Chapter 24

TWENTY-FOUR

I didn't want to leave Adeline.

Constant worry has made a home in my chest, refusing to leave. But with Archer's reassurance of settling his debts with Soren, I gave in when Adeline pled her case about why this trip was too important for me to miss.

Now I'm fucking cursing myself for leaving her alone. Panic has risen inside my body at an alarming rate. Ray has barely pulled into the driveway and parked the car when I jump out of the backseat. Lennon follows, his footsteps heavy behind me.

The rain is still pouring down in heavy sheets—a typical end of summer storm in New England. The tree branches sway angrily, the whipping rain falling against my face so hard it stings my skin. Trees slam against the brick exterior of the house, their leaves floating through the air and across the yard.

I stand in the driveway at the side of the house, but the house is completely dark now, with not a single light peeking through the windows. The gate to the backyard is wide open, and when a flash of lightning cracks in the sky, I get a clear view of the backyard.

Adeline is nowhere in sight.

I stand in a large puddle, the water soaking into my shoes and socks. The cool rain in the late summer heat mixes in the air, causing a chill to shoot straight into my bones. This doesn't feel right.

"Micah!" Lennon yells over the noise of the rain. I look over my shoulder at him. His suit is completely soaked, his tie clinging to his shirt. "Someone's in your house." He nods toward the back door, his eyes trained on one of the windows upstairs.

Both of our heads snap in the direction of the sounds coming from inside: shattered glass followed by muffled yelling.

"Have Ray call the police," I tell Lennon.

I don't even wait for his acknowledgement before sprinting to the back door. I make a quick run through the downstairs without any luck finding Adeline. I stop in the living room and listen for more sounds similar to those I heard outside. The floorboards creak upstairs, the muffled sounds of footfalls echoing through the ceiling. Following the sound, I run upstairs, unsure of what I'm going to find.

My mind plays over all different types of scenarios. Ones where Adeline is completely lost to me. One where I'll find Soren or Lachlan standing over her lifeless body. I'd be too late to save her. I wouldn't have kept my promise to protect her.

When I make it to the top of the stairs, I poke my head into each bedroom, calling for Adeline.

She doesn't answer, and each time I investigate a room, the claws of fear sink in deeper. The power is still out, making it harder to see. My eyes try to adjust to the lack of light, but every second that passes where I'm wasting time looking, I feel myself drifting farther away from finding her.

"Adeline!" I yell her name once I'm farther down the hallway and stop when I hear her groan coming from my bedroom.

I run the last few feet before I push through the partially open door.

My heart stops the second I see her.

Adeline is lying in the middle of the floor, curled in the fetal position. I sprint toward her, the blood draining from my face down to my feet. I'm weightless, and within a moment, my worst fears are realized. With shaky hands, I hold them above her, afraid to touch her. I don't know what to think or where to begin. I look her up and down. The tarp is lying beside her. She's wearing her dark green garden boots and her black raincoat. I fear she isn't breathing until I stare at her chest long enough to see it move. Her hood is shielding half of her face, and I push it back, my fingers grazing her skin. Blood drips from her mouth, and a large cut stretches from her jaw back to her ear.

I swallow the thick lump in my throat. "Addy?"

She groans, and I momentarily breathe a sigh of relief. My heart thumps in my chest at the sight of her. She squeezes her eyes shut, and I wrap my hands gently around her. I place one on her back. With my other, I hook my fingers under her chin, gently lifting it so she's looking up at me. Cracking her eyes open slowly, she takes me in.

"Micah?" she croaks.

"I'm here, baby."

She tries to move by lifting herself up onto her elbow, but she winces in pain. A sharp hiss slips between her gritted teeth, and her hand flies to her ribs.

"Don't move." Fear slips into my voice.

She's still groaning in pain when I lift her gaze to mine again. She falls back onto the floor, still holding her hand to her ribs.

"Who did this to you?" I ask.

She moans again, her chin trembling. If tears are spilling from her eyes, I'm unable to tell. She's still sopping wet from the rainstorm.

Her shoulders wrack with a sob and she squeezes her eyes shut. She rolls, burying her face away from view. The tip of her nose presses into the hardwood floor.

"Addy," I repeat, louder than the last. "Who. Did. This. To. You?"

She opens her eyes again, tears clumping her long, dark lashes. Thunder crashes in the background, vibrating the house. Addy's eyes meet mine and my heart tightens.

