Page 27 of Make You Beg

“Kayden?” The alarm in the voice makes me look over my shoulder, despite the obviousness of its owner. Madelyn is standing by the open window of my room, hand on the frame, staring out with concern. “What are you doing?”

The uninvited intruder strikes again, asking me to notice her.

It’s no surprise that I’m so fascinated by her. No matter how many times I try to push her away, she keeps drawing herself closer to me, insisting on being in my life.

Fuck, she makes me feel wanted.

“Don’t worry.” I press the cigarette butt against the tile next to me and flick it off the roof with two fingers. “I’m not planning anything if that’s what you’re thinking. Just stretching.”

“That’s too dangerous.” She pauses. “In fact, I think it’s a bad idea that you keep coming out here.”

“Why? Cause I could fall?”

She gulps and nods.

I cackle. “I won’t. In fact, you should come out here too, Little Demon. Seems to me you’re a little thriller seeker yourself. If you dare show up here again.”

I swing my hand forward, motioning for her to join me. “Come on. Take a look at what you’re missing.”

She hesitates, standing still. I can see the eagerness in her big brown eyes.

“I’m not falling for that. You already fooled me once, and you almost killed me, Kayden. I’m not going out there again.”

I lift an eyebrow. “Oh, but did I?”

“N-no. But you almost choked me to death, asshole.” She hugs her arms, glued in place.

“Exactly. With an emphasis on the almost. If I wanted to, I would have done it, Madelyn. I clearly don’t.”

“Well, I don’t trust you,” she spits out, her cute brown eyebrows creased against her forehead. Her long hair is up in a bun today. She’s breathtaking, even in the simple pair of dark jeans and pink blouse she’s wearing. “I’m only here because your father told me to come get you. We’d better go. You know how angry he gets when we don’t listen.”

Oh, do I know. She has no fucking idea.

“Fuck him. I’m not hungry. Come on, sis, just for a sec.”

Let me corrupt you a little.

She’s still grounded by the window, but she doesn’t leave.

“Come on. Don’t you crave a little rush?”

She doesn’t say a word. But she wants it. Her eyes glint, and I’m sure of it.

I get up, walk slowly to her, and extend my hand. “Don’t be scared. I’ll hold on to you. I never pushed you down.”

She sighs, gradually taking my hand. I help her climb out of the window, in the middle of the roof, the same way I did before.

For a moment, part of me wonders what’d happen, how I’d feel if I did let go of her, push her to oblivion, and watch her little body convulse on the ground.

I pry that thought away as fast as I can as a stabbing feeling penetrates my chest.

No. I may be a piece of shit to her most of the time, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—cross that line with her. Never.

Her hand is so soft and small, causing warmth to radiate throughout my chest as our fingers intertwine.

She lets go of me, and we take a seat to our right, on the shingles.

“This is what the night hides from us, Little Demon. Take a look.”