Page 27

26

MADISON

W e head back to the living room, my hand wrapped inside Jagger’s warm hand. His thumb caresses the palm of my hand, sensing my nervousness.

Yeah, I barely met his family and best friend before I had a meltdown. A justifiable meltdown, but still.

Jagger leans down, whispering in my ear. “They won’t hold it against you. I’ve done and said much worse.”

His words relax me and the image that fills my head causes a small giggle to escape. “I can only imagine,” I whisper back, earning a chuckle that makes me shiver. Why the hell does he affect me the way he does?

“It’s about time.” Abby swivels around, her hand rubbing her belly. She frowns as her gaze lands on Jagger’s bloody bandages, then to his face. Pointing at the cot that is now beside the couch, she says, “Lay on it. Maddie can sit beside you while I work.” Her brown eyes flit to my apologetic face. “That is if you don’t mind me stitching him in front of you?”

Waving my hand dismissively, I grin. “No, I don’t mind that at all. But sitting next to him, on the other hand…” Peeking up at him, a teasing smile is on my lips.

“I warned you about lying to me. Don’t make me fuck you in front of my family,” he whispers into my ear, making me still.

“Jagger, stop embarrassing the woman and get your ass over here.”

Giggling, I look at Abby, loving her feisty, demanding nature. She’s not the slightest bit intimidated by Jagger, knowing how far she can push him. Knowing he won’t hurt her.

“None of that,” he whispers, interpreting the look on my face. “We’re good, remember?”

A smile stretches my face, and I nod. I was stupid for thinking it was him who raped that girl. That alone should have convinced me it wasn’t him, even though I still can’t remember who it was.

As we move closer to the three of them and the cot, the guy standing beside Abby gives me a warm smile. “Hey, Maddie. I’m Bryce, Abby’s husband, and Jagger’s best bud.” My eyes meet the brown-haired guy beside Abby, his arm moving around her waist after he set a bag down beside the cot. He has a calming presence about him, and I picture him being the mediator between this wife and her siblings. I instantly like him.

“Hi. It’s nice to me you.”

“Hey. That’s my role, thief.” The dark-haired guy with blue eyes says, folding his arms over his chest. He’s about the same height as Jagger, wearing a hoodie, jeans, and boots. He has a cockiness about him that rivals the man beside me. “Hey, Maddie. I’m Jason, Jagger’s brother. Don’t listen Bryce. He’s a lying asshole. I’m Jagger’s best friend.”

Jagger’s hand squeezes mine and I look up at him. “Sorry I didn’t warn you about Jason. He’s a needy asshole. And a tattletale,” he snaps, his gaze locking on him.

Jason doesn’t seem fazed. “Look at your fucking arm, brother. You need stitches. I did what I had to do.” He reaches out, holding his hand out. “Don’t listen to Jagger.” My hand reaches out, shaking his. “You know, I’m not nearly as temperamental as Jagger. And my dick—”

In a flash, my hand is ripped from Jason’s, my body being tugged against Jagger’s until my back slams into his hard chest. “Don’t fucking finish that sentence unless you don’t want to have any teeth in your mouth.”

Bryce snorts and turns away as Abby shakes her head, then rolls her eyes. “Guys.” Her voice is a warning as she points to the cot. “Jagger. Lay your ass on this before I have Bryce push you on the fucking thing.”

I can’t help the snicker that comes out of me. My hand flies over my mouth, trying to get myself under control.

“Oh, that’s funny, huh, baby girl.” His voice is against my ear, goosebumps covering my skin as I squirm. “You better behave. My cock is dying to be inside you.”

Shit . Desire races through my veins, my lips parting. Lewd images of me and Jagger in his truck roll through my head and I forget about everything and everyone around me.

Chuckling, Jagger steps around me, tugging me along with him as he shoves his shoulder against Jason, pushing him back. Jason grins at me as I pass him, and I give him a small smile before Jagger steers me to the couch. Releasing my hand, he turns to Abby. “You want my sweatpants off now or later?”

“Whatever works for you.” She flits around, getting everything ready on the small table that’s set up beside the cot, before sinking into the chair. “Stop procrastinating and get over here.”

With a wink at me, Jagger grabs the waistband of his sweatpants, yanking them down. My eyes trail over him as he kicks them off, then picks up his sweatpants, tossing them at me. A surprised burst of laughter comes from me as I catch them. But it doesn’t last long as my heated gaze moves over him, taking in the way he looks in his black boxers. Biting my lip as my gaze locks on his dick before he moves, sitting on the cot.

Jason lets out a whistle. “Damn, Jagger. Now I get why you’re so obsessed with Maddie. I’d be, too, if a woman looked at me like she couldn’t wait to devour me.”

Oh my God! My face is bright red as everyone laughs. Why the hell can’t the floor open and swallow me?

“I mean, damn, the way she just looked at your dick. It’s like—”

“Enough, Jason. You’re embarrassing the hell outta her.” Jagger’s voice silences the room. I look up from where my fingers have been twisting the fabric of his sweatpants, shocked and grateful he stopped my increasing humiliation. He winks at me, then throws his legs on the cot. “For the record, that’s only one of the reasons I’m obsessed with her. You haven’t even scratched the surface of how amazing she is.”

My mouth drops open as Jagger stretches his legs out, his back lowering to the cot. Wow. That was nice. And completely unexpected.

Jason’s voice draws my attention. “I’m just teasing. Well, sorta. I’d love a woman to look at me the way you were looking at Jagger.” He winks, a grin on his face but there’s a lingering sadness in his eyes, making me wonder what his story is. There’s an undercurrent of loneliness I recognize, having felt a lot of that since my dad died. Well, until the man lying beside me on the cot came into my life.

