You okay?” Max asked softly.
“Yeah, I umm….yeah. I just want to go now,” Liz answered, unable to say more.
“Okay, let’s go,” Max agreed keeping her under the shelter of his arm as he moved them down the hallway.
“Max,” Phillip called, stopping him in his tracks. “You’re coming with me. Jeff can drive Liz home.”
“The Jeep is here anyway,” Max protested. “I’ll come right home.”
“No,” Phillip said firmly. It was time he had a talk with Max before things got totally out of hand. Seeing Liz stroke a soothing hand down his arm before stepping back he frowned. “We’ll pick up the Jeep later.”
Max ground his teeth together but didn’t say anything, looking to Liz to gauge whether she was really okay.
“I’m just going to go and take a nap,” Liz assured him softly, feeling his father’s eyes on them. She wanted to make sure Max left the station, now, with his father was fine as long as he was away from Agent Lewis. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Taking a deep breathe he nodded, then after seeing her father busy talking to Sheriff Valenti down the hall, he moved in and kissed her. Intending on it being a gesture of reassurance. The firestorm of disturbing flashes turned it into something else.
Pulling back he looked into her wide startled eyes and pushed aside his own sudden burst of nauseating fear to brush a gentle kiss over her forehead.
“It’ll be okay,” Max whispered so softly that she felt it more then heard him. Her eyes teared, feeling the brief surge of remembered terror from him. “I’ll call you.”
“Kay,” Liz agreed and reluctantly released him, forcing herself to step back away from him. She watched him leave, relief washing over her as he passed by the front desk and out the doors into the sun. She didn’t even realize she was shivering until she felt a light touch on her arm.
“Are you okay?” Agent Davis asked in concern.
“Umm I think my dad must be right and I’m getting sick,” Liz replied passing off her chills.
“Let me get your coat,” Davis said then quickly strode down the hall and to the bench where Liz had left her coat.
Lewis watched his partner help her into her coat then escort her down the hall to her father before turning to collect his notes.
Chapter Eighty Six
Max glowered at the passing scenery realizing that they were taking the long way home. Why was it that his father only wanted to talk when it was really inconvenient for him?
Seriously, the kitchen almost burns down and that barely gets him to look up from reading the paper. The house gets robbed and he can’t even be bothered to come home early, but get interrogated by the FBI and suddenly it’s a big fucking deal. THAT rates the long way home and a lecture about….well that remained to be seen at this point since he had yet to start the impending lecture.
He hadn’t even done anything to get lectured about. Reminding himself that this wasn’t the time to take a cue from Michael he tried to shrug off his annoyance.
He had to get this over with as quickly as possible and get back to Liz. Which meant not provoking his father.
“You and Liz seem to be serious,” Phillip said starting off with the topic that seemed to him to be central to the current situation.
“Dad, come on,” Max groaned. He didn’t want to have this conversation. The time he’d kept Liz out all night had resulted in THE talk and a box of condoms. Wasn’t that supposed to be it? Why take it further? Please God don’t take it further, Max thought wildly.
“I realize that telling you to keep this relationship in perspective will fall on deaf ears at this point so all I’m asking is that you use your brain and protect yourself. You’re a good looking guy with a bright future, Max,” Phillip said his eyes scanning the traffic as he was speaking. “Don’t let some….don’t let the first girl you have sex with mess that up for you.”
“What?” Max asked his jaw dropping even as he reasoned that he had to have heard his father wrong, misunderstood what he seemed to be saying.
“I know that you think I don’t know what I’m talking about,” Phillip replied pulling his eyes from the road just long enough to make sure Max was listening. “That Liz isn’t like that but, Max, I’m sure she doesn’t want to be a waitress for the rest of her life.”
Max gapped at his father speechless. Suddenly it was like he’d never seen him before in his life. It left him stunned speechless.
“You’re a good looking guy with a real future. College and law school, there will be tons of girls along the way so don’t loose your head over the first girl to come along,” Phillip continued editing his cruder thoughts, knowing that Max would react negatively. He believed he loved the girl after all. “Use those condoms I gave you. Every time no matter what she says.”
“No,” Max broke in forcefully. “You have it wrong.”
“Just listen to me, Max,” Phillip said glancing over to see Max’s set jaw. “All I’m saying is that you need to protect yourself. I’ve been where you are. I’ve experienced what those kind of girls will do to latch onto a guy like you. I’m just saying you need to be careful.”
“Those kind of girls?” Max asked in disbelief. He was not having this conversation. He couldn’t possibly be hearing what he thought he was hearing.
