Chapter Eight

Maxom

"Maddie," I whispered, sliding through the gravel on my knees to cradle her head in my hands.

Footsteps with the same cadence as mine followed much more sedately in my wake. I didn't look back or need to say anything for him to know to stay the hell back.

If I'd been a few minutes earlier.

If my brother hadn't detained me.

If he hadn't been an asshole and took her from me in the first place.

If I held her the way I should have, never played games with her, and told her I loved her.

So many fucking ifs that I didn't even care about the cold shock that doused my system at the last one. Because seeing her too pale, cold, and still in my hands was more than I could take.

"Who hit her?" I grated in a soft voice.

My fury brewed but now was not the time to take that out on the four drunk jocks peering over my shoulder where my brother should have been. A few murmurs answered me, but nothing coherent made it to my ears.

"Answer him," Lennox snapped at my back. He paused then spoke again. "I need an ambulance…"

That he called the emergency line without checking brought me some peace. If I lost her, that fragile slice of a future treaty would never be replaced.

"Who?" I roared over the chatter at my back.

"No one, man. She … I think she glanced off the headlights, running in those stupid ass heels," a jock offered weakly. "It was stopped. The car. No one hit her."

Except the scream of rubber rang like a death knell in my memory.

Liar, liar. I'll be the one who sets you on fire.

"Who?" I growled again.

"No one," Maddie whispered from ground level.

My head whipped around so fast it hurt. I didn't give a fuck about that, either. Just her. Everything was her.

She watched me, one hand raised to touch the side of her head. Her fingers came away red. She pressed them back and winced. "I fell."

"You fell," I repeated disbelievingly. "Are you shitting me, Sutcliff? You sprinted in those things."

"And I fell in those things, too. I'm no dancer, Maxom." Her soft admission sent much-needed color to her cheeks and set my dick thickening in my pants.

Time and a place. I'd have her later, any way she wanted me.

"I really wanna get you home in my bed," I murmured, sweeping hair back from her face. "But you need to get checked out first."

"No ambulance," she protested, shaking her head.

I stared at her for a long moment, noting her pinkening cheeks. "I'll pay for it."

"No."

"Maddie..."

"No."

I sighed "Fine. Sit up."

She sat.

"Stand."

Maddie rose, teetering a little but only from the knees down. I kept my hand at her back, not touching her but there should she need the support.

"Shake your head."

She shook it, tossing her hair back, and winced. I ran my fingers over her temple, pressing gently to the small cut at her hairline.

"Any vision issues? Light?"

She looked at the car headlights and winced again. "Only because we're in the dark. I'm fine, Max."

One hand planted on her hip, she popped it out leaving the dress swirling around her thighs. The tiniest hint of bare skin between her legs peeked out, the scent of her still permeating my head. Her breasts moved gently, her nipples pebbled as she stared at me with her customary brand of defiance that I loved so damn much it ached.

I swallowed. "Okay."

"Okay?" She raised an eyebrow. "What, no more orders?"

I reached for her waist and yanked her against my body. A small scream left her lips. Her eyes widened, and she clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Too late, Maddie Sutcliff," I crooned, enjoying her panic while she was enclosed in my arms. Fuck I'm falling for this girl so hard. "I screamed for you the moment I heard rubber squeal,"—I turned my head slightly, eyeing the jocks huddled together to pin their lies to their collective asses—"which means I'm your bitch. I'd tell you to kneel, but…"

"But?" she whispered.

"But I don't want to play this game anymore." At least not tonight. I just wanted her, exactly the way she was.

"Because I win," she smirked.

"Maybe." I kissed the tip of her nose and waved a hand at my back. Lennox canceled the ambulance in a soft voice, though I appreciated his effort. "What do you want me to do?"

Her head canted to one side, her smile growing. "Maybe I'd like to see you kneel."

"But I already did that for you tonight. Be creative, Mistress."

"Mistress?"

"Wasn't I supposed to be your bitch?" Those were the terms we agreed to, but I'd do whatever she wanted as long as I got to hold her, kiss her whenever I wanted.

"Mmm. I'll think about it," she murmured. Her brow furrowed. "But I need something to clean this up."

She brought her hand from her temple, and blood flowed freely from the scalp cut. I ripped my shirt over my head, pressing the cloth to the wound and kissing her mouth, then her temple.

"Whatever you need," I murmured.

And I meant it.