Search Me(25)

“Here,” he grumbled before shoving the lantern at me.

“Thank you,” I replied sweetly.

When Maddox rolled his eyes, I slammed and locked the door behind him. I then made the mistake of glancing in the mirror. Dammit, he was right. I was a mess. My hair was matted and tangled, not to mention I had to pick out a few stray leaves. Dirt streaked across both of my cheeks, and my clothes were caked with mud. I quickly disrobed and then hopped back into the shower.

As I slipped under the stream of steaming water, I moaned. After a full day at work coupled with being on the run, my muscles screamed in agony. I turned the water on full force and let it pound my body. I closed my eyes to try to shut out the events of the day. Instead, they crashed over me again and again.

The thoughts caused a boulder-sized lump to lodge in my throat as the sobs built in my chest. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the image of Maudie crumpled on the floor out of my mind. Sobs began to roll through me, and I didn’t bother fighting them. Instead, I clung to the sides of the shower and gave in to the desperate heaving of my body. I knew with the water on Maddox couldn’t hear me. I shouldn’t have cared what he thought, but I was tired of appearing to him like a total and complete emotional weakling.

When my sobs finally dried up into hiccupping sighs, I scrubbed the mud off my body and shampooed the grit out of my hair. I could’ve stayed in the shower forever, but then I remembered that Maddox needed hot water too. After I turned off the water, I stepped out and eyed my muddy, torn, and soaked clothes. I guess I would have to check the closet for something to change into. Of course I was a little scared of what I would find in there after the pictures in the hallway of the owner and his trophy wife.

I was contemplating wrapping the towel around me when I spied a robe hanging behind the door. I pulled it off the satin hanger and cocked my head. It was a slinky, red silk robe. It looked like something you would see in a Victoria’s Secret window.

Reluctantly, I slid it on. A glance at my shadowy reflection in the mirror reiterated how little skin the robe actually covered. But it would have to do until I could find something to wear.

I opened the door and smacked right into Maddox outfitted only in his boxer shorts. I jerked the barely there fabric tighter around me. “W-What are you doing?”

“While I was waiting on you to finish, I thought I’d hit up the master closet for some clothes.” He held out his arm where he’d draped a pair of jeans and a polo shirt.

I barely heard his response. Instead, my gaze trailed over his broad chest. While he’d boasted the chiseled abs before, the multicolored tattoos were new since the last time I had seen him shirtless. Suddenly, my mouth ran dry. I glanced up to see he was smirking at me.

“Nice robe,” he mused.

“Whatever,” I grumbled, pushing past him. Knowing his eyes were still on me, I tugged at the hem to keep my ass from showing. Thank goodness for the dim lantern lights. I had a feeling the shadows were keeping me covered from his leering gaze.

I stopped for a tissue on the dresser. “You’ve been crying,” Maddox noted.

The sudden tenderness in his voice caused me to freeze. I refused to turn around to let him see my face again. “No, it’s just the steam got to my eyes.”

In an instant, he appeared at my side. “Listen Lane, I, uh, I shouldn’t have talked to you that way before. And I sure as hell shouldn’t have thrown you into the shower like that. I’ve been kinda programmed to handle my emotions a certain way in the last few years.”

I snorted. “The last few years? Try your entire life.” When he didn’t respond, I glanced back at him over my shoulder. In the shadows, he didn’t look like the hardened jerk-face I usually saw. Instead, he had the puppy dog expression he used to wear when we were kids and he truly wanted me to accept his apology.

He rocked back and forth on his heels as he tried to get the words out that always gave him so much trouble. “I know that. But anyway, uh, I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

He gave a slight nod and turned to head to the bathroom, but I reached out for his arm. “Maddox?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m here for you whenever you want to talk. Okay?”

Instead of acknowledging me, his gaze honed in on something on the ceiling. He cocked his head. “I’ll be damned. I’ve never actually seen one of those in real life before.”

Craning my neck, I peered up to see a mirror. I gasped when I realized it was directly over the bed.

He collapsed onto the mattress, gazing up at his reflection. “That’s hot.”

“Ugh, I think it’s disgusting—it and the obvious sex fiend people who live here.”

“Of course you do, Princess.” He propped up on his elbows and grinned at me. “But I agree with you on the owners being freaks. I mean who still owns a waterbed?”

For the first time, I noticed he was swaying on the rolling bed. “Ew, is it really?”

“Yep.” He patted the spot next to him. “Wanna try it?”

“No thank you.”

He chuckled. “No matter how long I’ve been gone from home, some things never change. You’re always going to be the cautious good girl.”

Wanting to wipe the smirk off Maddox’s face, I stalked over to the bed and hopped on. My exertions caused both of us to sway back and forth like we were riding ocean waves. When I had steadied a little, I turned to him and smiled sweetly. “Don’t underestimate me, Maddox. I’m not the same girl you left three years ago.”