Shattered Love

Chapter 7

Maxten's POV

I knew I shouldn't have called my brother back. He was here in New York and wanted me to take in his friend and her sister that we had rescued. Did I want to? Absolutely f*****g not. Will I? Yes, because I can't tell him no. I left work early even though I had s**t to do, because they wanted to come as soon as possible, or he was anyway.

I walked into my perfectly spotless apartment and all I could think about was how a little brat would mess it all up. I was very particular, and I didn't share my space with people. There was a reason I was single and a reason I didn't bring women home. I was still pissed off at Conrad for doing this. He just showed up with them expecting me to take care of them. Maybe I should have answered my phone, but I really didn't want to talk to him or anyone else in my family, but he was leaving me no choice.

The buzzer went off, and I knew they were here. I slowly walked to the intercom and told the security guard to let them up. I made sure the door was unlocked and went to the kitchen and grabbed a beer. I didn't want any part of this, but I also wouldn't tell my brother no. A few weeks and we find her father, and then I can ship her back to her hometown.

I heard the door open and my brother's footsteps coming through the house. Heavy footed fucker is what he was. He needs to learn how to be quiet. He would never be able to sneak up on anyone with the way he walks.

"Max," he said, like we were long-lost buddies. We weren't. We didn't know each other anymore. I would always love him, and I would always help him, but a relationship was something we didn't have.

"Conrad," I said, and looked behind him and there were both girls that I helped rescue. I grabbed my beer and took a long drink as I looked Lyla up and down. She didn't look anything like the girl I found. She was beautiful in the state I found her, but now that she is clean and looking a little more healthy, she was drop-dead gorgeous and, under any other circumstances, I would be hitting on her, but she is off limits and, since she will be living with me for the unforeseen future, it makes it even more off limits.

"This is Lyla and Kenzley," he said, and moved out of the way so that I could see the little girl. She looked just like her sister and, damn it, she was adorable with her little stuffed cat that she was clutching tight to her chest.

I wasn't sure what to do. They were both standing back like they were scared, and, in a normal situation, I would shake their hands, but I had a feeling if I did that they would run for the hills. So, instead, I grabbed my beer and took the last drink from it and set it down on the table a little harder than I meant to, and I watched as Lyla about jumped out of her skin. I groaned internally because this was going to be a big adjustment that I didn't ask for.

"Let me show you two around," I said, standing and Kenzley stepped away from me and I could see Lyla move into a protective stance. I grabbed my empty beer bottle because I couldn't leave it out. I walked to the kitchen and dropped it into the garbage and turned around to face all three of them.

"This is the kitchen. Pantry is right here. Help yourself to anything here, but please just clean everything up," I said, and I knew I sounded like an asshole, but I was weird about having a clean house.

I walked out of the kitchen, and they followed right behind me, and I showed them every room and told them that my office was off limits. I would have to put some locks on it as soon as possible. I showed the girls their rooms and the bathroom that Kenzley could use because Lyla's room had its own bathroom in it.

"Max, can we talk in private?" Conrad asked as we stood in Lyla's room. She and Kenzley were looking out the giant windows that it had. It was the second-best room in the apartment. Mine took first, but I didn't show them that room. It was off limits as well.

I walked out of the room with him right behind me. I walked down the stairs and went straight to my office and opened the door. When he saw it, he let out a whistle as he looked around. I had done my office up in black and red, and it was honestly beautiful. I spent a lot of hours here, and I wanted it to be exactly what I wanted for comfort. It had a large desk and the walls were painted black but had these beautiful red paintings and red curtains and this small black couch in the back and black leather chairs to sit at in front of my desk, and behind it, I had tall dark wood bookshelves that matched my desk.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked, sitting down in my chair. He followed suit and sat down in the chair in front of my desk, but instead of just sitting down, he placed his feet on my desk. I let out a growl and sat forward and pushed them down. I could see the dirt prints he left and had to clench my jaw to keep from saying something. I will clean it later.

"Can you do this?"

"Do what? Protect them? Ya, I think I can. I was the one who found them when you couldn't." I snapped at him. Irritated that we were even having this conversation. He called me, and he showed up at my house. I didn't volunteer for this s**t.

"Not that. Taking care of them. They are fragile and, well, you're being an asshole. I know that you have your own life, and we aren't a part of that, but this is different. These two have been through hell and back. I don't need you being an asshole while they are here, and I don't want you scaring them."

"First of all, I will protect them and make sure they have whatever they need, but I will also continue to live my life. You want my help; it's going to be on my terms. They stay out of my way in the apartment, and we will be fine."

He didn't say anything else but did relax back in his chair and put his arms behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. I glanced up, thinking maybe it was dirty or something, but there was nothing there. I just sat there waiting for him to finish thinking about whatever he was so deep in thought about.

"You've changed," he finally said and continued to look at the ceiling.

"We all grow up and change."

"Ya but Max, what happened to you? You and I used to be close, and now I can't even get you to answer my calls. Why do you hate us?" he asked, and that question broke me a little.

"I don't hate you, but things are different. You don't have to pretend. I'm not part of the family. I'm not your brother; dad isn't my dad. I have my life here, and I just want to live it. I will handle these two for you, but as far as anything else, don't bother."

"I will bring them back tomorrow and leave," he snapped, clearly upset about what I said, but I really didn't care.

I got up and followed him out of the office, and he went upstairs, and I went back to the kitchen and grabbed another beer. I was now in a bad mood and didn't want to be around anyone, so I grabbed my beer and headed upstairs to my room where I ended up slamming my door harder than I meant to, and I'm sure that I scared them, but they were going to have to get over it somewhat, and I would try to be more cautious about them as well.