My gaze moves to Jagger. His head is turned to me, a smile on his face as Abby works on his arm. This man is the only one who eased my loneliness since my dad died . But it’s not just that. He does little things that show me he cares. And of course, saving me, which he’s done on more than one occasion, drives it all home. It’s ironic that my stalker has shifted into becoming someone I don’t want to be without.

“What the hell are you doing, going off half-cocked on your own? You could have gotten killed.” Abby’s stern voice draws my attention as she glares at Jagger, pointing a finger in his face.

As she continues lecturing him, my gaze drifts to the bandages around his arm and leg, frowning as I look at them. He could have gotten himself killed tonight. The thought bothers me a hell of a lot more than I like. Biting my lip, my gaze moves from his wounds to Jagger’s face as he explains he saw an opportunity and took it. She looks unconvinced as she grabs her stuff, setting to work on him.

“Ignore them. There’s all bark…” Bryce’s voice is low, drawing my gaze to him. Cocking his head, he gives me a warm smile, like he knows my thoughts are in a dark place.

Why am I so bothered at the thought of Jagger getting killed? I’d be free to return to the life I said I wanted.

Do I want that life? One without him? My heart squeezes inside my chest, sucking the air from my lungs. My gaze moves to Jagger, his onyx eyes already on me, intent on my face. His eyes are soft, as though he knows what I’m thinking. Memories of the way he’s infiltrated my life slam through my head. As the furious whirlwind of my thoughts stop spinning, one thing is glaringly obvious to me. Every calm moment, every time I felt safe and cared for, it was because of the man lying on a cot beside me.

Swallowing hard, my fingers twist his sweatpants, my brow furrowed. I shouldn’t feel this way about Jagger, but I do. While I’m grateful he’s saved me, not just from the handsy guy at the coffee shop, but especially from a serial killer, it’s more than that. He grounds me, bringing me peace. Though he has a rough, demanding demeanor at times, he can be surprisingly gentle and amazingly intuitive when it comes to me.

Fuck. Am I falling for my stalker?

I can’t be—right?

“So, Maddie. Do you have any single friends?” Jason’s voice pulls me away from the tortuous thoughts churning in my head about Jagger.

“Sorry, Jason. Married, dating someone, or a skank.” Oops. That last one slipped out of me.

“Skank? Do tell.” Jason sits across from me, leaning forward with anticipation.

“Don’t get excited. I was referring to my former roommate and best friend, who I’m fairly certain was fucking my boyfriend.” I close my eyes as soon as I say the word “boyfriend,” hearing Jagger’s growl. Instinctively, I reach my hand out, my touch reassuring.

What are you doing, Maddie? He’s jealous because you mentioned your boyfriend and you’re reassuring him with your touch? Then I think about how he reassured me in the bathroom, and all the tension drains from my body. This whole… thing… between Jagger and me is unconventional.

“Oh, damn. She does sound like a shank. Never mind.” Jason waves his hand dismissively, looking disgusted, and I can’t help but like him.

“Yeah, she’s not in your league. It’s too bad Ashlynn is seeing someone…” my voice trails off. What am I doing? Talking like I’m going to set Jagger’s brother up with one of my friends so what—so Jagger and I can go on a double date with them?

What the hell did that ketamine do to me? It’s because I was drugged. It has to be . Because if not… I’m in trouble.

Jagger’s family is amazing and I’m envious of the close-knit relationship they share. My gaze slides to Jagger, who is watching me intently, his brows furrowed like he’s watching a movie, putting the pieces together before the ending is revealed.

Slow down, Maddie. You don’t know him well. How do you know Jagger is sincere in his feelings for you?

Abby finishes stitching up Jagger, her gaze moving to mine. “I want to check you over, just as a precaution. I don’t anticipate you feeling anything less than fine.” She gives me a reassuring smile. “I have some medication to help with any side effects.”

“Will my memory come back?”

Abby shakes her head. “Not from the medication. It will come back though, Maddie. Jagger told us you experienced a traumatic event before he injected you.”

I nod, trying to keep myself from flashing back to that awful moment.

“It will come back, Maddie. Just give yourself time. Don’t try and force yourself to remember.”

“Okay.” Giving her a weak smile, my gaze locks on Jagger, now stitched and bandaged. Throwing his legs over the side of the cot, he reaches out a hand toward the sweatpants that are in my lap. Wordlessly, I hand them to him.

“Thanks, baby girl.” He puts one foot in, then the other, before standing. He slides them over his muscular body, my gaze drinking in his flexed muscles. The man has the physique of a professional athlete, not an ounce of fat anywhere that I can see. He must spend hours working out to look like that.

Jagger comes over beside me, the couch cushions sinking from his large mass. Grabbing me, he pulls me against him, his arm resting over my shoulders.

“Jagger. Watch your arm.” I gently grab his hand, throwing a worried look at his bandaged arm that he slung over my shoulder.

“I’m fine, baby girl.” His low voice draws my attention, and I can’t help the smile that blooms across my face as I meet his dark eyes. Everything has me tense and uneasy—yet once he touches me, it all fades away and I relax.

“Are you sure?” Damn it, Maddie. Why do you care?

His knuckles come up, grazing my cheek in that way that makes me practically purr like a kitten. “I’m sure. Everything’s better when I’m with you.”

Damn it. Why does he say things that make me melt? And why do I feel the same way about him?

Does he really feel it too, or is this a game?