I walk with the two of them to the dining room. Maddy’s books are open on the other end, with her notebook out and highlighter.
She takes a seat at the other end and pats a seat for me. This ordering me around shit isn’t my forte. But I’ll let her take the lead on this. After all, it’s her father. And I’m sure I’ll get brownie points if he likes me.
I take the seat next to her and look up at the old man. Fuck, there’s no fucking way he’s gonna like me.
He’s looking at me like… well, like I’m fucking his daughter. I can’t help the grin that grows on my face.
I lean forward and give Maddy a smile. “How’d it go?” I ask her.
I can feel his eyes on me, but I ignore him. I usually don’t take this shit. If a fucker’s gonna give me a look like he’s got something to say, I don’t stand down till that shit is dealt with. But this is her father, I've gotta show some respect.
He gets this one moment. One day. That’s it.
Maddy takes a deep breath and pulls her hair back. “Well, I think it went okay.”
Before she can say anything else, her father interrupts. “So your real legal name is Zane?” he asks.
I turn to him and sit straight in my seat. “That’s right, Zane Michael Stone.” I don’t like how he’s looking at me.
“That’s an interesting name.” He says the words in a monotone, his eyes boring into my face. Also, what the fuck does that even mean? An interesting name?
I shrug my shoulders and say, “I didn’t pick it.” Maddy huffs a small laugh, but it’s forced. The tension in the room is thick, and this is uncomfortable as hell.
“So, Maddy,” he says as he looks at her like I’m not even in the room with them. “You didn’t say Zane was a smartass.”
I keep my mouth closed and let him have that one. Point one for Pops, I guess.
“Daddy, please don’t do this now.” Maddy’s lips are pressed into a thin line and she’s staring back at her father like she’s ready to tear him apart.
Fuck, maybe I’m lucky not to have my parents around anymore.
Her father looks back at me, but before he can speak, Maddy tries to lighten the mood by saying, “So, I think we should all go out to eat. We could go to a nice restaurant,” she suggests. She looks at me and says, “Besides, you owe me a date. And this way Daddy could get to know you.” She sounds slightly hopeful and upbeat. I take a look at Papa Fuckoff, and I know that’s not happening. My stubborn peach is apparently also delusional.
“I just don’t get it. What do you see in him, Maddy?” he asks, leaning close to her with his elbows on the table.
I drop Maddy’s hand and clench my fists under the table.
“Daddy,” Maddy’s tone takes on a hard edge. I’m not sure what the protocol for this shit is. I’ve never been in this position before.
“She’s seen a lot of me, to be honest; she must’ve liked at least one part,” I say with a straight face.
He looks fucking furious. I can’t really blame him, but I’m not gonna let him talk to her like that. After a minute he shakes his head at Maddy like he’s disappointed in her and that’s the last straw, but before I can say anything, Maddy lays in on him.
“Daddy, I love you,” Maddy says as her eyebrows raise, and I can see she’s holding back that inner bitch she’s unleashed on me a time or two. “But you need to stop this. Now.”
I stare at my stubborn little peach who's all full of sass today. But this isn’t the same shit she gives me. This is different. She’s not playing a game, she’s clearly upset, and I don’t like it.
“Hey, it’s alright.” I take her hand in mine and rub soothing circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. “It’s fine.” I’m partially amazed at how well trying to calm Maddy down diffuses my own temper. So what if he doesn’t like me? He’s not the first. And I'm sure he won’t be the last.
She doesn’t need to get worked up over this. I mean, isn't a dad supposed to hate the prick who's doing his daughter? I’m pretty sure this is all normal. And her father’s right. I don’t look like the kind of man who she’d normally pick. Not that she picked me. I had to fucking fight for her.
My heart sinks a little, and I hate all these bullshit emotions that are hitting me. I need to get the fuck out of here.
I stand up from the table and give Maddy a small smile as she grips onto my arm. “I should give you two some time, peaches.” I let her nickname slip, and see her father stiffen on my left.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Murphy.” I say it as a formality and don’t look him in the eyes as the words come out hard.
“You don’t have to go,” Maddy says in a soft voice with her forehead creased. I bend down and give her a chaste kiss.
“I get to see you every day.” I look back at her dad and give him a curt nod as I say, “You should spend some time with your father.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Maddy says and tries to get up, but I stop her.
“I’m only next door, I can find my place myself.” I have to repress my laugh as her father starts coughing. Maddy’s mouth presses into a thin line and she gives me a look. I can’t help the smile growing on my face.
“Talk to you later, peaches,” I say and give her another kiss goodbye.
“Have a nice stay, Mr. Murphy.” I give him a wave as I open the door and walk out.
Chapter Eighteen
Madeline
I spend the next five minutes scolding my father for his rude behavior toward Zane. Just because I have reservations about him, doesn’t mean it gives Daddy leeway to be a total jerk to him and judge him like that.
He argues with me, telling me he doesn’t like what he saw in Zane, and that I don’t need to be messing around with him. Through it all, I hold firm. Despite my misgivings, I’m not leaving Zane without good reason, and that’s final.
Eventually, Daddy gives up, but he does warn me, much to my chagrin, that he’ll be watching.
