Maddox

by Megan O'Brien

  I nodded, curious where he wanted to take me. “Do me a favor and let me make breakfast when I get out,” I said, biting back a smile.

  My tone was teasing, but the threat of Maddox’s cooking was all too real.

  He swatted my ass with a grin. “You better make it quick then. I’m fucking starving.” He stepped closer, his hands gripping my hips. “Worked up an appetite last night,” he rumbled in my ear.

  I shivered, the memory fresh in my mind and in between my thighs. “Better let me feed you then, make sure you keep up your strength.”

  His answering growl had me biting my lip.

  “As much as I want to take you back to bed, I have a feeling you’re sore, and we have shit to do. Shower, baby,” he prompted.

  The man seriously scrambled my brain. Shower. Right.

  Thirty minutes later, we were on the road in his truck, bellies full, his hand over mine on the center console.

  When we pulled up to what looked like an abandoned building just off the main drag of downtown, I looked at him in confusion.

  “Work with me here,” he said, cutting the engine. He came around to my side, helping me from the truck. He took my hand and guided me to the doors where I peered inside. It looked like a partly built restaurant, but was either on hold or abandoned altogether.

  “This was gonna be a pizza joint,” he explained, standing alongside me and peering with me into the space. “They got overextended, couldn’t afford to keep building it out.”

  “Okay….?” I replied, still confused.

  He pulled away from the glass, looking down at me. “Would make for a good bakery, don’t you think?”

  My eyes widened in shock as I caught on. I hadn’t even contemplated what I’d do next—or where. But Maddox had.

  “I’m not sure I can start over,” I murmured. “And even if I did, I don’t have the money—I’m not sure when I will.”

  He stepped into my space, cradling my face in his hands. “Baby, you couldn’t make it a day without baking something. You love it. And you’re really damn good at it. And Hawthorne needs a good bakery. This is your chance to do what you love but on your terms. As for the money, you’ll get it. In the meantime, I have what we need.”

  There was that we again.

  “I can finish building this out for you and help with the business side.” He shrugged as though it was no big thing.

  “Maddox, I haven’t even thought past next week,” I sputtered, feeling overwhelmed. “We haven’t even talked about me staying in Hawthorne permanently.”

  His gray eyes glittered with intensity. “Let’s talk about it then. I want you here permanently, Francesca. In my bed, under my roof. I want to help make your dreams come true, but I want them to be with me.

  “If you don’t want to open another bakery, that’s fine,” he continued as I stared at him, flabbergasted. “I’ll support whatever you want to do. But this isn’t just you crashing with me while you get back on your feet, baby. Not for me. It never has been.”

  My heart expanded in my chest as I understood for the first time that he truly wanted me in a way I’d hungered for since I first understood the concept. “You want me.” I breathed the realization aloud.

  His nostrils flared. “With every fucking thing I have,” he declared.

  I threw my arms around his shoulders, pressing my face to his neck. For a moment, we just held each other, breathing the same air.

  “So, what do you say?” he asked.

  I looked into his hopeful gray eyes, shining with the love he’d just professed. In such a short time, this man had come to mean more to me than I could make sense of. He was my anchor, my muse, my undoing in the most delicious of ways. It was true I wasn’t sure I could do this alone—but I wouldn’t be. I had Maddox. And so, there was really only one thing to say.

  “I love you too,” I murmured. It wasn’t the answer he expected, but the spark in his eye proved it was the one he needed.

  His answering grin was so handsome it stole my breath. “Fuck yes,” he growled, sweeping me up in his arms for a mind-numbing kiss. “Say it again,” he demanded.

  “I love you,” I repeated, squealing as he spun us around.

  “You look happy. And relieved,” I noted pulling back to peer up at his face.

  He shrugged. “Well, the woman I love just told me she loves me too, and as for the bakery… I already bought the place, so yeah, saved me a hassle.”

  I smacked his arm. “Pretty sure of yourself.”

  He squeezed my hips. “No, baby. Just hopeful.” His forehead touched mine. “And so fucking lucky.”

