hey, wow.

loved this line, loved that it got its own paragraph - perfect pacing through there - The guilty get used to making excuses. i agree with nofaves about it feeling "just-this-side-of-consensual" - there's a ton of power in that conceit. we learn a lot about max here, his voice is complicated and consistent and really compelling - the layers of want/don't want add the best kind of depth to this. loved the bit about another bruise not stirring any suspicion - hey, i'm a hockey player. you've got the reader thinking max is just as complicit in these complications - thinking of ways out, but sticking around anyway - as his tormentor, but it's also not as straightforward as it would seem. i love that depth.

to put it mildly: nice work!