Make You Mine (Hide & Seek Duet #2)

1. Madelyn

MADELYN

I let a man have me at his mercy once, and I’ll never make that mistake again.

That’s to say I get it. I’m a dark romance girl. A proud member of the masked men thirst trap fan club. I’ve done my fair share of drooling over fictional characters and thrown my dignity out the window more often than not.

But I’ve never seen my coworkers act this way.

And not just any coworkers. Our most senior teachers, two women who are probably my grandmothers’ age, if I were to have one, are putting dogs in heat to shame.

Hannah and I, the only other teacher my age and my one friend, are sitting in the teacher’s lounge with our lunch, enjoying the show unfolding before us.

“Have you seen the new teacher?” one woman murmurs to the other.

“He’s so hot.”

“I’d so take some of his workload if he asked me.”

“I heard he’s the P.E. teacher, so no workload for him, honey. Just a lot of sweaty kids.”

“I’d willingly let him make me sweat,” the first woman says.

“You sweat going from one corner of the room to the other, doubt it’d take much effort.” The second woman laughs. “I heard he’ll be the new hockey coach, too. Should we ask to be his puck bunnies?”

“Oh, Berta!” her friend slaps her arm. “We’re too old for that.”

“Age is just a number.”

The two women giggle amongst themselves.

Hannah’s holding back from bursting into laughter, while I’m masking my expression way better than I thought I would.

“There’s no way he’s that hot,” I whisper to her.

Hannah agrees—and that’s why we’re friends. That, and our love for smutty books.

“I guess we’ll find out when we meet him,” she says, rolling a piece of her blonde hair around her finger.

“Mark my words, he’s not going to top any of our book boyfriends.”

“You think?” Hannah giggles. “I mean, at least he’s real. He’s got that going for him.”

“Nothing a little imagination and a toy can’t help with.” My voice is low and I feel my cheeks flush.

Not that I’m embarrassed about using toys for my own pleasure or anything.

Every woman should, and they help satisfy ourselves more easily than men do.

I’m an advocate. But I don’t want our coworkers to imagine things.

“You’re not wrong there.” Hannah nods. “I do love my big purple boy at home.”

“Sounds like you’re talking about an alien or a beast of some sort, not your vibe.”

“Who knows. Maybe I have both at home.” Hannah winks at me.

The older teachers throw us a look and soon leave the room.

“Lower your voice, or you’ll scare off the rest of the school,” I warn my friend.

“Oh, you mean the puck bunnies? I’m sure they left because their blood pressure got high from all the heated talk or something and had to get checked.”

I chuckle. “You’re so mean.”

“Sometimes. But I’m funny too, admit it. You liked that one.”

I shrug. “Guilty as charged.”

“Back to dildos.”

“Yep. Underrated,” I whisper, voicing my opinion. “Better than most men.”

“Girl, you need to lower your guard when it comes to men. In the time I’ve known you, and that’s what—two years?”

I nod. It has been two years since I started working at this school.

“I have never seen you talk about a date. I don’t think you’ve dated anyone. Have you?”

“I have. I never mentioned it because, as usual, the men in my life only know how to disappoint me, and the failed dates I’ve gone on did exactly that.” They all either ghosted me before a second date or left before the fun even started, without even bothering to contact me.

“Men can suck ass,” Hannah says. “But are you going to let a few rotten apples define the rest of your life?”

“I have no interest in dating, Hannah. I’m too busy right now.”

“With your vibe and your slutty books?”

I roll my eyes and nudge her. I do not condone being called out like that. “With work.”

“You know, it’s okay to let go sometimes. You should let me take you out one of these days.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Would it kill you to say yes?”

But I’m not listening to her words anymore, because right behind her, a man is standing and staring around the room. He’s tall, with short, trimmed black hair, a middle-part hairstyle, wide shoulders, and a chiseled jawline.

The new P.E. teacher slash hockey coach, wearing black pants, a long-sleeved black shirt, and a whistle around his neck to make it obvious who he is, is making his presence known.

“Earth to Maddy.” Hannah swings her hand in front of my face. “What are you so distracted with?”

It doesn’t take her but a second to spin and find out.

“Holy fuck.” She startles. “They were not kidding. He’s fiiine.”

But that’s not why I can’t stop staring.

Why my whole body is tense.

I’m paralyzed.

The owner of my wettest dreams and my worst nightmares just walked through the door.

The one who played me like a marionette seven years ago, in my first year of college, fresh out of high school.

I never thought I’d see him again.

His face lights up when he catches a glimpse of me with those penetrating dark-blue eyes, a smirk lifting the corners of his lips.

He stops by us, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand, my lips quivering.

No freaking way.

“Hey, Little Demon,” he says. “I’m back. Missed me?”

Hannah’s jaw is on the floor.

‘What the fuck?’ she mouths at me. ‘Did he just call you a little demon?’

“Are you not gonna introduce me to your friend?” Kayden, my evil stepbrother, asks, pressing his palm to the back of my chair.

I glare at him.

“Hannah,” I say, stretching my arm to point at Kayden. “This is Kayden. The new P.E. teacher, I guess?”

He nods. “Yep. And hockey coach.”

“And Kayden.” I point at my friend. “This is Hannah.”

“Nice to meet you, Hannah.”

Kayden extends a hand toward Hannah, and she grabs it. “Nice to meet you.”

She’s completely hypnotized by him, like I was a moment ago. Now, anger replaces the incredulity.

“He’s also my estranged stepbrother.”

Hannah’s eyes widen. “WHAT?”

“Yeah.” I shrug. “That’s the only inconvenience.”

Kayden cackles from behind us. “Wow. Okay, this is how you’re greeting me after not having seen me for seven years?”

I look over my shoulder, up at him. “Do you want a hug?”

“I mean, that’d be nice,” Kayden says. “I don’t bite.”

“Oh, but I do.” My face is serious, not a hint of amusement in my voice. “Actually, no. I don’t. I stab. Get closer to me, and you’re done for, asshole.”

“Ouch. You guys have some unresolved business between you, don’t you?” Hannah giggles, amused.

She’s clearly trying to release the tension between us.

But I’m afraid it’ll take more than talking to do that.

“You could say that,” Kayden agrees, pressing both palms to his pockets.

“Mr. A’gosto?”

We spin to face the voice calling out to Kayden.

It’s so strange to hear my own last name being called out, referring to someone other than me.

Regina, the school secretary, pops her head into the teacher’s lounge.

“Principal Schultz will see you now.”

Kayden nods at her.

“I’ll catch up with you later. Nice seeing you again, sis.” He smiles smugly. “Hannah.”

Kayden leaves, and so does my peace of mind.

Hannah folds her arms. “Okay. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, young lady,” she says in her most mom-like voice.

It makes me laugh, releasing some of the tension I have built up inside me.

“No, but seriously.” She goes back to her normal voice. “You can’t drop a bomb like that and move on. What the hell was that?”

I wish I could explain. I wish I knew.

What is Kayden doing here, and why is he back?