  I grinned up at him. “You’re about to get a whole hell of a lot luckier.”

  His pupils dilated, a delicious growl rumbling in his chest. “If I could put this shit off, believe me, I would. But you’ve been without a phone for too long. I know you need some independence. We need to get you sorted.” He squeezed my behind. “But later, baby, you’re gonna make good on that.”

  It was a promise I was all too happy to keep. “Later,” I agreed.

  ****

  “Maddox!” A female squeal had me turning in consternation as I stood, bored as hell in the cell phone store Mad had dragged me to. The sales associate had droned on and on about various features as I daydreamed about my next recipe. I just needed the thing to make calls and text.

  I had to take a step back as a blonde I recognized as one of the club cherries threw herself at Maddox. It was the woman who’d stared at me with such hatred, I realized as she clung to Maddox.

  “Oh, I figured you two were together,” the sales guy was quick to mention. “If you’re single—”

  “She’s not fucking single,” Maddox snarled. “Stephanie, get your fucking hands off.” He forcibly removed her arms from his neck with a grimace.

  “You haven’t been around, babe.” Her glossy pink lips formed a pout as I watched them with a combination of dismay and jealousy. Clearly, they had some sort of history, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what it was.

  “You haven’t seen me because I banned your ass from the club,” he replied harshly. “And I’m not your babe.”

  “You weren’t saying that when your cock was inside me,” she purred.

  Yep, definitely didn’t want that history. My stomach churned as I took a step toward the exit, all too ready to abandon our mission to get a new phone in favor of ignorance. It wasn’t lost on me that Maddox had been with other women. But the fact he’d been with her in particular didn’t sit well.

  His steely gray gaze landed on me, shining with intensity. “Babe, don’t you fucking move,” he ordered harshly, pulling me under his arm and close to his side. Despite his tone, his grasp was gentle. “That’s the second time you’ve insulted my woman, Stephanie,” he growled as her eyes narrowed at the two of us. “Banning your ass from the club wasn’t enough? I had you once—this woman is forever. You may not like it but you sure as hell will respect it. Or I swear to God, I’ll run your ass straight outta town. You get me?” he demanded.

  Her full lips pursed as she shot me a glare before nodding. “I get you,” she replied through clenched teeth.

  “Get gone,” he ordered with a head tilt toward the exit.

  “But I came in here to—” Her protest was cut off by a nearly feral rumble from Maddox. “Fine,” she grumbled, turning on a heel and flouncing from the store.

  I tried to slip out from under Maddox’s arm but he only held me tighter as he turned his fury on the sales associate, who now looked like he wanted to pee his pants. “Made a move on my girl,” he stated.

  The man swallowed visibly, shaking his head. “I wasn’t…. I didn’t.”

  “Why don’t you just go find someone else to help us?” I interjected, knowing his blathering would do nothing to assuage Maddox’s murderous mood.

  “Good idea,” he replied gratefully, turning to gesture toward a young woman behind the counter.

  “Babe.”

  I held
up a hand at Maddox’s murmur. “Let’s just get the phone and get out of here, okay?” I was close to pleading.

  He looked down at me, appearing to war between what he wanted to say and what I needed. “All right,” he agreed finally.

  Now that we had someone helping us who wasn’t interested in looking down my shirt or selling us a bunch of shit we didn’t need, we were able to make quick work of the purchase.

  With my new phone in hand that I still felt weird having Maddox pay for, we made our way back out to his truck.

  As I was reaching for the door handle, I was pulled gently back into his firm chest, his lips at my ear. “She was one night, baby, over a year ago. You’re my forever.” He turned me in his arms, pressing me back against his truck as he stooped to meet my gaze. “I need you to understand that. I can’t change my past, but I can protect my future. That means I need you to hear me on this. I love you, Francesca. That’s something no other woman has ever had from me or ever will.”

  “I hate that she touched you,” I admitted quietly.

