Chapter Thirteen
Maddie
“What the hell happened to your face? Have you been to the hospital? Why didn’t I see you?
Who did this to you? Did you call the police?
What did they say? How did this even happen?
” Toby practically yells his game of twenty questions, scrambling off the floor in such a way that I cringe away from him.
It’s like watching a man chase after a ping-pong ball that keeps bouncing away, or trying to step on a wrapper the wind keeps blowing from him, or trying to pick something up off the floor but missing each time and getting progressively more annoyed with every attempt.
It gives me the ick, as the youth of today would say, and I can’t stop the way my body visibly recoils from him when he steps closer and lifts his hand as though he’s about to cup my face.
I’d rather step into a raging volcano wearing a bikini, snorkel, and flippers than allow that infestation of a man to touch me ever again.
So, it’s with quick reflexes that would make Chuck Norris proud that I lean backward like I’ve just stepped out of The Matrix, dodging the touch as Toby’s hand swats awkwardly at the air in front of my face.
At the very same time, Caiden steps forward, pressing the back of his hand to my stomach and gently but firmly forcing me to step farther into my apartment.
The single touch sets off a whole flurry of butterflies inside me, my stomach somersaulting at the warmth that bleeds from his hand and through my hoodie.
He shuffles into the space where I’d been standing a second before, his beautifully built body blocking my view beyond the doorway so much that I have to lean to the side to see past him.
And what I see is pure comedy.
If it wouldn’t make this situation worse, I’d hug Caiden for putting the aghast look on Toby’s face.
His face is slowly flushing red, the usually tanned skin, often fake and from a bottle, growing ruddy with newfound anger, and I can see his chest rising and falling with barely contained fury.
I can’t really tell if it’s because my face is busted up at the moment, if it’s because of Caiden being here, or if it’s a beautifully concocted potion of both.
Either way, it sends a giddy little thrill through me seeing Toby all hell-bent out of shape.
The prick deserves so much more, but I’ll take this little win after the day I’ve had.
Feeling a little vindictive, not wanting to deal with Toby myself, and with the opportunity presenting itself too grandly to let pass by, I do what any crazy person would do in this situation.
I’ll apologize to Caid later, but for now, I use him like a well-loved dildo and lean my front into his back, wrapping my arms around his waist like I have every right.
Like he’s mine to paw all over, hugging him from behind like some cutesy girlfriend greeting her boyfriend after a long day.
“What took you so long, babe?” I wonder, softening my voice as I press one hand against a deliciously firm chest packed with tight muscle while the other drags along the washboard abs I can feel through Caid’s shirt.
Holy shit, the guy is ripped.
Caiden catches on pretty quickly. I’d like to think it was the look of sheer terror I sent him moments before Toby caught sight of my face that has him playing along so effortlessly, but my appreciation for him extends beyond time and space when he rests a free hand over mine as it caresses his abs like the pervert I apparently am and says, “Sorry, sweetheart. The line was long tonight, but the food is still hot. Let me just get rid of whoever this is and we’ll watch our show and eat. ”
I press my face into Caid’s back to stop myself from outright laughing at the expression that now paints Toby’s face, his mouth opening and closing like a fish caught in a net.
I didn’t think he could grow any redder, but I’m proven wrong when he turns a funny shade of tomato, the color spreading down his neck and beneath his skin-tight shirt that shows off his artificial muscle.
Nodding against Caid, my nose rubbing along his spine, I sigh and say, “Don’t be long taking out the trash. I’m starving.”
There’s every chance I utter the latter end of my sentence with a touch of seduction, a filthy little lilt to my words that says more than words ever could, that it’s not food I’m hungry for, and I almost melt against Caid when he chuckles lowly.
He matches my vibe, the hand resting against mine sneaking around me as he suddenly tugs me closer to his back.
My hands clench in his shirt, likely giving Toby a show he doesn’t want to see, and I actually shiver when Caid damn near growls, “I’ll feed you, baby.
Don’t worry. Go wait for me on the couch. ”
Phew, did it suddenly get hot in here? The hoodie I’m wearing grows too warm as a flush of heat pulses through my body, and it takes a Herculean effort to actually release Caid and remember I’m just using him to toy with Tobe the Chode.
