Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
He sighed. “Okay, but I want to talk. You’re upset about something.”
She finally lifted her face to him. Tears sheened her eyes. It took everything inside him not to wrap his arms around her and take away whatever strain he could. But since she didn’t want him touching her, he guessed he’d said or done something to upset her.
“Madison, I know you’re tired and under a lot of strain. I realize I haven’t always done a great job of handling things between us.” He tried to paste on a self-deprecating grin. “My communication style is…shit. I think to myself, and it doesn’t always occur to me to tell you what’s in my head. I’m sorry. We’re going to be here together for a while, so I’ll try to be better.”
She looked at him, a frown etched between her brows. “Do you have any idea why I’m upset?”
Not really, but at least she was talking to him. “Beyond the danger you’re in?”
She scoffed bitterly as she plucked the bacon out of the pan with tongs and laid each strip on a nearby paper towel. “The last few days have honestly felt like a hundred years, so that shit almost seems normal now.”
His heart broke for her. “But it’s not. I’m going to protect you.”
He felt her dejected sigh like a physical pain. “I know you’re doing everything you can. You dropped your life. I screwed up your work, your holiday—”
“You didn’t. And I don’t care about fucking fireworks. I care about what’s upsetting you. Tell me.”
She bit her lip. “I’m scared that someone found me at Nash’s so quickly. I have no idea how…”
He didn’t believe that’s what had her near tears, but he’d play along since that had been bugging him, too. “If I had to guess? Once the senator realized you’d skipped town and headed to Lafayette, they probably started watching my communications. Nash was the first person I came in contact with after you arrived in town. His apartment is crawling with video surveillance because most of the tenants are college kids. I thought we’d disguised you, but not well enough to evade their facial recognition.”
Matt had underestimated Todd’s reach and ruthlessness. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
“That’s terrifying.” She poured the eggs into the sizzling pan and grabbed a spatula.
“I know. But be honest. You’re not weepy because your in-laws are dangerous. You knew that,” he pointed out as he dropped bread in the toaster for her. “It’s something I’ve said or done.”
Madison didn’t say anything for a long minute, merely scrambled the eggs until they were fluffy, added salt and pepper, then divided them onto two plates, along with the bacon before handing him his food. “And if you don’t know what, then it doesn’t matter. Let’s just focus on getting through this train wreck alive, okay?”
No, it wasn’t okay, but it was more important for her to eat now than for them to argue.
In the next instant, her toast popped up, breaking the silence. Matt turned and plucked up the slice, then slid it onto her plate. “Sit down. I’ll get you some butter.”
She grabbed a fork and set her plate on the eat-in bar. “I can get it.”
Of course, but that wasn’t the point. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path, and stared straight down at her. “I said I’ll get it.”
Madison backed up at the low rumble of his voice. Was he scaring her…or getting through to her?
“Fine.” She rounded the bar and slid onto her stool, waiting patiently.
He brought the butter and a knife, then slid onto the next seat. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled as she spread it on her toast, not meeting his stare.
They ate in silence, Matt reflecting on Madison’s sudden acquiescence. Granted, she’d given in about butter, not anything actually important, but his impromptu experiment suggested he should be more assertive until they had cleared the air and she believed he’d take care of her.
It was up to him not to fail.
Once they finished their food, she slipped away for a quick shower. Jack’s keyring was burning a hole in Matt’s pocket. He was dying to know what the Cajun had locked behind that door, but he’d wait until he could investigate without Madison stumbling in. No need to scare her in case the contents were heavy on the whips and chains.
Did she know she was submissive? That was an interesting question…
As the shower ran, Matt cleaned up the kitchen. Once he’d finished, the bathroom was open, and a perfumed cloud of citrusy steam tumbled into the hall. The closed door told him she’d shut herself in the bedroom.
The two of them couldn’t go on without some honesty. On a lot of levels, she didn’t trust him. He’d try to fix that once he had a shower. It was crucial in case Todd’s goons caught up to her again. The difference between Madison’s life and death might be listening to him if he told her to run.