Deceit. [COMPLETED.]

Chapter 37

"Last will and testimony"

I tried to get up but a hand stopped me.

'Shoosh. Steady now.'

I tried to move my head and look quickly around.

'He's gone.'

Max shrugged a shoulder.

'He must have already been in the house. The garage door was opened remember. He was probably just some random burglar who heard us coming and was waiting for the right moment to escape.'

I felt stupid. I thought at the time that it had been too easy to have gained entry but I never put two and two together to think that someone else might have already been here.

I moved my chin. It felt a little stiff. The pain was moderate.

We were on the landing and judging by the darkness it was late. Max had my head resting in her lap and looking up I could see her concerned face courtesy of the light from a couple of candles burning nearby on the floor.

She proceeded to brush a delicate hand though my hair and I have to admit that it felt good. It felt reassuring in fact and I found myself looking up at her face only to see tell tale signs that she had been crying. She saw the question in my gaze.

'I thought I'd lost you,' she said, struggling to hide her emotions, 'I tried to raise you but you wouldn't wake up.'

I told her that I was fine. I moved my chin again to reassure her and I sent up a smile but that wasn't it. The more I looked at her the more I was able to see real pain in those beautiful blue eyes of hers and I had to know more.

'What's up?' I asked trying to form a grin. 'Now as much as I can buy your sentiment of wanting me to live, you don't fool me and I can tell there is something more.'

I moved my head towards the bedroom.

'Was it something you found? Was there something in the safe?'

At first she didn't say or do anything but then I saw a coldness form around her eyes and after a few more seconds she reached behind her and lifted up a handful of what looked to be pieces of parchment paper, yellow with black rimmed edges; share certificates, quite a few of them, for a lot of money and all in the name of an Adam Stamford.

It made no sense. This was a person who was supposed to have no money and yet here I was looking at pieces of paper indicating that he was in fact a very rich man.

It seemed a huge betrayal, especially after everything his sister had done for him and try as I might I just couldn't fathom why he would hide such a large sum of money.

Both her eyes were welling up and as the first trickle of a teardrop threatened to run down her cheek I sat up and pulled her close. I half expected her to move away but she didn't and instead, like a lost child, she placed herself willingly into my arms and allowed her head to fall down onto my shoulder allowing the soft scent of her perfume to fill my lungs.

She lifted her head and I wrapped my arms tighter around her.

I sensed rather than saw her move towards me. I felt her tender lips touch mine and in that moment I gained my second kiss. It was passion without lust, her tongue just resting on mine as it slowly moved inside my mouth and we remained locked together for what seemed an age before she pulled away. She offered me a smile.

'Thanks,' she said.

'For what?'

'For not rejecting me. For allowing a mad impulsive woman to have a kiss with a man she deeply cares for.'