by Lylah James
Yeah, that was exactly my problem.
She was going on a date.
With someone. Grayson’s friend. A fucking date that Riley set up. Now that she had a boyfriend, she was under the assumption that Lila needed a man in her life, too.
Well, too fucking bad, she already had a man. Me.
“I don’t trust him,” I said again.
Lila faced me, hands on her hips. She was wearing makeup, which she rarely did. Ripped jeans, ankle boots and a black tank top that should be illegal. Sure, Lila didn’t have big boobs, but her tits looked juicy in that tank top. Juicy, sinful, forbidden… and–
Fuck, she even painted her nails. She looked… beautiful. For him.
“You never even met him,” she argued. My jaw clenched, and I was about to pop a vein.
“He could be a fucking murderer for all we know!” He could hurt her…
And he wasn’t me.
Lila’s eyes turned to slits, and she nudged her chin high, giving me that haughty look of hers. She really mastered that look that says – You’re not the boss of me and I can do whatever I want.
“I’ve met him twice, and he’s a gentleman, Maddox. Stop it.”
“I don’t like it. I don’t like him,” I said for the hundredth time tonight. “What if he touches you, and you don’t want him to?”
Touch… her. He could touch her and fucking kiss her…
She rubbed her forehead, her eyes looking bleak. Lila was already tired of my bullshit. “Maddox, stop it. You’re not going to ruin this date for me.”
“He could… hurt you.”
A smile ghosted her lips. “Daren can’t and won’t hurt me.”
Daren? Even his name sounded dumb. I imagined Lila moaning out that name, and the urge to pummel his face, someone I had never met before, was strong.
“Can you give me a guarantee that he won’t hurt you?” I shot back in my defense. “I won’t complain and let you go on this stupid date if you can give me a hundred percent guarantee.”
I was playing dirty because I knew she couldn’t.
I didn’t know why I was reacting this way when Lila told me she was going on this date. There was an uneasy feeling in my stomach and a heavy weight on my chest.
“You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend, Maddox,” she warned, her lips twisted in displeasure. Her words were laced with a warning.
Jealous… boyfriend?
Jealous… me? Ha.
“I’m acting like a caring friend,” I amended.
She snorted, quite unladylike. I loved that about Lila. She wasn’t fake around me, and she wasn’t vying for my attention. Lila didn’t mold herself to fit my standards. She stayed true to herself and gave whoever dared to douse her fire the middle finger.
Lila fixed up her winged eyeliner and glanced at me through the floor length mirror. “No, you’re being a child. A petulant, bratty child. You went on a date last week, and I didn’t stop you. Does that make me any less caring?”
“I didn’t go on a date,” I mumbled, fighting back a grimace. She didn’t need to know the details.
Her eyes hardened. “No, you’re right. You don’t date. You fucked her.”
I rubbed my forehead and sighed. This was getting us nowhere, and I was only growing more agitated as the seconds ticked by. Dickass-ren or whatever his name was, was about to pop up any minute now, and Lila would be on her way… to her date…
Jealous?
No, that wasn’t it.
Lila and my relationship was clear–there were no hidden feelings and no secrets. We cared for each other, deeply, but that was it. The mere thought of us being anything more was a forbidden idea, and my stomach churned.
I’d rather have Lila like this, than risk losing her later because our feelings were fucked up. There was no going back if we crossed that line.
“He’ll hurt you,” I said one last time, hoping it’d change her mind.
It was just the idea of her being with another guy, as close as she was with me, that didn’t sit well with me. I wasn’t jealous.
I was just a bit territorial of my best friend.
Lila stared at me for a moment, the expression on her face unreadable. Her gaze was unflinching, and her small fists clenched at her side. She looked like she was having an inner debate with herself.
She swallowed, her throat bobbing with the small action. Then she did something I least expected and sure as fuck wasn’t ready for it. Not at all.
