Now we had to wait for them to pry the doors open and get us out.
Chapter Seventeen
Maddox
Once we’d given our statements to the police and waved off the paramedics, I dragged Hazel to the club I’d planned on going to before the incident. I’d analyze the scene later and break into the police’s database for more clues. The Collector might have caused the elevator to snap like that, but he or she didn’t want Hazel harmed. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself on the way to the club.
Hazel danced in the VIP section with other celebrities and heiresses, where they could let loose without paparazzi. I stood guard, with the other bodyguards in the shadows, watching our charges. I didn’t like watching her shake her ass, with pompous men’s attempts to touch her. She didn’t let anyone mess with her and swatted their hands away. I didn’t need to protect her, but like in the elevator, she’d proved to have a vulnerable weakness. She didn’t want her true identity to be exposed, so I assisted to stop us from being seriously injured or killed.
“Your guard is so hot!” a drunk woman yelled at Hazel even though they were only two feet away from each other. Her red-painted nail pointed at me. It would be considered rude to roll my eyes, but the action almost occurred.
“You have no idea,” Hazel hollered, and I suddenly wished I’d told the bartender to stop bringing her drinks. I wanted her to have fun, not get shitfaced. My assumption she could handle her liquor appeared skewed.
“Lucky.” One of the other guards coughed to disguise his comment and when I shot him an angered look, he wisely shut his mouth.
Earlier, I’d been on the edge of my control when she walked out of her room, dressed to slay the hearts of men. No bra beneath that blue dress, sexy brown legs with black boots, all tied together with a short black jacket. Ever since she walked into my life as a scared homeless girl, I’d wanted her to be mine forever. As we aged, growing into teens with hormones and feelings I’d wished for her to want me as me. To have the freedom to touch her freely, to hold her hand, and kiss her whenever I desired.
I fucking desired to kiss her hard, and the magnitude of force needed to resist threatened to be too much. Especially when she looked at me like she wanted me too. I’d come back into her life, accepting that we wouldn’t be picking up where we left off before. I’d be her bodyguard and that’s it, but the tension between us wasn’t one way. I just didn’t know if whatever she felt would be enough to push her into my arms or would her resentment of me keep us separated.
“Wanna dance, hunkster?” A familiar actress I’d seen in a recent movie came up to me and started dancing against me.
“Oh, yes, you’re so big, I bet you can do amazing things with those big hands,” she moaned and pressed her ass against me. I looked at her guard, waiting for him to step in so I didn’t need to, but he just watched her without muttering a word.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t.” I gently nudged her toward the dance floor, where two people called for her attention. She wasn’t having it though. Instead of joining them, she faced me and began dancing again.
“He’s polite, too. You know I’m a famous actress, right? I’m sure Hazel wouldn’t mind if I borrowed you for a few minutes. She was fine for years without a guard.” The woman’s breath reeked of alcohol and her movements became overly fluid.
“I very much would mind.” Hazel’s voice broke through the actress’s lust. The poor woman giggled, then danced back to the safety of her group.
“I’m ready to go,” she announced and walked to her curtained-off booth to grab her purse. I walked with her in case she needed some assistance. When I pushed back the curtain, hands gripped my shirt and threw me into the padded couch. I gathered the power within me, readying myself to unleash hell on whoever attacked me, until Hazel’s soft features came into view in the dim lights. Her body straddled my hips, as something tangled around my wrists, stretching them away like I’d be crucified.
“Hazel?” I peered at my restraints and vines with thick green leaves sprouted from a plant in the corner of the booth.
One eyebrow rose at the woman being a tad dramatic on top of me.
“Hazel,” I whispered as she leaned down, bringing her sinful body closer to me. Her breasts pressed against my chest and I felt her hardened nipples tease me. My muscles flexed against the vines, wanting to free my hands and touch her. I knew something heavy drove whatever emotions filled her right now. Maybe the alcohol took away the fight in her or maybe her jealousy from seeing someone else touch me. I shouldn’t touch her. I should tell her to stop, but she’d always been a temptation I couldn’t resist.
Her parted lips were inches from mine, and I struggled against the vines, wishing to grip the back of her neck and crush her lips against mine. I needed her and the evidence pressed against my jeans between her straddled legs. Her hips circled over me, and I wanted to die.
“Hazel.” I growled this time, needing something, or nothing at all. Her lips, her words, damnit I’d take anything right now.
Her nails raked my stretched arms, and my hips lifted toward her instinctually. I growled as her lips neared mine, one more inch and I’d be in heaven. She pulled back, her little circles slowed, and I hated to use my powers like this but she left me no choice.
I took away some of the air in the room, and the vines began to wither, along with Hazel taking one gasp of deep breath. As soon as the vines were loosened, I filled the booth with air again and lunged for her. My hands gripped her body and neck and pulled her closer. I was a starving man, and she’d laid a glorious feast before me. Hell, I’d been tortured, and never gave in, turns out all they would have needed was Hazel to near kiss me and I’d give the enemy anything they wanted.
Our lips violently clashed, sealing my life to hers.
I’d never be able to go back to a life where Hazel wasn’t mine.
