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“Enjoy your torture,” Massimo said and strolled out through Bou’s back door. The door slammed and rattled shut.
“You’re welcome,” I said to Celt, and he smiled as he stepped toward the shop.
“No mess in my shop,” Bou called after him, rolling her eyes.
There was already gonna be blood on her shop floor, but it’d be better if we could run him out into the desert before really bleeding him.
“Lemme call Doc,” I told Celt before he swung open the door. “Then I’ll be right there to help.”
Angel stalked over to the door, watching the limo pull away from the shop, and Wilde ordered, “Angel, call Sas. Have him get his ass down here at dawn. Teller and Graff too. As for the rest of us,”—Wilde swung his gaze to Bou and then everyone gathered—“we should sleep and figure out this shit in the morning.”
Maddie
In the morning, I wokein Cook’s bed without him there. I ran my hand over the depression in the bed where he had been. He had come home in the wee hours of the morning, riding in Angel’s car and followed by Celt. I’d basically thrown myself into Cook’s arms and apologized. I hadn’t cared that my sister or Roni had watched thewhole thing with wide, wondering eyes.
But Daddy didn’t want to hear my apologies.
He’d tucked my hair behind my ears and said, “Maddie, this is all my fault. I’ve been trying to learn, but it’s hard. I’m so, so sorry I fucked up.”
“It’s not your fault either.” I had cupped his bearded face, holding his eyes with mine until he seemed to understand. “I just needed to see you, but I lost control.”
His lips had seized mine then, and when he pulled back, all he said was, “I know that now, and I’ll remember.”
He understood he should keep my eyes on him, like he always said, and that healed another little piece of me. It had been exactly what I needed.
We had fallen asleep in his bed, curled together, as Celt and Roni shared my bed and Angel and Lanie crashed on the pull-out couch.
This morning, though, sound echoed from the kitchen, pots and pans, and the smell of sizzling meat and cooking eggs rose. I took a deep breath, my stomach grumbling. Last night’s coffee and worry had soured my stomach, and while I was hungry now, I didn’t want to leave this bed. I was too tired. Rolling over, I buried my head in Cook’s pillow and took a deep breath.
The sound in the kitchen continually grew louder, so I pushed myself out of his bed. One of his t-shirts rode up my thighs, and I pulled out the hem to read the upside-down words scrawled across the front:If you can read this, you’re sitting on my face.
Damn, how I wish that were true right now. I recalled how his wicked tongue felt against my clit and—no, if I thought about that, I’d be fingering myself in no time.
Bou’s clothes were nice, but after sleeping in Daddy’s T-shirt, I always wanted to wear his clothes to bed. I thought I might just live in his shirts now, but then I recalled what he’d purchased for me. He liked me in frilly, girlie dresses. Polka-dots, roses, and heels if I wasn’t wearing riding boots. Maybe I’d just live in his shirts at night.
As I pulled on a pair of shorts, my eyes drifted over to the basket in the corner, and I cursed. I needed to do his laundry today to keep up. He’d been so thrilled to see his shirts folded nicely in his dresser, and Ialways wanted to see him that happy.
Voices bubbled out from the kitchen as I opened the bedroom door, stepping out into a scene with Cook over the stove while Roni and Mel sat at the two-person table. Celt and Angel stood near the window sipping coffee.
All the laughing and conversation stopped when I emerged from the room, like I was their mom and they needed to hide.
Roni whispered, “I told you we would wake her up.”
“I was already getting up,” I lied, waiting back by the door, but then Cook held out his arm. I ran toward him, burying myself in his chest and his body. I took a deep whiff of him—so much better than the bed—and he kissed the top of my head. There was nowhere else I wanted to be.
Relaxing now that I had him back, I smiled at Roni. “It smells wonderful.”
Cook chuckled, no matter how forced it felt. He was like stone under my touch, and he’d been that way since returning in the wee hours of the morning. I wrapped my arms around him, hoping I could ease whatever worried him like his touch made me relax.
Something had happened that he wouldn’t share with me, but I hadn’t told him what happened to me either. I didn’t want to keep it away from him, but I didn’t know what to say about Massimo. I curled into him more, and he tightened his hold on me.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
“I am with you,” I murmured. And I would be better later, after everyone left. I didn’t want to think about last night. “I can help you with breakfast.”
He shook his head. “Grab some plates and set the table outside.”
I frowned. “You had a long night. Let me take care of you.”
