Husband by Choice

Ready for what?

To find Meri? Bring her home?

Or to find another pool of blood?

Either way, he had to go.

* * *

MAX’S HAND SMOOTHED its way up her side, over a scar, lingering there to kiss the silken line.

“No,” she murmured sleepily, wanting so much more than a simple touch from him. “It represents pain,” she told him her secret. “It reminds me.”

“Which scar is it, Meri?” His whisper covered the scar and it vanished.

“You are so hot,” he said. “And I can’t get enough....”

She knew the feeling. Oh, God she knew the feeling. Arching her back, Meredith met him, body to body, strength to strength, partner to partner, as his naked body entered hers.

She took him into her.

“And the two become one,” he said.

The words were beautiful. But it was the catch in his voice that stole her heart....

Oh...God...her heart....

She hurt so much and didn’t want to hurt anymore. The elephant was back. He was big and mad. He’d been on the table but now he was on the floor.

And so was she.

He was going to trample her.

* * *

FOUR DIFFERENT, LARGE neighborhoods were located directly across Highway One from the Santa Raquel beach. The two-lane highway that ran up and down the entire coast of California was the access point to some of the nicest homes in that part of the state.

Max was out of Chantel’s car and off up the street before she’d pulled to a stop at the entrance of the first neighborhood. Going door to door with others who were searching and asking neighbors to help with the search. He ran into her again when she hunted him down at the end of the next street.

“Max!” She was on foot, running toward him at full speed, like a linebacker, grabbing at him as she reached him.

“What?” He pulled his arm out of her grasp. She wasn’t slowing him down.

“Max.” She touched his arm again, getting his attention. And when he looked at her, she said, “They’ve got him, Max. Wayne just called. They’ve got him.” She was panting as she spoke. Out of breath. “He walked over to a cop guarding the entrance to the neighborhood and turned himself in.”

He understood every glorious word. He just couldn’t believe it.

“So Meri’s okay?” She’d said they had him. She hadn’t said anything about Meri.

“We don’t know.” She was catching her breath. “Now listen,” she said when he was about to head off up the road, continuing knocking on doors, searching yards....

“They were together,” she said. “We know that much. He had some crazy story about Meredith trying to kill him, but he was crying and just kept saying he was sorry. Over and over. He had blood on his hands, Max.”

The word that spewed out of his mouth wasn’t one he’d ever heard growing up.

“Max...hold on. We have to stay calm,” Chantel said, giving his arm another squeeze. “We have to find her, Max.”

“Doesn’t he know where she is?”