Beyond the Breaking Point (39 page)

“Max didn’t tell me that,” she said, shooting a narrow-eyed glare at her lover.

His mouth tilting in a half-grin, Max said, “Of course not. You wouldn’t have come. I had enough trouble getting you here as it was.”

“So you lied?” she asked, pretending shock and disappointment.

“No.” He kissed her. “They will love you, eventually.” He kissed her again.

She could feel people watching them and broke the kiss. “Stop trying to charm me. It won’t work.”

“Yeah?” he asked, his voice pitched low with arousal. He stroked her neck with his thumb and she hissed, “Stop it!” even as her body quivered and melted, and her nipples came to sharp points, stabbing through her bra. She caught his hand and held it on her lap, keeping it away from her sweet spot.

Nicco watched them with raised eyebrows. “That’s a handy trick.”

“I know,” Max said smugly.

When Cassidy pinched him, Max retaliated by dragging her close and burying his face against her neck, making growling sounds. She had to laugh at his antics.

“Attention, everyone. Ladies, take the food upstairs. Men break down the tables. Children, gather all the trash,” Mrs. Desalvo ordered.

Cassidy rose with everyone else and began clearing the table.

“No, Dr. Brannon. Guests don’t clean,” Mrs. Desalvo said, though Cassidy clearly saw other non-family members doing so and nothing was said to prohibit them. “Come upstairs with me.”

She glanced at Max. For guidance or protection, she wasn’t sure.

He winked at her. “Go ahead. It won’t take us long to break the tables down. I promise I’ll come rescue you as quickly as I can.”

Chapter Twenty-One

“You’re not Catholic, are you, Dr. Brannon?” Mrs. Desalvo asked.

Cassidy didn’t bother asking the woman to call her by her first name, sensing the effort would be wasted. “No, I’m not,” she answered simply.

“Protestant?” his mother asked.

“My family’s not very religious,” Cassidy admitted, knowing as far as this woman was concerned, it was another strike against her.

They sat in the formal living room, which despite its title, was very comfortable. Mrs. Desalvo had settled into a throne-like armchair that enhanced her queenly bearing. Her graying black hair was caught in a chignon at her neck. Her face was still relatively unlined for her advanced age. Her body was what Cassidy could only describe as matronly, and her piercing blue eyes were glasses-free. Examining her, she realized Max had inherited a lot of his features from his mother’s strong genes.

“My son is enamored of you.”

Uncertain what to say to the bold pronouncement, Cassidy remained quiet.

“Maximillan, he’s a very stubborn, very determined boy, like his father. Once he decides he wants something, there’s no stopping him,” Mrs. Desalvo continued.

Again, Cassidy chose silence.

“But mothers, we worry. We know what our children desire isn’t always what’s best for them. Max tells me you are with child?” Mrs. Desalvo tilted her head in the direction of Cassidy’s stomach.

“Yes.” Cassidy resisted the urge to cover her stomach in a protective gesture.

Mrs. Desalvo nodded sagely. “Soon you will know how a child grabs hold of your heart and doesn’t let go. How you would do anything to see your child safe and happy, even when they are grown. And how sometimes, what keeps them safe isn’t always what makes them happy.”

Cassidy waited, certain Mrs. Desalvo was going somewhere with this.

“Max brought Amber to us and introduced her to the family. I could see at once she was only interested in his money, but Max, he was too captivated by her to realize, so I said nothing. Instead, I prayed many Novenas on his behalf.”

Surely she couldn’t be…
“Mrs. Desalvo, Max’s money doesn’t interest me.”

Max’s mother studied her for a long time, saying nothing. Cassidy didn’t fidget under the scrutiny. “No, I can see it doesn’t. You have good manners, which tells me you were raised properly. You are a professional, a doctor. One I imagine has the capacity to earn a lot of money in your chosen field?”

Cassidy nodded, acknowledging the accuracy of Mrs. Desalvo’s words.

“Under different circumstances, I would be pleased and think you a good match for my son, but…”

Cassidy braced herself for what was coming.

“…not when your relationship jeopardizes my son’s soul.”

Nothing could have prepared her for that.

“Marriage is sacred, adultery a sin. Max says you’re divorcing your husband for committing this sin and yet—”

“Mrs. Desalvo,” Cassidy interrupted gently but firmly. “Please know I mean no disrespect when I say my marriage, like my relationship with Max, is none of your business.”

Max’s mother blinked, reconsidered, and then slowly nodded. “Yes, you’re right, of course. Forgive an old woman for sticking her nose in where it is not wanted. I will get to the point. If, after your marriage is ended, my son convinces you to marry him, please realize that your marriage will not be recognized by the Holy Church. Neither will any children born of your union. Maximillan will be allowed to attend Mass, but barred from receiving communion, his sin having cut him off from God. All of my children have been married by our parish priest. Max, and as a result our family, will be denied this privilege. Surely, you can understand my concern,” his mother appealed to her.

