“Oh okay.” Dr. Spencer felt his breathing regulate again.
“I wish he would just leave well alone.”
“Is there anything that he might have over you?” Dr. Spencer asked eagerly and Max looked at him suspiciously.
“What?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he found something out about your company?”
“There is nothing to find out.” Max looked at him with narrowed eyes. “That’s a weird question to ask.”
“I mean, I was just wondering why he is trying to come after you.” The doctor spoke calmly.
“He’s not the one I think is coming after me.” Max stood up. “I have to go now.”
“Who do you think…” Dr. Spencer’s voice trailed off as Max walked out of the door. He sighed and looked down at his phone. There was a new message: Max has a new girl. One he loves. Finds out her name and everything you can about her. I think she’s the best in which to hurt him. Frank Phillips.
Dr. Spencer looked at the message and leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. This was all getting to be too much. He didn’t want to do the senator’s dirty work anymore. He knew that he was compromising his ethics but ever since that night when the senator had videotaped him at The X Club he had been blackmailing him to do his bidding. He didn’t want to do it but he couldn’t afford for that video to come out. It would ruin his career.
He picked up his phone and texted Ella. “Hey you. Great meeting you. I was wondering if you were interested in grabbing some late night pancakes.”
She texted him back within minutes. “Would love to. I’ll meet you at the corner of Amsterdam and 72nd.”
He sighed and put his phone back in his pocket while staring at the torn off piece of paper on his desk. He would rather be meeting a different woman that evening but duty called.
***
Max made it home before Sophie did. He was surprised to see that Ella was in a good mood when he got in. “What happened to you?”
“Oh I’m just happy to look after my nephew.” She grinned. “And I have a date tonight, so I need to go home and change.”
“Not with Joseph?” He frowned.
“No big brother.” She grinned. “A different friend.” She left it at that. She didn’t want to tell him that it was the same guy that had the weird text message on his phone. She was fed up of the stress and worry; she just wanted to have some fun. Spencer had seemed cool and he was hot. And at least she didn’t feel used. She wanted to just have some fun as well. What would it hurt? She had told Max everything she knew about the message from Frank Phillips, it seemed he was the one with the vendetta against Max, not Spencer. She leaned over and kissed Max on the cheek. “Tell Sophie to call me tomorrow.” And then she left the apartment. Within minutes of her leaving, Sophie made it home with a glum look on her face.
“Sophie.” Max ran up to her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She sighed. “Can I ask you one question?”
“Of course.”
“You can’t lie.”
“I promise. I won’t lie.” He looked at her worried. “What is it?”
“Did you speak to Alexis today?”
His face paled and he grabbed her hand. “Yes, but…”
“Do you have plans to meet her tomorrow?”
“Yes,” he muttered. “How did you know this? Did she call you?”
“No.” Sophie looked at him with unshed tears. “I can’t believe you would do this to me, Max.”
“What are you talking about?” he shouted angrily. “This is for us, Sophie.”
“She loves you, Max!” Sophie screamed. “I heard her. She loves you.”
“She doesn’t know what love is Sophie.”
“You’re going to go and f**k her, aren’t you?”
“Sophie, what are you talking about?” He sighed. “Why do you always assume the worst? Why can’t you trust me?”
“Why can’t you be a decent man?” She broke down. “Why can’t you just be a normal, loving, loyal man?”
“What does that mean, Sophie?” He looked at her with anguished eyes.
“I just want a normal relationship. I met a guy, his name is Nicholas. And he likes me, and he’s normal and we’re friends.” The words ran out of her mouth and Sophie took an evil delight at the hurt that spread across Max’s face. “Sometimes I wonder if I wouldn’t be better with someone like Nick? Who would love me for who I am.”
“I love you for who you are, Sophie.” Max’s voice cracked as he stared at the love of his life. “I love you and Winter and—”
“Who’s Winter?” Sophie frowned.
“Our baby.” He smiled at her sadly. “I thought we could call her Winter, because we met and fell in love in Winterside.”
“Oh Max.” Tears sprang to Sophie’s eyes.
“I love you, Sophie. Please don’t doubt that.”
“How do you know we’re going to have a girl?”
“I just know.” He placed his hand across her stomach. “And she’s going to look as beautiful as you. And I will love her with all of my heart.”
“Why are you going to meet Alexis tomorrow, Max?” Sophie sobbed.
“I’m going to ask her to sign over her rights to Jacob, so he can be legally ours.” He stared into her eyes. “That’s all, Sophie. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
“I don’t think she knows that.” Sophie sighed and looked away from him.
“I don’t make you happy, do I, Sophie?” He looked at her in sorrow.
“Most days you do.” She bit her lip. “I love you, Max.”
“Sometimes love isn’t enough.” He looked at her with a detached look in his eyes. “Sometimes love can’t overcome all obstacles.”
“What are we going to do, Max?” Sophie clung on to him in anguish.
“I don’t know, Soph.” He held her tightly. “I love you more than life itself but sometimes loving someone is knowing when to let them go.”
“You can’t leave me, Max.” She sobbed.
He paused for a moment and thought for a second as inspiration hit him. “I don’t know if I can do this anymore, Sophie.” He pulled away from her, his heart breaking at what he was about to do. “I need time to think.”