Christi and Max: The Untold Years

Chapter One: Protection

Chapter One: Protection

"Hey babe," Max call through the house.

I am in the kitchen closing the oven when he comes over to kiss me.

"Hello, yourself," I say between kisses.

"I've got some news," he exclaims, as he pulls away from me.

"What's the news?" I ask, pulling open the fridge, grabbing the iced tea pitcher.

"Tomorrow is 'bring your wife to work day' at the office."

I close the fridge, biting my lip.

"You're quite," he mumbles.

"Yes, I am, but I'm just thinking about my plans for tomorrow."

Max's eyes look me over, worried.

"You... you have other plans don't you?" he asks as I take a sip of my tea.

"No, it's just that I know that people at your office don't like me and I wouldn't want you to be the acclaimed attention seeker in the boardroom," I say, a slight fear of my rambling.

"Christist Levi Strickland," he begins, hand on my shoulders. "You shouldn't care what other people think, especially people that I work with."

I open my mouth to protest, but no words come out. Instead, I sigh in defeat.

"Fine," I mutter as he kisses my cheek.

---The Next Day---

I now do an overcheck of myself in the mirror. I wear a fitted black dress that comes up about six inches from my knees and black five inch heels. My hair is in a simple, but elegant bun.

"Wow," I hear as Max enters, fidgeting with his tie.

"Wow yourself," I say as I walk toward him, smiling. My hands reach the crooked tie and adjust it for him.

"Don't you have an important business meeting today?" I ask, patting his black tie.

"I do actually." I giggle. "I want to get this case settled."

I nod, understanding.

"So, I could be your good luck charm?" i ask as he pulls me close,

"Well, Mrs. Strickland, you did help me win poker a few nights back," he says thoughtfully, "and I got a reward." He winks at me.

//

I walk into the building, clinging to Max. I get men looking me up and down. I hear a whistle and max tightens his grip around me. We soon reach his penthouse office.

"Your wife is hot!" the man says as Max gets coffee later that day.

Max looks back at me with wide eyes and smiles.

"It kinda sucks that she's a gold digger though."

Max stops stirring his coffee and turns his full attention to the man.

"Let me tell you one thing," Max says with a voice he's never used directly at me.

I stop him by touching his hand softly.

"Max-," I say, but he cuts me off.

"My wife is not a fucking gold digger. She's not some slut or whore. She's not some obscenity of the media."

The man steps back, defeated by the looks of it.

"Max," I try again as he grasps my hand; coffee long forgotten.