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SIXTEEN

AUDREY

“WAS IT AS bad as you expected?” Maddox barely waits until we’ve disconnected before checking in.

I’m not surprised he’s concerned. Early in the meeting he put his arm around me and pulled me close, making it obvious he could sense my distress and wanted to comfort me like he always does.

But my worries were honestly short-lived. Harlow freaked me out a little at first, but once I got past her tough exterior, it was easy to see how much she genuinely cares. How passionate she is about what she does.

And how much she really wants Trevor to suffer. The common interest helped me feel a little more relaxed in her digital presence.

“No. Actually, it wasn’t bad at all.” I smile, thinking about how funny Heidi was and how cool and collected Mona acted. “Everyone was super different, but they were all really nice.”

I thought it would be difficult to hand over the information on the flash drive. Believed once it left my control I would feel completely vulnerable. But I don’t feel vulnerable at all. I feel empowered.

Would it be the same if it was just me on my own doing this—handing that information over to the police?

Unlikely. I’m self-aware enough to know that a large part of my current confidence is because I feel like I have people supporting me.

Helping me. Looking out for me. People who care and want to do the right thing.

It’s almost funny that it would take a company of mercenaries to finally be the good in my world.

“They are all really nice people.” Maddox lifts his shoulders. “And I’m not just saying that to make you feel better. They genuinely are the best humans in the world.”

I believe him. Easily. Even though I just met them.

I’ve met my fair share of bad people, and they weren’t it. Plus, I trust Maddox. Implicitly. If he says they’re all good people, then they’re all good people.

It should be scary—believing a man I just met so unfailingly—but it’s not. Not at all.

Well... Maybe it’s a little scary, because at some point I know Maddox won’t be at my side anymore. And it’s becoming more and more obvious how much that’s going to suck. Not only because I’ll be vulnerable without his protection, but also because I’ll miss him. His sense of humor. His goofy ways.

The intensity that radiates off him when he switches to Murder Maddox.

Maddox reaches out to smooth back my hair. “Maybe when all this is over, I could take you to Alaska and you could meet everyone in person.”

“Really?” I almost laugh because it’s so bizarre that he would offer right when I was worrying I’d never see him once his job here was finished. I don’t even know what I would call that. Is he psychic? Is it simply a coincidence that he can always seem to tell when I need him?

Or is there more to it? Because the look of uncertainty on Maddox’s face—even though he tries to hide it behind an easy smile—has me stepping forward and wrapping my arms around his middle.

“That would be amazing. I’ve never been to Alaska.” I rest my cheek against his chest, closing my eyes. “But I’m not sure I’d want to go there in the winter, so maybe we should wait until spring.”

“That’s probably a smart decision.” Maddox’s arms encircle me as he holds me tight. “So maybe if this is over during the winter, we could go somewhere warm.”

I smile. “Are you sure you want me to be your new traveling companion?” I don’t know why I’m fishing for reassurance like I am. Maddox pretty much just said he plans to still have at least a little contact with me once we’re done with Trevor.

But I can’t help but want more.

“Well, I can’t take Savannah now that she’s pregnant.” Maddox chuckles. “Not that Zeke would’ve let me anyway. He’s wedged so far up her ass I’m shocked she can walk in a straight line.”

Talking about Savannah puts a little bit of a damper on my newly lifted spirits. “Is she upset I didn’t tell her what was going on?”

Savannah has already done so much to help me. She was part of the team responsible for making it possible for me to leave Trevor. I just couldn’t put more on her. Especially not when I found out she was expecting.

“Do you want to know the truth?” Maddox’s voice is soft.

I swallow around the ache in my throat. “I always want the truth.”

Maddox’s palms smooth up and down my back. “She’s not mad, but I think it hurt her feelings a little bit.”

It figures I would upset the one person I might have been able to build a genuine friendship with. “I just wanted to protect her. I know how dangerous Trevor is, and I?—”

“I know why you didn’t tell her, and so does she. I promise, Savannah gets it. But after what she went through, she wants to help save everybody. And there’s a little bit of guilt that she wasn’t able to fully save you.”

“I don’t want her to feel responsible for anything that happens to me.” I lift my eyes, meeting Maddox’s gaze. “Promise me, no matter what happens, you’ll make sure Savannah doesn’t carry the burden.”

