Isaac’s back was to me as he started walking back up the walkway toward the house, but it was too late.
He’d pushed just a little too hard.
And I was too far gone to do anything but push back.
Chapter Ten
Isaac
I hated the pinpricks of tears at the corners of my eyes.
I mean, what had I expected? For him to apologize? To tell me he didn’t see me as a charity case? To offer some explanation for humiliating me yet again? Even the memory of Dallas handing me the envelope full of twice as much cash as there should have been for a week’s worth of pay caused my cheeks to burn all over again.
Although Dallas hadn’t been willing to give up his brother, it hadn’t taken a genius to figure out where the money had come from. I’d been pissed at Dallas but hadn’t been willing to pick a fight with him because I understood the loyalty he felt to Maddox, despite all the pair had been through. It was that way with me and Newt. My brother would always come first, no matter what.
So when Dallas had refused to rat out his brother right after he’d given me the money, I’d let the issue go, intent on dealing with Maddox myself. I hadn’t expected to see him at Thanksgiving, though, so my plan had been to confront him at the sanctuary the following day. But after spending the past hour enduring endless, undeserved glares from a pissed-off-looking Maddox, it had just been too much. He’d ruined what should have been a fun night of harmless flirting with Sawyer.
I liked the vet a lot, but he and I both knew there was nothing there. He was sweet and kind and great with Newt, and totally gorgeous, but that spark just was completely absent. We’d fallen easily into being friends and I suspected he was just as okay with that fact as me.
But Maddox had fucking ruined it all as usual.
Even when he was doing exactly what I’d told him and leaving me alone, he was still ruining things. The fact that I was ready to burst into tears all over again was proof of that. I just really needed to pack up Newt and get the hell out of Pelican Bay. It’d been less than a week and we were becoming way too comfortable. Dallas had even talked about me and Newt moving into the apartment above the garage if we wanted to make staying in Pelican Bay a more permanent thing.
Not because either man didn’t want us in the house with them, but because they seemed to be bending over backward to try to make us feel as welcome as possible.
I’d thought maybe they’d just become overly attached to Newt, but I was beginning to wonder if maybe, just maybe, they liked having me around too.
But no, it’d all been another one of Maddox’s elaborate schemes.
Because he still didn’t see me as someone who could take care of myself and my brother.
Well, he could go fuck himself.
I turned around to tell him just that, not about to mince my words since Newt wasn’t within hearing range, when I suddenly slammed into a hard body. I let out a little gasp, but when I tried to pull back, thick fingers curled around my upper arm.
Tight.
Enough so that I couldn’t get away.
I could see Maddox’s expression in the lamplight.
He looked more pissed than I’d ever seen him.
Shit, I’d really gone and done it this time. I opened my mouth to tell him to let me go, but before I could do more than let out a squeak of sound, he yanked me forward.
And then his mouth crashed down on mine.
I was so surprised that I didn’t react at first. Maddox was kissing me. Why was Maddox kissing me?
I expected him to shove me away as soon as he came to his senses and remembered who I was… and wasn’t. But instead, he drew me forward and wrapped one arm around my waist as his other hand rooted in my hair. His mouth moved effortlessly over mine and he didn’t even hesitate to slide his tongue against mine.
I couldn’t help the moan that escaped my throat at how good it felt. Fire simmered in my blood and my dick reacted painfully as Maddox forced my head back so he could completely plunder my mouth in any way he wanted.
And that was exactly what he did.
I was completely at his mercy.
As he bent me back over his arm just a bit, I reached out to grab his waist to support myself… to have something to hang onto in case he let me go.
But I needn’t have worried about that.
From the way he was holding onto me and owning my mouth, hell, my whole body, I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.