“Yes,” Phillip nodded his concern for his son escalating. It was clear to him that this girl had a hold over Max, getting him into who knows what kind of trouble. Now that they were clearly sexually active it was unlikely he could pry Max away from her, better to let it run its course. “They’ll do all kinds of things to try and get you to marry them. They’re on the Pill or it’s not the right time of the month to get pregnant…..always use a condom, every single time. When you go away to college you’ll see I was right. Eventually, you’ll meet the kind of girl that’s right for you. You have everything going for you so don’t blow it.”
“So just because Liz’s father isn’t a lawyer she’s not right for me? What makes me so great? She’s on the honor roll just like I am. She doesn’t need me to reach any of her goals. She can do it by herself. I don’t want to listen to any more of this,” Max said his ears hot with angry color. “You don’t know her. You don’t know me either apparently. I could have come from any kind of background. I mean, who tosses kids beside the road anyway? I doubt it’s the “right” kind of people.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Phillip said in frustration. “I just meant that you’ve always been more….,” Phillip struggled for the right word. “sensitive then your sister. She can date and not get so….wrapped up in a person. Not let it interfere with her goals. I’m worried you’re going to let this girl influence you into doing things that you’re going to regret. That’s all.”
Max almost laughed at the sheer irony of this conversation. That LIZ was the one luring HIM into trouble. He was the one gambling in Vegas scamming the casinos out of cash, almost letting Isabel and Michael talk him into killing his boss, almost getting Liz killed not once but twice so far. And his father was worried SHE was a bad influence? How was he supposed to respond to this? Isabel was the example here? Was his father insane?
“The only thing Liz has influenced me to do is to take AP classes so I could get her to talk to me,” Max responded. “HER father was worried that I might keep her from getting into Harvard. But you know what? He didn’t talk to me like you’re talking about Liz.” Max bit back the rest of what wanted to spill out of his mouth by reminding himself that he couldn’t afford to get held up. He was already feeling an increasing need to find Liz that he had to struggle against to focus on this hellish conversation. “You’re doing exactly what those FBI agents are doing. Making faulty assumptions about someone you don’t know. I won’t listen to you talk about her like that, like she’s nothing.”
Immeasurably grateful that they were pulling into their driveway, Max bolted out of the car as soon as it slowed. He ignored his father as he called for him to wait, striding up to the house on his way to the phone.
Diane heard the front door bang open and was just in time to have Max brush past her with his face as dark and angry as a thundercloud. She waited until her husband walked in and pinned him with THE look.
“Phillip?” Diane asked worried. “What happened?”
Curled up in the middle of her bed, Liz tried to control the sick churning of her stomach. Closing her eyes she took deep even breaths, Max’s churning emotions were combining with her own already overloaded system.
“Honey? How are you feeling?” Nancy asked coming to sit on the edge of her daughter’s bed.
“Better,” Liz lied softly. Feeling her mother stroke her hair softly.
“You still feel hot,” Nancy worried, hesitating to say anything else knowing how Liz hated being fussed over.
“Only 101, it’s not serious, probably just a virus or something. I’m a little tired,” Liz sighed, not having a real response that would reassure her mother. “I think I’ll take a nap then see how I feel.”
“Okay, call if you need me,” Nancy said. Leaving the room she wondered if all the trouble of the last few months wasn’t wearing on her daughter. Jeff had briefly described the questioning in short terse sentences before storming down to the café. She was trying her best to quietly keep her family going and not show how worried she actually was but it was getting increasingly difficult.
Liz forced herself up and opened the window letting the chilly air cool down her bedroom before lying back down. She stayed quiet, not thinking, not focusing on her physical discomfort, just drifting trying to provide a calm pool for Max’s cascading feelings.
Eventually, she fell into a fitful sleep, sweating despite the cold air blowing through her room.
Max’s frustration was well past the simmering point and he was starting to think that maybe Michael had the right idea on how to deal with situations like this.
He hadn’t even been allowed to use the phone to call Liz before he was being dragged into another unwanted conversation. After listening to his father explain to his mother about what had happened at the station, they had both turned to him. Both his parents started firing off questions about Zan and everything else under the sun it seemed, expecting him to explain his whole life. He felt cornered and increasingly angry.
“I told you,” Max said his frustration clear in his voice. “I don’t like the guy. Why would invite him over? Then I’d have to answer questions, these questions actually, that I don’t want to deal with and that aren’t important to me. I don’t care who Zan is. I don’t care if he’s my long lost brother, cousin, twin, father, or what. I don’t like the guy.”
“What about Isabel? What does she think?” Diane asked trying to be the mediator between the two clashing men in the room.