“I promise.” Maddox’s expression darkens, giving me just a peek at Murder Maddox. “But I won’t have to worry about it, because nothing’s going to happen to you.”

I know he wants to think that, and I don’t doubt his ability to keep me safe. But I know Trevor, and I know how desperately he wants to win. At everything. Always.

“I don’t want you to carry guilt either. I have complete faith in you, but I also understand how bad Trevor can be, so if something happens to me?—”

Maddox leans down until we’re eye-to-eye and practically nose-to-nose.

All trace of the happy, laid-back man I normally see is gone, replaced by pure and total mercenary.

“ Audrey .” He says my name slowly. Dragging it out like he wants to be sure he has my attention.

“Obviously things haven’t been made completely clear to you.

” His hands come up to cradle my face, gentle but firm against my skin.

“They might prosecute Trevor, but he will never make it to jail.”

Earlier, he claimed he would have killed my ex-husband days ago if he could have, so I understand what he’s saying. He’s going to kill him.

What I don’t get is why.

“Trevor’s a politician. Relatively well-known. If he goes missing, someone’s going to notice. And I won’t let you risk your own well-being for someone like him.”

I know killing people is what Maddox does. I believe he’s probably really good at it. But killing normal people and killing someone like Trevor are two completely different things.

Maddox’s lips lift in a slow smile. “Sweetheart, I’ve killed way more important men then Trevor Hawthorne the fucking Third.”

Really? I know better than to ask who, but just like always, I believe him.

And now I’m feeling very different about all of this.

For so long I assumed I would be the one whose life might end during this whole mess.

Not once did I think anyone would take Trevor out.

I thought maybe I’d manage to get him arrested and possibly even prosecuted and sent to prison.

But even that sort of felt like a pipe dream.

Something I clung to so I wouldn’t lose my mind as I waited for him to hunt me down and make good on all the threats he dished out over our years together.

“If you really don’t want me to kill him, I won’t.” Maddox’s thumbs stroke against my skin, his voice deadly serious when he says, “But unless you tell me no, he’s ending up with a bullet in his brain.”

All the air rushes from my lungs. “Oh.”

Why did that turn me on? Is there really so much wrong with me that discovering Maddox fully intends to murder Trevor has me feeling overheated and flushed?

Yeah. There probably is.

I can add it to the growing list of things wrong with me when it comes to Maddox.

I just met him five days ago, but I already struggle to imagine my life without him.

That shouldn’t be possible, especially considering all I’ve been through.

But the closeness—the connection—between us is growing so fast, I’m struggling to wrap my head around it.

I know I should hold back. Keep my feelings close and protected, but it’s like I can’t.

The dominoes were lined up, and someone’s already tipped the first one over.

Now there’s no slowing it down, and definitely no going back.

Honestly, I’m not sure I’d want to go back.

“Did you really mean it when you said we could go to Alaska?” I can already imagine it, just like I can imagine so much else with Maddox. “And someplace warm?”

Maddox takes a shaky breath before nodding silently.

I swallow hard, nerves—or maybe excitement—gnawing at my insides. “Maybe when all this is over, and I know it’s safe, I can come stay with Savannah for a weekend and we can hang out.”

Hang out ? Those two words don’t encompass what it’s like when Maddox and I are together at all. But what else can I call it? I have no freaking clue.

Because I’ve never felt anything like this before.

“Savannah’s pregnant, so she takes a lot of naps and her schedule is a little mixed up.” Maddox’s eyes move over my face. “It would probably make more sense for you to stay with me.” His gaze dips to my mouth. “In my house.”

I lick my lips, needing the moisture now that he’s looking at them so intensely.

“That probably would make more sense.” I manage a small smile.

“But before I can schedule any weekend trips, I’ll have to figure out if I’m going to be staying in my apartment or looking for a new place to live.

I can’t imagine my landlord will be thrilled if an unknown group of men came storming in the other night. ”

Maddox’s expression shutters, his gaze losing the warmth it just had. “I’ll have Luca and Owen go inside and check it out as soon as we know no one’s watching it.” Maddox slowly straightens. “Do you want them to bring anything specific if they’re able to go in?”