Page 105 of Glutton for Punishment

We all know they have plenty of reasons to say no.

Cleo’s mouth tightens like she knows it too, but she just reaches up and squeezes my hand. “Promise you’ll call us every day.”

“And Holly wants a call every day too,” Tabby adds.

I let out a watery laugh. “Got it. Multiple hours of phone conversations are in my future. Understood.”

Cleo’s smile softens. “Brix?”

My smile falls apart as I shake my head.

“No. He said he wanted to stay out of it,” I murmur. “And he hasn’t reached out since, so…” I shrug, though it feels brittle. “I think it’s better if I leave it alone.”

“Ugh,” Tabby groans, throwing her hands in the air. “Men are the biggest idiots in the entire universe.”

As if summoned by the insult itself, the door opens and Maddox steps inside, right behind Tabby. She startles so violently she squeaks, causing Cleo and me to snort.

Tabby whirls, grabs Cleo by the wrist, and starts dragging her toward the door at alarming speed.

“I mean, except for you, Maddox.” She pats him on the arm as he just stares.

“Call you as soon as we get home, Arwen! Bye!” she yells over her shoulder. The door slams behind them before I can even respond.

Silence settles over the room as Maddox stands just inside the doorway. My heart does the traitorous thing it always does when I see him. He’s disappointed with my decision to leave, but I wish I knew where I stood with him.

Our short, polite conversations have revealed nothing.

His gaze drops to my crossed arms before returning to my face as he clears his throat. “My father sent word,” he says. “We apparently have guests.”

“Guests?” I repeat, tension spiking. My entire body goes rigid as my mind jumps straight to Amaya.

Maddox must read it on my face because his expression softens a fraction.

“It’s not Amaya,” he says before I can ask. “It’s not Teeth, Kael, or Vex either. I have eyes on all of them. They’re in their territories.”

I release a breath as he gestures for me to follow. We walk in silence through the endless maze of corridors that make up this monstrous hotel. My nerves build with every step. Maddox gives me no hints how he is feeling, and by the time we stop before a pair of massive oak doors flanked by armed guards, my stomach is in knots.

A guard opens the door, and I freeze in place. My breath catches so hard it hurts.

“Atticus?”

His face breaks into an immediate grin, blue eyes zeroing in on me.

Before I can think better of it, I run. He catches me when I launch into him, arms wrapping around me as he lifts me off the floor and spins me once in a circle.

“Easy there,” he laughs, squeezing me tight. “Missed you too.”

He sets me down but keeps his hands on my shoulders, looking me over like he is checking for damage.

“How are you?” he asks. “I heard you used your power. What happened?”

A pointed throat clearing interrupts him.

Atticus looks over my head, and his smile drops into a scowl. I glance over my shoulder to find Maddox still standing in the doorway, arms folded, wearing nearly the exact same scowl.

The sheer hostility radiating between them could power my hometown.

Honestly. What is with these men? I know they have history, but damn.