13. Madelyn #2
The worst part is that I want to tell him.
A part of me wants to stop carrying this alone.
I want to trust him. I want to believe that he won’t run when he sees the ugliest parts of me.
But the other part reminds me that everyone I let close eventually gets hurt, and I can’t let Miles be another person I destroy.
By the time we pull into the parking garage beneath Miles’ apartment, I force myself to sit up. Both of them immediately turn around.
“Maddie?”
“Are you okay?”
The concern in their voices makes my chest tighten.
“I’m fine.” The lie comes out automatically.
It takes far more convincing than it should before they finally stop looking at me like I’m about to fall apart. They don’t need to worry about me. Especially not if I’m going to leave. Because that’s what I need to do. I need to get away before my father hurts them too.
The moment I step out of the Jeep, Miles is beside me.
Before I can take more than a few steps, his hand finds mine, his fingers weaving through mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
He gently pulls me toward him, and the second my body collides with his chest, every ounce of resolve I’d spent the drive building begins to crumble.
I melt against him before I can stop myself.
This is exactly why I need to stay away from him. Being close to Miles is too easy. Too comforting, and it’s dangerous.
I tilt my head up to look at him through the curls that have fallen into my face. His eyes search mine like he’s trying to read every thought I’m too afraid to say out loud.
Carefully he brushes a loose curl behind my ear, his fingertips lingering against my cheek.
“You scared me, Mads. I thought…” His voice trails off.
“I’m fine,” I interrupt quietly.
His expression softens, but he doesn’t believe me for a second. “Don’t do that.”
I frown. “Do what?”
“Pretend this wasn’t a big deal.” His thumb brushes lightly across my cheek. “You matter to me, Mads. More than you realize. So don’t stand there and tell me you’re fine when I watched you collapse.”
My chest tightens.
Every word out of this man's mouth makes it harder to remember why I need to leave.
I hold his gaze a second too long, completely losing myself in those impossible blue eyes. Then his lips brush gently against my cheek. The kiss is soft, barely even there, but it sends warmth racing through my entire body.
God…
Why does he have to make this so difficult?
A loud throat clearing breaks the moment. I jump back so quickly I almost trip over my own feet. Kaitlin stands a few feet away with her arms crossed and an amused smile tugging at her lips.
“So…” she says, looking between us. “Are you two done pretending there’s nothing going on, or should I give you another minute?”
Heat rushes to my face. “I…”
Miles chuckles beside me. “You’d better get used to it, Kaitlin.”
I shoot him a look that only makes him grin wider. Kaitlin rolls her eyes dramatically before walking toward the elevator.
“I was supposed to spend today studying,” she mutters. “Instead, I’m apparently chaperoning whatever this is.”
Despite everything that’s happened, I can’t help smiling. The elevator doors slide open, and the three of us step inside. Almost immediately, my eyes drift upward.
The security camera.
Heat creeps into my cheeks as memories of the last time Miles and I were in this elevator come rushing back. The kiss. The way Miles held me up as he absolutely devoured me. The poor security guard who probably watched the entire thing.
I risk a glance toward Miles. He’s already looking at me.
Of course he is.
One corner of his mouth lifts into a knowing smirk before he gives me a quick wink. My face burns. He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
I duck my head, biting back a smile as I stare at the floor, silently praying the elevator reaches his floor before I completely embarrass myself.
The doors slide open with a soft chime, and we step into the quiet hallway, our footsteps echoing against the concrete floor as we make our way toward the door.
Miles' hand squeezes mine three times when we see it and I can feel my stomach churn at the sight. His door is cracked open. One look at Miles and I can tell he didn’t leave it like that.
He’s here.
The thought crashes into me so hard it steals the air from my lungs. He’s waiting inside. He found me.
“What if someone is in there?” Kaitlin asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I don’t know.” Miles takes a slow step toward the apartment. “You guys stay here.”
“What?” I blurt.
“I’ll check it out.”
