Page 182 of Between Secrets and Obsession

I narrow my eyes wondering if he’s up to something, but I follow outside anyway, not wanting to be away from him.

“Are you just trying to get me alone? Perhaps some back seat sex for old times’ sake?” I waggle my brows.

“Maybe.” He removes the space between us and moments later my back is pressed against the front door, and I can feel his hardness against my stomach.

“Mmm, I’d be okay with that,” I whisper, fisting the bottom hem of his shirt, wanting him to be closer, though our bodies are pressed together.

“Fuck, I need you so goddamn bad.” He nibbles on my ear before placing his lips against my neck and paints kisses across my skin.

When we break away, I laugh. “So you didn’t get me anything?”

“I really did,” he says, placing a kiss on my forehead. He digs in his pockets and realizes they’re empty. “I was so excited to kiss the hell outta ya, I left my keys inside. Let me go grab them.”

“Just tell me what it is!” I exclaim.

“You’re impatient, just wait.” He twists the knob and goes inside the house, then returns with his keyless pad, holdingthem up for me to see. Instead of waiting, I follow behind toward the G-Wagon as he unlocks it.

It happens so fast I can’t even process it—a loud explosion and a burst of flames erupt—then complete darkness.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

LIAM

I walk outsidewith the key and Maddie starts following before I press unlock. Then it all happens way too fast.

As soon as I hear the double beeps of the G-Wagon unlocking, it explodes in front of us, and I fall to the ground. As I look toward Maddie, I see a piece of metal flying off and it strikes her.

It’s in flames, burning, hissing, cracking. Smoke invades the air, and the heat nearly burns my skin because I’m so close. I rush to Maddie, picking her up and carrying her away from the debris. She’s limp in my arms and there’s blood dripping down her face.

Sophie opens the front door and hysterically screams at the sight in front of her before everyone rushes out. She dials 911 and is frantic as she speaks. I try to wake Maddie and notice the large gash on her head.

“No, no,” I whisper, adding pressure to the wound with my palm. Mason takes off his shirt, then hands it to me, and I try to contain the bleeding.

My brain is scattered, and I know how dangerous it is for us to be standing close to the burning vehicle and inhaling the smoke, but I can’t think straight.

“Who would do this?” Lennon cries, and Sophie begs Maddie to open her eyes.

“Where is the fucking ambulance?” I ask, feeling helpless, and need them to come faster.

Mason checks her pulse. “She’s breathing, but her heartbeat is weak. I think she might have gotten knocked out from the blunt force, but there could be internal bleeding in her brain.”

I look at him with worry in my eyes as adrenaline pumps through my veins. I’m in so much shock, I barely notice the sirens in the distance or the police car pulling up. Moments later, there’s a firetruck and the EMTs bring out a stretcher, and I move back slightly so they can examine her.

“What’s the patient's name and age?” one of them asks, but I can’t move my lips.

“Maddie, and she’s twenty-one,” Sophie answers.

“Any allergies?” the other asks as he places a brace around her neck.

“No. I don’t think so,” Sophie responds again, looking as worried as me. Mason holds her close while Lennon stays close to the house with Hunter and Aaron.

The EMTs talk to each other and count to three, then lift her up onto the stretcher.

“She’ll need a scan of her head and probably some stitches,” one of them informs us. “We’ll take good care of her, don’t worry.”

They stroll her to the back of the ambulance, and that’s when I finally snap out of it. Maddie needs me, and I can’t be lost in my thoughts right now. Whoever did this will fucking pay. I don’t give two shits about that G-Wagon, but the fact that Maddie’s unconscious has me seeing red.

“You all need to back up. It’s too dangerous until we get this fire contained,” one of the firemen warn us.