“I don’t know. You’d have to ask her,” Max replied, then when his mother gave him the look he sighed. “She’s going with me on this. Look, I can’t tell you what you want to know. I’ll invite the guy over and you can see what you think but will that make any difference really?”
“No of course not,” Diane answered seeing Max’s anxiety and coming to a conclusion about it’s cause. “You’re still our son. We’ll always love you, the past won’t change that, Honey.”
“Do you think he could be the one committing these crimes?” Phillip asked directly.
“No,” Max answered quickly. “He’s been in Detroit not Texas. He just came here because of A…umm Tess. They have this thing and….He moved here for her. To be close and see her, you know? Where is Isabel anyway?” Max asked wishing he had her here. She was always quick on her feet with a story. He didn’t like facing his parents’ tag teaming when the questions were coming so fast that he couldn’t think.
“Shopping,” Diane answered and smiled when Max wilted in his seat. “How is Liz? Is she doing okay with all this? Being questioned must be a little scary.”
“She’s okay,” Max answered glancing at his father. “I should call her though. She wasn’t feeling that great earlier and…”
“Later,” Phillip cut in. “Tell me about what happened with Sophia’s father again.”
Max felt resentment and anger flood his chest.
Diane almost gasp at the look Max sent Phillip. She didn’t understand what had happened between them but it was clear Max was very angry and she’d never seen Phillip behave so harshly, almost cold really. The tension was thick and uncomfortable in the room as Max explained in a detached tone the events of the morning.
Liz woke feeling restless and so hot she couldn’t stand it. A shower did nothing to relieve the clawing need building inside. Changing into a light jogging outfit she climbed out her window and down the ladder to the alley, hoping a walk in the cold air would help.
“Problem?” Zan asked pushing away from his spot against the wall and walking closer.
“What are you doing here?” Liz asked holding her ground as he advanced.
“I’s wanna know the 411 s’all,” Zan drawled drawing closer, invading her space and forcing her to look up at him.
“Riiight,” Liz answered, resenting the way he used his size against her. “Why don’t you go down to the police station and find out?”
“Cute,” Zan smirked, liking the way her eyes sparked.
Liz shoved him away from her, annoyed. “This is my space,” Liz said her hands gesturing in a circle around her body. “That’s your space. Stay in yours.”
Zan’s smirk widened at her snippy tone. “Feeling a little….out of sorts? Gotta itch ya need scratched? Maybe I could help ya out.”
Liz could feel her teeth starting to grind. “Doubt it,” Liz shot back, controlling her fear through words. It was easier to focus on snipping at Zan then on the burning need consuming her.
Zan stopped her from walking around him by stepping into her path, cutting off her escape. “Not a good idea.”
“What isn’t?” Liz demanded getting pissed. She wasn’t in mood for word games. Balling her hands into fists to stop their shaking she lifted her chin, already feeling the fight or flight instinct building.
“You out wit outta escort,” Zan reminded her. “For one, you ain’t dressed for da tit freezing cold and for anotha you’s in heat. Dat ain’t a good time for a stroll. Then there’s the Ripper tearing through the girls in this town. Should I go on?” Zan asked watching her eyes narrow down to angry slits.
“Please don’t,” Liz answered crossing her arms over her chest, getting even more pissed as his smirk widened. “Just get out of my way.”
“No,” Zan answered. “We’s gonna go back up ta you’s room and do….whateva. What do you do anyways?”
“Nothing with you,” Liz answered. “And you’re not going into my room. Off limits.”
“What? You got sumthin ta hide? Porn?” Zan asked hopefully.
Liz’s nose wrinkled, offended and suddenly half amused at this exasperating conversation. “No! Look. Why don’t we just walk? Like I was going to in the first place?”
“Kay,” Zan agreed. “If you’s drop the arms.”
Smacking him sharply on the arm she started walking trying to ignore the feeling that he was staring at her ass. She could almost hear her teeth grinding down to nubs. “Stop it right now, Zan. Or I swear I’ll zap you.”
Zan grinned and caught up, walking beside her silently for a few blocks.
“What’s the deal with you?” Liz asked, not looking at him as they walked.
“What’re you talken bout?” Zan asked, glancing over at her.
“I mean do you even know? You’re so…..” Liz searched for a word that fit and came up empty. “Michael, I guess. Do you follow every impulse you get? Or do you actually think about it and still do it?”
Zan’s footsteps paused briefly before he took several swift strides, catching her easily. “Both, sometimes I think bout things and sometimes not,” Zan shrugged. “You don’t always have time ta think. You get used to not thinken.”
