“Everyone is home,” he said, gesturing for me to come inside. I could guess he wasn’t aware that Maddox and I had broken up. The butler led me through the house, stopping at the dining room.
My heart galloped at the sight in front of me, before withering.
Maddox was there. He still looked the same…
I wasn’t sure what I had expected. For him to be mourning our lost relationship? To be heartbroken? Maybe I thought he’d be missing me… enough that he’d be suffering…
Like I had been. Sleepless nights, loneliness that clawed at me, every waking hour, hollow dreams. Hell, even my orgasms felt empty.
But Maddox looked just as handsome as always. He was clean shaven, and if I wasn’t mistaken, his muscles looked even bulkier. I guessed he was working out more, with all the free time he had now. His hair was longer, though, and curled by his ears.
Poodle.
Maddox wasn’t alone, though. Bianca stood next to him. She smiled and said something to him, too soft for me to hear. He didn’t smile back – he looked anything but interested, at whatever she was saying. That shouldn’t have made me feel better, but it did. I didn’t want him to smile at her… Oh God, I sounded petty and jealous.
Maddox turned, and his eyes fell on me. His gaze narrowed, and I loved that I could still steal his attention, even without a word. Just a single look, and I got him.
He got me, too.
Bianca followed his line of sight, and she gasped, almost dramatically.
“Garcia,” he greeted coldly.
“Coulter,” I returned, with the same tone. Bianca looked back and forth between us, before quickly taking a step back. “Um, I’ll leave you to it. I’m going to take a nap.” She scurried away, leaving Maddox and I alone.
We were both quiet for a long moment. Arm crossed over our chests, a silent staring battle, neither of us ready to lose. The silence prolonged, until I couldn’t take it anymore. My lips parted, and the first thing out of my mouth was, “I want my dreamcatcher back.”
Maddox smiled acidly, his eyes gleaming, with a cruelty I had never seen before. “I threw it away.”
My heart thundered. “No,” I thundered. “How dare you? It was mine!”
His face darkened, and he came forward, pushing into my personal space. His fingers wrapped around my bicep, and he pulled me closer. I stumbled into him, our chests brushing lightly, and goosebumps peppered across my skin with that simple touch. His head dipped low, his breath feathered across my jaw, before he whispered in my ear, “And you were mine.”
I still am, goddamn it!
I wrenched my arm away. “How could you?” I hissed darkly. “That necklace…”
“Oh, Lila!” Savannah’s voice pulled us apart. “I didn’t know you were here! What a lovely surprise.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the brewing anger inside me. I faced Savannah and gave her a genuine smile. It wasn’t exactly her fault her son was acting like an asshole right now. “I wanted to see how Brad was doing. I worried about his health. I’m sorry if I’m intruding. I’ll come back another time.”
She was already shaking her head. “Oh. No, no. You’re always welcome. It’s been weird. Having Maddox here, but not you. You’ve been missed. Now that you’re here, stay for dinner.”
Maddox made a displeased sound under his breath, and I grinned harder. “Oh, I would love to. Thank you, Savannah.”
He glared.
I winked.
He couldn’t kick me out now.
Dinner was awkward, and that was an understatement. Bianca appeared to be intimidated by my presence. She avoided my eyes and rarely spoke. Maddox’s face was cold and stony, and he stayed stubbornly quiet. Savannah and Brad tried to break the tension with a bit of small talk, here and there, but those conversations ended just as dry.
Once our plates were cleared, desserts were served. I only had one spoon of the double-layered custard and chocolate mousse when Maddox, pushed his chair away, the wooden legs screeching and he stood up. His face remained impassive, and his gaze locked with mine. Blue that burned with a ferocity that left me breathless. The muscles ticked in his jaw, and his eyes flared with something…
Wordlessly, he turned around and stalked away. I watched him, until he disappeared upstairs. I slowly licked my spoon, appreciating my first…and last bite of the chocolate mousse. “Excuse me, please,” I said, getting up and pushing away from the table, too. “Please tell your chef, this was the best custard I’ve ever had.”
With a small smile, I followed after Maddox. Because I knew that was what he wanted.
I found him in his old bedroom. The door was ajar, a silent invitation. I walked inside, and there he was, standing in the middle of the dimly lit room. His back was to me, and he stood so still. Not even a slight twitch. Barely breathing. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was a statue.