My eyes widened as Lila dragged her tank top over her head, letting it slide through her fingers. She stood in front of me in her jeans, boots and bra. Lila wasn’t shy, never was. In fact, she could be as crass as me if she wanted to, and most days, she was. She had always been bold and confident.
The determined look on her face should have warned me, but I was too focused on her… chest.
I inhaled, and my dick twitched, straining against my jeans. Shit. “What the fuck?”
“What do you see?” she asked calmly.
I see… tits. Titties I could fuck. “What are you doing?” I groaned. “Lila?”
She took several steps forward until we were standing toe-to-toe. Lila was my little midget, so tiny that the top of her head barely came to my shoulders. She had to nudge her head back to stare up at me because I basically towered over her.
Her gaze was somber as she waited. “Maddox, look at me.”
My fists clenched and unclenched. I kept my eyes on hers, refusing to let my gaze wander… down. I’d probably bust a nut if I did. “I am.”
“No, you’re not. Look. At. Me. Look closer,” she persisted in that same soft voice.
I did… and I finally saw what she wanted me to see.
“Do you see now?” she breathed.
My heart stuttered, and I lost my breath as my stomach tightened. My eyes fell to her chest, where her breasts were clad in a lacy, black bra.
And I saw…
Pink and white jagged lines… scars…on her beautiful pale skin. Right at the center of her chest and between the two heavy mounds.
“No,” I choked. Jesus Christ, sweet Lila.
Before I could stop myself, my hand came up as if to touch her. When I realized what I was about to do, I stopped an inch away from her skin.
Lila took my hand in hers and placed it on her chest, right in the middle, where her scars laid. She let out a shuddering breath the moment I touched her. Her heart thudded hard against my palm.
“Is this–?” I couldn’t finish my sentence.
Lila nodded. “From the accident.”
My shaking fingers brushed over her scars, feeling the slight bumpiness on her skin, whereas the rest of her was soft and smooth. “It’s ugly,” she whispered, trying to hide a grimace, but her face said it all.
“You’re beautiful,” I confessed, my voice strained.
And she truly was.
Lila had been through hell and back. That was the most beautiful part of her; she was a woman who wore her pain like a diamond choker around her neck. Strong, unyielding… a survivor. Lila Garcia straightened her own crooked crown because she didn’t need anyone else to do it for her.
Lila let me in, not because she needed me.
It was because she wanted me–as a friend, a companion and a partner.
She gave me a bittersweet smile. “Daren can’t hurt me because I’m already hurt. He can’t break my heart because it’s already broken. Do you understand now?”
I nodded. Lila exhaled in relief.
I stepped closer, our bodies pressing against each other. Mine–fully clothed. Lila’s–in a state of half dressed. Her skin was warm underneath my touch. She peeked at me through her thick lashes with a look in her eyes that should have told me something… but I couldn’t understand what she was trying to convey.
She breathed.
I breathed.
The world came to a stop, and the colors faded away, leaving us in a state of black and white.
Lila shivered, a silent t
remor running through her body. It wasn’t from the cold because her room was hot, and I was sweating. Her gaze fell to my lips before they wavered, and she looked back at my eyes again.
My head descended toward hers, and my lips brushed against her forehead, a simple kiss. Lila sucked in a harsh breath, and her eyes closed.
I’d never given a girl a forehead kiss before. That shit was cheesy as fuck, but it came natural with her. It wasn’t like I could kiss her… lips. Lips that looked so soft, so kissable. She’d sock me in the face if I ever tried.
So, we settled with a forehead kiss. That was safe and friend-like.
“Lila?”
“Hmm?”
“You’re a beautiful dragon,” I said.
Her shoulders shook, and a small laugh escaped past her lips. “Dragon, eh?”
“Dragon,” I agreed. “Daren should be worried because you’ll probably eat him for dinner if he accidentally steps on your tail.”
I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent– she smelled of peaches from the shampoo and body lotion she used.
