New Beginnings (The Billionaire’s Baby #4)(12)
Author: Helen Cooper

“You’re clean now, Max.”

“Sometimes I still get urges, Dr. Spencer.” Max’s voice was pained and he looked into his face.

“To do coke?”

“To lose myself.” Max stared out of the window. “To be someone else.”

“That’s a normal feeling, Max. We all want to have a different life sometimes.”

“I don’t feel that way when I’m with her.”

“Your ex?”

“No. With S., the love of my life.” Max sighed. He thought of Sophie and he smiled. She had brought him breakfast in bed that morning and he’d left as she was washing Jacob carefully. He wasn’t a good enough person to have the heart of someone so wonderful.

“Does S think you are a saint?”

“No.” Max laughed.

“And S didn’t leave you after she found out about the baby.”

“No.” Max paused. “In fact, she’s been wonderful.”

“You said there’s a possibility you may not be the father?” Dr. Spencer cocked his head.

“Yeah, there is another man, a very powerful man who may be the dad.”

“Are you going to say anything to anyone?” The doctor frowned at him. “That may not be a good idea.”

“I don’t know.” Max frowned. “We’d need a DNA test first.”

“Do you think S will leave you when she finds out about everything you did in the sex clubs?”

“I don’t know.” He grit his teeth. “We’re going to one tonight—she wants to see it.”

“The X Club?” Doctor Spencer raised his eyebrows.

“No.” Max paused. “I would never take her there. I’m taking her to the starter club. The one I started them all out in.”

“That shouldn’t be so bad then.”

“What if I fall into my old ways again?”

“Do you think you will?”

“No.” Max paused and smiled. “I have no interest in doing any of those things with her.”

“So then it shouldn’t be a problem?”

“You’re right. It shouldn’t be a problem.” He finally sat down. “I’ll take her there, show her around and then we’ll go home and that will be it.”

“Are you still worried that you’ll go back to the drugs?”

“No.” Max’s voice was firm. “I don’t need them anymore.”

“If you ever feel like you need them again, you have to go to rehab.” Dr. Spencer’s voice was serious. “You do understand that right.”

“Yes.” Max looked at his doctor seriously. “I know that.” He laughed. “You do know, Dr. Spencer, you are the only person who can get away with talking to me like that.”

“It does feel weird to boss a billionaire around.” The man laughed and Max smiled at him.

“We should hang out some time.” Max stood up and looked at the man from the door.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Max.” He smiled. “I think I can connect better with you as just your doctor as opposed to your doctor and your friend.”

“That may be true.” Max laughed. “Thanks, man. I appreciate your time.”

“No worries, Max. Please feel free to call me at anytime.” He smiled and stood up to shake Max’s hand. “I’ll save an appointment for you on Monday, if you need to talk about tonight.”

“Okay.” Max grimaced and walked out of the door.

Dr. Spencer took out his tape recorder and pressed record: “Maxwell Van Harkel emergency visit notes. He is going back to locations that may lead to regressive behavior. Look for signs of drug or alcohol abuse in next couple of sessions. Also look for bruises or cuts on his body.” He pressed stop and sighed and turned off the recorder. He hadn’t wanted Max to see it in his face but he was worried that Max was in for a relapse and that worried him. He then pulled out his phone and stared at it for a second before sending the message. Max will be going to ‘The Games’ tonight. No other new info. He didn’t name the man he thinks is the baby’s father. Dr. Spencer stared at the wall after he sent the message, he felt guilty and sad but there was nothing he could do. It was either him or Max that was going to go down and he couldn’t allow it to be him.

***

As Max walked back to the office he decided to call Sophie to make sure that she was still okay. He also wanted to hear her voice so he could calm his nerves.

“Hey Max,” she answered the phone breathlessly.

“What are you up to?”

“Just been pacing back and forth with Jacob,” she whispered. “He’s been crying for the last forty-five minutes.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He wasn’t quite sure what to say. “Should we get a nanny?”

“No.” Her voice was sharp and then she softened it. “I don’t want a nanny but maybe we can go to some classes together, so we can learn how to look after a baby.”

“I think we can arrange that.” He smiled into the phone. “I love you.”

“What should I wear tonight?” Her voice was low and anxious. “I want to fit in.”

“We’re just going to check it out, Sophie, not partake in anything.”

“I know.” Her voice sounded peeved.

“You weren’t expecting to do anything, were you?” His voice was sharp.

“No.” Her voice was low.

“Do you want to sleep with another man?” He stopped and closed his eyes as he waited for her answer.

“What?” Sophie’s voice was shocked. “No, no. Of course not.”

“Okay.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “Then what were you expecting?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know what else goes on there.”

“But you want to try something?”

“Maybe.” She paused. “Something small. Just to experience it.”

Maxwell felt his heart beating fast and a grin spread across his face. “Well, maybe we can arrange something.”

“What?” Her voice was breathless again.

“It’ll be a surprise.” He grinned as they hung up the phone. It seemed like his sweet innocent Sophie was not as interested in staying innocent and as he walked back to the office, he thought that perhaps it wasn’t going to be such a bad night after all.