Maddox turned to give him a curious look. “Huh. Really?”
You cannot kill him. You cannot kill him.
“I’m not his secretary,” Thea said.
“See, she thinks she’s your sub too.”
“I didn’t say that!” Thea’s eyes were wide, shocked. Did she even know what Maddox was talking about? “I’m his personal assistant.”
Jardin didn’t understand why that distinction was important. But he just sighed and gestured to the small table. “Sit. Show me your injury.”
“It’s fine.”
“I didn’t ask if it was fine. I told you to show me your hand.”
“Oh, I’d do as he says, darlin’,” Maddox warned. “That’s his serious voice.”
“He has a voice that isn’t serious?” she asked, looking genuinely surprised.
Jardin ground his teeth together in frustration.
“He does. Shocking, huh? I mean, he’s always uptight, but sometimes, he smiles,” Maddox whispered that last part as he drew out a cloth and started cleaning up the coffee mess.
“No,” she whispered back.
“If the two of you have finished with your comedy act,” he snapped.
Thea gave him a guilty look but Maddox just grinned.
“Thea. Hand. Now.”
With a deep sigh he didn’t appreciate, she placed her right hand in his. He scowled as he took in her angry, red skin that sported several blisters, one of which had burst.
“What the hell! How did you get this? Your hand is burned!”
3
Jardin inspected her hand, trying to ignore the way his skin heated where it touched hers. Her hands were small and delicate. Like the rest of her.
Part of him wanted to bundle her up, tuck her away somewhere safe, and make sure she was treated like the precious thing she was.
The other part wanted to tie her to his bed and fuck her. Hard. Hot. Until she forgot her name, forgot everything except who she belonged to.
Mine.
Except she wasn’t.
He needed to get his fucking head together. His scowl grew as he stared down at her injured hand. Maddox whistled as he cleaned up the spilled coffee. Jardin gave him a sharp look.
“Since when do you know how to clean?” He’d been in the bunkhouse Maddox shared with most of his brothers. The place was a pigsty. He’d gotten five steps inside before fearing for his health.
Of course, they’d all laughed like it was a big joke.
“Since Mia moved in and wrapped big brother’s balls around her little finger.”
“Maddox!” he snapped before rising to grab the first aid kit from under the sink. Thank God no one else was around at this time of day. That was all he needed to turn this into a total mess.
“What?” Maddox looked over at Thea, who was blushing. “I love Mia. It wasn’t an insult to her. I’m glad she has him firmly by the balls. He was way too uptight before she came along. All ‘Maddox stop getting into bar fights. And Maddox stop leaving your brothers tied up in the middle of nowhere without food, clothes, or water.’ Total bore.”