“Let me give you some free, but much needed, advise,” Liz said casting a searching look his way. “You better start thinking. Ava thinks enough for two people and you’re a little slow to catch up.”
“Thought you’s was all inta her and Alex,” Zan drawled with a strong dose of sarcasm coating his words with a tinge of resentment. “You’s all tryen ta bring her inta the fold.”
“I like her,” Liz said simply, shrugging. “It doesn’t matter to me who she chooses as long as she’s happy. Right now….you don’t make her happy. Alex is….he knows how to make people happy. It’s just how he is.”
“So what’s wit the advice then?” Zan asked eyes on their feet. His larger scuffed up boots taking long strides, clumping against the pavement demanding attention while hers were smaller clad in pink sneakers making almost no sound at all.
“I don’t know. Why do I try and help Michael? I’m still trying to figure that out,” Liz answered on a smile. “He drives me absolutely crazy. He’s soooo frustrating. I want to smack him every time he opens his mouth but….I want to see him happy too. Not at Maria’s expense,” Liz hastily added. “But still…I don’t like to see him shooting himself in the foot. You’re doing the same thing.”
Zan just grunted in response not having a verbal one. Feeling uneasy with her observations he turned the conversation to her. “So how come you aren’t pestering me wit questions bout what I said?”
“What do you mean?” Liz asked knowing exactly what he talking about.
“Don’t front wit me,” Zan said his eyes sharp and clear. “You know dis ain’t normal. Human. You’s almost crawling outta you’s skin.”
“How would you know?” Liz demanded going on the offensive. “You aren’t supposed to be able to feel anything from me anymore. So?” Liz demanded when he didn’t answer fast enough.
“I jus know,” Zan answered reluctantly, drawing out the words. Damn his mouth. His desire to turn the conversation away from one uncomfortable topic had landed him in another one. “You seen Ava taday?”
“No, why?” Liz asked suspiciously. “What does she have to do with this?”
“Nuthing,” Zan said his steps slowing until he was scuffing the soles of his boots along, dragging his feet literally.
“Great,” Liz said suddenly pissed again. “Now I’m suddenly talking to Michael again and getting one word answers. You brought this up. So finish what you start for a change.”
“You want me ta finish what I start?” Zan asked his eyes glinting. Feeling cornered and getting more then a little pissed off for a reason unknown to him, he did what he always did. Turned the tables, became the aggressor. Backing her into the nearest vacant doorway he pinned her against the bricks with his body. “How’s this?”
Fear jolted through her quickly followed by the slow burn of her anger mixing with the echo of Max’s. “Shitty, but you excel at being a prick. Why don’t you try something new and just be a person who verbally responds? Do I need to remind you about invading my personal space?”
Shifting his body to protect his groin, he smirked. “Try it. See what it gets ya.”
“Fine,” Liz answered and placed her hands directly on his chest, staring into his eyes.
Zan leapt back away from her like a scalded cat, breaking the connection trying to form between them. His eyes narrowing at her smirking expression. “Think you’re hot shit now?”
“Yep,” Liz answered her smirk growing as he carefully kept enough space between them so they weren’t touching. “So. How are you seeing Max’s flashes? Do you feel me?”
“I told ya I did,” Zan said curlishly, leaning back away from her. “S’the bracelet maybe. I don’t know.”
“You have my bracelet?” Liz demanded her voice rising as her suspicions were confirmed. “Give it back!”
“I don’t got it. Ava took it from me,” Zan said sulking slightly. “It fuckin zapped me and shit so she took it. She was gonna give it back to you. That’s why I thought you’d probably have seen her.”
Liz slapped him on the side on his head while glaring at him. “You messed with it didn’t you? What did you do?”
“Fuck! Why you females always hate’n?” Zan said, rubbing at his ear where she’d whacked him. “You all crazy hostile, beaten on me and shit.”
“It’s the only way you pay any damn attention!” Liz cried. “We talk and talk but you never listen! Hit you and suddenly you’re focused! God! What is your problem? Impulse control Zan! Get a damn clue!”
“I didn’t do anything,” Zan defended himself. “Much.”
Liz pinned him with a steely glare, ignoring her rising body temperature, the craving of her body as it whispered to her, trying to force her to seek out Max. “I’m going to hit you again if you don’t stop lying,” Liz warned.
“I ain’t lying,” Zan declared offended. “Fuck!” He yelped, as she advanced on him, scrambling back his back met the brick wall hard. “I didn’t do anything bad. Jus fooled wit a little. I didn’t see ya protesting as Max yanked ya inta the little boy’s room. Sides it fucked wit me so we’s even.”
