Protection is Best Served With Benefits: MM DDlb Romance

Chapter Ten

Not edited or proofread.

Griffin

After Max's nap and eating some reheated lunch, Max was in a better mood. He definitely wasn't one hundred percent yet, but he was much better than when I'd found him puking into the trashcan and sobbing. I hated seeing him so panicky. I knew he was terrified of his parents and what they might do to him, but over my dead body would they touch a hair on his head.

And once I had this meeting with Axel, I knew I'd have the backing of the family, too. Which meany extra protection for my boy.

Max pressed a kiss to my cheek, and I turned my head, looking at him. "I need to go finish sending these emails before we leave for the day," he told me quietly.

"Okay, baby." Reaching up, I gripped his chin and pulled his lips down to mine for a soft, sweet kiss that left him blushing and breathless. "I'm right here if you need me."

He nodded and left my office, heading across to his. I grabbed my phone and dialed Axel's number. He answered on the second ring. "What?" he muttered.

"We need a family meeting," I told him.

He was quiet for a moment, more than likely trying to figure out why I was calling for a meeting. When he obviously drew a blank, he said, "Why?"

"Don't want to discuss it now," I told him. "But it's about Max."

He hummed. "I figured. I'll have the cook make extra food. Come by the house this evening when you leave work. Bring your boy."

I scoffed. "As if I'd leave him by himself," I muttered. "See you this evening."

I ended the call and set my phone on my desk. Before Axel had brought Novella home and made her his woman, I'd lived there with Axel and Harlan. I'd always had the apartment in the city, and after having enough of hearing Axel fucking Novella in his office or hearing her scream the goddamn house down, I'd officially moved into the apartment. Axel hadn't been happy. He wanted family close, but I could not deal with that any longer.

I loved Novella like she was my own blood, but she was an obnoxious screamer. Axel's dick could not be that good.

I focused on getting my work done so I wouldn't have so much to catch up on the next day, and at five o'clock, I was knocking on Max's door. He looked up from his computer screen, staring at me for a moment before he flicked his eyes back to his computer. "Oh, crap, it's already five?" he asked, stretching.

"Yeah, baby. Come on. We're going to Axel's."

He frowned at me as he began saving his work and shutting his computer down. "What for?"

I held out my hand to him when he stood from his desk, grabbing his phone—the phone I'd already blocked his parents' numbers from. I'd also had IT downstairs block his parents from emailing him, and any calls from unknown numbers would never show up on his phone. I didn't want them trying to find workarounds to harass him.

He was mine. Mine to protect. And I would do anything to keep him safe.

Grabbing my hand, Max fell into step beside me. We were quiet as we rode the elevator down, and when we got to the front doors, my car was already waiting for us. I nodded once at the valet as I opened the passenger door for Max, waiting until he was settled and strapped in before I closed his door and rounded the hood, sliding into the driver's seat.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Max asked me once we were on the highway and headed toward Axel's house.

I nodded and reached over, sliding my palm over his thigh. He relaxed at my touch, leaning his head back against his seat, his head rolling so he was watching me. I gently squeezed his thigh. "Everything is fine, baby boy," I assured him.