Page 46 of Tomorrow's Never Promised

Liam looks at me—no—staresat me. “Ready to gohome, darling?”

He wraps his hand around mine, but I turn and stomp off to the car.

Looks like we are off to a great start.

The ride homefrom the airport is horrible. Madison cries on and off the whole time. I tried everything from music to rubbing her back to offering to stop for ice cream or Starbucks. Hell, I even offered to get her a puppy.

She wanted nothing to do with any of those options.

We pull up to the penthouse, and she swings opens her car door. I reach for her hand and hold it tight, refusing to let her rip it away again. “I promise you it’s all going to be okay.”

“It’s not. How is any of this okay, Liam?” she shouts, her voice cracking with newly shed tears.

“Killian will be back soon, you’ll see. It will go by quickly.” I try and reassure her even though it’s breaking my fucking heart to see her cry for him.

“I’m not talking about Killian! Yes, I’m extremely upset about him not being here. I’m scared as hell for him being away and in danger. But what I’m really scared of is being in this house with you. We…I can’t be around you.It’s too much. But Killian was adamant that you’re my bodyguard now. So, I guess I don’t have a choice.”

I get out of the car and help her out, wrapping a protective arm around her. We take the elevator up to the second floor in silence. Only when we reach the door to her room, does she she turn around to look at me. Much calmer than she was in the car.

“I know I literally just said we shouldn’t be around each other, but I don’t want to be alone tonight. Can you maybe—I don’t know…watch a movie with me or something…just until I fall asleep?”

“Watch a movie?” I chuckle. “What's the ‘something’?” I waggle my eyebrows at her.

She shoves open her door angrily. “Forget it!”

Maddy is about to slam the door in my face when I press my hand against it, stopping her. “How about this—I’ll go change into sweats, and you get yourself ready for bed. And please, for the love of God, wear something full coverage,” I laugh, but I am dead serious. I can’t be around her if she’s going to be wearing some sexy pajama set. “Come watch a movie in my room ‘til you’re ready to fall asleep. I can’t be in Killian’s bed.I just—can’t.”

“Fair enough. Thank you. I’ll be over in a few,” she says in a clipped tone.

Twenty minutes later, I walk out of my bathroom, shirtless and in gray sweats. Madison is cuddled and cozy in a sweatshirt and sweatpants, just lounging on top of my bed.And damn if she doesn’t look good there.Her hair is still damp and pulled up in a messy bun.

My hunger for her stirs.

Her eyes graze over me for a few seconds before she distracts herself with her phone.

She rubs at her temple. “Why don’t you have a shirt on?” Her thumbs fly over her screen as she types out a message, doing her best to ignore me.

“Because I don’t sleep in one. Problem, love?” I smirk.I’m getting to her, and she knows it.

“So let me get this straight…” she raises her eyebrow. “Ihave to wear a shirt, butyoudon’t have to?” Her eyes dart up from her text message and scream for a challenge.

“Darling, this isn’t aduel.”

“No, it’s not.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “You brought a deadly weapon in here,” she points at my chest. “And I didn’t,” she pouts.It’s the cutest fucking thing ever.

“Baby, your presence here in my room is a deadly weapon. So if this was, in fact, a duel—clothed or not—you’ve already won.”

The smile she gives me is incredible. Her cheeks have flushed a beautiful shade of pink. “‘Do you want to watch a movie orsomething?’” I quote her from earlier while getting comfortable on my side of the bed.

Maddy smirks at me while shaking her head. A giddy smile graces her face, and her fingers flash across her screen again. I snatch the phone and hold it above me.

“Who has you so distracted? Cause it definitely isn’t Killian. And it sure as shit isn't me.”

“Liam! Give me my phone!” She lunges over me, reaching for it. Her breasts are pressed firmly against my chest, her leg is thrown over me, and our faces are only a few inches from each other. I tilt the phone to see what she’s up to. It’s a conversation she is having with Lexi:

Lexi

How are you holding up girl? Killian left today?

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