No. She knew it couldn’t. It was good they needed to go separate ways. Very good. He was so charitable and generous in his view of her. When he had time to think about it, he’d see that she was a monster. It might seem romantic to love a tough woman like Black Widow until it became obvious how hardened and cold and unable to truly love she had become.
They needed some space. She needed time to think and figure out if she could really give herself to a relationship. If she could give her heart to Braden.
She probably couldn’t hold her end of the relationship but she needed Braden.
Oh, my, she was acting like a wimpy girl. This wasn’t her at all.
The flight was a quick three hours. Before they started their descent into Denver, she used the small bathroom, splashed a ton of cold water on her face and eyes and then redid her makeup. Her eyes were only slightly red. Hopefully her family wouldn’t notice.
She walked off the plane and straight into her mom’s arms. Her mom immediately hugged her fiercely and then said, “What’s wrong, my angel girl? Your eyes are puffy.”
Her mom calling her angel made her want to cry more. She’d punched Braden for calling her angel. Why had she reacted like that to him? She should’ve let him say all his sweet words and then kissed him and kissed him.
“Oh, just tired. A crazy few days. Nothing the Magnificent Madison couldn’t handle.” She heard some laughter at her using the nickname that used to have her punching her boy cousins. She squeezed her mom and then moved on to her dad, who looked equally concerned.
It was Papa who saw right through her. “I’m sorry Lieutenant Moyle couldn’t come,” Papa said, eyeing her perceptively after he hugged her. “I know you were quite excited to be assigned to watch over him.”
Maddie put on her brightest smile and winked at Papa, then looked to her mom and dad. Luckily, the rest of the family was back in the valley monitoring the secret, so she didn’t need to play to too big of a crowd when she was at the lowest point she’d been in years.
“Oh, yeah, Papa. He is a fine specimen of a man. Whoo, he ishot. Beautiful, Buff, Bad Braden is what I call him,” she drawled out the silly name she’d given him. “Do you want to hear about the kiss goodbye now or later?”
It wrenched her abdomen to think about that kiss goodbye and the no-nonsense dismissal she’d given him. Her lack of response to his inspiring and tender words. He probably wouldn’t try to come after her anyway. Not now that he truly knew how dark and depraved she was. He claimed he knew her, but nobody could know how empty she was inside.
Her dad held up a hand. “Please don’t, Maddie.” He shook his head and took her bag. “Come on, sweetheart.” He and Papa stood back and gestured for her and her mom to walk in front of them.
Her mom wrapped an arm around her and whispered, “Did you really kiss him?”
“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell.” Maddie laughed as if teasing with her mom was the only concern she had.
Her mom swatted her on the rear. “You little stink.”
Maddie only laughed harder.
The drive to Summit Valley was spent discussing everything that had happened to Maddie and Braden, Thomas and his story, if they could trust Admiral Seamons, and who might’ve been shooting at them at that restaurant.
Papa plugged the zip drive into a laptop and studied it most of the way, but he wasn’t a hundred percent on what it all meant. He knew some of the names on the list, and really hoped they weren’t affiliated with Frederick.
She was sick of traveling from the car to a plane to the car again when they finally made it to their valley a little before seven p.m. The sun would set soon. She focused on the beautiful picture spread before her. Maybe here in her valley she could get her camera out and lose herself in nature for a while, but with the Delta secret being pursued so heavily, maybe not.
She focused on the view spread out before them. The green mountains were already starting to show red, gold, and orange leaves despite it being early September. The lake was calm and bright blue, sadly reminding her of the early morning swim with Braden and Thomas. She already missed him and it had only been five hours.
The family had saved dinner for them and she was able to chat with Thor and Shelly, Reed and Esther, Colt and Bailey, and Jessie. Everybody else was off patrolling the secret. She was brought up to speed on everything that had happened recently. They’d had a few more groups try to sneak into the valley or traipse around their mountains trying to find the secret. Luckily, none of them had resorted to kidnapping or murder threats and they’d been caught every time. Sheriff Reed had detained them, charged them with criminal trespassing because they were all armed to the teeth, and turned them over to the FBI.
It was a relief so far no one had gotten close to the secret, but obviously King Frederick was hiring more and more mercenaries to go after it. If he could get it, the world would go up in nuclear explosions.
Maddie said goodnight a little after ten. She gave another round of hugs, teasing everybody as she went. Thor and Shelly were the most fun to tease. They could keep it light and dish it back at her.
She climbed the stairs, tired emotionally but not physically as she felt like she’d sat around most of the day. As soon as she was in her old room at her parents’ house, and she was really alone, the ache to see, talk to, touch, and kiss Braden was almost overwhelming. She wanted to hear all the reassuring, enlightening, and sweet words he’d said to her again.It takes someone whose soul shines with a fire like the sun to subject themselves to darkness in order to protect others. She wanted to ingest those words and everything else he’d said and somehow believe all of it.
Could it be true that Braden loved her? That Jesus loved her? He’d been so convinced that despite what she’d seen and done that wasn’t who she was inside. Could she turn to Jesus? Could she really? Would He want to hear from her? Would He see her as an avenging angel, a protector of the innocent, and someone He could love like Braden did?
She hurried into the nearby bathroom, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. When she reentered her room, uncertainty and fear filled her. What was she thinking? Braden didn’t see her clearly and she’d probably have the nightmare as soon as she closed her eyes. Without Braden’s strong, safe arms, faith, and prayers, the dark demons would take over again.
Staring at the bed as if it were a living thing, she couldn’t make herself lie down. It was silly because she’d had the nightmare in this bed and she’d gotten through it. She didn’t want to tonight, though.
Turn to Him. Trust Him.
Braden’s voice rang through her head. She could picture him kneeling on the floor next to Thomas’s bed and her running to him, clinging to him, asking him to pray for her.