Page 66 of The Two Halves of My Heart

Chapter 20

Grace 21 Years Old

It was funny—I’d moved out and taken my chance with Maddison because I’d thought my world was on pause, and I wanted to do something about that. To finally take charge and grab hold of what I wanted.

But it had been hard to find the positives in the few months after our argument, and I retreated further and further within myself. I’d completed Uni. Finished, and with any luck, I’d scraped through with a decent degree.

I spent all my time at home, or the pub where I still worked, and I had even fewer friends now than ever. Maddison might have insisted things were different, but they were his friends, people he was familiar with, that he wanted to spend time with or impress. They weren’t mine.

The lustre of the life he led had worn off as soon as he took that creep’s side against mine all those months ago. Sure, I went to parties still. But I’d learnt my lesson—I didn’t let Maddison out of my sight. And he needed me to be the designated driver for the most part. It seemed that drinking was increasingly required at these parties now.

We’d called a truce on me attending the fights. I didn’t know if that was because he didn’t have one to work towards, or he’d given up on asking me to attend, but that didn’t shift Maddison’s focus. He’d become obsessed with working out and training. He was working around the clock and refused to listen to anyone. His stubborn streak had grown, along with his ego, and he didn’t care who saw.

But despite all of that, I still clung to the knowledge that we loved each other. Because when it was good between us, all the bad and the hurt faded into the background, and I didn’t care about anyone else but him.

“So, where are you taking me?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be called a surprise if I told you, right?” His smile was seductive and sent a beat of lust through my blood.

It was my twenty-first. A big birthday, apparently, and I’d been looking forward to this for weeks. Finally, some quality time with Maddison that didn’t involve us in bed—at least for the start of the night, anyway.

“What about a clue? Dress code, for example?” I wrapped my arms around his neck, enjoying the sparkle in his eyes.

“Wear something… sexy.” He twitched his eyebrows at me, and I giggled.

“Okay. That’s limited, but I’ll try my best.”

“Don’t be stupid. You’re impossibly sexy without even trying. A dress, wear a dress.”

“Okay. As you asked so nicely.”

He kissed me, his lips demanding as usual. The taste of salt with a hint of mint was so familiar now, our mouths so in tune with each other, it was intoxicating and hard to resist.

“You’ve got half an hour,” he murmured around more kisses and de-tangled my arms. “Go, or we’ll be late.”

The restaurant, the meal, Maddison in a shirt with his sleeves rolled to show his forearms… everything about the evening was perfect. Even my dress worked out. Maddison made me feel like I was the only girl in the room, and my heart expanded to the point that I was scared it might burst. I needed this. We needed this.

For the entire night, I had no worries about anything outside of our bubble, and it was the perfect birthday gift. It reminded me of when things were easier between us, and when we were still exploring each other as boyfriend and girlfriend—our new kind of adventure.

“I love you. You know that, right?” Mads rubbed circles on the back of my hand as we headed back towards the car.

“Of course. I love you, too.”

“Good. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. And now I have you, sometimes I worry you’re going to wake up and realise this is all a mistake.”

“No, no, that won’t happen.” I pulled him to a stop at the car and looked into his eyes. In these moments, I saw the vulnerability that was so raw within him. He’d been the same since he was a boy, with a tough exterior or mask to hide his soft spots. I thought I’d seen them all, but obviously not.

“God, I love you,” he declared, kissing me hungrily. It ignited a passion within me, and before I knew it, he’d bumped me up against the car. His lips persisted as if he was trying to show me just how much I meant to him, and it drugged me, sending me giddy in seconds.

His hands trailed down my sides and reached the hem of my dress, playing with the slide from material to skin.

“Hey, hey, slow down. Let’s go home.” I panted, acutely aware we were out in a public place.

“Fine. But once we’re home, all bets are off.” He smiled at me, the insecurity now gone and only replaced with his desire for me. It was a complete turn on, and the anticipation had me tensing my thighs and tapping my foot all the way home. He was ridiculously handsome with his dirty blonde hair tamed just enough, and smart shirt, pulled dangerously tight across his muscular arms. And the best part, I knew just how good he looked out of the clothes as well.

As soon as the front door was open, Maddison attacked.

My back hit the cold wall of the hallway as he pressed his body against mine. His fingers moved to the hem of my dress, and he slipped his hands under the material, caressing my legs until he ran them to cup my bum. The intensity, as he kept up the intoxicating kisses, bordered on overwhelming, but I was right there on the edge with him, wanting nothing more than to get lost in him.

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