18. Madison
MADISON
I shouldn’t be here, but my vagina feels like someone lodged a telephone pole in it repeatedly. The walk across campus feels daunting, even though I’m freezing in this stupid tank top.
I should go back to my dorm, crawl under my blankets, and let everything that happened tonight crush me in private. But I know he’ll just come after me. Hayden always comes looking for me.
My skin prickles as I sense movement behind me, and when I glance toward the bonfire, I see him.
The glow of the fire flickers across his face, illuminating the sharp angles of his jaw, the intense glint in his eyes. He looks absolutely furious, and I suspect it has less to do with me and more to do with the way Kirsten is consoling a sobbing Bethany as they walk out of the treeline.
I fight the sudden urge to flip him off, my fingers twitching at my side. He’s acting like I’m upset that he fucked me up against a tree, but that isn’t it at all. I waited there for him, knowing he would find me. I’m angry because I let myself feel so connected to him, trusted him, and then he was totally distant. He was inside of me, hands gripping my skin so tightly I’ll probably have his fingerprints on me tomorrow, but mentally he wasn’t there. I could see it on his face, he was thinking about something that, in my opinion, had nothing to do with the intimate moment we were sharing.
I realized then that I’m in over my head. When this is over with him, it’s going to hurt far worse than I could have imagined. I never expected for Hayden to love me, or for any of this to be more than a game of cat and mouse disguised behind sweet and sometimes unhinged gestures.
My attention is pulled to the other side of the fire, where Callum is arguing with a petite girl with long wavy chestnut hair. I recognize her from one of my classes, and I think she stuck out to me because I really like her name.
“My brother doesn’t care if I’m here,” Lilac says, her tone defiant as she glares up at Callum. The girl next to her rolls her eyes and walks over toward me, like she knows getting away from whatever is about to happen is her best option. It’s like this happens often, and she’s not fazed by them.
Callum chuckles, but there’s no humor in it. His expression is dark, his movements intimidating as he leans closer to her.
“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not your brother,” he says, and I don’t think in the handful of times I’ve been around him, I’ve ever seen him serious, let alone angry. “You’re not hanging out here, we’ve talked about this.”
Before she can argue, he grabs her and tosses her over his shoulder like she weighs nothing. I’ve heard Kirsten talking about him, and apparently he comes from a whole family of bull riders up in Castlebrook Falls.
My eyes widen as he nods toward Hayden, as if to say he has to go take care of something and won’t be around for a while. He turns, doing the same thing to Tristan who’s sitting by the fire with Winter perched on his lap.
Callum starts walking back toward the path that leads to campus. “Callum, put me down!” Lilac snaps, swatting at his backwards baseball cap.
In response, he slaps the back of her thigh, the sound sharp enough to make me wince. Lilac lets out a startled yelp, her voice high and indignant.
I feel Hayden’s gaze on me, heavy and unrelenting, and I instinctively turn my back to him because I need some time to compose myself.
Lilac’s friend sighs, nodding in Hayden’s direction. “Your boyfriend is staring holes into the side of my head, so I think I better go.”
Her chuckle is soft as she pats my arm and calls out, “Callum! Wait up! I don’t want to walk in the woods alone.”
I watch her jog after him, leaving me alone by the fire. Hayden starts toward me, his steps deliberate, his gaze locked on mine. My stomach tightens as I see the determination in his eyes, the kind that makes it impossible to look away.
But before he can reach me, all hell breaks loose. Three shots ring out, and on instinct I hit the ground. Three figures emerge from the tree line, their movements quick and calculated. They’re dressed in black hoodies, their faces obscured by masks, and their black cargo pants make them difficult to see in the darkness. The glint of metal in their hands freezes me in place. Guns. I vaguely hear Kirsten and Bethany screaming, but it’s like I’m in a tunnel and all I can focus on is the weapons.
My breath catches, my chest tightening as panic claws its way up my throat and my eyes find Hayden’s. “Ah, ah, ah, not so fast,” one of them says, his voice mocking as he steps into Hayden’s path toward me. He lifts his gun and points it directly at me and that’s the only thing that keeps Hayden from moving a muscle. I glance over and see Kirsten and Bethany holding each other and crying. They’re sitting down and one of the men lifts his gun and wacks Bethany across the temple with it so hard that she slumps over instead of screaming.
The man’s eyes glint with amusement. “Wouldn’t want the big, bad hockey captain playing the hero now would we? No, I think you’ve done enough of that lately, don’t you think? Beating the fuck out of anyone who looks at the new little bitch.”
I can feel Hayden’s rage from here, radiating off him like heat. His fists clench at his sides, and I know how much self-control it’s taking in him not to launch himself at the guy.
Another figure shifts, turning his attention to Winter who is now standing next to Tristan, leaning into his side. His voice is sharp and grating as he sneers, “Why don’t you hand over your little sister, big guy? We’ve got plans for her too.”
Winter freezes, her pale face illuminated by the fire. Her wide eyes dart up to Tristan, and in an instant, he pulls her against him, his large hands curling around her delicate neck.