Lila slowly pulled away, and I let her go. She grabbed her tank top, and once she was dressed again, she checked her phone. “He said he’s on his way to the restaurant.”
“Can I chaperone?” I asked, only half joking. Actually, I was serious.
Lila wasn’t amused. “No, Maddox,” she said. There was a note of exasperation in her voice.
She walked past me and out the door; I watched her go with a sinking feeling in my stomach.
I considered following her to the restaurant and keeping an eye on them, just in case, Dickass-ren tried to do any shit to my girl-friend. But Lila would never forgive me, and I’d rather stay on her good side. She could be brutal, and she had sharp claws.
I never thought of myself as a possessive person… but apparently, I was.
Of our friendship.
Well, fuck.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Lila
I watched as Pops let out a ringing laugher at something Maddox said. Grandpa said something else of his own that had Maddox shaking his head and grinning. Sure, Maddox worked for my grandparents, but only Gran had welcomed him with open arms. Pops was a little apprehensive; he always had been with any boys hanging around me.
He said he didn’t trust them, and he was right.
But Maddox and I had been friends for months now, and Pops slowly started to warm up to him. In fact, if I wasn’t mistaken, they were on the same team now.
Project: Don’t let Lila date and protect her at all costs.
It only took two weeks for me to realize my best friend had been right about Daren. Dickass-ren, as Maddox liked to call him, was indeed an asshole who was only interested in sleeping with me.
Grandpa was a hard man to win over, but I wasn’t surprised Maddox did. He was… genuine, and even Pops could see that. I was just glad that the two men in my life were finally getting along, well enough for them to share a beer and watch a football game together while discussing sports.
Oh, you know. A usual Sunday night.
Maddox had spent the day with us. Gran even dragged him to church, and he went without complaint. I never pegged Maddox as a religious person and neither was I, but I humored Gran every Sunday and let her drag me to church. Sure, I did believe in God, but if He really loved me, my parents would have still been alive. So yeah, God and I didn’t share an amicable relationship.
We had brunch together, then went over to the grocery store for inventory day. After we closed for the night, Pops invited Maddox over for dinner and football. If I had to guess, Pops was a tad lonely, missing a buddy to talk with and he was making a truce with Maddox.
“I think they’re best friends now.”
My eyebrows rose, turning to Gran as she helped me put the dishes away. “They are?”
“Your Pops doesn’t laugh like that with just anyone.” She smiled, glancing back at them. “Trust me, I’ve known him for too long time and been married to him for decades.”
Well, yeah, it was Maddox after all. He could easily win anyone over. That was my best friend, ladies and gentlemen.
The men hollered from the living room, and I was guessing it was probably a touch down for their team. I grinned, watching the two most important men in my life finally bonding. Maybe if my dad was here too…
My chest ached, and I rubbed the spot, trying to alleviate the pain. Somedays, the skin around my scars would itch and the scar itself would hurt, like I was pouring kerosene on already burning skin. The doctor said it was all in my head. The pain wasn’t physical anymore, but my brain and body were used to it, and sometimes, they liked to remind me of the pain.
I thought of the day I showed Maddox my scars. It was weeks ago, although it felt just like yesterday, the memory still fresh in my head and my skin still burning from his touch.
Maddox had brushed his fingers over the marks left on my body, touching my past, lingering over the jagged and ugly lines, tracing the dents of my soul and the rough edges of my heart.
He didn’t run away, not like Leo did after taking my virginity. I didn’t see the look of disgust or revulsion on his face. Maddox didn’t flinch.
He stayed and called me a dragon–that was Maddox’s way of telling me what I needed to know.
And when his head had descended toward mine, I thought he was going to ruin everything by kissing me that night. For a brief moment, maybe I had wanted him to, but then I felt an immense rush of relief when he didn’t.
My phone pinged with a message, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was from Riley.
Quick question. Does this make me look slutty?