Chapter Eighteen
Hazel
“Maddox,” I moaned against his lips. The need in me surged and there was nothing I wouldn’t do for his hands on me, his tongue tasting me with every kiss. We were explosive, and I feared what our powers were doing outside this booth. His fingers dug into my skin, holding me close as he devoured me, making me forget every touch I’d ever had before him.
“My Hazel,” he snarled and lifted his jean-covered hardness against my sex. I cried out softly, feeling like a goddess for unleashing this man on me where he’d worship every single inch of me, inside and out.
“We should stop.” My breathless voice did not stop his lips from moving from my mouth to my collarbone, then to the swell of my breast. Sugar snaps, how would I ever peel myself away from this man? I thought he had power over me before, that was nothing compared to our matched desire for each other.
I’d seen him with Giselle earlier and knew he didn’t want her. I’d gotten jealous, but I also felt a surge of confidence within me. Maddox wanted me and only me. I didn’t want to analyze how I knew it. I just wanted to see how far I could take this with him. Would he want me? Would he fight for me? Would he leave me after I let him have me?
The thought sobered me slightly. Fear worked its way through my system.
“Maddox, we have to stop.” I pulled away from his tantalizing touch.
“OK.” He took a deep breath and released his hands from me, giving us some needed space before we tore apart the booth.
“I don’t regret what just happened, but I just don’t think it should happen here. And well . . . maybe we should take things slower?” He’d come back into my life like a damn tornado, and despite where his nickname came from, I didn’t want him to fuck things up like the storm itself.
“Give me a minute, and we’ll go.” He attempted to free up space in his jeans, but there was no more room with that monster in there. I stared at it, my bottom lip curled between my teeth to stop myself from wetting my lips.
“Hazel, if you want to leave, you need to stop staring.”
I averted my gaze.
After a few minutes, he declared we were good to go and we left without being noticed. We walked side by side. The high from the alcohol had seeped away when Maddox killed my vines earlier. I grew nervous with every step toward our hotel. He hadn’t said anything, but I sensed the tension in his shoulders. Would I let him have me tonight, or would it be better if I turned him down? Too many emotions rattled through my brain from our situation. I wanted him sexually, of course I did. He wasn’t the boy from my teenage dreams I thought I’d marry. He’d turned into a man I wanted to restrain and lick his massive muscles only to have him break past my powers and ravage me.
The first few times I tried to be with a man after the Jarrod situation, I broke down and couldn’t. After a year of therapy, helping with my PTSD, I was able to kiss and even let a man caress my neck. Eventually, I didn’t screw everything with a pulse, but the lovers I did have all respected me and earned my trust. We would part amicably, and no one was with me for the fame.
Maddox wanted more than sex. He didn’t need to say it for me to know the truth. Maddox didn’t come back into my life to only protect me. While I knew he’d be satisfied with that, he wanted more. The unsaid truth scared me the most.
“Excuse me, do you have some spare change?”
Maddox’s sudden hand against my chest stopped me from walking into someone asking for change. I’d been so caught in my thoughts, my awareness of the surroundings had faltered.
“No.” Maddox spoke clearly and dragged me nicely around the man with long strides.
“Come with me, then?” The man looked a little worse for wear, and while I felt bad for him, he also raised alarms in my head.
“Stay the fuck away,” my bodyguard warned. My skin prickled, ready to grow thorns or use my power if this guy turned dangerous. The air around us swirled with Maddox’s power, ready to strike if needed.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to bother you.” The man raised his hands and backed away, his face pale with fear. Strange.
Multiple hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me away from Maddox. I yelled as my captor launched us into the air and began climbing up the wall with me in tow.
I punched, kicked, and thorns grew sharp against the person’s skin. He bellowed in pain and dropped me toward the ground, thirty feet away. I reached out for any of the trees near us to grow their limbs and catch me. I hit a branch seconds later and Maddox floated toward me, his arms were stretched to catch me.
“Forget me. Go get that asshole.” He nodded. Anger burned in me, and I hoped some other goon came near so I could take it out on him.
Maddox became a windstorm and went after the man who had attacked me. I was tired of people trying to steal me away, usually after I’d had a drink. I gently pressed my hand against the branch and lowered myself to the ground.
“The Collector wants a word with you in three days at the Seahill Bella Donna Club. You’ll sing, and then talk. If you refuse, we’ll take your bodyguard instead.” The man who’d asked for change earlier stood behind me, then disappeared before I could turn to throw a punch.
The Collector—that cursed name attached to horrid crimes with those who had powers. Whoever this mysterious person was, my previous fears had been confirmed.
They wanted me and possibly Maddox, too.
My cell phone rang and I answered without hesitation.
“Head back to the hotel. I’ll be there within an hour. Stay safe.”
Maddox’s call had me hauling ass the few blocks to our hotel. Once inside, I locked the door and waited. After what seemed like days, a pounding knock on the door had me up and at the peephole.
Maddox stood there with a blood-coated swollen lip.
Chapter Nineteen
Maddox
The man with powers had grown multiple arms like a spider and could walk on walls. We’d been distracted by the drunk man asking for change, so the eight-legged chump had the drop on us. Hazel got out of it herself, and I found the guy a block away. We’d fought and I wanted to use fists instead of powers and feel the pain bite my skin. Anything to help salve the rage scorching my insides.