  “I don’t like it either,” he agreed without hesitation. “Yours are the only hands I want on me,” he added with a conviction I instantly believed. “I don’t have many regrets, but I do regret laying hands on her. She’s whacked. I didn’t see that—I should have.” His honesty softened me. “She bothers you—hell, if she even looks your way, I want to know about it. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d kick her ass straight out of town.”

  I looked up at him, my palms pressed to his chest absorbing the warmth and strength there. “Did you really ban her from the club?”

  “Fuck yes, I did. The minute she looked at you wrong.”

  I bit my lip, looking off to the side before he cupped my face, gently guiding my gaze back to his.

  “I know you weren’t celibate before you met me, babe. I’m not trying to punish you or make you feel badly about your past. I just don’t want there to be secrets between us.”

  I saw something flash in his eyes before he nodded in agreement.

  “I just really don’t like her,” I grumbled.

  He chuckled. “That makes two of us.” His head lowered, his lips taking mine in a soft kiss. “I like that, baby.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “You callin’ me babe. That cute little wrinkle you get between your brows when you’re pissed. All of it. I like all of it,” he murmured against my mouth.

  I drew back, looking up at him. “She puts her hands on you again, there won’t be anything cute about my reaction,” I warned in all sincerity. I’d never been one for violence, but then again I’d never loved anything as fiercely as I did Maddox.

  “Noted.” He grinned. “Now, can we get the rest of our shit done so I can get you in our bed?”

  “What other shit do we have to do?” I asked, trying to focus when all my mind wanted to drift to was us tangled up in bed.

  “Mom mentioned a kitchen supply store. I thought we’d pick you up some baking stuff for the apartment.” He shrugged, looking almost sheepish. “I think they also have some other stuff for the house. Thought you could put your mark on things. Plus, I’m told there’s this thing called color that helps warm things up.” He winked.

  I grinned, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, touched immeasurably by his thoughtfulness. “That sounds good, babe.”

  He touched my nose with his pointer finger. “There it is again.”

  I shrugged. “It just comes out with you.” I looked up at him with a soft smile. “Getting easier all the time.”

  Chapter 19

  MADDOX

  “Shit, it’s cold.” Gunner griped as we sat astride our bikes the next night.

  “Aw, you need me to get you some mittens?” Cash crooned.

  “A seat warmer?” Max put in.

  “Fuck off,” Gunner grumbled.

  The four of us were on deck to watch the Hawthorne border and had pulled off to the side of the road, looking out for anything or anyone that was unfamiliar. There was one main road in and out of Hawthorne. Unless someone was coming in on foot, it was relatively easy to patrol.

  “What are the girls doing?” Gunner asked, blowing on his hands. It was a colder than normal night and I was glad for my leather jacket as I glanced his way.

  “Francesca, Wren, and Liv are all at the club. I think Emmie’s headed over there after her shift at the hospital,” I added meaningfully. We all knew he had a thing for her. Why he hadn’t acted on it was a mystery.

  “Wren loves your girl, man,” Max told me. “Can’t stop talking about her.”

  “I’m glad.” I nodded. “She hasn’t had many friends. She deserves that.”

  “You think Stephanie’s gonna be a problem?” he wanted to know. I’d shared about the run-in we’d had with her the previous day.

  “Don’t know. Hope not,” I replied. “She is, she won’t be living here much longer.”

  I received collective nods of agreement from my brothers.

  “Headlights,” Cash pointed out, spitting out his ever-present toothpick, his gaze on the road.

  This time of night there wasn’t much traffic coming into town. We could typically identify the locals and their cars at a glance. In the unusual event we couldn’t, the locals were used to us checking things out and were quick to cooperate.

  “Don’t recognize this one,” Gunner noted as the black sedan came into view. The once peaceful night air was suddenly filled with the roar of our bikes as we simultaneously started our engines. We pulled onto the road, following the car. If it was a local, they’d pull over. When this one sped up instead, adrenaline coursed through my veins. Something more sinister was likely at play.

  Cash and Gunner took the right rear bumper while Max and I took the left in a natural move that spoke of years of working together as a team. Max drew his bike close enough to pound on the side of the car in a warning to pull over.

