𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 ( 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐎𝐧𝐞)

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲- 𝐓𝐰𝐨 - 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐱

Sometimes all a person wants is an empathetic ear; all he or she needs is to talk it out. Just offering a listening ear and an understanding heart for his or her suffering can be a big comfort.
~Roy T. Bennett~

𝐋𝐮𝐜

The sun woke me up. It peeked through the curtains, caressing my face. Slowly opening my eyes, I turned to look at Lia sleeping beside me, her face beneath her hand propped on the pillow covered in a silky gold pillowcase.

I found myself replaying our conversation yesterday before we both fell asleep. I couldn't help but smile at how she'd declared her love for me. However, as soon as the smile appeared, it disappeared. I remembered too, that she had invited Max for Christmas.

Leaning my head down, I kissed her forehead, watching closely as her eyes fluttered open. "Hi," She mumbled, her sleepy voice making my heart race.

"Wake up. I need to tell you something before we go down for breakfast."

"Oh. Is something wrong?" she asked in a soft voice, shifting to sit up. I lean in to press my lips to her left cheek, bringing her attention right to me which is what I wanted.

"You said you invited Max for Christmas." Her gaze widened a little, struggling to keep it on my face while sleep still floated around her eyes.

"They will never agree to that," I told her, touching the corner of her mouth with my fingers.

"But they know all about him," she argued, finally alert, her brain now awake and functioning.

"Doesn't matter. Lia, try to remember how much they have always, consistently told us not everyone should have access to this house. Anyone you've seen here is either family or thoroughly vetted. Max doesn't qualify."

"So, he can't come?" her disappointed sad face got to me. I watched her slide down into the bed with her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Why do you even care about this fucker?" I asked almost in anger. The guy drugged, kidnapped and would have done much worse if she hadn't been rescued on time.

"I don't know. Maybe I felt the sadness in his voice, his sobs, the hiccups between sentences. I just pity him, Luc."

This was the difference between Lia and me. She had empathy, I didn't. I was only capable of feeling sympathy for the people I loved. Anyone else can go cry to God for all I cared.

"Fine. Get up, we need to talk to them before they leave."

She jerked up, her stare filled with curiosity, a tiny grin flirting on her lips.

"You think you can convince them?"

I rolled my eyes at her, "No."

The shine in her gaze dimmed. "Then what?"

"We take Max to father Josè," I mumbled jumping off the bed and dragging her into my arms, the feel of her in my arms a reminder of what my body wanted and craved.

"We take him to Italy?"

I nodded.

"Which means we need to tell them why, and we also need their permission to leave."

It's not exactly the permission we required, but to inform them. One of the rules was that we must, at all times tell them our movements especially if we were travelling in or out of countries.

"Okay. She mumbled, sliding off my body, and then planting a kiss on my lips before running towards the door.

"I will shower in my room," she said, but before she could open the door, I called her name.