As soon as my father’s gone, I decide I need to go next door and apologize to Zane for his behavior. I feel anxious and embarrassed by what’s happened, and want to make amends.
I walk over to Zane’s and knock on the door. After a moment, the door swings open and my jaw nearly drops.
Zane’s standing there in a pair of pajama bottoms hanging low, balanced precariously on his chiseled hips, that incredibly sexy V-shape at his lower abdomen fully on display. Down below, his bulge presses against the flimsy material, making my mouth water.
Good God, this man is going to be the death of me! I think to myself. He makes me want to be his sex slave.
Seriously, I want to fall to my knees and take that big fat cock out and start slurping on it like a straw jammed into my favorite milkshake. It’s a nice distraction, but I can’t help how my heart is squeezing in my chest.
I forcefully tear my eyes away and ask, “Are we okay?”
For a moment, Zane stares at me and my heart begins to pound with anxiety, but then he cracks that boyish smile of his. “More than okay, peaches.” He reaches out, grabs me by the waist and pulls me into him. I melt into his body. Lower, I feel his cock pressing into me and I’m immediately turned on.
I’m so turned on that if he wants to fuck right here in this doorway for all the world to see, I won’t have any objections.
Zane must have plans though because suddenly he pulls me inside, closes the door, and hefts me up onto his shoulders. I cry out with surprise, my legs trembling. “What are you doing?” I demand.
“We’re better than okay,” he says as he pulls my dress up and pushes his thumbs through my panties, ripping them off of me. Oh fuck. That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I push my head back against the wall and grip onto his hair as he licks me. Holy fuck. He’s not wasting any time.
He says something about me being a good girl before dipping his tongue into my pussy. “Ohh!” I lean forward involuntarily as my legs tremble around him.
“Zane!” I call out, trying to balance
myself. His blunt fingernails dig into my ass, forcing me to rock against his mouth. Holy fuck, it feels so good. My toes tingle and a low stirring of pleasure builds in my core. My back goes straight and my legs go stiff as he sucks my clit into his mouth, and then dives back to my entrance. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I’m going to cum. It’s the fastest I’ve cum in my entire life.
My breathing comes in short pants.
I rock myself against his face and grip his hair tighter, shoving him deeper. I’m so close. My nipples harden, and I want so badly for his dick to be inside me. I need him. My head rocks to the side. So close. He pulls away and I almost curse at him for leaving me on edge, but he quickly shoves two fingers inside and massages my clit with his tongue. Fuck yes! His fingers mercilessly stroke my G-spot and he bites down lightly on my clit. Oh shit! YES!!
My back bows, and I let out a strangled cry.
“Fuck!” I scream out as he acts like he’s starving and my release crashes through me. My pussy clenches around his tongue, and he groans as I feel the pool of arousal leak down my thighs. My cheeks heat with embarrassment, but I feel so fucking good I’m not sure I care all that much. He keeps lapping at me until I’m limp.
He gently sets me down on shaky legs. I lean against the wall and catch my breath.
“My peach is juicy,” he says with a smirk as he wipes my cum from his face. I feel that heat in my cheeks again and try to right myself.
I’m out of breath and shocked, and I don’t know what to say.
“Come on, I want to take you somewhere,” Zane says to me after our explosive oral session. I’m barely over my orgasm, my legs still trembling. It’s amazing what Zane can do with his mouth and those powerful jaws.
Just remembering the way he suctioned my pussy makes me want to experience it again... and again... and again.
“Where?” I ask, feeling completely off-balance.
“A date,” he says simply. “You’re delicious and all, but I gotta eat a bit more tonight.”
I rock nervously on my heels, feeling stupid for even asking after that. “So we’re good? My Daddy--”
Zane puts a finger over my lips. “We’re good, peaches,” he says and starts to say something else, and I can feel my heart beating faster. I love you. I know that’s what he was going to say, but instead his mouth slams shut.
I feel a tinge of disappointment, but I shove it down.
I bite my lip, debating on saying it first. But no, that’s not fucking happening. I pull up my bra strap and then pull my dress down.
“Dinner it is.” I give him a small smile and I can tell he’s waiting on me to say more. But he’s not getting it.
If he thinks I’m going to be the first to say I love you, he’s wrong about that. Just as soon as the smug thought comes to mind, I realize maybe he wasn’t going to say that.
Insecurity sweeps through me. Fuck. When did I let this happen? I love him. The realization hits me hard, but it's true. It just happened so naturally with all the time we've been spending together lately that I wasn't even aware of it until now. I'm in love with Zane… but he’s a bad boy. I'm sure he doesn’t love me. Guys like him don't fall in love.
It’s only a matter of time before he leaves me.
“Let’s go, peaches.” He wraps his arms around me and I do my best to forget my father’s advice screaming in my head and ignore the painful insecurities telling me I need to end this before he breaks my heart.
He plants a kiss on my cheek and opens the door.
I know he’s bad for me, and this is really going to hurt when he ends it. I won’t tell him I love him, but I’m done pushing him away.
I may not say it out loud, but I fucking love him. How the hell did I let that happen?
