Page 36

35

MADISON

O ne week has passed, and I’m trying my best not to lose my mind as Ben plaques my thoughts.

Jagger’s words that I’m Ben’s “end game” have continuously infiltrated my thoughts since the day he said them to me.

I shiver as Jagger’s words filter through my thoughts. “ You’re his end game, Maddie. We just aren’t sure exactly what game he’s playing. ”

The day after Jagger confessed he was my “dark hero” I met at Falls Creek Park when I was five years old, he told me about the texts he received from “Unknown.” I sat there in a state of shock until Jagger showed me his phone.

“I believe you, Jagger.” I handed him his phone. “I’m just… shocked… sickened… that he got your number and was taunting you.”

“It’s fine, baby girl. I can handle him.”

“It just sucks he did it at night. You have enough trouble sleeping…”

“As you’ve obviously witnessed.” He heaved out a long sigh, a hand going through his longish hair. “Even when I tried to sleep in your room but couldn’t. I knew you were awake, watching me, Maddie. I hoped if I acted like I didn’t feel your stare, you’d go back to sleep.”

Blushing, I look down at my hands. “I can’t seem to sleep without you.”

He sits on the couch beside me, cupping my face. “Don’t be embarrassed. I sleep a helluva lot better beside you, too.”

A bby, Bryce, and Jason came over an hour later. Jagger took off his shirt so she could remove his stitches. Then he pulled down his pants and she took the ones of his thigh. I was drooling the entire time, causing Jason to give me a lot of shit. Bryce and Abby joined in once they saw I wasn’t the slightest bit offended.

“Are you sure you don’t have any single friends, Maddie?” Jason whines, eyeing me with amusement. “Preferably ones who can’t stay off my dick like you can’t seem to stay off Jagger’s?”

“I already told you I don’t.” I give him a mischievous grin. “Also, Jagger told me you have a microscopic pecker, and I don’t have any friends who are into that.” I totally made up that part about Jagger saying that, knowing he’d laugh and go along with it.

Jagger throws his head back, howling with laughter. “She got you good, man.”

Bryce shakes his head, laughing. “Damn, Maddie. That was a sick burn.”

I give a pretend bow, giggling as I look at Jason, who presses his hand against his heart, a horrified look on his face. “My dick is not microscopic. Jagger is just jealous of my length and girth.” Jason wiggles his brows. “But if any of them get divorced, or the relationship ends, send them my way for a good time.”

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. “And how do you expect me to do that since I’m a prisoner?” I dead-pan, causing him and Jagger to howl with laughter.

“Get Jagger to stalk them?” Jason finally chokes out.

I bristle. “Fuck, no. He’s not stalking anyone but me.”

“Calm down, baby girl. You’re the only one I stalk.” Jagger presses his lips to mine and I melt.

“Oh, Jesus. These two and their lovey-dovey shit. Bad as Abby and Bryce,” Jason complains causing me to laugh and pull away from Jagger.

“You want a girlfriend and not just a lay, right?” I say, making Jagger snort. Drawing my knee up to my chest, I raise my brows.

“Correct. What about your friend with the boyfriend? The one you stayed with.”

“Oh, Lord.” I look at Jagger. “Please tell me Jason isn’t stalking Ashlynn.”

Jagger smirks, saying nothing.

I roll my eyes, looking back at Jason. “You’ll probably end up with mace in your eyes and a kick to your groin.”

Abby is laughing so hard she can hardly remove Jagger’s stitches. “You two need to wait until I’m finished,” she teases, giving Jason and me an admonishing look.

Jason shakes his head, his gaze locked on mine. “So only Jagger can stalk a woman and have it end well?”

Giggling, I shrug. “Jagger has more impressive skills than you, Jason. You need to take lessons before you go all stalkerish. Otherwise, it will end badly.”

The entire room explodes in laughter as Jason pretends to glower at me. But it doesn’t last as he bursts into laughter. “Damn, Jagger, your woman is on fire today.” Then to me, he says, “Okay, I give up. You have a response for everything today.”

Jagger laughs harder. “I warned you she was feisty.”

Jason throws his arms in the air. “Bryce, can you make a machine to clone Maddie?”

“You’re not fucking cloning my woman, asshole.” Jagger glowers at him, making me laugh.

“You don’t want to clone me, Jason. My clone wouldn’t stop insulting you and making you cry.”

Jason holds up his middle finger and I laugh. Bryce was taking a drink of water, but he laughs so hard he spit it the floor, which makes all of us laugh harder.

“Seriously, Maddie. You’re the best.” Abby wipes her eyes, crying from laughing so hard. “You fit right in with these clowns.” Then she turns serious. “Jagger, I need you to hold still.” She admonishes. “It’s hard to get these stitches out when you keep moving around.”

“Are you sure he’s the problem? Maddie seems like a total horndog if you ask me.” Jason winks at me.

“No one asked you,” I immediately retorted.