“Fuck you! We’re not even!” Liz yelled jabbing him in the chest with her finger. “You did this. You…You fucking prick!”
Zan watched her sputter in fury and would have laughed if it wasn’t for the fact that he thought she would hurt him. Or worse, form a connection. “I didn’t make ya go inta heat. That’s not me!”
“Liz!” Max yelled dodging traffic as he crossed the street to reach her. He poured on a burst of speed driven by the fear of what Zan might do before he could get Liz away from him. He had left over the protests of his parents, unable to stay away any longer, not even stopping for his jacket.
“Max,” Liz breathed instantly abandoning her argument with Zan.
Zan breathed a sigh of relief as Liz turned away from him like he ceased to exist.
Max caught Liz as she flew at him, feeling instantly better as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Zan folded his arms over his chest, slouching back against the bricks as he waited for them to come up for air. His surly expression darkened as he felt…..something. Not Liz….he was almost used to that. No, the prickling at the back of his neck was something else.
Max glowered at the passing scenery realizing that they were taking the long way home. Why was it that his father only wanted to talk when it was really inconvenient for him?
Seriously, the kitchen almost burns down and that barely gets him to look up from reading the paper. The house gets robbed and he can’t even be bothered to come home early, but get interrogated by the FBI and suddenly it’s a big fucking deal. THAT rates the long way home and a lecture about….well that remained to be seen at this point since he had yet to start the impending lecture.
He hadn’t even done anything to get lectured about. Reminding himself that this wasn’t the time to take a cue from Michael he tried to shrug off his annoyance.
He had to get this over with as quickly as possible and get back to Liz. Which meant not provoking his father.
“You and Liz seem to be serious,” Phillip said starting off with the topic that seemed to him to be central to the current situation.
“Dad, come on,” Max groaned. He didn’t want to have this conversation. The time he’d kept Liz out all night had resulted in THE talk and a box of condoms. Wasn’t that supposed to be it? Why take it further? Please God don’t take it further, Max thought wildly.
“I realize that telling you to keep this relationship in perspective will fall on deaf ears at this point so all I’m asking is that you use your brain and protect yourself. You’re a good looking guy with a bright future, Max,” Phillip said his eyes scanning the traffic as he was speaking. “Don’t let some….don’t let the first girl you have sex with mess that up for you.”
“What?” Max asked his jaw dropping even as he reasoned that he had to have heard his father wrong, misunderstood what he seemed to be saying.
“I know that you think I don’t know what I’m talking about,” Phillip replied pulling his eyes from the road just long enough to make sure Max was listening. “That Liz isn’t like that but, Max, I’m sure she doesn’t want to be a waitress for the rest of her life.”
Max gapped at his father speechless. Suddenly it was like he’d never seen him before in his life. It left him stunned speechless.
“You’re a good looking guy with a real future. College and law school, there will be tons of girls along the way so don’t loose your head over the first girl to come along,” Phillip continued editing his cruder thoughts, knowing that Max would react negatively. He believed he loved the girl after all. “Use those condoms I gave you. Every time no matter what she says.”
“No,” Max broke in forcefully. “You have it wrong.”
“Just listen to me, Max,” Phillip said glancing over to see Max’s set jaw. “All I’m saying is that you need to protect yourself. I’ve been where you are. I’ve experienced what those kind of girls will do to latch onto a guy like you. I’m just saying you need to be careful.”
“Those kind of girls?” Max asked in disbelief. He was not having this conversation. He couldn’t possibly be hearing what he thought he was hearing.
“Yes,” Phillip nodded his concern for his son escalating. It was clear to him that this girl had a hold over Max, getting him into who knows what kind of trouble. Now that they were clearly sexually active it was unlikely he could pry Max away from her, better to let it run its course. “They’ll do all kinds of things to try and get you to marry them. They’re on the Pill or it’s not the right time of the month to get pregnant…..always use a condom, every single time. When you go away to college you’ll see I was right. Eventually, you’ll meet the kind of girl that’s right for you. You have everything going for you so don’t blow it.”
“So just because Liz’s father isn’t a lawyer she’s not right for me? What makes me so great? She’s on the honor roll just like I am. She doesn’t need me to reach any of her goals. She can do it by herself. I don’t want to listen to any more of this,” Max said his ears hot with angry color. “You don’t know her. You don’t know me either apparently. I could have come from any kind of background. I mean, who tosses kids beside the road anyway? I doubt it’s the “right” kind of people.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Phillip said in frustration. “I just meant that you’ve always been more….,” Phillip struggled for the right word. “sensitive then your sister. She can date and not get so….wrapped up in a person. Not let it interfere with her goals. I’m worried you’re going to let this girl influence you into doing things that you’re going to regret. That’s all.”
