Chapter 6 Injuried

Maximo ran towards those people who were talking. One more thing to be disgusted with Carolina: he would have to talk to strangers!

"Oh, excuse me!" He spoke up and the two women turned around. By the mask, they knew who he was. Some called him 'The Monster'.

"Yes, sir?" One of them asked nervously.

"I overheard a piece of your conversation. I... I'm looking for my wife. A beautiful woman with brown hair, honey eyes, medium height... She's new here."

"Well, there's a girl like that over at the bookstore," The woman said and he gave a slight nod of agreement, before turning around and heading toward the bookstore.

That was a small town, so there was only one bookstore. At least, that's what he remembered.

As he walked, people looked at him, murmuring. That was exactly why he hated it.

Before the accident, Maximo went to the farm eventually, so people didn't remember his face. Prior to the event, he had gone years without going there. Therefore, when he appeared all deformed, someone saw him without his body completely covered, without his mask and, of course, the rumor that a monster had taken over the La Preciosa farm spread.

When he saw the bookstore, he crossed the street and as soon as he turned the doorknob, he could hear Carolina's laughter. This made him angrier. Was she not hurt? Then she should be crying, not laughing!

Carolina was talking to a man with brown hair and dark eyes. Maximo guessed that he and the man were close in age. The man was the one who saw him.

She, upon noticing that the man had shifted his position on the counter, turned to look and her eyes quickly lost their former sparkle. Maximo pressed his lips together and walked over to her.

Standing in front of Carolina, he, who was very tall, almost 6,56" tall, looked like he was going to swallow Carolina with his 5,24" and sitting on a low sofa.

"Are you done having fun?" he asked with acidity in his voice. Carolina narrowed her eyes at him.

'Does this woman still have the nerve to look at me like that?'

"No. You can come back later." She made a pantry motion toward him, waving her hand and looking at the man she'd been talking to before Maximo arrived.

He widened his eyes at her and grabbed her by the arm.

"Mr. Castillo!" The man who was laughing with Carolina said, approaching them. Maximo looked at him with flames in his eyes, but that did not deter the man. "Please, your wife hurt her foot! Be more careful!"

"Who the hell are you?" Maximo asked seriously.

"Bástian Lozano, the owner of that bookshop, and..."

"What is my wife doing here, so intimate with you?" He turned to Carolina "Do you know this man?"

"Yes," Carolina answered calmly. Maximo took a few seconds to settle down.

"S-since when?!" He was losing patience. Carolina had never been to Águas Lindas, how could she know that man? Internet? Have they been talking? Did she date him before the wedding? After?

Carolina looked at her wristwatch.

"I'm not sure... It must be a couple of hours or so, ago."

Maximo's expression went from anger, to confusion, surprise and anger again, when he realized that Carolina had made fun of him.

He looked down at her foot, which was bandaged.

"You sprained your foot, is that it?"

"Yes, and I'm fine. Thanks for asking...Oh!"

Maximo had put his arm behind her knees and with the other hand on Carolina's back, he lifted her off the sofa. Then he turned to Bastian.

"Thanks for taking care of my wife. Excuse me," he said through gritted teeth.

Maximo left the place with long strides. Carolina, of course, had her arms around his neck. Both were aware of their closeness.

He walked to the car, opened the door and placed her in the passenger seat, strapped her seat belt to her and walked around the vehicle.

As soon as the car left the village streets, he decided to speak.

"What did you think you were doing? Walking around here alone?"

"Why, I came to see the place!" She answered.

"By yourself, Carolina? Why didn't you wait for me?" He asked irritably.

"You told me not to look for you! And I don't think getting to know the village is considered an emergency."

He inhaled deeply and Carolina was content to use his words against him. That man thought he was going to do whatever he wanted to her, but she wouldn't let him!

'Carolina, you test my patience, damn it!"

"You're the one who doesn't know how to give orders properly. Therefore, it is not someone else's fault but yours."

"Did you go over there. On foot?" He asked.

"Yes. I could not get a cab or the sort here."

He glanced quickly at her and back at the road, exhaling.

"Woman... You don't even know the place! You don't know who these people are! You realize what a disgrace could have happened, don't you? And, as if that weren't enough, you chatted with a stranger!" He spat out the words and Carolina knew he was right. She hadn't thought about it very well. She believed that being a place with few people, no one would dare to do something like that, as it would be easy to find the culprit. But she didn't want to admit it to him. Besides, it wasn't possible that Maximo hadn't noticed Bastian's ways...

"Then next time authorize your employees to give me a ride!" She yelled. "And as for Bastian, he's been nothing but kind to me! You might as well learn from him!"

He let out an incredulous laugh.

"Now it's my fault? Not only that you decide to walk around like there's no danger in the world, but you also have the nerve to accuse me of being a bad husband?"

"Of course! If the farm is yours!" She said. "And yes, you have been a terrible husband!"

"You are reckless, daring, insolent!" He slapped the steering wheel for emphasis.

"You can divorce me. Easy-peasy," she said and shrugged, as if she'd said something unimportant.

However, she did not expect Maximo to stop the car abruptly. She looked at him like he was crazy.

He got out of the car and ran his hands through his pale hair, which under the sunlight looked like strands of gold.

Maximo walked to her side and she felt a chill run down her spine. He opened the car door and unfastened her seat belt.

"What... What are you doing?"

He took her in his arms and took her to the hood of the car, pulling her to the edge, staying between her legs.

"Maximo!"

He didn't say anything and tugged at her hair, not hurting but firmly enough that she lifted her face and looked at him. His green eyes were sparkling.

"You like recklessness, don't you? Danger, huh?" he asked and brought his face closer to hers. Carolina felt her whole body warmer.

"I do," she answered, not sure if that was the right answer.

Maximo put his hand on one of her legs and caressed it, moving it up slightly. When he got to the edge of her panties, Carolina was already breathing through her open mouth and, as soon as his fingers touched the swollen and wet skin, she moaned.

"Tell me what you want, Carolina."