"Ma…" She quivers, widening her eyes, swallowing down her pain. "Maddox."

I wrap my hand around her jaw. My thumb catches the blood spilling from her cut.

Repeating his name in my head, it takes only seconds for me to remember who Maddox is.

Adeline's abusive ex. The one she left back in Los Angeles when she came to live with me.

My first instinct had been that Soren was responsible for this. Archer never confirmed he no longer posed a threat, but when I think about him coming back here four days ago, he must have truly settled his debt. At least enough to where it didn't put us at risk. My best friend has his issues, and I've taken the fall for him probably more than I should have, but he wouldn't have shown up if he knew his sister could be hurt.

"Oh, my God," I whisper as I run my thumb across Adeline's cheek. Blood streaks her skin, and I try to lift her head, but she hisses again in pain, crying out.

"He's still here," she whispers, her eyes wide with fear.

"We'll be okay." I try to reassure her. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"Step away from her."

A man I've never seen before steps out from behind my closet door. I catch his reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. His dark eyes are piercing in the blackness of the room. Lightning strikes again, highlighting the shadows of his face. He looks young—several years younger than me—with a boyish look to his face. Fucking weak.

My eyes drop to the knife he's holding, the blade glinting in the bit of light from the lightning.

When Maddox steps out from behind the door completely, I turn around and stand, shielding Adeline as much as possible.

"Get the fuck out of my house." I curl my hands into tight fists at my side.

"I think you must be confused." He lifts his hand to his chest, pointing the knife he's holding at it. "I'm not leaving here without Adeline paying for what she did."

"My patience is very limited, so I'll only tell you this one more time." White-knuckled, I tighten my fists even more. "Get the fuck out of my house, or you won't live to see the end of this storm."

"I don't think you understand what this little bitch did," he spits, waving the knife in my direction. He closes in on me, crossing the room to where Adeline and I are. I refuse to move away from her, but when he gets close enough to stick the knife to my own chest, I inhale a deep breath. One wrong move and he can stab me.

The tip of his knife presses into my tie.

I'm inhaling another sharp breath when his fist lands in the middle of my stomach. I hunch over, catching my breath. My mouth falls open and I fight the urge to vomit. Pain radiates across my body.

"No!" I yell around my constricted throat when I see Maddox moving toward Adeline. He bends down and grabs her by the back of the neck

She cries out when he lifts her up, forcing her to stand. Her head falls back, and her mouth falls open as he pushes her toward the other side of the room. He wraps his arm around her neck, holding her against his chest.

Looking up, I clutch my stomach, still trying to catch my breath. Fucking asshole hit me when I least expected it.

"Let her go," I choke out as I stumble toward Adeline, but I'm only a few feet away from her when I'm met with the tip of the knife pointed only inches from my face.

"Back the fuck up," he seethes, inhaling a deep breath. "I'm about to show this little girl exactly what she cost me and make sure she can never do it again." He keeps his arm outstretched as he sidesteps, keeping Adeline with him.

She stumbles on her own feet, trying to keep up. She's weak and injured, crying out in pain, sobbing while holding onto Maddox's arm with both her hands, trying to pull him away.

"Micah," she cries.

"Shut up, bitch!" Maddox booms.

My stomach wrenches, and my brain frantically searches for a way to get her out of Maddox's grip.

"Maddox," Adeline cries, switching tactics. "Please don't do this. It doesn't have to be this way."

Holding the knife to her throat, he walks over to the mirror and stands in front of it. The very mirror I managed to save from the pile of furniture salvaged from the shed out back. The wooden frame around the weathered glass is cracked in places, the stain peeling.

My eyes have finally adjusted to the darkness of the room, and the stars have cleared out. My vision is still slightly fuzzy as I work to regain my bearings, but I push the pain aside.

Maddox and Adeline are standing in front of the mirror. The glass is shattered, small shards and pieces of it lying on the floor. My eyes fall to Maddox's hand below Adeline's face. Blood drips from his sliced knuckles.

I stay where I am and think of what to do and how I'm going to get Adeline out from his grip. I know Lennon has called for help, but I start to wonder where he is. My eyes dart to the door opening, trying to hear for footsteps, but aside from the rain and thunder outside, the house is eerily quiet.

