Unless it was some sort of attempt at misdirection on the other man’s part? Although, for the life of him, Max couldn’t think what that could possibly be!
He drew in a sharp breath. ‘Look, I admit that during my conversation with the police, concerning that altercation with Josh at the weekend, I may have mentioned your late-night drives—’
‘Oh, you “admit” to that, do you?’ she flared scathingly. ‘Well, I—’
‘January, for goodness’ sake, listen to me—’
‘No!’ she snapped forcefully, eyes blazing, her whole body tense with anger. ‘You listen to me!’ she snapped even more vehemently. ‘Stay out of my life, Max. Stay out of my sisters’ lives. In fact, just stay completely away from all of us!’ She was breathing hard in her agitation.
She had never looked lovelier to Max!
‘January…!’ he groaned, his hands moving up instinctively.
‘Do not touch me!’ She stepped back as if burnt.
Or as if his merest touch might contaminate her in some way!
It was altogether too much for Max, all his own earlier decisions to keep an emotional distance between himself and January evaporating like so much mist. He couldn’t bear to have her look at him like that. He just couldn’t!
He tried to take her in his arms, only to have his chest pummelled with clenched fists as she fought against him.
‘Let-me-go-Max,’ she told him through gritted teeth, pushing against his chest now in an effort to dislodge the steel of his arms.
‘I can’t,’ he told her gruffly.
‘Let me go, Max, or I’ll—I’ll—’
‘You’ll what?’ He frowned.
She became suddenly still in his arms, her eyes filled with tears now as she looked up at him. ‘I don’t want this, Max,’ she told him huskily. ‘Don’t you understand?’ she choked, shaking her head.
Only too well! She couldn’t wait to be out of his arms, to get away from him!
Max felt pain unlike any he had ever known before, knew that at that moment he would do or say anything to erase that look of loathing—for him!—from her face.
He drew in a harsh breath. ‘It’s you that doesn’t understand,’ he rasped. ‘I did those things, told the police about your lone drives home late at night, for one reason and one reason only—’
‘And we both know what that is, don’t we?’ she flashed with some of her earlier spirit.
‘I did it because I care, January!’ he bit out tautly, his hands moving to grasp her upper arms as he shook her slightly. ‘Because I care!’ he repeated harshly.
She shook her head disbelievingly. ‘There’s only one thing you care about, Max—and that’s yourself!’ she returned scornfully.
Maybe that had been true once. Maybe it still was, in some ways. But not in the way she meant.
He shook her again. ‘You stubborn, pigheaded—’
‘Yes, I’m stubborn and pigheaded,’ she confirmed self-derisively. ‘But I would much rather be that way than cold and heartless—like you!’
Max became suddenly still, his hands falling back to his sides as he stepped away from her, his gaze guarded now as he held his inner emotions firmly in check. ‘Is that really what you think of me?’ he finally murmured evenly.
January’s mouth twisted humourlessly. ‘What else?’ she sneered. ‘But isn’t that what you wanted?’ she challenged scornfully. ‘Of course it is! After all, you’re Max Golding, legal henchman of Jude Marshall—and neither of you makes any secret of the fact that you take no prisoners!’
Was that what he had become? Not as far as he was aware. It certainly wasn’t what he had set out to be fifteen years ago…
But was that really what he had become? Somehow that wasn’t a palatable thought.
‘I’ve said all I came here to say,’ January told him dismissively as he made no further comment, picking up her bag from where she had thrown it down on the table earlier. ‘But I meant it about staying away from me and my family in the future,’ she added warningly.