Yes, she could but…
“Mrs. Desalvo, please forgive my lack of understanding, but what is it exactly you’re asking me to do?” Cassidy asked, holding his mother’s gaze.

Mrs. Desalvo took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and dropped her bomb. “For the sake of Max’s eternal soul, I’m asking you to set him free.”

Max found Cassidy, fifteen minutes later, standing on the front porch. He came up and slipped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulders. “Hey, beautiful. Miss me?”

For the first time, she didn’t relax into his embrace. “Are you done? Can we go?” The tension he felt in her body was evident in her tone.

He spun her around, trying to study her face in the street lighting. “What’s wrong?”

“I’d just like to go home now,” she said somberly.

Her face, including her normally expressive eyes, was blank, so he couldn’t tell what she was feeling. “Yes, let me tell everyone we’re leaving. Are you coming with me?”

She shook her head. “Please express my thanks and tell everyone the food was wonderful.”

“I’ll be right back.” Max wanted to get to the bottom of her mood change. She’d been nervous, even after they’d arrived, but with Nicco she’d calmed and enjoyed herself. Now Cassidy was… He didn’t know what the hell she was, but he knew she wasn’t happy.

He made a beeline for his mother. “Momma, what did you say to Cassidy?” he asked, interrupting her conversation with his aunts.

“Maximillan, so rude. I raised you better,” she scolded.

He narrowed his gaze. “Momma, she’s important to me. In addition, she’s the mother of your future grandchild. I trusted you to make her feel welcome. You told me she went outside for fresh air. Instead, I go outside and find Cassidy upset. I ask again, what did you say to her?”

His mother firmed her mouth and stood straighter. “I spoke the truth, that’s all. God’s truth.” Her expression and tone told him she’d said all she planned to say on the matter.

“Momma,” he said gently, “if the woman I love isn’t welcome in this house, then neither am I.” Then he turned and left.

“Max!” his mother called to him.

He ignored her and the rest of his family members who looked his way and kept walking. Max exited the house to discover Cassidy had left the small porch and stood on the sidewalk near the street. “Let’s go,” he said as he joined her.

“Maximillan!” It was his father this time, calling imperiously to him from the doorway.

“Later, Poppy,” Max said firmly. He caught Cassidy by the hand and towed her toward the car. “I’m sorry my mother upset you.”

“She loves you,” Cassidy said, as though it were enough.

Perhaps, for her, it was. Cassidy had a generous nature. It was one of the things he adored about her. “You were my guest. It was wrong of her to make you feel unwelcomed,” he insisted.

“It’s her home, Max. She had a right.”

He shook his head, knowing Cassidy would never say anything negative about his mother, even though she’d clearly been upset by whatever his mother said. It was frustrating and refreshing at the same time, and a huge change from Amber. Amber never failed to let him know if she thought she was being mistreated by any of his family.

Max stopped suddenly, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her soundly. When it ended, Cassidy clung to him with her arms around his neck and her face pressed into his chest. Her body was trembling, but not in a good way.

“Cassidy, sweetheart, you have to tell me what’s wrong. What did my mother say to upset you so?” he asked, anger, frustration, and concern churning into a potent brew.

She shook her head. “Just give me time to process, okay? I promise we’ll talk.”

Knowing there was nothing more he could say or do, he simply held her until she regained her composure. She sniffed, wiped her face with her arm, and put space between them. “Damn pregnancy hormones,” she said, making light of her tears.

“It’s more than that,” he said gruffly, hooking an arm around her neck and holding her close as he began walking again. He planted a kiss on the top of her head, wishing she’d talk to him so he could fix it.

Max felt marginally better when she wrapped an arm around his waist and snuggled in. At least his mother hadn’t managed to run Cassidy off. Yet. She hadn’t managed it yet.

He tucked her into the car and hurried around to his side to get in. The drive to Cassidy’s apartment was quiet. She sat with her seat slightly reclined, face toward the window. From her profile he could see that her eyes were closed. Max held her left hand in his, needing the connection. He felt like she was slipping away from him.

The last two weeks with her had gone so smooth, been so perfect. Maybe too perfect. Something was bound to happen to shake things up. He never thought it would be his mother. Yes, he’d known she wasn’t happy about the situation and had anticipated her cool reception, but while she might say something to him, he’d never expected her to say anything negative to Cassidy. With eight children, she’d developed a habit of non-interference in their personal lives. Tonight she’d broken her own rule.