Into My Heart

By: Izabel

Chapter 5: Cry

*~*~*~*

The rest of the day was uneventful. Once they were done, Max went to go to her car and Carrie ran up behind her.

"Max!" she yelled.

Max paused and turned. "Yeah?"

Carrie stopped in front of her. "Look, Jason, JD, and I figured what's wrong. You think Jason and I have a thing. No way, I spent the night there because my boyfriend was drunk and I didn't want to deal with him. Jason's my friend. He was just calling JD so JD wouldn't be shocked to see me in the morning. That's happened before and I saw more of JD than I ever wanted. Really, it was all innocent. I swear to it."

Max suddenly felt deflated. She leaned against her car. "I feel like an idiot."

Carrie smiled warmly. "Jason said he'd wait down by the water for you."

Max grinned and began to walk to. "Thanks, Carrie."

She saw Jason standing, watching the sun set. She sighed and took longer strides. She stopped next to him.

"Carrie told me what happened," Max said. "I feel like a jerk." She turned to Jason. "I should've given you a chance. I'm sorry."

Jason just stared at her. "I wouldn't do that to you," he said softly. "You mean too much. I want to keep you around."

Max smiled hopefully. "So I'm forgiven?"

"I guess," Jason said playfully. He turned and stepped behind her, wrapping his muscular arms around her.

Max pulled away. "I need to tell you something."

Jason looked at her with curiosity. "Is this about that yacht full of people earlier?"

Max nodded stiffly. "The guy, the drunk one, you were talking to? He's my ex."

"Ex-boyfriend?" Jason said.

"Fiancée. Todd." Max stated. She looked down. "He's the reason I ran."

"What'd he do?" Jason asked gently, brushing a stray piece of hair from her face.

Max blinked a few times. Her hands reached down, then paused. She squirmed slightly. "It was a bad relationship." She sat in the sand and lifted a stick, drawing irregular patterns. "It started great—he was amazing. Then," she stopped and looked at Jason. "He started hitting me."

Jason drew in a sharp breath and sat beside her. "Max—"

"No," she interrupted. "Let me finish." Max took another breath. "It started with pushing, then slapping, by the end, it was all out punching and kicking."

"How long did it last?" he asked quietly. Anger and sympathy was building inside of him. He hated thinking someone could do this to her; to any woman.

"About a year and a half," Max admitted. "I finally got the nerve to run. He left on business and I took off. I thought he'd be gone, but when I saw him today…"

Jason pulled her onto his lap and realized she was shaking. He held her as close as possible. He kissed the top of her head. "I promise, I won't let him hurt you again." He sat there with her for at least an hour, as she cried against his chest.