Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Back inside the apartment, he spotted a half-eaten pizza on the kitchen counter, an episode of some trashy reality show on the TV, and Madison asleep with her head on Ethan’s shoulder. The sight of her so wiped out tore at him. But he had to look on the bright side. She trusted Garrison. That was obvious. She would need that.
So would his sanity.
“She ate a piece and a half, then gave out,” Ethan murmured. “I tried to wake her up to finish, but—”
“It’s fine. Her body knows what it needs, and that must be sleep. I’ll take it from here if you want to go to bed. Your alarm clock will buzz early tomorrow.”
“Don’t I know it.” Ethan collected his empty plate and Madison’s with a few bites remaining, dumped them in the can, then headed down the hallway before turning back. “If you need anything overnight—”
“I know. Thanks.” Later, he’d make sure Ethan knew how much he appreciated all the tattooed operative had done for him. Now, he had a bigger priority.
“I just hope you’re not making a mistake. Night.”
“Night.” Matt scooped up Madison and her discarded purse in his arms. The fact she didn’t stir told him how exhausted she was.
In her room, he dropped the bag in a chair, then bent over her bed until he tossed back her duvet and sheets with one hand. Then he eased her onto her mattress, her head in the middle of her pillow. Immediately, she settled back into a deep sleep.
He studied her, hoping like fuck this wasn’t the last time she ever trusted him to be this close to her or allowed herself to be this vulnerable with him. If not for Toddhole’s surveillance, he would brush the stray hair from her cheek, ply her lips with the softest kiss, then slide into bed beside her to keep her safe all night.
None of that was possible, and he hated knowing that, by tomorrow, she might not be speaking to him at all.
Matt gave her one last, lingering look, bit back a silent I love you, then swallowed all the regret choking him, closed her door, and stood guard just outside to wait for trouble to come.
He didn’t have to wait long.
Twenty minutes later, Toddhole blew into the apartment slamming doors. “Where the fuck are you, you scheming cunt? And what did you say to my grandparents?”
Matt met the son of a bitch halfway down the hall. “Madison is sleeping. Since we both know you drugged her yesterday, you may not be shocked to hear that she’s still recovering.”
“Oh, boo hoo. I wasn’t trying to kill her, and she lived. She’s going to be fine, so don’t act like it’s a big fucking deal.”
“Her heart stopped! Did you know if she was allergic to whatever you pumped her with? Did you have any idea if she had any other underlying health conditions that might not interact well with the shit you put in her system?” Matt tried his best to hold onto his temper and nearly failed. “I won’t ask if you cared, because I already know the answer.”
“But I know you care.” Todd closed in with an evil grin. “I finally figured you out. You weren’t swayed by money or tempted by pussy because you’re so in love with Madison. In fact, you banged nearly a hundred women trying to feel exactly the high you felt when you fucked my wife…all to no avail.”
Matt didn’t need Todd going down this road, not after he’d already proven he had no qualms about using his feelings for Madison against her. “No. I fucked nearly a hundred women because I could. I thought maybe I was hung up on her, but now that I’ve been with her again…I have perspective. She’s hot. We had a great time in bed. But—”
“Don’t try to bullshit me. When it comes to deception, I play in the World Series every fucking day. You haven’t even made the minor leagues. You are so gone for my wife, and you’re never going to be able to pull your head out of her pussy. So don’t even try that line.”
Fuck. “If thinking that makes your twisted heart happy, you do you.”
“I will, because I’m right,” he sneered. “That’s why I’m going to make you a deal, and you better take it if you want that bitch to survive this election season.”
Matt froze. Todd better not fucking dare. After the aborted family dinner, he’d half expected the weasel to retaliate against Madison, and he’d known her husband would keep trying to come between them. But to threaten her life… “You better not touch a fucking hair on her head, or there won’t be a hole deep enough for you to hide in.”
“You want to spare her?” Todd raised a brow. “You pack your little suitcase, walk the fuck out my door, and don’t look back.”