I glance around the room, searching for a weapon. On top of the dresser is my toolbelt, with my hammer still tucked inside one of the pockets.

I swing my gaze to Maddox and Adeline, making sure I don't lose them from my line of sight. Slowly, I sidestep toward the dresser.

"Shh. Hush, sweetheart," Maddox whispers into Adeline's ear as he runs a hand down the length of her cheek over the cut. "Open your eyes."

" No ," she cries out, squeezing her eyes shut. "Please."

He presses the knife harder against her throat. "Open them!" he yells, his veins bulging from his neck.

Adeline only cries harder, her shoulders wracking with fear. She shakes her head, refusing.

I step closer to him, everything in my body wanting to do anything I can to get him away from her. My heart breaks seeing Adeline in his grip.

His eyes shoot to me in the reflection. "Don't you fucking dare try it."

I stop, and Adeline's eyes finally open, but she doesn't look at herself or Maddox. She looks at me through the reflection in the mirror, her gorgeous eyes spread wide with fear.

I want to vomit.

"Oh!" Maddox snidely laughs. "You love him, don't you?" He snickers and clicks his tongue. "That's so sweet." He looks at me again. "Don't let this girl's beauty fool you. Don't let her suck you in like she did me. She uses her looks, then flips it around on you, making you seem like the fucking fool." Every word he spits grows louder, his anger consuming him.

"How so?" I ask, hoping if I keep the conversation going, he won't go through with his threat on Adeline. I'm hoping Lennon or the police will be here any second to back me up or end this.

"Let me tell you about this little slut." He lifts the knife and drags it across her open wound, tracing the line he's already placed on her face. Adeline's eyes are still squeezed shut, but she screams in pain. "She's just like every other model. She moves to Los Angeles, thinking she's some hot little shit, like she's going to make any kind of difference in this big fucking world. Instead, all she's doing is selling her fucking body and making horny men more feral. She doesn't give a shit about you or your livelihood." He leans into Adeline, pressing his cheek to hers. "You made a promise to me, didn't you?"

I take another step to my left, seizing the opportunity to move closer to the hammer. Maddox's eyes are still on Adeline when I finally reach the dresser and slip the hammer quietly out of the pocket. I hold it behind me and take a tentative step back to my right, returning to where I was before.

"What was your promise, huh?" Maddox asks Adeline, curling his lip.

"Maddox, please," Adeline begs. "Just let me go."

"What was it?" he barks.

Another sharp gasp escapes Adeline, and she shakes before she opens her eyes to find Maddox in the reflection. "That I wouldn't hurt you. That I would never look at anyone else."

"That's right." Venom slips into his words, fueled by his anger and hatred. "But what did you do?"

"Nothing," she whispers. "I didn't do anything."

"Don't lie to me!" He sniffs, wiping the spit hanging from his mouth from yelling. "After I caught you flirting with that photographer, you honestly thought I would believe it was innocent?" He scoffs, narrowing his eyes. "Women like you always play the victim, but after I confronted you about it in your trailer, you made a promise not to do it again." He clicks his tongue again in disapproval, still running his knife over the cut on Adeline's cheek. "Then look what you did. You came here and spread those long, pretty fucking legs and fucked your older brother's best friend."

A tear slowly spills over Adeline's lashes, sliding down her bloodstained cheek.

I hold my breath, the pain in my gut radiating with sickness.

"Oh, I know all about the little Harding brother here." He smirks. "She has a sweet little cunt, doesn't she?" He narrows his eyes to me through the mirror, tipping his chin higher. "Sweet like candy."

He traces his tongue over his mouth.

White-hot anger injects into my veins.

He focuses back on Adeline's reflection. "Mommy was more than willing to tell me all about how he opened his doors and offered to take care of you. It was so easy for you to move on, wasn't it?"

"You hurt me, Maddox," Adeline forces out. I can tell she's holding back her sobs, and I take another step closer.

I'm moving toward her when I see movement in the reflection of the mirror. Down the hallway, I catch the quick flash of Lennon's watch. I'm guessing he's sticking close to the wall, not wanting to give Maddox any hint of his presence, but knowing Lennon is close by gives me strength to make a move soon.

"I didn't hurt you," Maddox tells Adeline as he grips her cheek. " You hurt me ." With his knife, he drags it along her cheek once again. "I lost all my clients the second you decided to leave. My entire career has been destroyed because of what you've done. Now I'm returning the favor." He smiles at his handiwork on Adeline's face. "And now, I'll make sure you never seduce anyone else with this pretty face of yours."

