Saving Max

Chapter 43

"Can you hear me?" My mom's voice rings loudly through my ears, worry and concern lacing her spoken words.

I nod, realizing moments later that she can't see me. "Yep." I mutter, a bright red blush hearting up my cheeks as I look up and meet her eyes, a hesitant smile on her face as she watches me. I tug on the sleeves of my sweater and glance around the park, catching the eyes of both police officers stationed on either end of the park. They both offer up a thumbs up and pull their baseball caps down tighter over their heads, a signal for me that everything is in place and ready to go.

The officer's names are Mike and Spencer, and they're relatively new to our town's precinct. They both moved here about a month ago and are ready to take on their first big assignment.

Neither of them knew Caden personally, either, which was very ideal, given our situation.

They were slightly skeptical in the beginning after looking over Caden's record, but ultimately gave in to the constant pleadings of Derek and Caden. I still don't think they're completely convinced of our story yet, but I know that they wouldn't walk away from us. Even on the off chance that this could be a hoax, they wouldn't dare risk it after meeting Max earlier this morning.

Just as Max crosses my mind I see him and Caden making their way towards me from across the park, blank expressions impressed on both of their faces. "You doing okay, buddy?" I ask Max when the two of them come to a stop in front of me, taking his free hand in my own and giving it a tight squeeze.

Max nods shyly and nestles himself into my side nervously, his chest moving raggedly with his heavy breathing.

"He's not too keen on seeing David again." Caden explains, puffing out a tired breath as he shoves his hands deep into his sweatshirt pockets.

"That'd make two of us." I mumble quietly, pulling Max tighter against my side as a sort of security blanket. "The last time I saw him he put me in the hospital."

I see Caden take in a sharp breath and nod, taking a step closer to me to press a quick, loving kiss to my lips. Even after last night, we both can't quite seem to say goodbye just yet.

"I won't let that happen again, Bell. You know that. You guys are both safe this time, I promise." Caden shifts his gaze between Max and I, his sternly spoken words  a comfort as they settle between the three of us softly.

I smile shakily down to Max, the both of us nodding our heads and clasping our hands together at our sides. I watch as Caden bends down and gives Max a tight hug, the both of them embracing strongly right beside my feet. I hear a few mumbled words exchanged between the two, a heavy clap on the back received by Max, and a final sigh as Max straighten back out, Caden slowly pulling himself to his feet to face me. There are tears forming in his eyes that he tries to hide as his gaze meets mine, three unspoken words passing between us.

"I guess this is goodbye." Caden says, the words sounding foreign and unnatural as they fall from his lips.

"I guess so." I mumble, eliminating the space between us once more to crush him into a hug, My arms wrap tightly around his body, clinging to him like he's all that matters. All that will ever matter.

This hug feels like our last. It feels like a final goodbye.

The feeling of leaving him behind undeniably breaks me in half. There's an unbearable pain electrifying in my chest, and the lingering burn of it only makes me hold on tighter.

"Stay safe, okay?" Caden whispers in my ear, his hands running soothingly down my back, tangling in my hair as he pulls away. "Never let your guard down, Bell. I mean it."