Beautiful Burn (The Maddox Brothers, #4)(72)

Jack was standing on a chair, directing whoever was at the bottom of the pile. Cat, Sugar, and Puddin’ were tossing anyone who wasn’t a hotshot out of the mound of thrashing bodies like toddlers eagerly searching a toy box.

“Stop. Stop!” I yelled, pushing against Liam’s arm.

Tyler’s head popped up from the sea of chaos for a brief moment. I escaped the safety of the wall just in time to grab his shirt with both fists. Just as Tyler landed a devastating blow to Todd’s jaw, he noticed I had hold of him and hooked his arm around my shoulders, ducking and dodging the various fighting groups until we were safely in the alley.

I shook my head. “That was … unnecessary.”

“You’re shaking,” he said, reaching for me.

I pushed him away. “Mercer could barely stand, and you attacked him.”

“Ellie … no one was going to let him say that and walk out of there. I was trying to knock him out before anyone else got ahold of him.”

“Oh, so you were doing him a favor,” I deadpanned.

He shrugged. “At least he didn’t get kicked in the balls.”

I paused and then looked down, unable to stop from smiling. The rest of the crew burst from the door, half of them laughing, the rest pulling their still-swinging brothers out.

Liam and Jojo were holding hands, the fight giving them an excuse to break the personal boundary barrier. After a few drinks, one touch was all it took for most, and Jojo couldn’t have been happier.

Jubal exhaled. “That was a much-needed release of tension, I guess.”

Fish frowned. “Wick’s not going to let us back in until next season. Some of us live here.”

“I’ll talk to him,” I said. “So will Jojo.”

They all grinned, patting and hugging me as they passed. “Thanks, Ellie,” each of them said. “See you next season.”

Liam kissed my cheek, winking at Tyler. “Take care, you two. Quit f*ckin’ around, would ya?”

Jojo jingled her keys. “Need a ride?”

“I’ve got her,” Tyler said.

I glanced up at him, appreciative. He hadn’t given up on me. No matter what I said or did, he was right there, waiting to take care of me.

Jack patted Tyler on the shoulder, and the crew walked out to the cars parked in the street, chatting excitedly about the brawl.

Tyler waved to them and then turned to me, beginning a full minute of silence in the alley in front of Turk’s. I folded my arms across my middle, feeling the sweat on my skin chill in the autumn air.

“You cold?” Tyler asked. “My jacket is in the truck.”

“I’m fine.”

“So … I’m confused,” he began. “Liam and Jojo?”

I laughed out loud, holding my hands out to my sides and letting them fall to my thighs. “I guess. I’m just as surprised as you are.”

“Watts said he asked you to go on a road trip with him.”

I nodded.

“What did you say?”

“A road trip costs money that I don’t have.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“Tyler...”

His shoulders sagged. “It doesn’t matter what I do, does it? I just can’t…” He gestured to the space between us. “Get past whatever’s in the way.”

I pressed my lips together and clamped down with my teeth. I’d been doing so well staying away from him. It would only be cruel to admit the truth.

“What?” he said with a half-smile. “Say it.”

I shook my head.

“Don’t be a *, Ellison. Say it,” he repeated.

“I shouldn’t.”

“Yeah. You should.”

“I miss you,” I blurted out.

He scanned my face, a new light in his eyes.

I closed my eyes. “I think about you all the time … mostly wondering why you put up with so much of my shit.”

“You and me both.”

I looked away, trying to find something that warranted my attention so Tyler wouldn’t see the hurt in my eyes.

“But, when I’m around you, Ellie … it doesn’t matter why. It doesn’t matter what you did to piss me off or push me away. I can’t explain it. I can’t shake it. Some days I wish I could. I come from a family of proud men, but I’m not the first to falter when it comes to the one woman he can’t walk away from.”

“You should … walk away from me.”

He chuckled. “You think I don’t know that? You’re the female version of me.”

I glanced up at him, pleased with his confession. “When you showed up tonight, I was happier than I’ve been in a long time.”

He didn’t hesitate, taking my cheeks in his hands. He leaned in, but I pulled back.

He furrowed his brow. “Then what? What do I have to do?”

My eyes burned as I clutched the mid-section of his shirt with both fists. “I’ve already told you. I’ve told you a hundred times. I’m f*cked up. I’m drinking again. I’m taking spiked coffee to work.”

He shrugged. “So we start over.”

There was that word again. We. It didn’t sound so foreign anymore, and that scared the hell out of me. “It’s not that simple. I’m not in any shape to try to manage a relationship.”