He starts digging the tip of his knife deeper into Adeline's cut. She cries out in pain, and I decide to take my chance. I can't wait any longer. Adeline's pain tears into me, pumping me with adrenaline. I fought with others in prison. I know men like Maddox. They beat women because they're weak on the inside.

I lunge at Maddox. Pulling the hammer from behind my back, I slam it as hard as possible on the back of his arm—the one he's holding to Adeline's cheek. A loud bellowing scream leaves him as he stiffens. When he doubles over in pain, Adeline takes her chance and slinks out from his hold. She falls to the floor and crawls backward on her elbows, scrambling to get away.

Maddox spins around, eyes wildly fixed on me.

He's holding the back of his arm, groaning in pain when I switch the hammer to my left hand and rear my arm back to deliver a blow to his temple with my fist. He falls back onto the broken pieces of glass littering the floor in front of the mirror. The bones in his face crunch and crack under my fist.

He takes a second to catch his breath.

"Come on, asshole," he spits up at me while on his knees. "Do it. I dare you. I dare you to kill me. Kill me and you'll go straight back to prison, but this time you'll fucking rot. Right where you belong."

"Shut the fuck up." I growl and deliver another blow, and this time he flies onto his back on the floor. It doesn't take him long to try to roll to his side, but I'm quickly on him, holding the handle of the hammer over his chest, below the base of his throat, to keep him down.

He gasps for air, his eyes widening in shock.

My vision turns red, and the claws that once haunted my mind have returned. Every cut that's healed over the past few months reopens the second the claws expand. They slice into my mind, telling me I'm this person. The one full of vitriol and anger and resentment. The one who has a record and ruins the lives of those who care for him. The one who tells himself he's worthless and everything is lost. The one who swore he would do anything to protect those he loves, even if it cost him his own life.

I slide the hammer farther up Maddox's chest. Sweat drips down his face and neck, making it easier to hold against him.

His face turns purple, the veins bulging under his skin.

Seconds go by, and my vision turns black. I'm straddling Maddox while he struggles underneath me, and I add pressure on the hammer, leaning into it. His legs violently kick across the floor, and he grasps for the hammer. With gritted teeth, he stares into my eyes, challenging me, taunting me.

"Micah!" Adeline cries behind me. "Stop." I catch her reflection in the mirror, but she isn't looking at me through that anymore. Now, she's looking at me .

Her shaking hand lands on my back, and I'm thrusted back to the day I saved her from the water, thinking she was drowning.

Her eyes are wide, even as the blood spills from her cheek. Dark strands of brown hair saturated in rain and dirt frame her face. She's still gorgeous, and the claws in my mind that tell me I'm like him, that I'm worthless like my father, that I'll die just as vile of a human being as him, pull back. The more I concentrate on her hand on my body, the more I slip back into reality. I look down at Maddox and immediately pull away, dropping the hammer and crawling off him before moving to Adeline.

"Addy." I say her name in a tight voice, not fully realizing I have tears streaming down my face now. My chin quivers, and my throat swells.

"It's okay." She presses her hands to my cheeks, staring straight into my eyes. "We're okay."

I nod and look over my shoulder at Maddox. He's coughing, his body wracking and trying to recover. He's rolled on his side, clutching his neck just when the police barge into my bedroom.

It's soon chaotic, and panic settles in. Countless police officers enter with their guns pointed and their voices raised. I stare at the floor, afraid to look up. I hear Lennon's voice on one side of me, Adeline's on the other.

My body is tense, though, my muscles hardened and my breaths shallower. I feel myself inching closer to the edge of panic, remembering the feel of the cold, metal handcuffs locking around my wrists.

I hear the familiar click, and I swallow, trying to catch my bearings as I squeeze my eyes shut, willing the memories to disappear.

But a soft hand presses against my face once more, urging me to look the other way. I crack my eyes open and see Adeline, and my heart splinters at the sight of her.

"Addy," I whisper, but I'm unsure if she hears it.

Her eyes search my face before finally meeting mine.

A mixture of caramel and brown with flecks of sage green.

The breath is knocked from my chest when she leans forward and presses her forehead to mine.

"You saved me."