  The answering crack of gunfire had us falling back instantly, swerving to avoid being hit. I pointed my gun, aiming for the rear wheel. The explosion of rubber had the car careening out of control as more gunfire erupted from it.

  The four of us responded in kind, firing as the car continued its spin before landing sideways in the ditch at the side of the road, smoke billowing from its hood.

  “Hang back,” I ordered as the four of us sat astride our bikes, our weapons pointed at the car in deadly anticipation.

  “Fuck,” Gunner cursed.

  I looked over, finding him clutching his arm, blood seeping through his fingers. “Fucker hit me,” he gritted out.

  “Can you ride?” Cash demanded. At Gunner’s nod he continued, “Ride back to the club. We’ll take care of this.”

  “Fuck that,” Gunner scoffed. “Just a flesh wound.” He shrugged. “I’ve had worse. No way I’m missing out on this shit.”

  There wasn’t much Gunner took seriously; I wasn’t surprised a gunshot wound was no exception. Really, there was only one exception: Emmie.

  “You bleed out on me, I’m gonna be pissed,” Cash replied, his gaze trained on the smoking vehicle.

  “Don’t get your panties in a twist, Walker,” Gunner snorted.

  “Can we fucking focus?” Max growled as a horn began to blare from the car, signifying the person inside had likely collapsed on top of it.

  “Fucker’s dead,” Cash surmised.

  “Maybe.” I grunted, not ready to let down my guard. We killed our engines, the drone of the horn the only sound after the chaos that had preceded it. When the passenger side door opened and someone stumbled out, we got off our bikes, weapons pointed at the staggering figure. The man coughed, clambering out of the ditch before collapsing onto the road.

  “Anyone else in the car?” I shouted from across the road.

  “Just Lenny, he’s dead,” the man wheezed as Max and Cash flanked my approach. Gunner banked wide, prepared to take the driver side.

  “Drop your weapon,” I ordered harshly as we approached, now close e
nough to see the bloom of red spreading across the man’s chest.

  “It’s in the car.” He coughed. “Fuck.”

  The drone of the horn was cut off abruptly as Gunner no doubt pulled the dead man off it.

  “Who sent you?” I demanded, standing over him as he stared blankly up at the sky.

  “Bruno. He wants the girl,” he wheezed. “He’s always wanted her.”

  My gut clenched, fury lighting my veins. “He’ll never fucking have her.”

  “Won’t stop until he does,” he replied, as though it was a simple fact. “Shit, it’s cold,” he murmured a moment before his eyes went glassy.

  “Fuck,” I grumbled, wrenching a hand through my hair. Every fiber of my being needed to be with Francesca. To assure myself she was safe and whole after the brutality aimed at taking her from me.

  “Got a couple prospects en route for cleanup,” Cash shared. “I’ll stay. You three ride back.”

  He didn’t need to tell me twice. With a chin lift I strode to my bike, pulling onto the road a moment later. I noted absently that Max and Gunner were behind me as I pointed my bike for the club and my girl.

  ****

  When we walked into the club a short time later I scanned the room, unable to take a real breath until I set eyes on Francesca. I noticed absently that Cole and my pop had emerged from the office at the sounds of distress the women made. Then I saw her, her gorgeous brown eyes wide with fright as she stood from her spot on the couch, racing into my arms. “What happened? Why is Gunner bleeding?” she demanded as Liv, Wren, and Emmie drew near.

  I held her close, kissing her head in reassurance. I noted absently that Max did the same with Wren. “We’re good. Ran into a bit of trouble is all.”

  Her delicate hands skated over my frame, no doubt assuring herself I was unharmed.

  “You’ll need to stitch Gun up,” Max told his sister.

  Emmie’s eyes lit with trepidation. “But I’m still in training…. I’m not…. Someone else should…,” she blathered.

  Gunner cupped her neck in an uncharacteristic display of affection. I’d never even seen him touch her. If the blush on her cheeks was any indication, she didn’t hate it. “I don’t want someone else, I want you, Em.” His voice was low and without any of his typical levity.