Chapter 3

Over the next week, my daily routine returned to the previous one: university, work, preparation for couples. There were only four or five hours of sleep left.

However, there were things that were out of the ordinary. Maxim... I kept bumping into him at the university. He didn't say anything about that emotional outburst. But he was constantly present nearby, but at the same time at a distance.

It all started with a small bouquet of spray roses. My favourites.

Olya and I stood near the audience, waiting for the teacher to come. Maxim came up, said hello, handed flowers and, having wished a good day, left.

The next day, during a big break, my friend and I were sitting in the square, discussing the upcoming seminars, when Maxim appeared. He, just like yesterday, said hello, wished a good day - he left, but only this time the present was a paper bag with the logo of the cafe. There were two coffees and two muffins. It's nice that he thought about his girlfriend. After all, it would be inconvenient for me to eat alone.

This went on throughout the week. Olya asked questions about the mysterious guy. But what could I say? Yes, on the one hand, he evoked sympathy. And his courtship was pleasant. But I didn't know him at all.

On Tuesday, having worked at the banquet, I was insanely tired. All my thoughts were only about a soft, warm bed. Luckily I did my homework for tomorrow. However, as soon as I left the restaurant, I saw three cars in the parking lot. Restaurant minibus, Irina Igorevna's car, in which I usually go home. And another black one. I don't know about brands, but it was clearly an expensive one. When I approached the car of our manager, the door of this most expensive car opened. This is where I got a complete shock. Maxim got out of the car.

- Sen! - I stopped a few meters from him, - Can we talk? I wasn't afraid of him anymore, but I didn't know what to expect from him either. He hasn't spoken to me this week. And he seemed to sense my doubt, softly and quietly added: - Please.

After thinking for a few seconds, she took a deep breath and walked towards him.

- Sen, forgive me! I thought he sounded kind of twitchy. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you then. I have a shitty and quick temper, yes I can be an asshole, but you should know that I will never offend you. And even more so, I won’t raise my hand against you, - at the last phrase, the man grimaced as if he was forced to eat a kilogram of lemons. But he quickly pulled himself together.

- Why? I was taken aback by his speech.

- What "Why? He obviously didn't understand my question.

Why are you telling me all this? I really didn't understand him.

- Can I take you home? He chose to ignore my question. I was about to do the same, but he added softly and quietly again, “Please.”

I thought about his offer for about a minute, doubting. But he looked embarrassed, and remorse was clearly visible in his eyes. Therefore, she silently nodded and turned to Irina Igorevna. It turns out that all this time the employees were closely watching us.

“I’ll take Yesenia home,” Maxim said to the manager. She looked at him carefully, narrowing her eyes, but nodded in agreement.

Maxim put his arm around my shoulders and led me to the car. He opened the door for me, which surprised me a lot. He himself quickly walked around the car and sat behind the wheel. All this time, I couldn't take my eyes off him.

Beautiful. Dark hair, slightly curly, tall, expressive eyes, and more dimples appear when he smiles. The only thing I didn't understand was why he was coddling me.

- Where we go? he asked, turning his head towards me.

I gave the address of my house. We drove in silence, only the radio was heard, which Maxim turned on when we drove away from the restaurant. But this silence was not the same as then in the cafe. The silence was soft and soothing. To the quiet sounds of a popular song, and the smooth running of the car, I did not notice how I dozed off.

Wake up, my girl. We have already arrived, - she opened her eyes and saw Maxim. He leaned over and stroked my cheek gently. And when he noticed that I woke up, he smiled. “You are so beautiful, Sen. Forgive me, - he spoke in a whisper, continuing to stroke my cheek - I'm an asshole, I scared you. But you don't have to be afraid of me. Whatever state or mood I'm in. I'd rather break my arm than hit you.

I was shocked by his revelation. And also from the fact that I never dodged his hand, that I allowed an outsider to touch me. So soft and vibrant. I slowly but surely melted from his unpretentious caress.

At that moment, I noticed movement in front of our entrance. There were definitely two men there, and they were pushing a third one like a toy from side to side.

Looking more closely, I recognized the silhouette of a third, or rather a third.

“Maxim,” she gasped in horror at her guess. At the same time, she didn’t even notice how she grabbed the guy’s hand.

- What, baby?

“Max, my sister is there,” the guy looked in the direction where I was pointing my finger.

“Sit there,” he said, getting out of the car, and then he blocked it altogether.

I realized that in this way he was trying to keep me out of trouble. Maxim ran up to those idiots who offended my sister. He literally pulled her out of the hands of one man. He said something to her and she quickly nodded her head.

And then…

Max began to beat these freaks. And although there were two of them, they could not do anything against the guy. I do not like violence, but I looked at this amazing man and understood what kind of feeling I was overwhelmed with. I admired his grace and strength.

And then came the understanding of the possible consequences of this protection. And this is where I got scared. He can kill them. That's when he'll get in big trouble because of us. He seemed to sense my concern for him. Stopped beating those assholes. The men barely got up from the ground, saying something to Max, while one looked at me. As if he saw me in the darkness of the car interior.

Max did not move until the men disappeared behind the garages. Outwardly, it seemed that he was calm, but I saw how tense his shoulders were, and his hands were clenched into fists.

And only after they left, Max came up to my sister, put his hands on her shoulders and said something.

