Waters of Oblivion

Chapter 32.2: The Damage

"No!" Reine exclaimed as Max stumbled backwards against the entry door, but Gabe already closed the gap. Grabbing the front of his rival's crisp, button-down shirt, he pulled Max back up to a standing position.

"Stop!" Reine yelled again, trying to get closer in spite of Noor holding her back, but Gabe was undeterred. Ignoring her plea, he struck again, and Max's head flopped to the side from the force of a new blow against his jaw.

"Oh, shit!" Noor blurted out, both from the sight and from Reine escaping her grip.

In spite of her efforts to block him, Gabe was able to get in several more hits to Max's head and torso. Only when she placed herself squarely between the two men did he back away.

Still reeling from the unhindered beating, Max struggled to catch his breath as he leaned against Reine's shoulder for support. Pulling him out of the way to the opposite wall, she watched in astonishment as Gabe opened the door and took off without another word.

"Noor, please," she said, nodding after him, but her friend was already pulling on her shoes.

"Don't worry, Rennie. I've got this." She hurried out and slammed the door behind her.

After lowering Max to a sitting position, Reine knelt on the floor next him. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" She frowned at the blood trickling down the side of his face and brushed the disheveled hair out of his eyes.

He winced. "It's nothing."

"Right. Let's call a black eye, broken nose, a few cracked ribs, and I'm guessing a heck of a lot of soft tissue damage nothing." Reine pouted. "I'm still curious why you provoked him. And why on Earth didn't you defend yourself?"

Max turned his eyes in her direction without moving his head. "You wanted us to get along."

Reine scoffed. "I don't think we have the same definition of 'getting along.'"

"You saw how riled up he was," he said as he draped one arm across his chest and momentarily squeezed his eyes shut. Each word was clearly causing him more pain. "The kid needed to get it out of his system. Otherwise, he would have been just as uptight every time we got in the same room."

"Oh my God. You wanted him to beat the crap out of you?" Reine asked while playfully swatting him on the shoulder. "Unbelievable. Do you boys ever grow up?"

He finally smiled. "Of course not."

"Well, I can't bear seeing you looking like this. I'm going to get you a towel." She moved to rise, but Max grabbed her hand.

"No, just stay," he whispered.

Seeing his serious expression again, she sighed and sat down beside him. "You're going to feel pretty silly with all of that blood on your face in a few minutes once you heal."

"It's going to take longer than that." He reached over and took her hand in his. The touch of his skin wasn't warm as expected; his system definitely wasn't going into overdrive trying to heal itself.

"Oh, Max. Please tell me you're not drinking gin?" Reine cupped his damaged face in her other hand, stifling the urge to cry at the sight of his injuries. His eye was swelling shut, and his lip was busted. "I'd hate for you to look like this for a day or two while the juniper leaves your system."

He slowly moved his head from side to side. "No. I haven't touched the stuff in months. The last time was in Paris."

"Paris?" Reine wrinkled her forehead before her eyes widened. "You mean . . . but Chambord . . . where Sylvana . . .."

He nodded.

"Max, no!" Reine shook her head as tears flooded her eyes. "No. You didn't . . . you couldn't."