Chapter Nineteen
Zane
“You’re so bad,” I whisper into Maddy’s ear as we leave my workroom.
I lock it behind me like I do every day after my shift. But today we’re leaving a little early.
She’s been coming here every day to hang out while I work. It’s our little routine. She goes to school, then comes here on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She’s got all-day classes the other days of the week, which is perfect with my schedule. So on those days I meet her at her place later on, and fuck up her good study habits.
“We’re gonna be so late now.” Maddy’s freaking out.
“Well you’re the one who bent over in that short ass dress.” That’ll teach her to wear something like that out. Actually, knowing my girl, she’ll probably wear them more often now. I smirk at her as she tries to fix her hair in the mirror behind the counter.
“You look good, babe.” She does. She looks sexy as fuck. “How’d I get so damn lucky?” I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her toward me. I yank her up enough that her feet come off the ground and I bury my head in the crook of her neck.
“Stop!” she yells at me with a smile on her face while she’s pushing off of me. I chuckle at her. I don’t think she’ll ever stop pushing me away.
“We gotta go,” she says and grabs my hand the second I put her down. She starts pulling me toward the back exit where she’s been parking.
I’m so caught up in how happy she makes me, I don’t think about what day it is, or what time it is. I just let her lead me to the back.
As soon as she pushes the doors open and I see the van, I pull her back in, but it’s too late. Four men are moving a pile of coke bricks onto a cart to take inside.
Fuck!
“What the--” she starts to ask, but I pull her to me and turn on my heels with her in my arms. My body heats with anxiety, and then I look up and see Garret walking out of the stockroom. I’m quick to pull Maddy to my side and walk past him.
“Whoa, where are you two headed?” he asks the two of us, but his eyes are on Maddy. She shifts on her feet and puts her body behind mine. I can tell she’s not okay. She finally put two and two together.
My stomach drops, and I feel like shit. I feel like I lied to her, even though I didn’t really. It was a lie of omission. Worse than that though, I put her in harm’s way. Real fucking danger.
I’ll do everything I can to keep her safe, but the way Garret’s eyeing her is making me want to put a bullet in his head right now.
“Heading out,” I answer him flatly. I know I look pissed. I can’t help it. I can’t school my features and play this off like she didn’t see shit.
He gives me a crooked grin and nods. “See anything you like out there?” he asks Maddy.
She shakes her head, but doesn’t give a verbal response. Her fingers dig into my skin, begging me not to let her go.
“See you later, Garret,” I say and pull her to my other side. We walk straight out to my car. We’ll come back for hers later. Right now we just need to get the fuck away from here.
I can’t think. I don’t know what to do.
This shit isn’t good.
Witnesses don’t live to be witnesses. I know that much. I know Garret’s gonna tell Vlad, and then I’m fucked. I need to call Nikolai. But first I need to fix this shit between us.
I pull the passenger door open and gently push Maddy into her seat. I know she’s still fucked up because she’s not talking. She’s chewing on her thumbnail and looking all around her. Shit, she doesn’t even look like she’s breathing.
I reverse and pull out without saying anything. The silence stretches between us for way too fucking long.
I need to say something, do something to make this right. But I don’t know how. This just drives home the fact that I’m all wrong for her. I’m trouble, just like she said I was.
“You alright?” I finally ask her. I can’t look at her though. My hand grips the steering wheel tighter as I slow to a stop at a red light. My heart beats frantically and my lungs won’t fill. But none of it matters, because she’s not looking at me. She’s not saying shit.
Her walls are up, and she’s looking out the window as silent tears fall down her cheek.
Fuck! I can’t stand this. The light turns green and I step on the gas to get us home.
A lump grows in my throat and it stays there until I park the car.
She’s quick to unbuckle her seatbelt and try to get out, but I don’t let her. She tries to smack me away, but I’m not letting her leave like this.
I pull her into my lap and let her beat her fists on my chest. A sob rips up her throat. Her face is red and her cheeks tearstained. She’s fighting my hold on her, and I take it.
I take it all. I fucking deserve it.
When she finally seems to give up and collapse into me, I tell her, “I’m sorry, peaches.” I don’t know what else to say.
“You--” she tries to speak as she wipes under her eyes, but she can’t. Her gorgeous green eyes stare out the window as she tries to calm herself.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her again, but I know apologies don’t mean anything to her.
“You deal drugs?” she asks with an accusatory tone. She doesn’t look at me. She’s staring at her condo.
“No. The mob does.” That gets her attention. She faces me with her brows raised in both fear and surprise. Her voice goes up an octave as she says, “You’re in the mob!”
I shake my head and say, “It’s not like that.”
She shakes her head and hunches her shoulders, wrapping her arms around herself. “I need to go.”
I grip her hips, I can’t lose her. I know if I let her go right now, she’s gone forever. But it needs to happen. Fuck, as the realization hits me, my chest seems to collapse with pain.
“Peaches, don’t--”
“Don’t call me that!” she yells at me, and looks at me with a raw sadness I’ve never seen on her face. I hate it. I hate what I’ve done to her.
“I’m sorry, Maddy.”
Inked: A Bad Boy Next Door Romance Page 12