Max almost laughed at the sheer irony of this conversation. That LIZ was the one luring HIM into trouble. He was the one gambling in Vegas scamming the casinos out of cash, almost letting Isabel and Michael talk him into killing his boss, almost getting Liz killed not once but twice so far. And his father was worried SHE was a bad influence? How was he supposed to respond to this? Isabel was the example here? Was his father insane?
“The only thing Liz has influenced me to do is to take AP classes so I could get her to talk to me,” Max responded. “HER father was worried that I might keep her from getting into Harvard. But you know what? He didn’t talk to me like you’re talking about Liz.” Max bit back the rest of what wanted to spill out of his mouth by reminding himself that he couldn’t afford to get held up. He was already feeling an increasing need to find Liz that he had to struggle against to focus on this hellish conversation. “You’re doing exactly what those FBI agents are doing. Making faulty assumptions about someone you don’t know. I won’t listen to you talk about her like that, like she’s nothing.”
Immeasurably grateful that they were pulling into their driveway, Max bolted out of the car as soon as it slowed. He ignored his father as he called for him to wait, striding up to the house on his way to the phone.
Diane heard the front door bang open and was just in time to have Max brush past her with his face as dark and angry as a thundercloud. She waited until her husband walked in and pinned him with THE look.
“Phillip?” Diane asked worried. “What happened?”
Curled up in the middle of her bed, Liz tried to control the sick churning of her stomach. Closing her eyes she took deep even breaths, Max’s churning emotions were combining with her own already overloaded system.
“Honey? How are you feeling?” Nancy asked coming to sit on the edge of her daughter’s bed.
“Better,” Liz lied softly. Feeling her mother stroke her hair softly.
“You still feel hot,” Nancy worried, hesitating to say anything else knowing how Liz hated being fussed over.
“Only 101, it’s not serious, probably just a virus or something. I’m a little tired,” Liz sighed, not having a real response that would reassure her mother. “I think I’ll take a nap then see how I feel.”
“Okay, call if you need me,” Nancy said. Leaving the room she wondered if all the trouble of the last few months wasn’t wearing on her daughter. Jeff had briefly described the questioning in short terse sentences before storming down to the café. She was trying her best to quietly keep her family going and not show how worried she actually was but it was getting increasingly difficult.
Liz forced herself up and opened the window letting the chilly air cool down her bedroom before lying back down. She stayed quiet, not thinking, not focusing on her physical discomfort, just drifting trying to provide a calm pool for Max’s cascading feelings.
Eventually, she fell into a fitful sleep, sweating despite the cold air blowing through her room.
Max’s frustration was well past the simmering point and he was starting to think that maybe Michael had the right idea on how to deal with situations like this.
He hadn’t even been allowed to use the phone to call Liz before he was being dragged into another unwanted conversation. After listening to his father explain to his mother about what had happened at the station, they had both turned to him. Both his parents started firing off questions about Zan and everything else under the sun it seemed, expecting him to explain his whole life. He felt cornered and increasingly angry.
“I told you,” Max said his frustration clear in his voice. “I don’t like the guy. Why would invite him over? Then I’d have to answer questions, these questions actually, that I don’t want to deal with and that aren’t important to me. I don’t care who Zan is. I don’t care if he’s my long lost brother, cousin, twin, father, or what. I don’t like the guy.”
“What about Isabel? What does she think?” Diane asked trying to be the mediator between the two clashing men in the room.
“I don’t know. You’d have to ask her,” Max replied, then when his mother gave him the look he sighed. “She’s going with me on this. Look, I can’t tell you what you want to know. I’ll invite the guy over and you can see what you think but will that make any difference really?”
“No of course not,” Diane answered seeing Max’s anxiety and coming to a conclusion about it’s cause. “You’re still our son. We’ll always love you, the past won’t change that, Honey.”
“Do you think he could be the one committing these crimes?” Phillip asked directly.
“No,” Max answered quickly. “He’s been in Detroit not Texas. He just came here because of A…umm Tess. They have this thing and….He moved here for her. To be close and see her, you know? Where is Isabel anyway?” Max asked wishing he had her here. She was always quick on her feet with a story. He didn’t like facing his parents’ tag teaming when the questions were coming so fast that he couldn’t think.
“Shopping,” Diane answered and smiled when Max wilted in his seat. “How is Liz? Is she doing okay with all this? Being questioned must be a little scary.”
