Nat glowers at Nik. "Don't you f.u.c.king dare, Nikolai! My sister would not have touched anyone unless it were necessary!" G.o.d bless Nat for sticking up for me. Unfortunately, in this case, she's wrong.

Asher adds calmly, "I think we should give her some room and shut the f.u.c.k up."

Max sounds frustrated. "I can't help you if you won't tell me what happened. What did she do, Helena? Talk to me."

Tina appears by our sides. "What's going on here?" She peers over at me, stunned. "Lena, honey. Your lip is bleeding." I know it is. I can feel it throbbing like a b.i.t.c.h.

Mimi speaks from the sideline. "I think Ash is right. Give her some room."

But Nik is too p.i.s.sed to hear any of it. "I'll tell you what. How about Helena tells me what the f.u.c.k happened, and then I'll leave her alone?"

Max stands and gets in his brother's face, jaw set. "Shut the f.u.c.k up, Nik. You're not my boss. You better remember that."

Nik's face distorts with anger. "Your girl causes s.h.i.t not ten minutes after I put my faith in her. Her f.u.c.k-up is your f.u.c.k-up."

Nat, Tina, Mimi, and Lola all bite out, "Hey!" at Nik's rude comment. I've never seen him so angry.

Tina approaches him and speaks softly. "Honey, calm down. She'll talk when she's ready."

Nik straightens and looks up into my eyes. "She'll talk now. What happened?" Nik can be a seriously intimidating guy.

Nat cuts in, "f.u.c.k you, Nik!"

Nik turns on her. "Of course you're sticking up for her. I need to know what happened." My gut coils.

Mimi steps in front of Nik. "We're all friends here, remember?"

Nik sniffs, "Some more than others."

That was a cheap shot. My blood boils. I close my eyes as my chest heaves. Tina gasps in astonishment. "Nik! What has gotten into you?"

He steps closer to me, angry eyes trained on mine. "What happened?"

I open my mouth, but all that comes out is, "I-uh-"

Nik grits his teeth and asks again, "What happened, Helena?"

Max growls in threat, "Take one more step towards her, Nik. I f.u.c.kin' dare ya."

I close my eyes. My body thrums. My chest heaves.

Nik asks again, near yelling, "What the f.u.c.k happened in there?"

I stand so fast my stool hits the bar with a bang. Hands shaking, I stand a foot away from Nik, looking up into his rage-filled eyes, and thunder, "She called Ceecee a r.e.t.a.r.d!" I'm mortified as the angry tears trail down my cheeks, my body shaking with fury. I lower my face into my hands to hide my weakness and whisper, "She called Ceecee r.e.t.a.r.ded."

The silence is so thick you could carve it with a knife. Lowering my hands, I swipe furiously at the tears. I reach out with a shaking hand to take the gla.s.s of water into my hands. I sip at it, wishing I could disappear into the darkness, but I know that's not a choice.

Breathing in carefully, I stand as tall as I can and speak softly through an exhale, "I'm sorry for the trouble, Nik." I remove the two-way from my side and badge from around my neck, placing them on the stool. "No need to fire me. I resign. Sorry for spoiling everyone's night. I'm going home. Goodnight."

Tina and Lola both plead, "Helena, no!" and "Stay!" while Nat orders, "Don't you go anywhere. Not 'til he apologizes!"

I turn and walk away with what dignity I have left before I hear Nat scream to who I'm sure is Nik, "You a.s.shole!"

I half-expect that Max will come after me, but he doesn't.

And once again, I'm left feeling how I felt when I first came to New York.

Completely and utterly alone.

Max Immobilized by blind fury, I blink as I watch Helena walk away, head held high. I've never seen her look more beautiful, fat lip and all. But as she walks down the stairs, out of sight, my gut churns. I swallow hard knowing that this might be it. This might be where Helena realizes it's too much work being with a man like me. But seeing her stand over Portia after she handed her a.s.s to her, defending my baby girl...s.h.i.t.

I think I'm falling in love, but I don't remember it happening like this the first time round. Did love make a person feel like they'd hit the highest high and lowest low at the very same time? I never wanted this to happen. But knowing Helena as I do now, how could I have ever stopped it?

