Bad Boy's Kiss (Firemen in Love Book 2) (30 page)

“This is the sort of thing that goes on at bachelor parties,” I protested. “I mean, they're dancers. I don't like it, but it happens. It's not like he's
cheating
on me.”

Rachael smirked as dad handed me the rest of the pictures. I worked through them with trembling hands. I wished I could stop, but I couldn't. It was like staring at a horrible traffic accident, unable to take my eyes away.

Then, the location of the photos changed. Max was in someone's home, it looked like. His friends were gone. Several women from the strip club were happily rubbing all over him. His eyes were half-shut, and he looked almost asleep.

“What is this?” I whispered.

“I paid one of the dancers at Saint Claire's to document his night. Evidently, Max got very drunk. When a woman named Lola asked him for a ride home, he accepted. This was taken at her apartment.”

He drove a girl home smashed out of his mind? What was he thinking?

“Just like the fire truck incident,” Rachael went on. “Not only is he a drunk, he drives while totally hammered. He endangers other people, sis. How can you trust him around the baby?”

“Back at her apartment, a few of the other dancers showed up. Things apparently got a bit hot and heavy.”

The photos showed Max in various stages of undress, with three naked beauties hanging all over him. It seriously made my stomach turn.

Dad continued. “After they were all done partying, the other girls went home, leaving Max and Lola alone.” He took a deep breath. “She said he wanted more out of her. Wanted to do perverted things, but she refused. He got very angry and attacked her.”

“No he didn't! Stop saying such awful things!”

He pulled out some other pictures. In them, this girl had a nasty black eye, scratches, and bruises all over her body. She'd photographed her arm, too. There were bruises around her wrist in the shape of a man's hand.

No,
no.
This couldn't be real! It had to be a horrible, disgusting prank. Max was a sweet, gentle man. He'd never hit a woman. He would never...

“He forced himself on her.” Dad's voice cracked. “Anna, this man is a demon. I hate to say it, but I'm glad this happened as it did. Imagine if you found out how he truly was after the wedding.”

Even Rachael looked stunned all of a sudden. “Jeez. I knew he was a no-good cheating bum, but this? I can't believe it.”

“She's lying,” I blurted. “She has to be. I don't know why, but they'll find that out. The cops and doctors, they have ways of getting the truth.”

Dad sighed and put the pictures away. “She sought medical attention almost immediately after it occurred. The doctor has already examined her. He's determined that yes, an assault did occur. And... They also found traces of Max's semen on her body.”

I spun around and vomited into the bushes. Rachael patted my back and pretended to care.

“The evidence says it all, I'm afraid. Given his prior criminal record, he's being held without bail until his trial.”

My frail mind, now near its breaking point, struggled to come up with an explanation. A reason, any at all, that this could have happened. I could deny it all I wanted, but to find his
semen
on her was, sadly, something no one could argue with.

Trey wrapped me in a hug as I bawled my eyes out. He looked just as shocked as I felt.

“This can't be real,” he murmured. “Max is a playboy, all right. And he does make dumb choices now and again. But he'd never hurt a woman. Never.”

“But then what happened, Trey? You heard what dad said.”

Mom came waddling outside, fanning herself, her face red and sweaty. “What is all this racket out here? Hillary and I are trying to focus on table settings.”

“There's no need to worry about that anymore,” Rachael volunteered. “Max is in jail, and he'll probably never get out from the sound of things.”

Mom gasped. “What? What on earth happened? Oh, I knew that boy was no good.”

When Rachael relayed the story, mom let out a mournful wail.

“Oh no, this is a
disaster!
Do you realize how many thousands we've spent on this wedding? All the guests will be here in two days!”

I gaped at her. “You're more upset about ruining the wedding than how I'm feeling? Really?”

She grunted. “You wouldn't understand. It's not
your
money, is it?”

“A disaster, indeed,” dad said. “Max is morally bankrupt and a criminal, Anna. I will not allow you to marry him. In fact, I won't let you
see
him ever again.”

If he really had raped that girl, then dad's demand was fine by me. I wanted nothing to do with him, and I hoped he was punished to the fullest extent of the law.

But deep inside, I knew he was innocent – or at least, that's what I kept telling myself. Proving it, however, seemed hopeless.

“It would be devastating to the family, to me, if word got out about this. But canceling the wedding would be equally awful.” Dad had the nerve to smile. “That's why, fortunately for you, I've brought backup.”

He waved at his car. To my surprise, a slender, nicely-dressed man stepped out. He looked quite a bit older than me, with a few laugh lines on his forehead and a couple of grays mixed in with his blond hair.

The man smiled and stuck out his hand for me to take. Confused beyond all words, I silently took it and shook.

“Good to meet you, Anna. I'm Henry Lane. Your father has told me such wonderful things about you.”

That name sounded familiar... Wait a minute!

“Dad,” I growled. “You didn't.”

“The wedding will go on.” He beamed. “You'll marry Henry, and forget that depraved Max ever existed.”

“I'm not marrying
him!
”

Henry shushed me. “I realize this is very short notice, and no, we don't know each other very well. Luckily, we'll have plenty of time after the wedding for that.”

I fell back on the bench as mom howled with joy and shook his hand. It struck me then, harder than it ever had: my parents were the most uncaring, selfish, narcissistic people I had ever known. If Rachael were in my shoes, I bet they'd be fawning all over her with their sympathy.