Absolutely not. Every instinct in my body screams at me to get out of this hallway. To run and get as far away from that apartment as possible. Because if my father is inside…
Miles has no idea what he’s walking into.
I instinctively take a step backward toward the elevator. Kaitlin notices immediately.
“Maddie?”
“What if…” My voice shakes. “What if it’s a trap?”
Miles looks back at me. The concern in his eyes nearly undoes me.
“I’ll be okay.”
No. He doesn’t understand. He can’t. He doesn’t know my father. He doesn’t know what he’s capable of.
Without another word, Miles pushes the door open. He disappears inside. Every second that passes feels like an hour. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until he finally reappears.
He looks…different. His shoulders are tense, his jaw clenched, but he isn’t hurt.
“It’s clear,” he says quietly, then looks back inside his apartment. “Come on.”
I step inside on shaky legs, my eyes immediately sweeping across the apartment.
The place is completely unrecognizable. The bar stools have been knocked onto their sides, one of them missing a leg completely.
The couch has been flipped over, its cushions scattered across the floor like someone had ripped the room apart looking for something.
Picture frames lay shattered beneath broken glass, and drawers from the kitchen hang open with their contents dumped carelessly across the hardwood.
It’s chaos. Violent fucking chaos.
My stomach churns as I glance over at Miles. For the briefest moment, his shoulders slump. His eyes move slowly over the destruction, taking in every broken piece of furniture, every shattered belonging. Then, just as quickly, the moment is gone.
His jaw hardens, the emotion disappearing behind a wall I can’t break through.
He isn’t looking for whoever did this. Miles walks toward the overturned couch and nudges one of the cushions with his boot.
It rolls over, exposing deep slash marks running through the fabric.
White stuffing spills across the floor where someone had repeatedly driven a knife into it.
“Oh my god…” The words barely leave my mouth. “Miles, I-I’m so sorry.”
My fingers disappear into my curls, gripping at the roots as tears sting my eyes. This is my fault. Every bit of it. If I’d stayed away from him…if I never let him get close, none of this would’ve happened. He would’ve gone home to a normal apartment instead of this.
I blink through my tears, trying to take everything in, when something near Kaitlin catches my eye.
A shattered flowerpot. Dark soil is scattered across the hardwood, but that’s not what stops me. There’s a footprint. Clear enough to make out the tread. My heart leaps into my throat.
Evidence.
“Kaitlin, don’t—”
My warning comes too late. She steps directly into the dirt, unknowingly dragging her shoe through the print before continuing toward the kitchen. The impression smears into nothing.
“No!” The word tears out of me louder than I intend.
Kaitlin spins around, her eyes widening. “Maddie?”
“You just ruined it!”
I rush toward the destroyed footprint, pointing helplessly at the floor.
“There was a footprint!”
Confusion flashes across her face before realization sets in.
“Oh my god, I didn’t even see it.”
“I know you didn’t!” My voice cracks. “But it was the only thing they left behind.”
The frustration that’s been building inside me all day boils over. “We could’ve—”
“Mads.” Warms hands settle gently on my shoulders. “Hey.”
His voice is calm and steady. “It was an accident.”
“No, you don’t understand.”
“I understand that this isn’t Kaitlin’s fault.”
I pull away from him, wrapping my arms around myself.
No. He doesn’t understand. He can’t. This isn’t just some random break in. This is him. He’s escalating. He’s getting closer. Every second I stay here, I put these people in more danger.
“Shit, Maddie,” Kaitlin says quietly. “I’m really sorry. I swear I didn’t see it.”
The guilt on her face is immediate and heavy. I close my eyes for a moment, taking a slow breath. She’s right. It wasn’t intentional. None of this is her fault.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, rubbing my forehead. “I know you didn’t mean to.”
The apartment falls silent. No one knows what to say. I pull my phone out of my pocket, hoping for even a second to gather my thoughts. The screen lights up almost immediately.
Unknown: Have you learned your lesson yet, Madelyn?
Every ounce of blood drains from my face.
He’s watching me.
Again.