I should be used to people's offensive and rude comments. But at least when it comes from children, they don't know any better. When I hear adults using the word r.e.t.a.r.d, it just makes me want to smack a b.i.t.c.h. My daughter is not slow or stupid. She is an exceptionally smart and able person, regardless of her injury.

Nik stands there, hands on his hips, looking down at the floor. I feel the guilt come off of him in waves. Nat yells at him. "You a.s.shole!"

Tina gives Nat a pleading look. "Nat, stop." She steps closer to him, placing a hand on his chest. "Honey, you didn't know." But he steps back. I've never seen him step away from Tina. Not ever.

He doesn't look up. Instead, he takes the discarded badge and two-way, and makes his way to the door by the bar, leading to the office. He walks out, leaving us standing here. But he doesn't get away that easily. I follow him.

Tina stops me by gripping my wrist. "Max, don't, please. Just let him go."

I look down at my sister-in-law and kiss her forehead in rea.s.surance. "I'm not going to yell at him, Tina, even though he'd deserve it if I did. I just need to talk to him."

I walk over to the door by the bar and scan my way in. I keep walking and don't stop until I make it to Nik's office. He sits at the desk in the throne he calls an office chair with his eyes closed, rubbing at his temple. I clear my throat and he raises his head, looking haggard. He looks to have aged ten years in ten minutes. He shakes his head and mutters roughly, "I f.u.c.ked up."

He looks as if he wants to say more, so I don't bother speaking. Sometimes, all you need to do for someone to feel better is just listen. Sitting up, he stands and paces behind his desk. "I spoke to you the other day about how great your girl is, and I just tore her down. And I did it in front of everyone." He puffs out a breath. "The f.u.c.k is wrong with me?"

I utter quietly, "No one's perfect. People screw up."

Nik laughs humorlessly. "Yeah, they do. I know that better than anyone, so what the f.u.c.k was that?" He groans. "Oh G.o.d, she's gonna hate me." Then he sighs dejectedly. "The one girl I like for you and I bully her to tears. And all she was doing was sticking up for my niece."

"Helena's surprising like that."

Nik eyes me a moment before his brows narrow. "What? You're not gonna tear me a new a.s.shole?"

I lean against the doorframe. "You're doing a good job of that yourself. Doesn't look like you need help."

He looks up at me, his eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry, man."

I nod, knowing full-well he is, but say, "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

He sits on the edge of his desk, head lowered. "I know." He looks up at me and promises, "I'll make it right. First thing."

"Good." I c.o.c.k my thumb and point to the door. "You mind if I go save my a.s.s from getting dumped?"

His lip tilts up at the side. "Sure thing."

And with that, I walk out of the office and make my way to the parking lot.

Helena "I'm fine. Just a little shaken up is all. I haven't lost control like that ever," I mutter into my cell phone as I walk into my apartment. My phone has been ringing off the hook since I left the club.

Nat sniffs. "Yeah, well, the wh.o.r.e got what was coming to her." I agree, but I still made a mess of things, and I don't know how to make it better.

I sent a quick text to Felicity when I left, claiming a sudden illness. She responded with, "You poor little wh.o.r.e! Get well soon. Love ya!"

Nat asks, "You want me to come over? We can watch movies and eat all the junk food."

I chuckle. "All the junk food?"

She responds cheerily, "Yep. All of it!"

Smiling, I force a yawn. "Nah, I'm just going to have a shower and get into bed." I ask cautiously, "How's Max doing after all of that?"

She asks a surprised, "You haven't talked to him?" She hesitates, and then replies, "He went to talk to Nik, but he never came back out of the office." She adds an annoyed, "I'm not talking to Nik, by the way. Not until he apologizes to you."

I sigh. "Don't do that, please? For G.o.d's sake, let's just let it go and move on. I don't want to think about it anymore."

She pouts, "But he was so rude to you. I've never seen him be like that before. I can't just get over it. Sorry, the only person who's allowed to be rude to my sisters is me."

Stupid Nat, making me laugh when I want to feel sorry for myself. I say lightly, "Whatever, ho. I'm getting into the shower now. Peace."

"Peace out, sistah!"