“She’s okay,” Max answered glancing at his father. “I should call her though. She wasn’t feeling that great earlier and…”
“Later,” Phillip cut in. “Tell me about what happened with Sophia’s father again.”
Max felt resentment and anger flood his chest.
Diane almost gasp at the look Max sent Phillip. She didn’t understand what had happened between them but it was clear Max was very angry and she’d never seen Phillip behave so harshly, almost cold really. The tension was thick and uncomfortable in the room as Max explained in a detached tone the events of the morning.
Liz woke feeling restless and so hot she couldn’t stand it. A shower did nothing to relieve the clawing need building inside. Changing into a light jogging outfit she climbed out her window and down the ladder to the alley, hoping a walk in the cold air would help.
“Problem?” Zan asked pushing away from his spot against the wall and walking closer.
“What are you doing here?” Liz asked holding her ground as he advanced.
“I’s wanna know the 411 s’all,” Zan drawled drawing closer, invading her space and forcing her to look up at him.
“Riiight,” Liz answered, resenting the way he used his size against her. “Why don’t you go down to the police station and find out?”
“Cute,” Zan smirked, liking the way her eyes sparked.
Liz shoved him away from her, annoyed. “This is my space,” Liz said her hands gesturing in a circle around her body. “That’s your space. Stay in yours.”
Zan’s smirk widened at her snippy tone. “Feeling a little….out of sorts? Gotta itch ya need scratched? Maybe I could help ya out.”
Liz could feel her teeth starting to grind. “Doubt it,” Liz shot back, controlling her fear through words. It was easier to focus on snipping at Zan then on the burning need consuming her.
Zan stopped her from walking around him by stepping into her path, cutting off her escape. “Not a good idea.”
“What isn’t?” Liz demanded getting pissed. She wasn’t in mood for word games. Balling her hands into fists to stop their shaking she lifted her chin, already feeling the fight or flight instinct building.
“You out wit outta escort,” Zan reminded her. “For one, you ain’t dressed for da tit freezing cold and for anotha you’s in heat. Dat ain’t a good time for a stroll. Then there’s the Ripper tearing through the girls in this town. Should I go on?” Zan asked watching her eyes narrow down to angry slits.
“Please don’t,” Liz answered crossing her arms over her chest, getting even more pissed as his smirk widened. “Just get out of my way.”
“No,” Zan answered. “We’s gonna go back up ta you’s room and do….whateva. What do you do anyways?”
“Nothing with you,” Liz answered. “And you’re not going into my room. Off limits.”
“What? You got sumthin ta hide? Porn?” Zan asked hopefully.
Liz’s nose wrinkled, offended and suddenly half amused at this exasperating conversation. “No! Look. Why don’t we just walk? Like I was going to in the first place?”
“Kay,” Zan agreed. “If you’s drop the arms.”
Smacking him sharply on the arm she started walking trying to ignore the feeling that he was staring at her ass. She could almost hear her teeth grinding down to nubs. “Stop it right now, Zan. Or I swear I’ll zap you.”
Zan grinned and caught up, walking beside her silently for a few blocks.
“What’s the deal with you?” Liz asked, not looking at him as they walked.
“What’re you talken bout?” Zan asked, glancing over at her.
“I mean do you even know? You’re so…..” Liz searched for a word that fit and came up empty. “Michael, I guess. Do you follow every impulse you get? Or do you actually think about it and still do it?”
Zan’s footsteps paused briefly before he took several swift strides, catching her easily. “Both, sometimes I think bout things and sometimes not,” Zan shrugged. “You don’t always have time ta think. You get used to not thinken.”
“Let me give you some free, but much needed, advise,” Liz said casting a searching look his way. “You better start thinking. Ava thinks enough for two people and you’re a little slow to catch up.”
“Thought you’s was all inta her and Alex,” Zan drawled with a strong dose of sarcasm coating his words with a tinge of resentment. “You’s all tryen ta bring her inta the fold.”
“I like her,” Liz said simply, shrugging. “It doesn’t matter to me who she chooses as long as she’s happy. Right now….you don’t make her happy. Alex is….he knows how to make people happy. It’s just how he is.”
“So what’s wit the advice then?” Zan asked eyes on their feet. His larger scuffed up boots taking long strides, clumping against the pavement demanding attention while hers were smaller clad in pink sneakers making almost no sound at all.
“I don’t know. Why do I try and help Michael? I’m still trying to figure that out,” Liz answered on a smile. “He drives me absolutely crazy. He’s soooo frustrating. I want to smack him every time he opens his mouth but….I want to see him happy too. Not at Maria’s expense,” Liz hastily added. “But still…I don’t like to see him shooting himself in the foot. You’re doing the same thing.”
