“I live for the spotlight, it’s my food.” Her eyes were half lidded as she edged closer to my mouth. “And you’ve seen my family. I’m trouble, Max.”

Did I care? I wasn’t sure I was capable of making a real decision as her smell wrapped around my senses. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to taste her, to touch her, to press her against my body. To hear her say my name again.

Dipping my head, I grazed her lips with mine and I was lost. On a sigh, she leaned into me and wrapped her hands around my neck. Tilting her head back, I brought my mouth to hers carefully, softly, tasting. I wanted to deepen the kiss, to hear her moan, to feel the way her body could wrap around mine, but I kept it soft, sweet, and simple. She was in such a hard place, she needed to be protected, treasured by someone.

And right now, I was that person.

SEVEN

DECADENT. TENDER. PERFECT.

I hadn’t been kissed in so long I’d almost forgotten how wonderful it could be. Or maybe it was just Max. His teasing lips, the soft touch of his hand on my hip, the way he tasted. It was enough to make me forget the stress, the worry, the pain of the day.

I knew it was wrong. Knew that I was bad for him, but there was something in the way he looked at me, the way he touched me, that killed my reasoning. When I slid my tongue out to touch his bottom lip, his fingers tightened on my hip, his thumb rubbing soft circles just above the top of my jeans. The kiss deepened, our breaths mingling together. I couldn’t help the soft moan when he pulled me to his body; feeling his lean muscles pressed against me was more than I had experienced in years. I let one of my hands run down his chest and around to his back.

He pulled away from me just a little, his lips kissing me softly once more before looking at me with serious eyes.

“I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not.” His deep voice made me want to wrap it around me.

“Good.” I let my hand run along his jaw softly before falling to my side. “I’m not sorry.”

That thought was surprising. I didn’t kiss men. But boy was I glad that I had let him kiss me.

“I should go.” He didn’t move.

“You should.” I looked up at him but didn’t step away. “This is a bad idea.”

“Maybe.” Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Will you be okay tonight?”

His eyes darted to the shut door of the sitting room.

“Yes.” I sighed, the moment broken. Nothing like the thought of my ass**le father to kill the mood. “He’s been taken up to his room. I doubt he’ll remember anything from today.”

“I’m coming back tomorrow.” He stated it like I should just expect it.

“No you aren’t. You have other things to do.” I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t need you in the way while I handle everything.”

“You need help.” His jaw tensed.

“No I don’t. Everything has been set up for the funeral.” I took a step away from him. “I don’t need you until then.”

“I’m offering to help you.” His face took on a stubborn cast.

“And I’m telling you I don’t need any.” He wasn’t the only person who could be stubborn.

“You don’t need to take all of this on by yourself.”

“I’ve been doing just fine without you.” My chin jerked upward.

“Like today? When your father tried to beat your face in?” He took a step toward me. “Stop being stubborn and let me help you. You can’t live like this.”

“What are you going to do? Throw Duke Thysmer in jail?” She laughed. “Trust me, he’s been there before, and all it did was make him hit harder.”

His jaw clenched and his head jerked toward the stairs.

“What are you thinking, Max?” I stepped forward and touched his tensed shoulder.

“That maybe it’s time someone hits him back.” He turned to look at me, and I was surprised by the amount of anger in his green eyes.

“It won’t do any good.” I pulled on his arm to get him away from the staircase. “Besides, I don’t want Marty to think that’s how to solve problems.”

His vision cleared a bit, but he looked back at the stairs. “That man is a ticking time bomb. When are you going back to England?”

“I don’t know.” I looked away from him. “I might stay here.”

“What?” Max turned back to me. “You can’t stay here with him.”

“I can’t let him destroy the family.” I willed him to understand. “This is our chance to be more than a poor family with no hopes. I can’t let him ruin that. Not for Marty.”

“There have to be other options.”

“What? Going back to waiting tables? Double shifts?” I put my hands on my hips. “I never saw Marty. He was growing up without me. I was working extra shifts just to pay the babysitters to watch him while I worked those shifts. It took me an extra year just to finish high school. There was no way I’d be able to go to university. This is our chance for more.”

“He’s going to hurt you or Marty. You won’t be able to stop him.” He frowned. “If I hadn’t been here today he would have hurt you.”

“It’s only when he’s drunk.” I shrugged.

“Don’t shrug. We’re not talking about him smoking a cigar when he drinks.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “What’s to say he doesn’t wake up tomorrow and do the exact same thing?”