Hands tugged at his arms, trying to pull him off Cade, whom he now had pinned to the ground.
“That’s enough,” shouted someone behind him. “Dammit, Max, that’s enough!”
Strong arms jerked him back, and he fell to his knees, muscles quivering as the anger-induced surge of adrenaline raced through his body.
“What the hell is going on here?”
Max turned his head toward the familiar voice.
Sheriff Cooper Delaney stood beside him, hands fisted on his hips, as he glared between the two men.
Someone helped Cade stand, and he pointed an unsteady finger at Max. “I want him arrested for assault,” he shouted. “I’m pressing charges.”
“Cade started it,” said a voice Max didn’t recognize.
“He hit me first!”
“You had it coming and then some,” said another.
“Max?” asked the Sheriff, “What happened?”
Max remained bent over, hands on his thighs, striving to get his breathing under control, fortifying himself for what was sure to happen next.
It was over.
Sky witnessed the part of him he feared and hated the most. Anger. Loss of control. She would never look at him the same way again.
He’d ruined any chance they had of being together. He let Cade goad him into a fight. Again. It didn’t matter what provoked it, who said or did what. All that mattered was Loser Logan threw a punch at the Cade Jackson.
And this time, there were more than enough witnesses to make the charges stick.
He swallowed hard to quell the hurt burning the back of his throat. He was so close to having it all. So close to realizing the dream that kept him alive through the darkest of days…the hope of a future that included a real home. A wife. A family. Gone in the blink of an eye.
A chilled gust of air washed over him, matching the coldness that coursed through his body. This is what death feels like, he thought numbly, cold and dark and alone.
He vowed not to look at anyone as he struggled to stand, shaking off the arms that attempted to help. He didn’t need anyone. Not now. Not ever again. Need brought pain.
And he’d had enough.
“I threw the first punch, Coop,” he said hoarsely. “Do what you got to do.”
“I told you,” blurted Cade, “the crazy bastard assaulted me for no reason. I want him arrested.”
Unsteady, Max spread his legs to maintain balance and put his hands behind his back, waiting for the cuffs to seal his fate.
“No need for that,” said Coop. “Let’s go see if we can straighten this out.”
Max dug his keys from his pocket and passed them to Coop. “Give these to Sky so they can get home. Tell her to get the damn tree first.”
“Keep the keys,” snapped Coop. “Until we get this sorted out.”
He staggered over to Coop’s Bronco and leaned against the hood. Against his better judgment, he looked toward the crowd around Coop and found Maddie’s tear-stained face staring at him as she clung to her mother’s hand.
The fear in her eyes broke his heart.
She’s afraid. Of me.
Sky poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with Anna. Strange as it may seem, she enjoyed her company. Maybe it was her connection to Max, or maybe it was just having another woman to talk to; Sky didn’t know. Nor did she waste time trying to figure it out. It is what it is.
Anna spent the last half hour sitting in Logan’s truck while they talked. Judging by the smile when she came in a few minutes ago, things were better between mother and son.
“I can’t believe it came to that again,” whispered Anna. “All because of me.”
“I don’t think that was all of it,” offered Sky. “Like you said, there’s a lot of bad blood between them.” She sipped her coffee. “I honestly think Cade accidently knocking Maddie down was the match that started the fire.”
Anna sat up straighter. “Is she okay?”
“Yeah. It scared her, of course, but she wasn’t hurt.”
Anna’s voice cracked, and she inhaled deeply. “Seems all I do is apologize, Sky, but I am so very sorry my problems ended up on your doorstep.”
Sky shrugged. “It was bound to come to a head. There’s too much history between them. Maybe now they can get past it and move forward.”
“Have you talked with him? Max?”
She shook her head. “No. He left without saying anything to me. Or Maddie.” She paused. “He asked Logan to bring us home while he stayed and talked with Coop.”
