I hated hearing his story, seeing the teenage Maddie in my head panicking in this scenario. I now understood why he left and made all the choices he did. His words may have given me the explanation I wanted for over a decade, but instant forgiveness for him leaving didn’t occur.
“Anything else you want to share?” The strength it took to hold back my attitude surely earned me an award of some kind. He looked at me, and I thought a flash of longing beamed in his blue eyes. But the indifferent expression took over so quickly, I assumed my mind had conjured the image.
Chapter Ten
Maddox
“I need to take a walk. Do you want to join me?”
Her expression fell, but I’d locked the only words left to say tight inside myself. For now, I needed to be in the open air and digest what had happened to us. She shook her head and pulled her knees up to her chest.
“No, I think I’m gonna stay and write.” I’d been in her space, regretfully stunting her creative muse the past few days. We needed a balance to our new relationship or whatever understanding it could be called. Not friends, but not enemies.
“I won’t be gone long.” I walked to the door and gripped the handle.
“Thank you for trusting me.”
“The Maddox I knew wouldn’t let any harm come to me, so I feel my secret is safe with you.” The tiny smile on her lips made it hard for me to breathe. She may not have power over the air like I did, but she had power over me.
“Write something while I’m gone, OK?” She needed her music now, to sort out the shit we just threw at each other. I needed to release my power, and she had emotions locked inside her begging to be released.
As I walked out the door, I hoped this time her lyrics would show that I had mended the heart I’d broken. The cool air blasted me as soon as I closed the front gate, and I required the feel of the wind against my skin and the sensations of my power discharging into the world.
I walked farther down her driveway, through the woods beyond where she and Phillip had talked days before. She lived on a lot of property, a complete contrast to the majority of celebrities. While they wanted the big house in the popular neighborhoods to show their financial success and status, Hazel lived in a normal three-bedroom home, with a studio for her music, surrounded by plant life for miles. She lived alone, without a housekeeper. While on the road, she had people to help take care of it, but she did everything herself.
I lived in Kansas for a while, enjoying tornado alley and the freedom of releasing my power without suspicion and causing harm. I tried to stop horrid damage of actual tornados when I could, but I was only one man. Heroes like those of the Hero Society did stuff like stopping colossal, life-changing catastrophes as well as the small stuff. It was an admirable attempt to make the world a better place.
Mostly, I lived like a nomad, traveling from place to place, never finding home. Of course, I knew why. I didn’t need a shrink to tell me Hazel was my home. Without her, I had grown lost. I may be a brute of a man, hardened and powerful, but my love for her wasn’t fragile. I loved her, which made me stronger. Emotions and love empowered people, not burdened them. If love burdened the soul, then it’s not the right love.
She might never return my feelings, which I’d lived with thus far, and knew I’d survive it. I wanted to be here now and fight at her side, not lock her away from the world, even before I knew she had powers. I knew I couldn’t hide her from the Collector’s interest. I was here to assist her in ruling an empire, not overthrow her world.
The wind around swirled as my power leaked from me. The rage I’d swallowed inside Hazel’s house now flowed unrestrained into an opening by a large pond. Waves grew from the calm waters while the trees bent with the force trying to topple them.
That fucker Jarrod. I never liked him, but I hadn’t even considered he had it in him to attack her. I had left my best friend unprotected. No wonder she hated me. For years I’d been her knight, shielding her from the horrors of homelessness and foster care.
I’d asked Jarrod to give her the necklace I had made and promise to look out for her. She only had two more years left in school, then she’d go live her life the way she wanted. Instead, the asshole tried to hurt her. The white caps on the pond mirrored the raging emotions inside me.
I never regretted leaving her until now. I was proud of her for growing thorns and threatening them. I wanted to hunt down Jarrod and watch as he gasped for air, making him pay for taking advantage of my Hazel, alone and vulnerable.
“Fuck, she’s not my anything!” I roared at my thoughts. Coming back to her seemed like the only option for me, but now, I wondered if it would had been better for both of us if I’d stayed away. The wind picked up and a tree snapped nearby. The sound broke through my rage. Damaging Hazel’s trees wasn’t wise.
Opposing thoughts rolled through my brain, fighting for dominance. Was I right to come here? An ache grew in my chest with the thought of leaving again.
“Not fucking happening.” I cursed myself. Even the demons of the past couldn’t make me leave her side.
For five minutes I simply breathed, the air expanding my lungs and chest. My shoulders lifted then deflated with each exhale. I focused on how far I’d come and the good in my life. Hazel was good, and I’d be forever grateful that I found a way back into her world. The pond became smooth and reflected the blue sky like a mirror, and I decided to head back. My truck would be delivered today, along with some gear I wanted handy.
Despite wanting to stay in Hazel’s home forever, I needed to have a temporary housing situation set up soon. We needed space for a few days now that the playing field between us had been leveled.
With every step toward her bright house, ease filled my soul with warmth. But then I heard it, and my steps quickened toward the house.
Hazel was singing.
Hazel
“My lungs are burning, but I still use my voice to fight.”
I closed my eyes and sang the words melodically. I’d been at it for thirty minutes, trying to write a song about the climate of our world. Mother Earth was unhappy. We needed to do something to better our home on the Earth, otherwise we’d die with it or leave it. I liked our home, and with my platform I always tried to use it for the greater good to take a stand against the injustices around me. However, sometimes people needed a little fun and music to help them escape the sad reality of our world.