I feel something soft and warm at my ankle. I'm surprised to find Tedwood purring up at me. I lean down and scratch him behind the ear. "Oh, I bet you know Mommy's had a bad night." Cats sense s.h.i.t like that, don't they? "You're a good boy when you want to be."

Unzipping my dress, I work it down my body, stepping out of it and throwing it into my bedroom, and then make my way down the hall and step into the bathroom. I start the shower, step in, and wash away the s.h.i.tty night I've had.

After a good, unnecessary half-hour in the shower-unnecessary, because I didn't wash my hair-I wrapped a towel around me and walked into my room. As I make my way into my room, I come to a halt in the doorway.

Max sits on the edge of my bed, facing me. "Hey."

My gut sinks. He's here to break up with me. I tighten my grip on the towel and respond weakly, "Hey."

He stands, taking the four steps towards me. "Don't ever do that again."

I lower my head, ashamed. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have done it. She just said it and I don't know what happened." I look up into his eyes, pleading for him to understand. "I just lost it."

He makes a face. "Not that." He takes a step closer, looking down at me menacingly. "Don't ever leave me again without giving me your mouth."

Huh? I ask confused, "You're not upset with me?"

He lifts a hand to my lips, outlining them, following his finger with his eyes. "Why would I be?"

I mutter against his fingers, "I attacked a female club patron."

He leans down, gently placing a kiss at the swollen side of my mouth, then nods. "You're pa.s.sionate."

I close my eyes and murmur, "I let her words get to me when I know better."

He shrugs. "Because she insulted Ceecee. An insult to her is an insult to you." He catches my chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing my gaze up to his. "How could I ever be mad at you for loving my daughter?"

I like that. Oh boy. I really like that. Bottom lip quivering, I squeak out, "So you're not breaking up with me?" He sighs, yanking at my towel. It falls and I'm left naked. Max wraps an arm around my back and the other under my a.s.s as he lifts me. "What are you doing?" I ask in disbelief as I cinch my arms around his shoulders, holding on tight.

He carries me over to the bed, laying me down in the middle. Undressing himself, he mutters, "I'm gonna f.u.c.k you until you stop being stupid."

Leaning up on my elbows, I gulp at the sight of his bare chest. "Might take a while."

As he pulls down his boxers and climbs over me, he grins and utters, "Challenge accepted."

His body covers me in hard warmth and his mouth devours mine with such pa.s.sion that I moan out loud. Relief pours through me as I realize Max is still mine.

For now, anyways.

Chapter Thirty-One.

Helena Knocking at my front door wakes me, but before I can get up to answer it, Max leans over me and kisses my forehead, slipping out of bed. I hear low murmurs of conversation before Max tiptoes back into the bedroom. Half-asleep and deliciously sore from last night's s.e.xathon, I ask a hushed, "Who is it?"

As he dresses himself, he looks over at me and responds cautiously, "It's Nik. I told him I'd give you guys a minute." My palms sweat, and reaching down, I slowly pull the covers up to my nose. Max smiles softly at the action. "This isn't round two, all right? He just wants to apologize."

I don't want to admit it, but after seeing Nik like he was last night, I'm a little scared to be alone with him. However, I do trust Max. I whisper through my covers, "Okay."

He smiles down at me, climbing over my body to bury his face in the crook of my neck. "You want coffee?"

With his mouth on me, it's hard to concentrate. "Is a frog's a.s.s watertight?"

His breath warms my throat as he chuckles. "Two sugars with a splash of milk, right?"

My eyes snap open. He knows how I take my coffee? My heart beams. Whelp, s.h.i.t got serious and someone forgot to inform me. I lift my arms out of my coc.o.o.n of safety and wrap them around his shoulders as I breathe into his ear, "Yeah, honey."

Lifting his head, he kisses the tip of my nose before standing. I ask through narrowed eyes, "You've still got your key, don't you? That's how you got in last night."

Max grins so hard his dimple cuts deep into his cheek. "You're so pretty."

When I roll my eyes, he chuckles and calls out to Nik, "Don't kill each other, okay? I like this one." I smile to myself. But my smile falls to the ground with a plop, when Max tells Nik, "And I plan to keep her."

Does he mean that? I can never work out whether the means the things he says or if they're just for show.