Laney had been in Montclair all week prepping for their trip to France, so Max decided to surprise her by taking her to the shindig her company was having for the Russians. It was being held at some exclusive supper club in Manhattan, so they gave her department a half day to get ready. Laney met Max at Penn Station and they hit the salon and spa. All their fine dresses were left at the apartment and they did not want to buy any replacements, so they decided to take their chances and go. When they got there, Mark, the other concierge was on duty. He gave Max a letter, which they had been holding for days. The letter had no postmark which told her it was hand delivered. She knew who it was from before opening it and it confirmed her worst thoughts, he knew where she lived.
Hmm, a new tactic, non aggressive, non invasive. Just what was Leo playing at?
Max sat in her living room and read the letter. She could not believe those words were from the same man that had terrorized her dreams and fantasies.
Was this for real?
In the letter, Leo expounded on how he felt about her, and how sorry he was he terrified her. It broke his heart to know she felt compelled to run from him, and he hoped that one day she would forgive him. The last line simply stated,
"I've finally seen reason."
Max didn't know why, but she felt sad and empty, her emotions were running amuck,
this is want I wanted, right?
If she was going to be honest with herself she could admit she felt drawn to him. He was more than his job and his looks. He was a man, and he had bared his soul to her in words. She tucked the letter away in a drawer in her bedroom and got ready for the soiree.
When Max and Laney walked into the ballroom, everything stilled for a moment. The girls looked jaw dropping divine. Laney wore a lilac taffeta strapless fitted gown with silver accessories. She pinned her hair in an up do style with a diamond butterfly pin. Max's daffodil yellow, one shouldered chiffon floor length gown, made her look like a cocoa Greek goddess. The gold accessories were the icing on the cake.
Max plastered a smile on her face and got ready to work. She told Laney to circulate and make friends, while she joined the Russian contingent. The Russians were a chatty and flirtatious bunch, all marveling at her grasp on their language.
After two hours of questions and smiles she needed a break. She poked around the hall until she found an empty room. It was hard doing business with thoughts of Leo circulating in her head. She lay down on the lounge chair to rest her eyes a bit. Not realizing how tired she was, she fell asleep. She did not hear the door open, but she did feel a hand sliding up her dress, which made her bolt up. Mr. McCleary was smiling down at her in the most lecherous way.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
"About to teach a little teasing bitch some manners," he slurred, clearly drunk.
Max did not care, drunk or not. This man was not getting away with what he just did. "You are not fucking serious."
"I see I'll have to tame that mouth too, huh." He leapt forward trying to grab her head. He was determined that she would be bobbing on his cock before the night was out.
All Max's training kicked in. She released a chop to McCleary's throat, his head snapped back, leaving him gasping and stumbling. Still he would not go down. In fact, he came after her with more ferocity. Max upper cut him, dropping him on his back, then kicked him in the groin before making her escape. She left him twisting on the floor in agony.
Max's adrenaline was pumping; she could feel and hear every pulse racing. She needed to steady herself before returning to the party so she ducked into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. Still, she felt shaky. The only place she wanted to be was in the Leo's arms. Her thoughts did not make sense to her.
Why Leo?
Max returned the party, and found Laney having a cheerful time with one of the young Russian businessmen. She slipped Laney, a note
"Gone to see Leo."
Laney knew it was coming. Since the letter Max had been quiet and now her face looked flush like she had been running a marathon. Laney nodded and mouthed, "Good luck." Having had her fair share of heartbreak and relationships, she got that tug of war between the heart and mind. Max could physically defend herself, but had no real defenses for her heart, and whatever Leo wrote in that letter got to her.
Joe. B saw Max get out of the cab and was dumbfounded. Those other broads on line had nothing on this girl. She looked liked she had just stepped off a runway. He could definitely see why Leo was so taken with her. He let her in with a nod.
Max made her way across the crowded dance floor to Leo's office. She was about to knock when the door swung open. Leo had gotten the call she was here. He thought for a second they were punking him, but they knew better than to mess with him. Leo spotted her moving so gracefully across the dance floor and got butterflies in his stomach; a feeling he had never felt before with such intensity.
Being this close to her left him speechless. She looked different, like an angel, fragile and ethereal.
"Hey, baby," was all he could get out before she crumbled into tears before him. He wrapped her in his arms and held her tight until her sobbing died down. "Wanna tell me what this is all about?" he asked leading her to the couch. He was concerned because this was not his tough as nails Max, something was definitely up.
"I don't know where to begin. I got your letter today. You really laid it all on the line, and it made me feel foolish."
"That was not my intention." Leo's voice was a whisper.
"I know. I have been dodging my feelings for you all this time so I came to tell you face to face, where I stand. Leo Carbone, I am not in love with you, but I like you more than I want to. I think about you all the time, you are in my dreams, my nightmares, I smell you on my skin, hear you in my head, and I don't want any of it. I look at you and I lose all reason. This is not good for me. I like my solitude, but you have taken that from me. Tell me how to get over you. Tonight at this work thing my boss tried to force himself on me, but I got away and the only place I wanted to disappear to was your arms. With you, I fear that you would make me love you and I will lose control of my life. But he terrified me, and it all became clear. So please, tell me you hate me, and the letter was all a lie, please." She was so wracked with emotion her voice broke.
"I won't lie to you Max."
"Please Leo." There was so much pain and conflict in her eyes he had to look away.
"You are what I have been missing in my life. I love you, I know I don't
know
you, but I know the very essence of you. That may not make sense to you, but it does to me."
The vulnerability and rawness in her eyes were killing him. He bent down gently and kissed her. Max responded to his kisses and pulled him closer to her.
"Let's get out of here." He wanted to make love to her, but not in his office where he took her two glorious times before. They got into his car and drove across the bridge into Park Slope. All the while Max played in his hair gently running her fingernails against his scalp. Leo's whole body shivered as Max's finger play turned him on. They stopped outside a beautiful white three story brownstone. "Welcome to my home."
