Page 14 of Come to Bed

“What is it?” I finally asked.

“You haven’t supplied your plans this evening.”

I gulped and did my best to clear my face of emotion. When I agreed to let him be my driver all those years ago, I didn’t realize he would act as if he were my bodyguard, too. That he would be with me any time I wasn’t in my home or at work. “I uh, am going to meet an old friend.”

“No.” Maddox’s steel gaze was unnerving as I tried to ignore it and take out my outfit for the evening instead. The sparkling rainbow dress was one of my favorite purchases and I knew I would need any support I could get this evening. Even if it was in clothing form.

“You’re not my dad. That is Oliver’s job if you haven’t forgotten.”

At that, Oliver stepped from the door adjoining our rooms. The room he and Maddox were sharing.

“What was that?” He surveyed the area. “And where is the gremlin?”

“She is currently occupied on a porcelain throne and will, unfortunately, not be making it.” I stood up, dress in hand. “You both have 15 seconds to leave or catch an eyeful of chunk.”

Neither made any indication of leaving. Oh well, I wasn’t in the mood to argue. I turned and began to strip.

“Isobel.” Oliver’s tone was threatening. “What are you doing?”

I slid the Mumu over my head, it left me fully naked, but all they could see was my ass. They had seen more than that over the years. Hell, Maddox had walked in on me rubbing one out before and Oliver and I had gone skinny dipping several times back in high school. And besides that? Neither of them wanted me, it made it easier to be comfortable when I wasn’t trying to impress either of the men.

I threw the Mumu over my shoulder in their direction. “Getting dressed.” I tugged the sparkly sequined rainbow dress over my tits and then my ass.

Maddox let out a disgruntled noise.

I turned back to the men; their expressions were both stormy and I watched as they exchanged a look. “Not anything you both haven’t seen before. Anyway, we ready to do this jazz?” I mustered up as much courage as I could.

They swapped one more unreadable look before they both jerked their heads in a nod.

Chapter eleven

Maddox

His Ellie

The bane of Maddox’s existence. The reason he still lived and breathed. The most magnificent woman he had ever met. His Ellie. Isobel.

Maddox met her after his last bodyguarding position. The one where his objective died. Maddox already knew Oliver from years back when they were enlisted together. Except Oliver ended up leaving immediately after his four years. Oliver told Maddox, at the time, there was something more important for him to go back to. Maddox found out later that it was Isobel.

Maddox didn’t blame Oliver. She affected everyone around her, and she didn’t even realize it. The most oblivious prey.

But to Maddox? She was his tether to reality. She was what kept him from losing his mind and destroying everything in his path.

That’s all Maddox was before he met her. Destruction.

Maddox had a few good years in the private sector after he finally left the service. Until the person he was supposed to protect died. Maddox took a bullet to the shoulder in his attempt to keep them safe. It was pointless. Their location was disclosed by another person in the company for a quick payday. It was then and there that Maddox lost the last of his faith in humanity. Where he finally let the years of suffering catch up to him.

He would never forget as the girl he was supposed to keep safe bled out in his hands. Her choking last breaths. Her cries for her mother. Her eyes as she realized that she wouldn’t be making it.

She was ten years old, and he had failed her. The world had failed her. No death prior had affected him as hers had.

Maddox wasn’t a good man, he had hurt more than he had saved, but he thought the private sector would do some good. That it would finally be a turning point for him.

With the failure of that, he had felt like he was floating with nothing to tie him down and keep him grounded.

He was essentially alone in the world, and he was determined to drink himself into an early grave. He was five days into a bender when she found him.

“You come here often?”

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