Page 28 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

Exhaustion and grief hit me like a sack of bricks to the face. My legs buckle and Liam catches me, twining his arms aroundme before I hit the ground. He swings my legs up and cradles me against his chest.

We start moving toward the bedrooms. He glances behind him before reaching the threshold of our room.

“She needs rest. You can leave tomorrow after she gets some sleep,” his words are directed towards Diego. Then he turns to brush past Killian who is standing by the door. “Killian, I can’t even look at you right now, mate. Get the fuck out of my face before I completely lose my shit. How could you do this? How could you use your rank to force me into something thatyouwould never be okay with yourself?” Liam walks us into the bedroom and kicks the door shut forcefully with his boot.

My body shifts in his arms as he pulls the comforter down and places me on the mattress. The softness of the down feather comforter engulfs me as Liam tucks me in. The bed dips as he sits on the edge of the bed. His head is slung forward in defeat, hands covering his face. I want to get up and comfort him, but I’m so fucking weak. My eyelids are beyond heavy. I can barely keep my eyes open. The last thing I see before the darkness takes me is Liam leaning over me and placing a tender kiss on my forehead.

The sliding glass door leading to the pool glides along its track.

And then there’s silence.

No buzzing. Or whooshing.

Fuck him.I am two seconds away from abandoning my plan to blow off steam, and go in there and give my brother a piece of my mind—or my fists. He’s done this once before during lockdown. When we were forced to stay under the same goddamn roof.

And that was forhisbenefit.

My house would have accommodated Madison and Ijust fine. Killian used that situation for his gain, trying to win Madison back.So now what?Sel is safe and happy, back in his arms, and he suddenly forgets how important Madison is to us?

As I said—Fuck. Him.

It took everything in me not to scoop Madison up in my arms and get us the fuck away from here. I don’t even give a damn where we would go.Anywhere but here. They all lost their fucking minds. The only thing tethering me to this plan is the oath I took for Killian and the Tri-State Syndicate.

Killian’s word is final.

However, I am starting to consider plans to take over my brother’s role. He never wanted it in the first place. We are brothers after all—only born a few months apart. Perhaps it’s time I use that card.

I am a goddamn Kennedy.

No one takes what is mine.

Stripping down to my boxer briefs, I pull my black t-shirt over my head and toss it onto a nearby lounge chair. Inhaling deeply through my nose, I take a running start before diving into the blue-lit pool. I hold my breath until my lungs burn and scream out, and push myself across the length of the pool and back. When I breach the surface, I inhale on a snarl, breathing in and out through my clenched teeth like a feral animal.

A plethora of questions are racing through my mind, one after the other pouring in. With a sigh, I fold my arms over the pavers and lay my head against them.

Fuck my life.

How am I supposed to let the fucking devil himself take my woman with him on his private yacht? How can I just sit here and let her go? Not only that but I am being sent across the pond. I can’t protect her from there. Even if Diego means every word he says about keeping her safe, I don’t trust his intentions. You would be a damn fool to think he didn’t develop feelings for her. You can feel it sizzle in the air between them. Like butter on a skillet, my woman can’t help but melt for him.

I don’t blame her. Diego De La Cruz has the looks. I’ll give him that. Perhaps Madison is drawn to his surfer vibe. Although, she is rather fond of my beard, piercings, and tattoos…

That’s what I am worried about most. No matter how many times Madison has confessed her love for me, my heart just can’t fully grasp that she wants me.

That she chose me.

Blackened soul and all.

She is the only person who sees past my darkness. Madison is all that is good in this world. Every person she comes in contact with opens up to her and confides in her. Even complete strangers. She’s a magnet for helping others and aiding in their healing.

When we finally got our chance, she made herself right at home, ripping open the curtains drawn on the dusty windows of my soul. One by one she yanked, until only bright healing light beamed through. Fear by fear, memory by memory, every bad deed I’ve ever committed washed away. I see the world in such a different way now that she is in it. I’m a better person because of her.

I have purpose.

More than just being a criminal. More than playing a role in the underworld.

I’ll be damned if I let her slip away from me, again.

I will always protect her. For she is a goddess walking amongst us mere mortals. Madison truly is too good for this fucking cruel world. And one of these days, she’s going to give too much of herself. So much so, that she won’t be able to come back from it.

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