“Doin’ what?” Luke’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his parents.
“Putting up the rest of your curtains.” Reece adjusted her ponytail to include the chestnut-colored pieces that had somehow come loose. I wanted to believe she was a tiny bit disheveled because of hanging drapes, like she said, but one look at Tripp, and I could guess other reasons were to blame.
“Among other things,” Tripp added. His wife slapped his chest and smiled. “What?”
“You better not have done anything up there?” Luke sighed and rubbed his hand over his face.
“Stop being so dramatic, sweetheart.” Reece broke free from Tripp and hugged her son. “Your dad’s kidding.”
“He better be.”
When Tripp caught my eye, he shrugged then winked, much like Kaden had done. While I dealt with my own issues, at least the other people in my life seemed to be happy. Maybe I’d get to the same place, hopefully sooner rather than later.
After finally touring the rest of the new place, we all hung out in the kitchen, snacking on chips and dip as well as a cheese and cracker plate Reece had brought.
This was the first time since Maddie had come to be with us that I was able to relax and enjoy myself without being bombarded with a thousand what-ifs.
That was until my phone started blowing up. The first time it rang, Ace’s name came across my screen. Deciding to call him back in a bit, I let the call ring out until it went to voice mail. Seconds later, it rang again. Then again.
“You wanna answer that?” Tripp asked, looking more concerned than curious. He walked up next to me while everyone else continued to chat away.
“Hello?”
“Fuck, man,” Ace hurried to say. “You gonna be long?”
“No. Why?”
“It’s Maddie.”
I reached for the handle of the gun tucked inside my waistband, my heart skidding to a stop. “What’s wrong?” I looked to Tripp as I asked the question, his own posture straightening, much like mine.
“She’s safe.” Air escaped my mouth in a slow trickle. “But she’s drunk, ramblin’ on about you. She even cried. I think you better get back here.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Everything okay?” Tripp rested his hand on my shoulder.
“Ace said Maddie’s drunk… and emotional.”
“Don’t the two go hand in hand?” He laughed, but I didn’t, too worried about her state of mind, especially after all that went down between us.
“I gotta go.” I said my goodbyes, asked Riley to give Zander a ride back to his car, rushed out to my truck, and sped back toward the clubhouse.
What the hell was I gonna walk into when I got there?
37
The moment I stepped inside, I saw her sitting at the bar with Ace. Instead of focusing on how much I didn’t appreciate him being so close to her, I strode toward them with purpose, attempting to tamp down the anger bursting to life inside me.
Maddie swiveled in her chair to face me once I was a few feet from her.
“There’s the guy who doesn’t love me,” she whisper-shouted, tugging on Ace’s arm, as if he didn’t see me walk up behind them.
She certainly came out of her shell.
Instead of responding to her comment, I stared a hole right through Ace. “Who the hell let her drink so much?”
“She was like this when I got here. I think she snatched the tequila from behind the bar.”
“Tequila?” He pointed to the bottle, which was almost empty. “How much was in there when she started?”
“Beats me. Hawke is the only one I’ve seen touch that garbage.”
“Great.” I walked around Maddie and stood on her other side. “Do you know how much you’ve had to drink?”
“A lot,” she slurred.
“Why?”
“’Cause I’m sadnfused.” Her words slammed together, but I understood her.
“Why don’t we get you back to the room?” I touched her arm, but she shrugged away from me.
“Why? So you can have sex with me again? Kiss me as if you like me? Then kill my heart? No, thank you.”
“What is she talkin’ about?” Ace rose from his stool. Before I answered, I saw Brick walking toward us, followed by Trigger, both of whom were talking amongst themselves until they heard Ace’s raised voice.
“Mind your business, man.”
“Did you fuck her?”
“No,” Maddie answered for me. “He made love to me.” She slapped the bar before reaching for the almost empty bottle of nasty tequila. “But he doesn’t love me.”
“What’s goin’ on here?” Brick walked up in front of me, his attention bouncing between Ace, Maddie, and me. Trigger walked behind the bar and grabbed the alcohol from Maddie’s hand, tutting and shaking his head at the same time.
“Apparently, our boy here had sex with Maddie.”
“What?” Brick and Trigger shouted simultaneously.
“The fuck is wrong with you?” Brick asked, shoving me backward. I tripped over my feet but steadied myself before I fell on my ass.
“Don’t hurt him,” Maddie cried, turning in her seat, barely able to sit upright. “I love him. He’s my girlfriend.”
No one corrected her misspeak.
“You shouldn’t waste your time on him, sweetheart.” Ace stood close to her. Too close. And I couldn’t unhear him calling her sweetheart. I didn’t like it one bit. Ace glared at me. “He shouldn’t have led you on.”
How did everything go south so fast? Not only had I hurt Maddie, but she was tellin’ everyone what happened between us, and now they were lookin’ at me like I was an asshole. Maybe I was. Or maybe my only fault was that I hadn’t been stronger at resisting Maddie when she told me she wanted me.
“Come on,” I said, reaching for her hand. “You need to lie down.”
“She might have alcohol poisoning,” Brick growled, clenching his fists at his sides. I was man enough to admit having Brick’s anger pointed toward me was a bit terrifying. I could get in a few good shots if we were to fight, but his sheer size would work to his advantage. And the guy was much quicker than he looked.
“She should be fine,” Trigger chimed in. “She didn’t drink too much to be hazardous.” He pointed toward the line on the bottle. “It was right here when she snatched it.”
“That’s still too much,” I said, angry I left with Zander instead of staying with her to try and work through our issue. Well, my issue.
“I agree.” Trigger uncapped a bottled water and pushed it toward Maddie. “Drink up.”
She made a face but did as she was told. Now, if only she’d listen to me, we could get away from the three men shootin’ daggers at me. If the roles were reversed, would I have assumed the worst about Ace or Brick? Would I have condemned them for having sex with a chick they saved from the Reapers, knowing she was emotionally fragile?
The simple answer was yes.
However, although Maddie had suffered greatly, she was strong, stronger than anyone knew, including herself. My gut told me so.