The Scottish Bride (The Brides of Holland Springs Book 5)(17)

Love, Cadence

Aye. He knew exactly where she’d gone, and he knew he deserved this kind of treatment from her. But he didn’t care for it in the least. Not to mention she’d derailed his morning sex plans.

Then again, Cadence had always marched to her own beat. He loved that about her. Maddox loved her, and he was sick and tired of reaching for her every night, only to come up empty.

“You know what you have to do, mate,” he muttered.

Carefully placing her note on the nightstand, he threw the covers back and shot from the bed into the bathroom. After dressing in record time, he grabbed his phone and called the shop.

“Reed Brothers.”

“Matthew. It’s Maddox... I have some news.”

“Hit me with it.”

Scratching the back of his head, Maddox contemplated the best way to quit his job without sounding like a loser or worse, ungrateful. Ah, fuck it. There was a woman to be wooed. “I quit. Thanks for the opportunity, but I won’t be coming back.”

“Can I at least ask why?”

With a grin, he grabbed his wallet and keys before replying, “I’m going to Holland Springs to get my wife back.”

***

Maddox should have gone to his grandparents’ house first. At least they wouldn’t have slammed the door in his face. Or given him the Romanov death stare before doing it.

Damn, but Waverly was good at that, and he did admire the way she stuck up for her little sister. Family should always be like that. Except he was Waverly’s brother-in-law, and that should count for something in his opinion.

“Are you still here?” Waverly shouted through the door.

He rocked back on his heels. “I’ve come for Cadence.”

Waverly cracked open the door, her vibrant green eyes assessing. “You can’t get her back that easily.”

“She doesn’t have to make it easy on me, but I want her to know I’m here. For her,” he added a beat later in case Waverly mistook his meaning on purpose.

His sister-in-law stepped outside. “You hurt her badly. Worse than what everyone thought about you for hurting Jude. I mean... until we learned the truth and the right man was punished.”

Shocked, he asked, “Finn’s in jail?”

Waverly nodded. “And he’s being sued.”

Maddox scratched his jaw even as his teeth ground together. Relief, anger, and outrage flowed through him. He felt out of sorts and needed time to process it all.

Cadence hadn’t been lying to him. She wasn’t a liar in the grand scheme of things, but when she wanted her way... he wouldn’t put it past her to do something devious.

“Stop trying to stall him, Waverly,” Cadence said, coming to the door.

A rush of emotion for her overwhelmed him, chasing away most of the anger. “My love.”

She gave him a tentative smile. “I’m glad you made the right decision this time.”

Waverly’s gaze bounced between the two of them. “I’d say have a happily ever after, but since he’s so fond of running, I’ll reserve that sort of congratulations until everything is said and done.” She pivoted, heading inside the darkened house and leaving him alone with Cadence.

“She’s never really been a fan of fairy tales,” Cadence explained, although she didn’t need to. Maddox was used to her acidic comments.

“Aye, but my wife is.” He reached out, intending to pull her into his arms, but she stepped back. “What’s wrong?”

“You.” She shook her head. “I didn’t expect you this soon.”

“Did you really think I’d stay in New York for three more months?” he asked.

Her cheeks pinkened, but then she tipped up her chin. “At least.”

He arched a brow. “Have you forgotten how well you know me?”

“Obviously, I apparently didn’t know you at all when you decided to pull that stunt in the hospital.”

He deserved that; he’d been an unmitigated arsehole. “Have you forgiven me or not, my love? I thought you were in the city to claim me.” He took a step forward and put his hand on the door. No way would he allow her to lock him out. “Don’t go back on your word.”

Her hazel eyes narrowed. “I went back on my word?”

“All right. I’ll admit my choice of words didn’t come out the way I intended.”

“They never do these days.” She crossed her arms. “You seem to be stepping into it all over the place.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, which is why it hurts so much to push you away right now.”

“Then don’t.”

“Shouldn’t I make you work for it? For me?” she asked.

“Aye, if that’s what you demand as payment.” He shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans. “I don’t want to play games with you. I want to love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

“Tell me how to make that happen. Tell me how to make it up to you. You get to pick... Everything. Where we live, how many children we have... whatever the bloody hell you want.”

“Oh, Maddox, I don’t want to make those decisions by myself, and we’d already decided on our home. I was a Scottish bride, and I want to be a Scottish wife. Your wife.”