My voice carries a deeper rasp than I can disguise when I answer, “Hurry up.”
Taking some liberties and hoping Caid won’t mind, I take my time releasing him, rubbing my hand over him like I’m a cat in heat.
I count every single one of his abs, storing the feel of all eight of them in my mind for future bedroom endeavors, biting my smile when I’m sure I feel him intentionally tense beneath my fingers.
When I finally relinquish my hold on my neighbor, I eye Toby with a look of pure disgust before turning my back to him, heading for the couch like I was told.
“Madison, what the fuck?” Toby finally explodes, his voice both hard and whiny, giving me the ick all over again.
Christ, he’s handsome, but what the hell did I see in him?
It’s as though the moment I caught him balls-deep in another woman, everything about him made me sick.
Sure, he’s good-looking, but he does absolutely nothing for me anymore.
There are four people I now know who are a billion times better-looking than him, and one of them is currently blocking his view of me and the inside of my apartment.
Is it weird to swoon at that? Oh, who cares? I’m a-swoonin’.
“Look, whatever your name is. Chode, was it?” Caid starts, and I slap a hand over my fucking mouth when a startled laugh escapes.
“Look, Chode. You’re harassing my girl at this point.
It’s late, Maddie’s had a long day, and I just want to chill with my girl without dealing with the clingy ex.
I don’t want to call the cops, but I’ll do it if you show up here again.
Maddie wants nothing to do with you. You blew it, man.
She’s moved on to greener pastures. Lose her number, forget her address, and move on. ”
I slump into the couch with my hand over my mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter, but I keep it bottled so I can hear the reply that will surely come from Toby.
Sure enough, the idiot snaps, “Who the hell do you think you are?”
“The actual boyfriend,” Caid is fast to respond, like it was on the tip of his tongue.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I turn to peer over the back of the couch, watching this train wreck unfold. Thankfully, Caid has taken a relaxed position, leaning against the doorway as though he hasn’t a care in the world, revealing a fuming Toby to my very amused eyes.
That gap allows me to see Toby shake his head in denial. “There’s no way. I would have heard something. Madison doesn’t date. Not ever. I was the exception. I don’t believe you.”
Caid shrugs. “I don’t care much about you believing me, dude. But that girl in there isn’t yours.”
“Because she’s mine,” a new voice counters, right before I catch sight of Rayne appearing behind Toby like a dark knight in a backward baseball cap.
“Don’t lie. We all know she’s really mine,” another voice counters, a challenge in his tone that sounds nothing like the gentle rumble I’ve received from him all day.
Baxter bumps his shoulder into Rayne’s, but his eyes are on Toby, glaring daggers like he’s begging the asshole to die where he stands.
Oh, how I wish that superpower existed outside the world of fiction and fantasy.
I’d pay a sickening amount of money to watch Baxter zap Toby out of existence with one perfectly aimed glare.
“I know you’re not all talking about my girl right now,” Ryan chimes in, because of course, why not?
Where there is one, there are four. Not that I’m actually complaining right now.
Hell, this is a reverse-harem fantasy come to life, even if it’s fake.
This is a girl’s wet dream coming to false fruition, and I’m loving every second.
Hell, the shitty day I’ve had is finally getting a glorious ending, with four dudes pretend-vying for my attention.
I mean, I’d consider this a whole lot more romantic than if it were real, because they’re currently saving me the hassle of having to deal with the cheating scumbag ex I really wish would leave me alone already.
“What the fuck is this?” Toby snarls, and I watch as he turns to glare daggers at me through the gap Caiden has allowed.
Like a total bitch, I poke my head farther over the back of the couch, smiling like the devil I can sometimes be.
I offer the man a wave, tilting my head like a curious kitten as I watch him try to take a step forward, only for his steps to be halted in four different directions.
Caid shoves a fist into his chest, Rayne nabs a shoulder from behind, Baxter grabs the opposite arm, while Ryan uses his arm to help Caid block Toby from stepping a single foot closer.
A girl could get used to this. It’s like I’ve accidentally gained four bodyguards who look like sin, the sugar hidden beneath the dangerous and scary exteriors they’re currently displaying.