Maddox and I had fallen into a comfortable routine with each other and I never wanted it to end. He was the ranch to my carrots, the air to my plants, and my first love transformed into my forever love. He cherished every second with me, he challenged me, and he complemented my life. Despite our differences, we’d come to a place of ease.
Each morning, we practiced my fighting skills and use of our powers together. I hated we had to wait for the Collector to come to us, but I wanted to be prepared physically to confront her. We constantly kept earplugs on us, as childish as it seemed, for protection against her power. Hell only knew if it worked, but we were desperate to tune her out.
Pushing the unnerving thoughts away, I closed my eyes and pressed the keys again. Hearing the melody my fingers created took me to another world, one where a brokenhearted girl reunited with the man she had always loved, and this time maybe he’d stay. I played the tune calling me in my head, but the words weren’t flowing.
“My back is starting to ache, and I feel like I’m getting my period soon.” I sang to the empty room. The words came from my gut, and my gut told me that Aunty Flo neared. Frustrated with the lack of words, and my pending red wave of doom, I closed up the piano to walk to the main house. Maddox was working out in the living room without a shirt when I entered, and while normally I would run my tongue over every bulging muscle, I choose a different option.
He kept on doing fancy one-handed push-ups as I trudged to the freezer and grabbed the pint of vegan strawberry ice cream. After I grabbed a spoon, I took my bounty to the couch and watched him sweat it out while I emulated a couch potato.
“You OK?” he grunted through his reps, and I shrugged.
“I feel bleh. Pretty sure my period is coming soon.”
“Do you need anything?” He switched arms and kept going. This man . . . if I knew he wouldn’t take me seriously, I would ask him to marry me.
“Lots of hugs, compliments, and ice cream.” I took another bite of ice cream and grabbed a blanket to snuggle.
“I can handle that.”
“I tried working on my next album, but the words aren’t flowing. Now I feel bleh and wanna become a slug.” I was dramatic, but my lower half ached and the world was against me right now—the Collector, my next album, my uterus.
“Why couldn’t you have put a baby in me? Then I wouldn’t have to deal with this.”
I realized what I said seconds too late. Maddox stopped his reps and held his body without any trembling in a plank position.
“Hazel—"
I apologized quickly.
“Don’t tempt a man with a feast when he is starving.” He looked at me and my nipples grew hard. God this man was so hot, I could come looking at him. I set the ice cream on the table in a flash before I lunged for him.
“I’m sorry.” I apologized over and over as I pressed hot kisses to his pecs. I wanted to promise him marriage and babies and forever. I kissed my way down to the hard-as-stone dick beneath his pants. Why couldn’t I get over my fear of him leaving, and our past? He was here now, he hasn’t left me… yet. It was the damn yet I refused to let go of.
I blew him on the living room floor while he tended to my needs, and once we were done, I changed into a pair of sweatpants and one of his shirts. We snuggled on the couch to watch a movie.
Why did forgiveness feel so hard? I needed faith. I needed to trust his word.
“I love you.” He whispered the words as he leaned down to kiss my forehead and cover my shoulder with the blanket.
The three words I wanted to tell him remained locked in my chest. I wish I had the key to release them.
“I’m going out to my tent for a bit. Yell if you need anything.” He left, and the house grew colder without him. I fell asleep dreaming of singing on stage, and every time I looked to the side where the curtains hid behind-the-scenes people, Maddox stood waiting for me.
When I woke up eager to kiss the normal smirk off his Viking face, I was greeted by the face of a nightmare and then passed out.
Chapter Thirty- Two
Maddox
Something wasn’t right.
I don’t know what, only my gut told me to run back into the house where Hazel slept. Logically, I doubted someone would come here and attack her. Still . . .
I opened the flap to my tent and came face-to-face with the barrel of a gun. A silent rage settled as the brown-haired man smiled. He thought he had me, until I snatched the gun away. His finger instinctually pulled the trigger and the bullet flew past my head. Quickly, I reached out with viper-fast speed and snapped his neck.
“Very impressive, Maddox.” The Collector stepped into view and the wind around me picked up, swirling her red hair. She laughed as the wind swayed her body in different directions. I ripped the air from her lungs.
“I’m going to enjoy watching you suffocate.”
