Without Him

Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The next Friday morning I'm woken up with a repetitive knock on my front door. I forced myself out of bed, completely annoyed for being woken up this early in the morning on my day off (due to last night's event the staff had the day off today). Before unlocking and opening the door, I looked through the peep hole to see who it was only to find myself completely surprise by the person standing on the other side.

He was about to knock again when I abruptly opened the door, making sure my annoyance was visible. If you want me instantly annoyed just wake me up early or disrupt my nap and you'd become my life-time enemy. I didn't joke when it came to sleep.

"What do you want?" I snapped in a groggy, sleepy voice.

"You didn't answer my text or calls, last night" Max reminded, leaning against the door frame and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"And?"

"Why?" He demanded.

"Are you seriously asking me this question right now, Max?" I dryly laughed.

"Yes" He paused waiting for my answer when I remained silent, he spoke again "Answer me, Ella"

"You can't be that stupid, Max. Can you?" I asked, leaning my head to the side in contemplation and crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Quit the game, Ella. If I knew the reason why you're so upset with me, I wouldn't be here. In front of your door. Early in the morning. Asking you." He was clearly becoming mad "Why?" He repeated.

"You want to know why? I'm supposed to be giving you a chance and I understand we don't want everyone to know but the fact that you were letting a colleague feel you up in front of me is just..." I trailed off, shaking head. Anger was boiling through my veins, watering my eyes. I refused to cry from anger. "How would you feel if I let Braden or any other men from the company touch me like that in front of you?"

His eyes darken with my question, I had hit one of his buttons. I knew all of them and when to push them. And right now seem like the right moment "The same way you're feeling right now but if you trusted me enough you would know I would have never let Ava touch me if it wasn't for our benefit"

"How does she touching you benefit us in any way?" I asked in disbelief. We were having this conversation practically in the hallway of the building but at the moment I didn't care.

Max rubbed his face with his hands before answering, "There was a sneaky pap trying to get pictures of the event. While he was trying to snap a few, we became his interest. He was watching us with his camera from a nearby window. I could see how he was already getting the thought of us together. I know how we don't want to expose our current relationship status with the media, that's why I allowed Ava touch me. I wanted to throw him off of his assumption."

The only people who knew about Max and me being back together were his mother, father, my mother, father, my sister Bliss and her fiancée Reeve, which meant only family and a couple of close friends, including my best friend Livie - who was coming back to New York next week, from visiting family in Michigan. I wasn't as close to Max's father as I was to his mother - I barely ever saw him - so I guessed Max or his mother were the ones who had told him. He had seen Mia only once, which was the day she was born.

"And why would I believe you? Why would I think that you were actually trying to protect the privacy of our relationship and not trying to fool around?"

"Jesus Christ, Ella!" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration "I'm not the 24yr old guy, looking to get laid and party. It's been a year. I'm not an asshole. I have matured. I have responsibilities. I have a daughter - I really care about - and a relationship I really want back. I'm not fooling around"