He said the Collector wanted to talk to me in three days at a show Hazel would be singing at. Somehow, the Collector had the ability to control these people, making them do horrible things. I assumed the Collector had gifts—mind control or something like it—which meant Hazel and I needed to stay the fuck away.
I walked back to the hotel. My hands ached from fighting with a giant spider dude. My swollen lip tasted like blood, and I wanted a shower immediately to calm myself.
Hazel was at the door shortly after I pounded on it, then let me in. She launched into a hundred questions, and I ignored them all to head straight for the bathroom. I turned on the shower, and tore off my tattered shirt.
“Maddox, talk to me.” Her hands gripped my face.
“You OK?” I scanned her body for any injuries, and when I found none, my hands unbuttoned my jeans.
“I’m fine. Seriously, tell me what happened.”
“I found the guy. We played around with our fists, and I let him go at the police station. Now I want to take a shower and calm my shit.” I tugged off my boots and the rest of my clothes, then eased into the shower. The spray stung my cuts, but I grit my teeth and waited for it to subside. I didn’t mind pain. Pain was evidence I still lived.
I didn’t know if Hazel left the room or sat on the toilet lid to wait for me. Fuck, just an hour ago I had her body pressed against mine and her taste marinating my tongue. I had no expectations for what happened between us except she was mine. I’d wait it out, however long it took for me to show her we were the endgame.
Soft fingers caressed my shoulder, and my head shifted to see a nude Hazel stepping into the shower with me. All thoughts and rage circulating my brain halted in her presence. I didn’t care that she was naked, and so close to my own naked body. I cared that she came in for me, to comfort me. Hope flourished in my heart.
“I’m here, Maddox.” She placed her hand on my chest and peered at me with caring eyes. Despite whatever emotions she’d been feeling about our heated kiss, she pushed them aside for me.
“I’m sorry he got the drop on us.” The guilt ate at me for the incident never should have happened. I was good at my job. Unfortunately, being close to her after our kiss had distracted me. They picked a vulnerable time for both of us to attack, perfect for them, shitty for us.
“It’s OK. I don’t fault you. We are good, and you managed to stop him.” Her gaze darted to the right then back after she spoke. She lied, but I didn’t know which part of her sentence wasn’t factual.
“I’m glad you followed my orders and came to the hotel instead of trying to fight. I don’t want you to see me like that.” I’d been too heated to care how savage I’d become, and I couldn’t handle Hazel seeing me in any other light than protector.
“I’d been through worse and trusted you’d handle it. I’m just glad you came back and only with a few cuts.” Her thumb lightly trailed over my lip, and I winced from the pain. My hand reached up through the spray of the shower to place my palm over the top of hers.
“Nothing would stop me from returning to you.”
“Maddox . . . I . . .”
I leaned down to kiss her into silence before she said something that didn’t need to be said right now. Pain in the lip be dammed.
“I’m here, and I feel the way I always did. No matter what, I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to feel anything for me yet, and hell if you never do, I’ll survive. I’m not here to take over your world, Hazel, and ruin everything like my nickname’s sake. I’m here to compliment the life you’ve created, and I’ll wait as long as it takes. No expectations.”
Her head dropped and rested against my chest.
“I don’t know what I want.” She exhaled and her hands went to my back, pulling me in for a hug, bare skin against bare skin.
“You don’t need to figure it out right now.” She had suffered abandonm
ent issues even before I had met her, from her parents’ death. My exit from her teen years only exacerbated the fear within.
We held each other in the shower until we relaxed. We cleaned ourselves, never pushing for sexual comfort as a reaction to the rush of adrenaline inside of us.
“No expectations, but can I hold you tonight?” I asked as we dried ourselves off. We used to sleep together as kids, for comfort, safety, and warmth. In the years of separation, I’d often dreamed of our time together when deserted in Earth’s hellholes looking for assholes.
“Yeah, let me spray in some conditioner, then I’ll be in.” She nodded without looking at me, and I walked into my room for some shorts. A body was a body to both of us, but I wasn’t going to push it. The two of us sleeping naked in a bed together would only lead to an explosive outcome. When Hazel and I finally do fuck, I wanted for it to be secluded enough so no casualties occurred when we unleashed ourselves and our powers.
Chapter Twenty
Hazel
I’d say that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept as good as I did last night, but that would be a bald-faced lie. I had always slept like the dead with Maddox next to me. Nothing had changed in our years apart. He still comforted me and made me feel like I was the only girl in his world.
Despite the perfect rest in his arms, I woke up before him, thinking about everything. I peered at Maddox’s sleeping face and mesmerized his familiar yet strange face. His star-shaped scar beneath his now swollen lip still made me smile, even with its awful family history. He’d been abused as a kid. His dad had burned the tip of a screwdriver and touched him with it on multiple parts of his young body, including his lip. Unfortunately, that wasn’t even the worst of the stories of his past. I’d always loved how strong he was regardless of his painful experiences. He suffered, and never grew jaded at the world. My ex-white knight.
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