She had a tight black dress on – one that molded to every curve of her body. Her boobs were practically slipping out, and she had on red lipstick. Her blond curls bounced off her shoulders, in a Marilyn Monroe style, since she cut them last week. Riley was pouting in the picture.
Slutty and cute. I texted back. He’s gonna be shooketh.
If he doesn’t fuck me tonight, I’m going to taser his dick.
I choked back on my laughter and disguised it with a fake cough before Gran could ask me what I was laughing about. Poor Riley was dickprived, or in Riley’s words, she was suffering from dick deprivation. Grayson was being a thorough gentleman and courting Riley, his words, because she doesn’t deserve anything less.
I agreed, but apparently, he was withholding sex because he thought Riley wasn’t ready yet after the fiasco with Jasper. They were doing everything else, except sex–well, a home run. Riley did say they were on third base. She spared me the explicit details except she mentioned how good Grayson was with his tongue, and she saw Jesus. Lucky her.
They had been dating for a while now, and Riley… well, she was deeply and irrevocably in love with Grayson. I didn’t doubt Grayson’s feelings for her because it was apparent in the way his eyes followed her every move, the way his gaze searched for her in a crowded place and how he always had a possessive arm around her hips. Sure, he was gentle–but it was obvious he was trying to tone down his territorial instincts. Anyone could see that.
Especially after all the testosterone went flying across the room last weekend at Colton’s party. That was… intense, to say the least. They both wanted Riley. Riley already made her choice, but Colton was having trouble accepting that.
You should just tie him to your bed and sit on him. Problem solved.
I was only half joking when I sent the text, but then… apparently, Riley didn’t get the joke. Holy shit. That is the best idea.
I quickly typed back a message. Wait! I wasn’t serious.
My phone pinged with a message a minute later. I am. Thanks, babe (;
Oh God. Grayson had no idea what he was about to walk into.
“Is that Riley?” Grandma asked. “Tell her I’m sad she didn’t come over for brunch today.”
I nodded, fighting back a giggle. Sorry, Gran. Riley was a tad busy right now. Busy convincing her boyfriend
she was ready to be dicked down.
As I put the last plate away, my eyes found Maddox. He was intensely focused on the football game, a pleased smile on his lips. The indent in his left cheek, a small dimple, winked at me as he let out a laugh at something Pops said.
He looked… at home with my family. Like he belonged here, with us, not in the cold and sterile Coulter Manor, alone with his dark thoughts.
“Lila,” Gran said softly. I looked back at her, and her eyes were glassy as she watched Pops and Maddox, too. “He does a good job of hiding it, but that boy needs a family; he needs love. He’s far too young to hold such pain in his eyes.”
She patted me on the arm and walked away to join them in the living room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
He had me.
Some days, I wondered if just friends would ever be enough for us. We friend-zoned each other; well, basically, I friend-zoned him, but he eventually went along with it, which means I’ve tried to date other guys and he still fucked around with some girls, but they never lasted for more than four days. The last one only made it three days; he kicked her to the curb because she called me a bitch for accidentally cockblocking them.
It only made me roll my eyes, but I had never seen Maddox drop a girl so fast. He was pissed, although that was an understatement.
That night when I showed him my scars, we had a moment. Maddox and I had looked at each other a little too long to be just friends. That eye contact was more intimate than any words or touches would ever be. There was something unspoken between us, and in that moment, I almost thought he was going to… kiss me. It was both mixed signals and my own overthinking.
He didn’t kiss me.
I had been both relieved and… disappointed.
Although now that I thought about it, it was better this way. Just friends. He was safe and familiar. Being anything more would ruin what we had, and I wasn’t ready for that.
Our eyes met as I walked into the living room and joined him on the couch. Folding my legs under me, I leaned against his side and sipped my tea. Maddox casually looped his arm behind my shoulders, probably doing it without realizing. His fingers drummed against my biceps as he continued watching the game.