Bryce laughs so hard that he’s doubled over. “Damn, Jagger. It’s like a war zone here with those two. Though I won’t deny it, I love seeing Maddie put Jason in his place. That doesn’t happen often.”

“Why not? It’s easy.”

“Maddie, seriously,” Abby holds her stomach. “Don’t send me into labor here.”

“Oh, hell no,” Jason says, getting to his feet. “I don’t need to see any babies being born. Call me when the kid is bathed and wrapped up in a blanket, not covered in blood and gore.”

“I… hate… all… of… you,” Abby gasps, laughing so hard between words I’m afraid she is going to go into early labor. I must say, I agree with Jason. I’m good with seeing the baby after it’s all cleaned up. Not before.

Jagger grins at me. “You’re looking a little green, baby girl.”

“Childbirth scares me. If Abby goes into labor, I’m running out the door behind Jason,” I whisper.

Jagger chuckles. “Abby’s only joking.” He nuzzles my neck, causing Abby to swat him once she gets herself under control.

“I thought I told you to remain still, Jagger.”

“Sorry.” His black eyes are on me, and I know for a fact he’s not remotely sorry.

T he guys go outside to smoke, and Abby and I decide to make chocolate chip cookies. Luckily, Jagger has all the ingredients we need, including chocolate chips. Of course he does . I baked a batch the first night I stayed with Ashlynn.

“How’re you doing?” Her big eyes are apologetic as she says, “I mean since you witnessed…” she waves her hands helplessly, finally adding, “The incident in the woods.”

My body tenses and I immediately look out the window, watching Jagger smoke his cigarette and laugh with his brothers. “I feel guilty. Like it’s my fault, what happened to those women.” Turning toward Abby, I carefully measure out the sugar, but my thoughts are on what happened.

Her forehead is wrinkled as she stares at me. “Maddie, you couldn’t have known.”

I set the bowl with the sugars, vanilla extract, and butter in front of her. She has the hand mixer ready and sets to work on it while I grab the eggs.

“It’s silly because a part of me knows that. But even though Chloe and I agreed to let Ben move in with us because we needed a roommate to help pay the rent, I was the one who dated him. The guilt is hard to bear at times… I unleashed a serial killer on Falls Creek.”

She shakes her head, shutting off the mixer. “You’re not responsible for that, Maddie.”

I sigh, knowing she’s right. I change the subject, not wanting to talk about this anymore. My gaze lands on Jagger, who meets my eyes through the window, winking at me.

As I dump some of the flour mixture into the bowl for her to mix, Abby grins at me. “Jagger is a true gem, which you obviously know.” Her eyes are distant before she says, “Even before he became my adopted brother, he was always the kid with a huge heart. When Jason was impatient with me and refused to help, Jagger always stepped in. He never minded me hanging around them. One time, he punched a guy for bullying me in school.”

I laugh. “I can definitely see Jagger doing that.”

“I have so many stories. While Jason was a great big brother, Jagger was always the one I could count on. I always viewed him as my brother, even before my parents adopted him.” Her eyes cloud over. “Unfortunately, because he was such a sweet kid, it got him in trouble with his dad. God, the time Jagger’s dad caught him helping me put pajamas on a baby doll.” Her voice trails off, guilt lining her face. “Jagger sure as hell didn’t deserve the shitty childhood he had.”

“No, he sure didn’t. I’m so glad he grew up to be different than his father.”

Abby nods. “His dad was a real asshole. You know, Jagger accidentally stumbled upon a secret his dad kept from him. Rose, Jagger’s biological mom, inherited money from her parents, including this cabin and the acres of land surrounding it, and her will stipulated the money, cabin, and land go to Jagger.”

Pausing, I look up at her. “I had no idea.”

She nods, using the mixer to stir the ingredients. “Jagger tore the old cabin down when he was eighteen, and Jason and Bryce helped him build this one.”

My gaze flits around his cabin. “It’s beautiful.”

Abby nods. “He put his heart and soul into this place. Even though I know his views on relationships, I always hoped he’ find someone who would change his outlook. Someone he’d move in here.”

As I add the chocolate chips to the bowl, I don’t say anything, trying to quell the blossoming hope in my heart. Jagger and I confessed that we loved one another, but we haven’t said or talked about it since.

Abby mistakes the tenseness in my shoulders, obviously thinking it stems from what happened with Ben and Chloe.

“One thing you can be sure of. Jagger would never cheat on you.” She winks at me. “Jagger is extremely loyal to those he lets into his life.”

I grin, knowing that with certainty. Jagger is definitely not the cheating type. Even though he stalked me, he didn’t step over lines until I went to stay with Ashlynn. By that point, I thought it was over between Ben and me.

But a nagging worry floats through my mind. I know Jagger is on a vengeance gig, though I don’t know all the specifics yet. But there’s a part of me that wonders if Jagger is protecting me from Ben because he has his own plans for me.