“Come near her, and I’ll snap her neck myself,” Tristan growls, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. I don’t know him well, but he seems serious, like he’d actually kill her before letting them take her. Winter doesn’t flinch. Instead, she leans into Tristan’s touch, her head tilting slightly as if to say she trusts him more than anyone. Her calm acceptance sends a shiver down my spine. She’s prepared for this, like she’s been in this situation before.
The third man, who has been silent until now, snorts over his laugh. “We don’t have time to fuck his little doll.” His voice sounds weird, like he’s trying to distort it. It’s not consistent at all, his real voice slipping through.
“Bravo,” the first man says, his tone mockingly theatrical as he claps his hands slowly. “What a hero.” At least he isn’t pointing his gun at me anymore.
“Let’s make this quick,” the second man says, his eyes shifting to Hayden and then to me. “I think we should play a little game. What do you say, Lockwood?”
My stomach drops.
Hayden steps forward, his jaw tight, but the man raises his gun slightly, halting him in his tracks.
“Careful,” the man warns, his voice taunting. “Wouldn’t want to do anything you’ll regret.”
They circle us like predators, their movements slow and deliberate, relishing the fear they’re spreading. “Think you’re in control here, huh?” the first man says, his gaze darting between Tristan and Hayden. “Let me guess, Lockwood thinks he can take all of us, and the ballerina’s big brother thinks he’s the scariest guy in the woods.” He laughs.“Newsflash,” he adds, his voice dropping. “You’re not.”
They’re toying with us, drawing this out on purpose.
I glance at Winter, her face calm and unreadable despite the grip Tristan has on her neck. I have a view of his other hand and the way it’s shoved in his pocket, I can only hope he’s gripping a knife.
I shift my hand into the pocket of my jeans, wrapping my hand around my box cutter. As if he senses my movements, the first man’s eyes land on me, and my blood runs cold. “Got anything to say, princess ?” he asks, his tone dripping with mockery. “Did you like my little love notes I sent you?”
Hayden’s eyes burn into mine, and I wish I hadn’t walked away from him. If I’m going to die tonight, I’d rather it be next to him. I feel bile rise in my throat, but before I can spiral any further, the words escape me. I look at the man who held the gun on me. “Are you here because of my father? You’re the one who killed him, aren’t you?” I blurt out, the questions tumbling from my lips like a reflex.
They ignore my question, and everything seems to happen at once. We’re being ushered away from the bonfire and to a path that I don’t know where it leads
One of the men snaps his head toward me, his eyes narrowing. “You seem awfully calm for a girl being held at gunpoint,” he sneers. I don’t respond because I’m trying to figure out how we’re going to get out of this. I realize that they’ve led us to the cemetery on campus. I suspect they brought us here because the bonfire is bright and could potentially draw attention to us. None of us tried to run. We’d be stupid to do so with all three of them having guns. Even Tristan complied with the scenery change, despite the fact that he’s still got Winter by the neck, holding her more like a hostage than the love of his life.
Hayden shifts on his feet like he’s moving toward me. I wince because if they kill him, I’ll never get over it. I will never be the same.
“Make a move, pretty boy,” another man says, his gun lifting to point directly at me, “and you’ll be wearing her brains.” Hayden doesn’t move, but I can see his nostrils flare, but I realize that he moved to distract the men. Winter is now facing Tristan. It looks like she’s seeking comfort from him, but her hands are between them and I suspect she’s got her phone.
“Hayden, stop! Please, you’re my only brother. You’re my whole heart,” Kirsten’s voice cuts through, and I swear everyone looks at her like she’s lost her mind. How in the world is she going to make this about her right now?. “She’s not worth it! Just let them take her. Clearly Madison is who they’re here for. She’s not good enough for you, and you know it,” she adds.
My stomach twists painfully, the verbal blow landing harder than it should. I don’t want Hayden to risk his life for me either, but hearing Kirsten say it out loud, like that , makes me feel like I’ve been struck in the face.
One of the men chuckles darkly, the sound slithering down my spine like ice cubes. “Bold one, huh?” he says, and the asshole sounds amused. He tilts his head slightly, glancing between us. “Let’s see who he thinks is worth it.”
My blood runs cold as if the entire world has been frozen in this moment. The men seem to communicate silently, their movements precise and deliberate. One lifts his gun to point at Kirsten, while the other shifts his aim to me.
Their game settles over us like a suffocating blanket, and for a moment, time stands still.
“Choose,” the first man says, his voice menacing. “Your family?” He tilts the barrel toward Kirsten. “Or the whore you fucked in the woods?” He shifts it to me. I close my eyes, taking in a deep breath, because this is it. They might fight like siblings do, but there’s no way he’d actually let her die.
Without hesitation, Hayden says with a steady voice, “If you so much as touch Madison, I’ll spend the rest of my life hunting you down. You know I have the means to do that, so think very carefully about what you do next. Fuck with my girl and you’ll beg me to send you to hell.”
The realization hits me like a tidal wave, washing over my mind and pulling me under. Everything he’s done, all the chasing, the possessiveness, it wasn’t just a game to him.
He’s choosing me.