Lily hadn't planned on making a scene. She didn't like getting *too* involved in situations like this, but when it came to Sea, she would go to any lengths. The fact that Bright had hired a bodyguard who was clearly more about posing than protecting was just a cherry on top. She wasn't about to let anyone stand in her way—not when her best friend was involved.
But as she stepped outside into the cool night air, the lingering buzz of the club's noise faded into the distance, and a new tension settled in the pit of her stomach. She was still riding high from the rush of having put Bright's bodyguard in his place. It had been exhilarating. But now? Now, she felt something else.
She tried to shake it off as she fumbled for her phone to check for any messages from Sea, but the lingering sense of unease wouldn't leave.
"I did what I came here for," Lily muttered to herself. "Now I just need to get out of here before anything else happens."
But the moment she turned around, there he was—Max, the giant she had made an absolute fool of in front of Bright.
Max had been watching her from a distance, lingering by the club's exit door with his arms crossed, his broad shoulders framed by the flickering lights. There was a new, almost unreadable look in his eyes—one she hadn't quite seen before.
"What are you still doing here?" she asked, trying to mask her irritation with a cool edge. The last thing she needed was more of *him*.
Max stepped forward, his heavy boots echoing in the quiet space between them. "I could ask you the same thing," he said, his voice low, almost contemplative. There was something different about his tone. Something she couldn't quite place.
Lily rolled her eyes, her fingers tightening around her phone as if ready for another confrontation. "I came to find Sea. You can leave me alone now."
"Not so fast," Max said, moving closer. She tried to take a step back, but the size difference between them was too much. "I owe you an apology."
Lily scoffed. "An apology? For what? Getting your ass handed to you in front of your boss?"
Max didn't react to her jab, his expression calm and surprisingly serious. "For underestimating you," he replied simply. "You're not what I thought you were."
Lily paused, her defensive attitude faltering just a fraction. "What did you think I was?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Max's gaze softened slightly, his posture relaxing, though he still towered over her. "Someone who talks big but can't back it up. Someone who's all talk and no action."
Lily felt her cheeks flush, a mixture of pride and surprise creeping up on her. "And now?"
"Now," Max said, taking another step toward her, "I see a woman who's not afraid to stand up for herself. A woman who doesn't back down, no matter what. And I respect that."
His words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Lily wasn't sure how to respond. She wasn't used to hearing praise for her toughness, especially not from someone like Max, who had clearly underestimated her from the start.
"Well, aren't you sweet," she said, her voice playful but with an edge of wariness. "But I don't need your respect."
Max's lips quirked into a half-smile, his gaze never leaving hers. "No, you don't. But you might need someone who can help you get out of trouble when it finds you."
Lily didn't quite know how to respond to that. She had been expecting more hostility, more arrogance from him, but there was something in his tone now that made her question if he was just trying to keep her off-balance—or if he genuinely meant what he said.
"You know, you're not as bad as I thought," she admitted, stepping back slightly, more to give herself space than anything else.
Max chuckled, the deep rumble of his laugh almost making her heart skip a beat. "I could say the same thing about you," he said, his eyes softening in a way that caught her off guard.
She tilted her head, studying him more carefully now. There was something else there. Something behind his casual demeanor that was… new. Max wasn't just some stoic bodyguard anymore. There was an intensity in his gaze, a shift in his body language that made Lily wonder if maybe, just maybe, he was starting to look at her differently.
She didn't like to admit it, but the thought made her heart race, and she quickly pushed it away. "Look, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I'm not interested," she said quickly, trying to keep the conversation light.
Max's smile widened just a little. "I'm not playing a game. I'm just trying to get to know you better, Lily."
Lily felt a jolt in her chest, a flutter of confusion. "Get to know me?" she echoed, crossing her arms defensively. "Why?"
Max took a slow step closer, his gaze unwavering. "Because you're not what I expected. And maybe, just maybe, I'm starting to think that there's more to you than the tough exterior."
Lily's breath caught in her throat. She wasn't used to this kind of attention—especially from a guy like Max. She had never seen him this way, never imagined that he could look at her with that kind of interest.
"Stop," she said, trying to distance herself, but her heart was already racing in a way she hadn't planned on. "I don't need your pity, okay?"
Max didn't seem deterred. He took another step forward, his voice low and steady. "It's not pity. It's interest."
Lily's breath hitched. She couldn't deal with this—couldn't deal with the idea that someone like Max, with his cold and calculated world, was actually interested in *her*. But the truth was, there was something about him that was starting to make her question everything.
She tried to shake it off, but Max wasn't going to make it easy.
"So," he said, his voice teasing but with a new softness that didn't escape her notice, "What do you think? You want to take me up on that drink, or do I need to keep my distance?"
Lily hesitated, her nerves swirling with an unfamiliar energy. She didn't know what to make of this sudden shift in Max, but part of her couldn't help but be intrigued.
"You're... not what I thought, either," she muttered, more to herself than to him.
Max's smile widened, and something in his expression softened. "I guess we both have a lot to learn about each other."
The more Lily tried to push Max away, the more she found herself intrigued by him. Max, for all his previous gruffness, had shown her a side she hadn't expected. And, slowly—almost against her will—she began to feel something stir inside her. Something she wasn't sure she wanted to acknowledge.
Would she let her guard down? Or would she continue to fight this unexpected connection with Bright's bodyguard?
Would Max's feelings continue to evolve, or would Lily stay determined to keep her distance?