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“Yes.” He waited until she had her new drink in hand before gently tugging her to the booth. He sat down first. Sliding into the corner, he let her go, so she could make her own seating decision. She set her drink down on the table before joining him. He could barely contain his grunt of appreciation when she pushed into the seat until her body was snug to his.
“This okay, big guy?” She looked up at him through her long lashes.
He didn’t think it through, he grabbed her face and pushed his lips to hers. She tasted sweet and floral. Minty. He groaned, deepening the kiss. She allowed him to take all that he could, and he was lost to her soft body. Finally, he gained the self-control to separate himself from her. “That okay?”
He noted her lips were swollen, and he felt incredibly happy at having left his mark.
“I knew there was something burning in that body. You feeling any better?”
He found that he was and nodded slowly.
She gave him a smile. “Well not that I didn’t love that, but I don’t want to treat you like a rebound when you give main character energy. My last boyfriend? Pretty sure he was an NPC.”
Maddox was confused. “NPC?”
“Non-playable character. You know those people that ask you the same three questions every time you see them? Where it almost seems like they’re lost to the same daily loop?” she explained in her soft soothing voice.
That actually did make sense, and Maddox grunted in agreement.
“Well, you seem like someone that wouldn’t be boring. You would make everyday different and unique.”
If by that she was alluding to his growing obsession with her, he couldn’t disagree. “Thank you?” he questioned.
“You’re welcome. Now first things first. Why were you watching your drink like it was the last thing you were going to do?”
Maddox wasn’t sure what it was about her, but the next thing he knew, he began telling her his entire life story. He started with his stint in foster care, continued with his time in the military, and ended with his last job. He spoke more words to her than he probably had in the last year, but he just couldn’t stop, and they continued to spill out.
Every time he shared something traumatic or especially awful, she would lean into him more or squeeze his hand. He never felt any shame or pity; all he felt was a warm, comforting reassurance.
Finally, he ended his story with being shot, gesturing to where the bullet pierced him.
For the first time, he had managed to shock her, and she let out an audible gasp. Ellie moved her hand up, trying to find the scar.
“Here.” He placed her fingers on his shirt over where he had been shot. She slinked under the fabric, finding the scar. Just a few inches below his heart.
“Ouch. That is not on my bucket list.” While she was attempting to joke, her voice pitched with emotion in the middle.
Her soft fingers continued their stroking up and down under his shirt and he hissed, “Ellie.” It was a warning. His self-control was unraveling in every passing moment.
She withdrew her hand, and he missed the comfort immediately. Instead, he pulled her even tighter to his side.
“The military, huh?” she finally murmured. “My best friend was in the military. I wonder if you met him.”
Him? Maddox’s anger peaked.
“Oliver, in fact. This is our go-to bar.” She glanced down at her phone that had been buzzing for quite some time. “Looks like he tracked my location, again. The overprotective man is on his way. I apologize in advance for his uncouth behavior.”
Maddox was practically seething, he barely heard her. The man tracked her? The man held her when she was touch-starved? Who was this man?
“Welp, here we go,” Ellie mumbled dramatically.
“Isobel Rachelle Kane.” The voice was familiar, and Maddox tried to identify the man covered in shadows that just walked into the bar.
“Oliver Jullian McKell,” Ellie responded.
Maddox stiffened. It couldn’t be. This could not be that Isobel.
The man stepped out of the shadows and met Maddox’s eyes. “Maddox, what are you doing here?”
