s [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

guys known?
 Uh, maybe about a month after I met him, Izzy starts.  His jeans had gotten stuck and were
folded in the back.
 Took about six months for me. He was sitting and had his leg crossed over& I guess it
pushed the hem up. I don t know, Melissa states indifferently.
 He fell well, to be honest, I knocked his ass over one day and saw it. He knows that I
know, Dee states, trying to keep her sickness from taking over. I watch her suck in a few deep
breaths before she looks back at me with a shrug.
 I can t remember when I found out. I figured he didn t want to talk about it since it wasn t
common knowledge, Chelcie says with a smile.
 I can t believe you guys never told me, I fuss.
 Seriously, Em. I think we all just figured, when he was ready, we would know. Or
whatever, Dee says.
 Well you could have made my job a little easier! I snap.
 What changed his mind? Izzy asks with a frown.
 He was ready. He just needed a little push. I cross my arms and smile brightly at my
closest friends.  Now bring me a baby, I demand.
Two seconds later, little Lyndsie is in my arms and I sigh with contentment.
**
Dinner went off without a hitch. I knew it would, even if I was a little worried about what
would happen if we had some sort of weird reaction. Cohen was the icebreaker we needed, and by
the time we get home, Maddox s mood is even lighter.
He s just one more baby step closer to being free of the things that haunt him. I know he might
not like the talk I have planned for tonight, but it s time, and after seeing him take this last step tonight,
I know he s ready.
**
 Hey.
He looks over at me from the other side of the couch with a grin.
 Can we talk about something?
He mutes the television and turns his attention back to me.  What s up, Em? He takes a deep
breath, and I know he s thinking the worst.
 Come here first, I request, patting the cushion next to me.
He places his iPad down on the coffee table and moves over. Then, much to my surprise, he
lifts me off the couch and places my ass in his lap. I loop my arms around his neck and give him a
soft kiss. His body visibly relaxes some at that.
 Calm down, baby, I whisper against his cheek before giving him another kiss.
 I think it s safe to say that I m not going to like whatever we re going to talk about, so
forgive me if I can t just calm down, Em.
 Right. Well, maybe I ll surprise you?
He just chuckles and pulls me closer.
 I want to go to Texas. There. I said it. It s out there. Now, he can just accept it.
Yeah, right. Ugh, I shouldn t have blurted that out.
 You what? he thunders.
 Okay I ll admit that I should have led up to that.
 You fucking think?
 Hey! I don t know what you re getting pissed about, Maddox. I haven t even explained
myself. I go to bring my arms down from around his neck, but he quickly moves to hold them in
place.
His face moves close and his nose touches mine.  Why in the hell do you want to go to Texas,
Em?
 Because it s time, I state calmly. I hold his gaze, and after what feels like the longest time,
he drops his forehead to mine.
 I don t want you near them, Em. I don t want you close enough for them to get their claws
into you.
There. Now he s said it the one thing I know was still holding him back.
He s afraid that, if I get near his family that  temptation of power, he calls it and their
evil, it might suck me in.
My heart breaks for him.
 Talk to me. Please. Tell me what s going through your head.
He doesn t speak, his forehead still against mine.
 Maddox, baby? I press.
 I m terrified, Emmy. I am downright terrified that they could hurt you.
 I m a lot tougher than you re giving me credit for here, Maddox.
 I know you are, but they re& Jesus. I don t even know how to explain it. He pulls back
and looks into my eyes.  This is important to you?
 Very. I don t say anything else. I let his eyes study my own and wait.
 You want that box in hell, yeah?
I nod my head.
 All right. Let s get you fixed up and then we ll head to Texas. I don t think I need to go this
far to let that go, but I m willing to give it a try. But, Em? The second and I mean the very second
 that I think that you re in danger, we are fucking gone.
I smile huge. My-face-hurts huge. He just shakes his head and gives me a deep kiss.
Chapter 33 Maddox Four Months Later
I walk hand in hand with Emmy through the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Her
smile keeps me from falling apart. I m a mix of dread, trepidation, and anger. Just being back in this
state has my skin crawling. It s like every year that I ve been gone, pushed myself to forget, is just
gone in a giant wash.
I ve come so far, and I think that, deep down, I m worried more that this trip will be one giant
setback.
 Stop.
I look down at her, my angel and the reason I m even able to be here right now and scowl.
 Stop what, woman?
 Stop worrying. I got your back. She lifts one tiny fist up and waits for me to give her a
bump.
I roll my eyes, but give her what she wants.
 Plus, if things get tough, you can always transform and go all Autobot on their asses. She
lets out a loud laugh and I just shake my head.
Ever since the night she demanded I wear shorts, I haven t hidden myself from anyone. I
expected to feel their pity or maybe for them to stare, but no one acted any differently. I get questions
from Cohen, but that s it. The guys don t bring it up, but they know how big that moment was.
This is the last speed bump that stands in my way in our way of the future we deserve.
Especially now that her parents and that motherfucker, Shawn, are taken care of.
Shawn, may he rot in fucking hell, didn t last a month in jail. He made enemies quickly, and
one beautiful morning, his body was found in his cell.
I took Emmy out to dinner that night to celebrate. Well, she didn t know that was why, but I
did. It felt fucking good to know that, while I was taking my girl to dinner, her laughter and smiles
warming my heart, the bastard who d tried to take her from me was rotting six feet deep.
Her parents took a little more time. She doesn t talk about them and I know it s all part of her
one-step-forward-without-looking-back approach, but not me. Hell fucking no. I wasn t going to sit
back and let them continue to live some twisted life. They needed to pay for what they had done to
her. So she might not have talked but I did.
It took four months after we left for all of my planning to come to fruition. That club had to go
first. It really was a shame that a homeless man happened to throw his cigarette next to the building
when a pile of gasoline-soaked rags had been carelessly thrown there. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]