“Please don’t, Maxie. You’re a sweet girl, and I would hate for something bad to happen that could ruin something that’s meant to be so beautiful.”

Casey brought the car to a stop in front of the school, and Maxie got out. “Thanks, Casey.”

“You’re welcome.”

She watched her walk inside the school before driving back to the bank. She was ten minutes late by the time she shoved her perishables into the refrigerator in the break room.

The rest of the day was spent waiting on customers, her hand constantly picking up the phone to call Max. Feeling guilty, she wanted to call and tell him about Maxie skipping school, but she couldn’t bring herself to break the girl’s confidence. If Maxie didn’t tell him tonight, she would tell him herself.

Feeling better about coming to a decision, the day went much smoother. After work, she grabbed her groceries and was one of the first ones waiting to leave.

Jack noticed her impatience when several employees lagged behind.

“Hot date?”

She keyed in the code. “More like a firing squad. I’m afraid I’ve done something to make him really mad. I’m hoping a good dinner will keep him calm.”

“Make him dessert. Whenever my wife does something she shouldn’t do, she makes me a chocolate cake,” Jack advised.

Casey went to her car. If she hurried, she could stop at the bakery on the way to Max’s. She was going to buy him the biggest chocolate cake in the store. That way, he would be too full to kill Fisher.

When she pointed to the cake she wanted in the display case, the woman hesitated, asking if she was having a party.

“No,” Casey said impatiently.

“This one is twenty-four servings. I have a smaller one that serves twelve.”

“Give me the one for twenty-four, and give me a couple of vanilla cupcakes.”

When the salesgirl gave her a knowing look, Casey guessed she and Jack’s wife weren’t the only ones who used chocolate cake as a deterrent to murder.

* * *

Dinner was ready when Max entered with his kids, and they stared at the food on the table. All the children except Maxie jumped up and down in excitement when they saw the large cake sitting on the counter. While her eyes said a silent thank you, Casey gave her an encouraging smile as she directed everyone to sit.

The boys and Max filled their plates high with the mashed potatoes and meatloaf, ignoring the broccoli.

“This is great! None of Dad’s other girlfriends made us dinner,” Maxim spoke with his mouth full, wincing and crying out in pain a second later.

“Why did you kick me?” he asked his sister.

“Because you shouldn’t talk about Dad’s other girlfriends in front of Casey. It’s rude. You could hurt her feelings!”

Casey broke into the burgeoning fight. “It’s okay, Maxie. I know your dad has had a lot of girlfriends.”

Max kept eating, his eyes staring into hers in amusement. She was tempted to stick her tongue out at him, but she didn’t want to set a bad example.

“See, she knows Dad’s a horn-dog.”

Max choked on his food, while Casey almost spilled her glass of water.

“You’re not supposed to say that!” Maxie reprimanded him before his father could.

“Why? That’s what Mom calls him.”

“Eat your dinner. I’ll have a talk with your mother when I take you home tomorrow,” Max said grimly.

Maxim looked stricken that his father and mother would get into an argument.

“How about we finish dinner so I can cut the cake?” Casey gave Max a warning glare as she cut him another slice of meatloaf and more potatoes. “Eat up.” If she was lucky, he would eat himself into a food coma.

They ate their dessert in the living room while they played video games.

She was about to take the last bite of cupcake when Max reached over, pulling her hand to his mouth.

“How come you’re the only one who got a cupcake?”

“Because I like vanilla more than chocolate.” Max took the bite from her hand, licking off the small bit of vanilla that was left on her fingers.

“Jeez, Dad. That’s gross,” Randy said, sitting down on his dad’s lap.

Max winced, shifting his son to one of his thighs.

“I’ll remind you of that in about twenty years.” Max smiled, wrestling with his son.

“It won’t be that long,” Maxton said, concentrating on the video game. “He already has a girlfriend.”

Max straightened to look down at his innocent son. “You have a girlfriend?”

“Her name is Sofia,” Randy admitted with shining eyes.

“Like father, like son.” Casey burst out laughing, almost dropping the controller.

“God, let’s hope not.”

“Dad, she’s cheating,” Maxton complained.

“Another one takes after you. Sore losers must run in the family gene pool,” Casey taunted.

“She didn’t even have the map, and she found the crown.”

“Because I’m good.” Casey sank back against the couch.

“Now the boys have to do the dinner dishes,” Maxie whooped, bringing the red faces of the boys to her. Their sister stood. “Come on, I’ll help you.” The four children went into the kitchen.

“You’re going to trust them to do the dishes?”

“Yep,” Max said, lifting her onto his lap.

“You’re not going to help them?”

“Nope.” He teased her neck with small kisses.

“You have to help them at least put the food away. It was the girls against the boys. You’re a boy, so you have to help.”

Max lifted his hips, pressing his cock against her ass. “You staying the night?”

“No, I told you I don’t like staying when your kids are here.”

“Then I’m not helping.”

“Are you trying to blackmail me?”

“Is it working?” he murmured seductively.

“A little bit,” Casey admitted, lying back against his chest.

“I’ll sneak you out before they wake up,” he promised, his hand sliding up her thigh under her dress.

Casey jumped up, walking toward the kitchen.

“Where are you going?”

“To help the kids. Have another slice or two of cake.”

“You going to stay?”

“Nope, looks like you lose twice tonight.”

Chapter 19

Casey was pacing nervously downstairs, trying to listen to any sounds from upstairs. It had been over an hour since Max had taken his children to bed.

The sound of the door slamming had her hurrying to the front door.

Max’s boots stomped down the stairs, jarring the whole house. Casey barely managed to press herself against the door, preventing him from storming out, before Max reached it.

“Move!”

“Calm down, Max.” Casey placed a hand on his chest.

He knocked her hand away. “Do not tell me to calm down. I’m going to rip that punk’s dick off and shove it down his throat.”

The graphic image had Casey going pale. Max was angry enough to do it.

“Max, you don’t have to do anything. She’s over her crush on him. He humiliated and hurt her. She doesn’t need you to make her feel worse about what happened.”