Page 88 of Manacled Hearts

I’m a bit too tipsy to protest delicately, so I look for the girls to bail me out instead. I catch Morrigan’s flaming red hair, but she’s talking to the barman. Turning to Lulu, I see she’s preoccupied with the lawyer guy, hanging around his neck as he guides her hips against his own. I can’t just scream for her, that will cause a scene. But her body stills, bones frozen in place as her gaze fixes on a spot in the distance, and she slowly releases the guy she’s with. I follow the direction of her stern gaze, and I’m both annoyed and relieved at what I find there—Maddox. I know why I’m annoyed, but I’m not sure why Lulu reacts like this to the big guy.

“Hey, I think it would be best if we stop dancing now.” I warn the man behind me in the most delicate way I can muster right now.

I’ve grown to view Madds like an older brother, and if he feels the same for me, then I know why he showed up here, and the guy behind me should disappear before he sees him. Madds scans the room, and it takes him three seconds to spot all three of us, his gaze darkening with each one. As he stalks over, I expect him to come straight to me and drag me away, but instead, he stops next to Lulu. Shoulder to shoulder, looking down at her as she scowls up at him. No words are exchanged, only glowers, one more intense than the other. One more possessive than the other. Holy hell, what is happening over there?

I’m downright curious and I make a mental note to ask Lulu about it. Or at least Morri, since I think Lulu will dismiss me. Madds turns his focus on me, and I feel like I got caught doing something I’m not supposed to. Okay, he definitely has big brother attitude.

The guy behind me jerks me against him, and I only blink once and Madds is only two steps away from me.

“Having fun?” he asks, but there’s no cheerfulness in his tone.

“Umm, yup.” Yup? What kind of answer is that?

“Who’s this,” the guy behind me asks.

“You’re done now, right?” Madds asks me, ignoring the guy.

I debate being a brat for a few moments, chewing on the inside of my cheek, but self-preservation wins. Plus, I wanna get rid of this dude.

“I think I want a drink,” I answer, because I’m not necessarily done with the night, but I’m done with this guy.

“I’ll get you one,” he says from behind me, his hands possessive against my hips.

“No. You’re good, buddy. I suggest you find someone else.”

I laugh at Maddox’s words, and I bite my lip to stifle it. He notices but isn’t amused as he reaches a hand for me. I grab it, but the guy behind me doesn’t let go. Madds notices and steps forward, his six foot and too many inches frame towering over the man.

“Maybe the music is too loud, and you didn’t hear me. I said find. Someone. Else.” He punctuates each word with another small step until he’s crowding us.

With a jerk, the guy releases me, and my back cools—he stepped away. I release a sigh of relief and let Maddox pull me away.

“Have a good evening,” I say on a raised tone, turning my head slightly.

There’s sarcasm in my voice, but I didn’t want to be mean and leave without a word.

When we reach the bar, I slap a hand on Maddox’s bicep. “What are you doing here?”

“Rescuing you, clearly.”

“Oh, stop it. Seriously, what’s with the ambush and the attitude?”

He doesn’t answer, just rolls his eyes and ignores me as he pulls his phone out and starts tapping.

“Hey! I’m talking to you.” I push the phone down and glimpse at the screen, annoyed that he’s ignoring me for it.

Found her. Dancing in Terry’s bar with Morrigan and Lulu.

I gasp at the text, clearly about me, but when I catch the first letter of the name at the top of the screen before Madds pulls the phone away, I turn furious.

“Finnigan?! Are you reporting back to him? Did he send you?” Oh, I’m mad. Really mad. The alcohol might have something to do with it too, because I don’t usually get so heated.

“He was worried about you.”

Those words don’t make me feel better in the slightest.

“What right does he have to worry about me? He clearly does not care about me at all. He said that much.” I spit back at him, though my words are more directed at Finnigan, even if he’s not here.

“Okay, I’ve kept my questions to myself because prying is not my thing. But what the hell is happening between you and Hennessey?!” Madds crosses his arms against his broad chest, and for a moment there he looks more like a father than a brother.

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