6 Max is Scared of her.

“If you wanna know that, follow me.” He stepped out of the room.

God... I hate him. But still decided to follow him.

Walking behind him, we reached the kitchen, where I see Summer having her supper sitting on the kitchen stool by the kitchen counter.

“Hailey….,” she shouted, jumping out of the stool and wrapping her arms around my waist. “Are you fine now…,”

She might be worried about me. God, this is the first someone cared about how I am. “I’m fine…how are you?” I said with a smile, ruffling her hair playfully.

“I’m happy that you’re fine…,” she said, staring at my face. “Are you now going to stay with us? Right?”

“Well….,” I don’t know how to answer her question.

“Summer…you should finish eating your food first.” Hollis interrupted, saving me from answering the unknown question.

“Okay Daddy..,” she said, returning to eat her food.

“Sit…” Hollis said this time to me, as he pointed his finger to a stool next to Summer.

“Okay…,” I sat beside Summer, as Hollis walked to the microwave and pulled out a plate full of delicious aromatic food, placing it in front of me.

“Eat….,” he said, this time providing me with some cutleries.

“Aren’t you being bossy enough…,” I said, even when I took the spoon from his hand.

“Daddy is always like that…,” Summer said in between turning my focus on her.

“I see…,” I said, giving Hollis a frowning eye. “Well, it’s not going to work with me.”

“As far as I can see…it seems to be working.” He said, leaning on his arms, staring at me from either side of the kitchen counter.

I stare back at him, not letting him intimate me. Even when his brown eyes seem fierce enough to intimate anyone, even me, I am not going to show my weakness to anyone. “Anyway, thanks for the food,” I said, avoiding his stare.

“That’s not a problem. You’re my employee, and taking care of your health is one of my duties.” He replied flatly.

“I never agreed to work here yet,” I said, shoving down a spoonful of the mouth-watering food in front of me.

“You’ll…but finish your meal. I have some important things to discuss with you.” He said, turning to leave.

“Mmmmm…,” I tried to stop him but my mouth seemed too full to speak anything. “Wait…,” I tried gulping down the food fast.

“What?” he said, turning his head to look at me.

I stood up from the stool but yet again everything started dancing in front of my eyes, as I lost my balance waiting for a fall, but the fall never came. I opened my eyes only to come face to face with Hollis, who had his hands wrapped around my waist, avoiding me from falling.

“If you keep fainting like this, I might change my mind,” he mumbled, his hands still not leaving mine.

“Sorry…” I tried to explain. “I don’t know why, but all of a sudden everything started shaking in front of my eyes.”

“Shhhh….,” Hollis stopped me from talking further by planting his index finger over my lips.

My mind went blank and all my senses went alert from his touch, his touch, as goosebumps formed all over my body. Damn, I never felt like that ever before…not with Ben for sure…

“You talk too much…., finish your meal first. we can talk about everything else later.” He said, his finger still remaining on my lips. “Okay..,” he asks.

I nodded my head, staring at his face. And am I not gonna lie? He is fucking handsome, a little older than me. But handsome with his light dusting of beard on his chin to his chocolate brown eyes that keep staring at me, making my heart pump in my chest fast.

Shit, what the hell am I thinking? I tried to avoid the nasty thoughts from my mind.

Our position remained in the same position until we heard a crying voice from somewhere around here.

“Max…,” I heard Hollis mumble as walks fast to a room right next to the room I was resting before. I followed behind him without giving him any second thought and was shocked to witness what was happening inside the room.

“Sara…,” Hollis shouted, taking Max away from the woman who had just hit Max. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

He is right. What the fuck is she thinking? She was about to hit an innocent child just because he was crying.

“Hollis…, it’s not what it seems like…,” she tried to explain, acting sad, trying to console Max in Hollis’s arms.

But upon her touch Max started crying louder than before, holding his face in Hollis’s shoulder.

Is Max scared of her? And who is she?

“Just leave…,” Hollis said calmly, patting Max’s back gently.

“But Hollis…,” she tried to reason, but seeing Hollis’ anger, she changed her mind and left. But not without staring at me from head to foot with a disgusted look plastered on her face.

God, what is her problem... I thought, signing in relief watching her leave.

“Who is she…,” I can’t help but ask.

“Just ignore her,” he said, signing as Max didn’t calm even a bit.

“Mama…,” Max mumbled, leaning her tiny frame towards me.

“Mama..,” Hollis mumbled, staring at me as Max jumped in my arms.

“Look, I don’t know why he is calling me this, but trust me, I have nothing to do with it.” Shit, what the fuck am I splattering? He will doubt me more after hearing those words.

“I trust you,” Hollis said, startling all my senses.

“Do you?” I asked because I have a hard time digesting it.

But Hollis nodded his head, leaning his head closer and closer to mine.

What the heck is he doing? I thought, but within seconds all my doubts cleared when he planted a gentle kiss on Max’s hair, ruffling his hair gently.

“I hate when he cries…,” He said, staring at his child with so much love in his eyes. “That’s why I need you to make my children happy .... something that I can never make them.” He continued, this time staring at me.

“Hollis….,” I tried to speak, but I couldn’t find the right words.

“I won’t force you if you don’t want to work here, but I will do anything in my power to change your mind,” he said, then paused. “Not because I want you…but because my kids want you….,” he said, leaving me speechless, as Hollis took Max away from my arms and walked out of the room without looking back.