Zan just grunted in response not having a verbal one. Feeling uneasy with her observations he turned the conversation to her. “So how come you aren’t pestering me wit questions bout what I said?”
“What do you mean?” Liz asked knowing exactly what he talking about.
“Don’t front wit me,” Zan said his eyes sharp and clear. “You know dis ain’t normal. Human. You’s almost crawling outta you’s skin.”
“How would you know?” Liz demanded going on the offensive. “You aren’t supposed to be able to feel anything from me anymore. So?” Liz demanded when he didn’t answer fast enough.
“I jus know,” Zan answered reluctantly, drawing out the words. Damn his mouth. His desire to turn the conversation away from one uncomfortable topic had landed him in another one. “You seen Ava taday?”
“No, why?” Liz asked suspiciously. “What does she have to do with this?”
“Nuthing,” Zan said his steps slowing until he was scuffing the soles of his boots along, dragging his feet literally.
“Great,” Liz said suddenly pissed again. “Now I’m suddenly talking to Michael again and getting one word answers. You brought this up. So finish what you start for a change.”
“You want me ta finish what I start?” Zan asked his eyes glinting. Feeling cornered and getting more then a little pissed off for a reason unknown to him, he did what he always did. Turned the tables, became the aggressor. Backing her into the nearest vacant doorway he pinned her against the bricks with his body. “How’s this?”
Fear jolted through her quickly followed by the slow burn of her anger mixing with the echo of Max’s. “Shitty, but you excel at being a prick. Why don’t you try something new and just be a person who verbally responds? Do I need to remind you about invading my personal space?”
Shifting his body to protect his groin, he smirked. “Try it. See what it gets ya.”
“Fine,” Liz answered and placed her hands directly on his chest, staring into his eyes.
Zan leapt back away from her like a scalded cat, breaking the connection trying to form between them. His eyes narrowing at her smirking expression. “Think you’re hot shit now?”
“Yep,” Liz answered her smirk growing as he carefully kept enough space between them so they weren’t touching. “So. How are you seeing Max’s flashes? Do you feel me?”
“I told ya I did,” Zan said curlishly, leaning back away from her. “S’the bracelet maybe. I don’t know.”
“You have my bracelet?” Liz demanded her voice rising as her suspicions were confirmed. “Give it back!”
“I don’t got it. Ava took it from me,” Zan said sulking slightly. “It fuckin zapped me and shit so she took it. She was gonna give it back to you. That’s why I thought you’d probably have seen her.”
Liz slapped him on the side on his head while glaring at him. “You messed with it didn’t you? What did you do?”
“Fuck! Why you females always hate’n?” Zan said, rubbing at his ear where she’d whacked him. “You all crazy hostile, beaten on me and shit.”
“It’s the only way you pay any damn attention!” Liz cried. “We talk and talk but you never listen! Hit you and suddenly you’re focused! God! What is your problem? Impulse control Zan! Get a damn clue!”
“I didn’t do anything,” Zan defended himself. “Much.”
Liz pinned him with a steely glare, ignoring her rising body temperature, the craving of her body as it whispered to her, trying to force her to seek out Max. “I’m going to hit you again if you don’t stop lying,” Liz warned.
“I ain’t lying,” Zan declared offended. “Fuck!” He yelped, as she advanced on him, scrambling back his back met the brick wall hard. “I didn’t do anything bad. Jus fooled wit a little. I didn’t see ya protesting as Max yanked ya inta the little boy’s room. Sides it fucked wit me so we’s even.”
“Fuck you! We’re not even!” Liz yelled jabbing him in the chest with her finger. “You did this. You…You fucking prick!”
Zan watched her sputter in fury and would have laughed if it wasn’t for the fact that he thought she would hurt him. Or worse, form a connection. “I didn’t make ya go inta heat. That’s not me!”
“Liz!” Max yelled dodging traffic as he crossed the street to reach her. He poured on a burst of speed driven by the fear of what Zan might do before he could get Liz away from him. He had left over the protests of his parents, unable to stay away any longer, not even stopping for his jacket.
“Max,” Liz breathed instantly abandoning her argument with Zan.
Zan breathed a sigh of relief as Liz turned away from him like he ceased to exist.
Max caught Liz as she flew at him, feeling instantly better as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Zan folded his arms over his chest, slouching back against the bricks as he waited for them to come up for air. His surly expression darkened as he felt…..something. Not Liz….he was almost used to that. No, the prickling at the back of his neck was something else.