Chapter 46

Arthur

We called Max just after midnight.

Carter'd suggested waiting until morning, but I don't think it'll work. "If we give him time to think, he'll find a way out of it. We need to corner him now, when he's off-guard."

So we sat in Carter's room, speakerphone on, and listened to the line ring.

Max picked up on the third ring, his voice groggy and annoyed. "What?"

"Max, it's Carter. Arthur's here too."

There was a pause. "It's midnight. What the hell do you want?"

Carter glanced at me, and I nodded. He took a breath. "We're planning something for tomorrow. Guy's day. Thought you'd want in."

"Guy's day?" Max's tone was skeptical. "What, like a bromance thing?"

"Fishing," I said smoothly. "There's a charter leaving at dawn. Deep-sea fishing, couple hours out. Carter's already booked it."

Another pause. "And you're calling me at midnight to tell me this?"

"We're calling you at midnight because the boat leaves at six," Carter said. "And because we figured you'd want a heads-up."

"I'm good," Max said flatly. "You guys have fun."

I exchanged a look with Carter. Time to push.

"Come on, man," Carter said, his tone shifting to something more casual, more coaxing. "When's the last time we all hung out? Just us? No girls, no drama, just—"

"I said I'm good." Max's voice had an edge now. "Alice and I have plans."

"Alice is going to the spa with Cecilia and Sophia," I said, keeping my tone neutral. "Cecilia mentioned it earlier. Some kind of girls' trip to a cove."

Silence.

Then: "Alice didn't tell me about that."

"Probably because it just came up," Carter said quickly. "Sophia suggested it at the spa today. You know how girls are—they make plans on the fly."

"Right." Max's voice was tight now, controlled. "Well, I'll talk to Alice. If she wants to go, fine. But I'm staying at the villa."

"Max—"

"I said I'm staying."

Carter opened his mouth, but I held up a hand, stopping him. I leaned forward, my voice dropping lower. "Max. We're not asking."

There was a beat of silence. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I said evenly. "This isn't a request. You're coming with us tomorrow."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Max's voice rose, anger bleeding through. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Arthur. I'm not one of your employees."

"No," I agreed. "But Alice is Cecilia's friend. And right now, they're worried about her. So we're giving her some space. And you're going to let us."

"Let you?" Max laughed, sharp and humorless. "Are you serious right now? You're trying to separate me from my girlfriend because your girlfriend has some kind of savior complex?"

"Watch it," I said, my voice dropping to something dangerous.

Carter jumped in before I could say more. "Max, listen. I know you care about Alice. I know you do. But she's been through a lot lately, and she needs some time with her friends. Just a few hours. That's all we're asking."

"I don't give a shit what you're asking," Max snapped. "Alice is fine. She doesn't need 'time with her friends.' She needs me."

"Does she?" The words were out before I could stop them, cold and cutting.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Max's voice was low now, barely controlled.

I didn't back down. "You're scared shitless, aren't you? Scared that Alice doesn't love you back. Just thinking about her not wanting to be near you makes you wanna chain her up and never let go."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

I said. "Why don't you think about it? Why doesn't Alice love you?"

"Arthur—" Carter started, but Max cut him off.

"Fuck you," Max said, his voice shaking with rage. "Fuck both of you. You think you know us? What gives you the right to judge me and my girlfriend?"

"This isn't about judgment," Carter said, his voice strained. "We just want you guys to be normal."

"We are fine," Max said again, but there was something desperate in his tone now. "We're totally normal."

"Then prove it," I said. "Come with us tomorrow. Let her have a few hours with Cecilia and Sophia. Actually, a normal boyfriend would let his girlfriend hang out with her friends, wouldn't he?"

Max didn't answer right away. I could hear his breathing on the other end of the line, harsh and uneven.

Finally, he spoke. "Fine."

Carter blinked. "Fine?"

"I'll go," Max said, his voice clipped. "But if Alice so much as hints that she didn't want to go to this stupid cove, I'm done with all of you. Got it?"

"Got it," Carter said quickly.

"Good." There was a pause, then: "And Arthur? Stay the fuck out of my relationship."

The line went dead.

Carter let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair. "Well. That went... better than expected?"

I didn't answer. I was still staring at the phone, Max's words echoing in my head.

"Arthur?" Carter prompted.

"He's dangerous," I said quietly. "The way he talks about her—like she's something he owns."

I rubbed a hand over my face. "I know. Believe me, I know. I used to be just like him, once. I treated Cecilia the same way, possessive and controlling, acting like I had every right to lock her into my world. I was blind to my own faults back then, but I’ve learned my mistake the hard way."

Carter said helplessly. "But what are we supposed to do? And if we push too hard, he'll just isolate her more. All I want is for Max to see that his love is crushing Alice. She's drowning in it."

"So we give her an out," I said. "Tomorrow, at the cove. Cecilia will talk to her. Figure out what she wants. And if she wants to leave—if she's ready—we'll make it happen."

Carter nodded slowly. "And if she's not ready?"

"Then we keep trying," I said. "Until she is."

When I got back to our room, Cecilia was still asleep, curled up on her side with one hand tucked under her cheek. I stripped off my shirt and slid back into bed beside her, pulling her close.

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Where'd you go?"

"Talked to Carter," I murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. "It's done. Max is coming with us tomorrow."

She pulled back slightly, looking up at me with wide, hopeful eyes. "Really?"

"Really."

She let out a shaky breath, and I saw the relief wash over her face. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You don't have to thank me," I said. "I'd do anything for you. You know that."

She smiled, soft and sleepy, and pressed a kiss to my jaw. "I know."

I held her close, listening to the sound of her breathing as it evened out again.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.