And all this time I sat without breathing. She watched as her sister nodded positively to Maxim, and he let her go. They both walked towards the car. In the middle of the way, Maxim stopped, lowered his head, and buried his fingers in his hair. He pressed the lock button on the car, and I immediately jumped out to Sonya and hugged her tightly.

- Are you okay? Who was that? Did they harm you? I was shaking, probably more than my sister.

- Do not worry. Everything is fine with me. They didn’t do anything to me,” Sonya said somewhere into my hair, holding me tightly to her. - Go home.

“Yes, now,” I looked at Maxim, he was sitting on the curb, his head bowed, his fingers still burrowing into his hair. - You go, and we will rise now.

- We? — sister, too, looked at Max. She thought about something for a couple of seconds, and then nodded with a smile. - OK then.

She followed Sonya with her eyes until she disappeared into the entrance and went to the man. I didn't know what to say in such situations. One thank you is clearly not enough. She sat down next to him on the curb and put her hand on his shoulder, which made him wince.

“Maxim,” I don’t know why, but I spoke in a whisper. - Thank you. If not for you…” at that moment he looked into my eyes firmly, confidently, even with a challenge, I would say. - Thanks.

For a while, the guy silently looked into my eyes, as if he was looking for something in them. And apparently he found it, if he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Don’t sit in the cold,” he said quietly, and before I had time to come to my senses, I ended up sitting on his lap. He hugged me tightly, with both arms, I felt trapped. A very pleasant trap. - Are you afraid of me?

I did not immediately understand what he was saying, as the man just buried his nose in my hair. And when the meaning of the phrase came to me, I even giggled a little.

-Not! Not at all! Come on, let's put you in order, - she looked expressively at his bloodied hands and really hoped that it was the blood of those bandits.

She got up from his knees and held out her hand to Maxim with a slight smile.

He looked at me for a couple of seconds and quickly jumped off the curb. However, he did not take my hand, but put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him.

She froze for a couple of seconds, not expecting such a reaction of her body to Max's simple actions. I felt so warm and comfortable, as if in the wild cold I was dressed in the warmest fur coat. And at the same time so comfortable. I did not expect this from myself.

Maxim, as if nothing had happened, went towards the entrance, continuing to hold me tightly to him.

Already in the stairwell, before opening the door, I realized that I had brought a man into the apartment. A very handsome and sexy man… At night… From this thought, the whole body was covered with goosebumps and cheeks were covered with heat. I probably look like a tomato right now. I hope Maxim does not guess what my thoughts were about.

When we entered the apartment, the light was on in the hallway, and there was silence in the apartment.

“Come into the kitchen, I have already put the kettle on,” Sonya looked out into the corridor and looked at us carefully. My cheeks reddened again, as if she could read the thoughts that visited me on the landing.

In the kitchen, my sister has already prepared sandwiches.

- Who was that?

- I don't know. They just stuck,” Sonya shrugged her shoulders and frowned.

What were you doing outside so late? Max looked at his sister carefully.

“I was returning from work,” she shrugged. We also had a small banquet today. It took a long time to put the hall in order, and, seeing Maxim’s misunderstanding, she added, “I work as a waitress in a cafe not far away,” Sonya said and left the kitchen.

“We need to treat your wounds,” my throat went dry, and my voice became a little hoarse, either from vicious thoughts, or from experienced fear.

Maxim silently held out his hands to me, incessantly and intently examining me. I tried to ignore his gaze. However, her cheeks became hot again, and her hands trembled slightly, and obviously not from the cold.

When I was almost done with the second hand, the man moved closer to me and put his hand on my cheek.

“Sen,” he whispered my name so softly and hoarsely that my knees shook. “What are you doing to me?!

Looking at my lips, he moved closer. And my mouth was dry, and I involuntarily ran my tongue over my lips. The man sucked in a sharp breath through his nose and kissed me the next second.

His lips were soft, yet insistent at the same time. He ran his tongue over my lips, forcing them to part, and I complied. His tongue burst into my mouth like a conqueror, caressing, bringing real bliss. It was insanely nice, I put my hands on the guy's shoulders, ran my hands to his neck and buried my fingers in his hair. Maxim squeezed my waist even more and pulled me closer to him. But I realized all this somehow remotely. Thoughts left my mind and were only his lips.

- What? What are you doing? Yesenia, who is this? Sister entered the kitchen, forcing us to pull away from each other. Vasya stood in her pajamas, her eyes wide open.

I looked at Maxim and then shame covered me. I wrapped my arms around the guy's neck while he wrapped his arms around my waist, but that wasn't what shocked me the most. By some miracle, I ended up sitting on his lap.

Blushing, she hastened to get off the man. I was ashamed for the fact that my sister caught us and for her behavior. The last thing I wanted was for Maxim to think badly of me. And seeing the uncomprehending look of the man, she hurried to explain to him that this was not Sonya.

“Maxim, this is Vasilisa my second sister,” shock was reflected in the guy’s eyes at first, but he immediately changed to understanding. - Vasya, this is Maxim - he ... - here I didn’t know what to say.

How to present it? Friend? I don't know this guy well enough to call him a friend. An acquaintance also does not fit, especially after what Vasilisa caught us doing. Boy? So we don't meet. Maxim, seeing my confusion, decided to help.

Well, I thought so.

“Maxim,” he introduced himself once more. - Yesenia's boyfriend, - now not only my sister had a shock, but also me.