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“Heads up,” he said to the person on the other end. “I’m firing Aries and evicting him.”
“Max?” I asked.
Max turned his back to me. “Effective now. He’s never paid rent,” he said after a brief pause. “He’s a guest, not a tenant. I’ll give him an hour to get his shit and clear out, but after that he’s your problem.”
Max ended the call and tossed his phone on the counter.
“What’s going on? Who was that?”
Max rubbed his forehead as he walked into the back. “Aries’s parole officer. I’m not sure I can go up there without doing something immoral.”
A phone rang upstairs and both of us glanced at the ceiling.
“Aren’t you worried he could end up back inside?” I asked.
Max glared at me. “He set you up. I’m throwing that punk out on his ass. Whatever happens to him after is none of my concern.”
I’d never seen this side of Max. He was always so kind and forgiving. He believed in second and third and even fourth chances. “I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret.”
“The only thing I regret is getting you into this shit by bringing him here. He fucked with my family. There’s no coming back from that.”
Hearing Max call me family filled me with warmth. My parents had abandoned me when I needed them most; my dad’s disgust still haunted my thoughts. But this man had accepted me at my worst and done everything he could to help me.
“For goodness’ sake, Theo, don’t look so surprised.” Max pulled me into a one-armed hug and thumped my back. “You know I consider you one of my kids.”
“What the hell, Max,” Aries shouted, throwing open the door that separated the apartment from the shop. “You’re kicking me out? I thought you were decent. You pretend to be all holy and shit, but you’re a dick like everyone else.”
I was grateful for every burpee before breakfast I’d ever done since it took every muscle I had to hold Max back.
Aries put his hands up and stepped back toward the stairs. “Hey, no need for that. If you don’t want me here, I’m out.”
“What did you think would happen?” Max yelled, still struggling against me. “You bring a teenager to my shop to get back at Theo. Do you have any fucking clue what you’ve done? He could go back in because of you. What were you even doing with that girl in the first place? I bet you slept with her, you piece of shit. I should call that girl’s parents and tell them to file statutory rape charges.”
Aries jabbed his finger in the air. “That’s out of line. I’d never rape anyone.”
“Age of consent is eighteen in Virginia, dumbass,” Max yelled.
Aries’s eyes widened before his face went completely blank. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t mess around with high schoolers.”
For a moment, I believed him. Angela could have told him she was nineteen too. But that wink. It didn’t sit right. Still, the thought of making someone homeless, even a shithead like Aries, made my stomach tightened. “Maybe—” I started.
Max let out a hollow laugh. “The only good thing about being a reformed piece of shit is being able to recognize a current one. I gave you a chance, Aries. You blew it. Grab your stuff and get the hell out of my sight before Theo gets tired and can’t hold me back no more.”
“Whatever,” Aries said, heading for the stairs. “This town sucks anyway.” He slammed the door behind him, locking it from the inside, and thudded up to the apartment.
“Thanks, son,” Max said patting my arm. “You can let go. I’m good, but if Aries hasn’t left in an hour, I’m calling Officer Stafford back here.”
I followed Max to the waiting room, relieved to put a little distance between him and the door to the apartment. Wereached the counter just as the door opened and Cal and Aiden walked in.
“Could have used you a little sooner,” Max said, setting the timer on his phone. “For a second there, I didn’t know if Theo could keep me from Aries.”
“The new guy?” Cal asked. “What’d he do?”
“The fucker—”
I elbowed Max in the stomach. “There’s only one of me,” I said calmly.
Max nodded and pressed his lips together. After he let out a breath he said, “I’m in a bad mood is all.”