The Bull Prince | Max Verstappen

Chapter 37

Hello. There is a flashback part in this story I would like to warn you about. It's nothing too graphic I promise, but warnings are important, so here we go. 

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Joanna didn't sleep that night, but neither did Max. They were just lying next to each other together, but neither of them said anything. It was Joanna, who couldn't take it any longer, climbing out of bed and quietly leaving for the living room. Max had glanced at the alarm clock to see that it was just past three in the morning. Exhaling slowly, he left the bed as well to see where Joanna was. 

Walking into the still dark living room, Max smiled sadly as he saw that Joanna was standing in the kitchen, a hand pressed over her belly, while she was holding a glass of water which she had just filled with water from the tap. He moved over to lean against the doorway his gaze still on Joanna, who hadn't moved at all since Max had noticed she was standing in the kitchen. 

"I can't cry again, but I just really don't know what else to do." She muttered, which caused Max to push himself away from the door frame and join her by the sink. He carefully slung his arms around her, pressing Joanna's back into his chest, before loosening her fingers from around the glass of water and setting it back down next to the kitchen sink. 

"I feel so ... hollow," Joanna admitted as she rested her head back against Max, who wasted no time to lean his head on hers. Their arms crossed over Joanna's torso, holding each other tight. 

"We could take a bath together," Max said after a moment. The young Dutch wasn't sure how to fight this situation. He had no idea how to help Joanna, he wasn't even twenty yet, but as he felt her head nod against him, he was relieved. She wasn't shutting him out like he had feared in the beginning, at least not now. 

Pulling her into the bathroom with him, Max made sure Joanna sat on the rim of the bath before he checked the temperature of the water and filled the tub. Joanna watched him as he walked over to the counter to get out the bath oils the Austrian owned. Presenting them to Joanna she nodded to the one farthest left, lavender. Pouring in way too much, which caused Joanna to snort, while she took Max's hand in which the little vial was to stop him. 

"Sorry," Max muttered but Joanna simply gave him a sad smile before taking the vial Joanna got up for the rim of the tub to store it away again. Max had sat down in Joanna's place in the meantime, which caused her to step between his legs. She put her hand on his shoulder, before brushing down and getting a hold of the rim of his shirt, causing Max to understand what she wanted. Lifting his arms in the air, Joanna pulled Max's shirt over his head before throwing it behind them, vaguely in the direction of the laundry basket. 

Max's hands rested on her hips, while he gently rested his forehead against her chest, causing Joanna to brush through his hair, a protective hand resting on his shoulder. 

"Tell me you know I love you," Joanna whispered thinking back to their little conversation before the start in Japan. It had hurt that Max had doubted her feeling for him, then for her, it was so clearly visible in everything she did. 

"Of course, I know that. I was just petty. We haven't seen each other in so long. I had a very bad nightmare and this stupid fight was getting to me." He muttered against Joanna's body, before moving a little bit away to look up at her. 

"I love you, J," Max told her with a pained smile. "And I don't really hate you." He added, which caused Joanna's expression to soften. 

Nudging her nose against his, Max rested their foreheads together for a moment before pulling Joanna into a desperate kiss. Kissing her once more, Max got up from the rim of the tub, before turning the water off.