Page 17 of Come to Bed

Maddox didn’t expect for her best friend to also be the man that suggested this bar to him.

Fuck.

Maddox hadn’t left Ellie’s side since that day. He and Oliver came to an understanding. An agreement. Maddox wouldn’t take her from Oliver, and Oliver would allow Maddox in her orbit. It didn’t take long for Ellie to agree to him as her driver, and while that was his official title… Unofficially? He watched over her and kept her safe, as best he could. He still blamed himself for Harry. He took the night off to visit the grave of the girl he couldn’t save.

When he came back the next day, it was already too late, and he knew better than to tell Ellie what to do. Harry had attached to her like the parasite he was.

Maddox wanted to force Ellie to see reason, but he would never take her choice away. He would never force anything on Ellie that she wasn’t ready for. That she couldn’t handle.

Eventually Maddox furthered his agreement with Oliver. Maddox knew Oliver was as obsessed with the girl as he was. Maddox understood he would never be able to be with her and keep her happy without Oliver.

And so, their plan was born. Ready Ellie to take them both. To have them both.

Together.

Chapter twelve

Izzy

This was a mistake. In my top ten worst decisions I have ever made, hands down. That includes dry shaving my vagina while drunk as shit. It includes shot-gunning three energy drinks back-to-back before a funeral.

The only decision it was not worse than?

The day I followed my math teacher onto the school’s roof.

“I’m ready to go,” I whined to Oliver for the umpteenth time. We currently sat in our old high school gym which was honestly fancier than it had any right being. It was decked out in golden streamers, white satin clothed tables and chairs, and sparkling centerpieces. There was a dance floor in the middle where my old classmates grinded to early 2000s songs.

Hallie was on said dance floor, and Harry was shoving his dick into her asshole. Again. This time they at least had a smidgen of clothes on.

I turned in disgust and found Maddox’s eyes on me. “What about you and I leave this popsicle stand and go rub one out in the principal’s office.”

Maddox choked. “Ellie.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You two are off limits. Consider myself properly friendzoned.” I was being a brat, but in my defense, I was currently living out a nightmare.

“Isobel.” Oliver’s voice was soft, and it felt too close to pity.

“You know what, you-” I pointed to Oliver “-find us some more clients. And you-” I turned my wrath on Maddox “-stop making the girls cry.”

Though really, it was lowkey hilarious to watch him turn down boob job Betsy and her friend Polly. They were bullies in high school, and I couldn’t help the satisfaction of watching him put them in their place now.

I grabbed my plastic cup of champagne and dramatically exited our table, going out to mingle. Honestly, I just wanted to stay off Sebastian York’s radar. My teacher. The man that single handedly attempted to ruin my life. To take what wasn’t his.

And even more so? I wanted to find an entirely different man. My third friend from high school that I hadn’t seen or spoken to in 10 years. I doubted he would even be here, but I could hope. Would he even acknowledge me?

I placed a hand on my now rapidly beating heart, before chugging the champagne, and dropping the empty cup into the nearest trash station.

Five steps later and I somehow ended up in front of our old football captain, James.

James clearly peaked in high school, but who was I to tell him that? “Annabelle.” Of course he would call me by the wrong name. The main bully that tormented me relentlessly in high school. The one that had caused more tears to shed than I cared to admit. Looking at him now, I’m embarrassed of my teenage self. Of crying over a schmuck like him.

“Jeremy.” I returned the favor.

“My name is James.”

“Cool, anyways I will just be going.”

He grabbed my shoulder, stopping me and I watched his eyes peruse my body. I shivered disgustedly.

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