“I've been looking to settle down for a while now with no luck,” Henry said, sitting way too close to me. “When your father offered you to me, I was thrilled. I have much to give in return, mind. A well-paying job, sizable retirement fund, a house with plenty of room for lots of little ones. I go to church every Sunday and love traveling. Have you ever been to Paris? I'll take you there for the honeymoon.”

They were all delusional, every one of them. Even Rachael seemed happy with the arrival of Henry, almost as if she'd been expecting it to happen. Trey stood to the side, completely thunderstruck.

“My father... offered me to you?”

He nodded. “I'm well aware of your unfortunate pregnancy, but it will be all right. Marrying before the baby arrives is what God would want you to do.” He patted my hand politely. “I know you're not a virgin, and premarital sex is a sin – but I forgive you.”

“You
forgive
me? I don't want your forgiveness.” I yanked away from him, so mad I wanted to spit in his face. “I don't even know you. There's no way in hell I'm marrying this guy, dad.”

Dad's jaw clenched. I'd angered him, but for once, I didn't care. He'd gone too far this time.

“We are not calling off this wedding, Anna. And I won't have an unmarried daughter of mine, running around with the bastard child of that... that degenerate!” He stiffened. “Henry is willing to father the baby as his own. I've provided him with generous compensation.”

I glared at Henry. “He's paying you to marry me?”

He shrugged. “I wouldn't quite put it that way. I plan to use the money to support you, of course. Nothing to be upset about.”

I was so shocked by all this that I stopped crying and started to laugh. It wasn't funny, not in the least, but I just couldn't believe this was real life.

Rachael and mom wandered off, chatting about their hair and dresses like nothing had happened.

“But what about the invitations? You sent them out ages ago with Max's name on them.”

“That won't be a problem, dear. It's already been taken care of.”

She held up an invitation for her to see. I saw it, too. Max's name wasn't on it at all.

Henry's was.

“You,” I hissed at dad. “You've been planning this all along. You were never going to let me marry Max. You said you'd give him a chance. You lied.”

He tried to put his arm around me. I dodged it.

“Now, honey, it's for the best. I simply didn't want to upset you. It will be better this way. You'll see.”

“And what if Max passed your stupid test? What then?”

“I knew that would never happen.”

Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. In it was a ring, the biggest diamond on it I had ever seen.

“I bought this for you, Anna. I realize our engagement will be a short one, but every woman needs a pretty ring before she can marry.”

Pissed beyond belief, I threw the ring back at him. He made no move to grab it as it rolled into the bushes.

“I'm not marrying him, end of story.”

“Yes, you will. If you refuse, I'm putting your house and farm up for sale. And don't expect help from your mother or I ever again.”

I went over my options. I had a little money saved up, but not enough to buy another farm. And farming was my life now; it was all I knew besides the law, and I'd be damned if I went back to that again.

I'd have to take a crappy job while I got back on my feet – tough to do in a small town like Bastrop.

Then there was the baby to think about. Struggling to make ends meet for myself was one thing, but how could I put my child through that?

I had to be smart. Max had always been clever. What would he do?

Every time I thought of him, my stomach turned. I wished that I could stop.

Perhaps it'd be wiser to play along. If I was made to marry him, at least he had money. He could provide for me and the baby. I didn't love him and never would, but love didn't matter when I couldn't afford to put food on the table.

I was stuck. I had two awful choices: infuriate dad and end up homeless and broke, or give up my pride and marry for money so the family remained intact and happy.

Well,
they'd
be happy, anyway. Not me. Right now, the one man who could make me happy, who could make it better, was locked away for his alleged crimes.

“Anna? Don't be foolish,” dad said firmly. “Do the right thing. It's time to stop thinking of yourself.”

I would let them win – for now.

“I'll think about it, okay?”

“You'd better think quickly. The wedding is less than forty-eight hours away.” Dad smiled. “Do the right thing for us all.”

Funny, I thought. All my young life, I yearned for my parents to be pleased with me. They never were. My accomplishments paled in comparison to those of Rachael.

Now, when I finally had a chance to make dad proud, I realized I just didn't care anymore.

I went back to my car and gazed a picture of Max on my phone. I'd captured a shot of him, still in the wheelchair, without a shirt as he helped repair the broken porch step. His smile made my stomach do flips even now.

“Oh, Max.” I stroked his face through the screen. “I thought I knew you. Looks like you had me fooled.”

Then I drove home to cry.

Chapter 22 - Max

My life was over.

I raped that girl, they said. It made me sick to hear it. I never laid a finger on her, damn it.

But she told the cops it was me. Said I came into her house, partied with her friends. Had sex with them all. And then, when they were gone and she wanted me to go home, I didn't take no for an answer.

She was covered in marks that proved violence. The cops had photographed them all very well to show me, and the court, the damage I'd done.

My semen was found on her, worst of all. Holy shit, what had I done? Did I really sleep with Lola and all her stripper friends?

If so, why the hell couldn't I remember a single piece of it?

“Hey, shithead.” The husky Hispanic man in the cell next to mine kicked the bars. “So, what'd you do? Kill someone?”

I laughed, though I felt like puking. “I might as well have.”

Anna would never forgive me. I was supposed to be marrying her tomorrow, too. I couldn't even imagine how disgusted she was with me. What had they told her? Would she believe them?

I hoped she didn't. I prayed she knew me better. I was a jackass, but I wasn't a bad guy.

“Hey, wait a second. I know you.” The other guy pressed his face against the bars. “You're the firefighter who showed up when I called a couple months back. My mama lit her trailer on fire, remember? She was so caught up watching her talk shows that she forgot to turn off the stove.”