Page 62 of Make You Mine

“Maddy…” I think cautiously about the words I should and shouldn’t say.

She’s drunk. I don’t know if she’ll remember this in the morning. Am I really doing this?

“You shouldn’t put up with someone being an asshole, even if it means they pay attention to you. I…had issues. Still do. And you shouldn’t settle for it. I swear, I won’t put you in a position where you’re uncomfortable ever again. Okay?”

I don’t want Maddy to sell herself short, looking for someone’s attention. Even if that someone is me.

If she wants me, all she needs to do is ask. I’ll worship the ground she’s on.

But I won’t say it. There’s no point.

“I don’t want to lose you, Kayden.”

Her words startle me, chilling me to my core. She turns away, not wanting to face me.

My heart is about to fucking explode. Because Madelyn just admitted she cares about me, that she doesn’t want to lose me.

“You won’t,” I say.

You’re mine, even if I can’t have you.

The silence wraps around us like a warm blanket. A silence of understanding, of secrets. As if both of us want to say something more, do something more, but knowing we can’t.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue tonight.”

“My pleasure.” I had no choice. “Just don’t make this a habit. Or invite me, and I’ll come with you.”

“That defeats the whole purpose.”

“Of what?”

“Of having fun.”

“Hey.” I nudge her. “I can be fun!”

“And forget me getting laid.” She sticks her tongue out at me, and she’s back to the feisty, playful Madelyn that infuriates me so much. “You think guys will be jumping at me if they see my older brother with me?”

My chest tightens.

We don’t need them, Little Demon, the dark side of me says. You don’t need anyone else but me.

My mind’s plagued with the entry of her diary. The dirty things she wants to have done to her.

I rest my palms between my separated legs, a poor attempt at covering my hard-on.

She licks her lips, and I tense up, sweat trailing down my abs, under my shirt.

“I wish you weren’t my brother.”

I part my lips. Did she just say that?

“Well…technically, I’m not,” I say. It’s the plain truth. The one we don’t wanna see. Too worried about appearances. “Not biologically. Our parents are just married.”

“It still feels wrong.”

“What feels wrong?”

“Doing this…”