Page 23 of Pucking Obsessed

My tone is sharp and final, the kind that doesn’t invite questions. But Bethany doesn’t seem to get the hint, her gaze flicking between Madison and me like she’s waiting for more.

Kirsten snickers, clearly enjoying the tension. I don’t know why she plays with me. She knows I’ll flip this goddamn table. “In his head, they’re together. But he’s still trying to convince her, isn’t that right, Madison?”

Madison doesn’t answer. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, and I notice her mother reach for her wine glass, downing the contents faster than she probably intended.

I rub a hand over my face, trying to block out the chatter, but Bethany’s grating voice pipes up again. Looking at me, she asks, “Is it weird because your other set of parents were having the affair, or is it because she’s poor? I mean, that’s not really your vibe.”

The words hit like a slap, but not to me, but to Madison. I can see it in the way her shoulders tense, the way her face stays carefully blank even though I know she’s hurt.

My head snaps toward Bethany before I can think better of it. I’m so angry, I’m surprised it doesn’t swivel on my neck like The Exorcist.

“My vibe?” I say, my voice higher and louder than normal. She wants to try and humiliate Madison? I’ll embarrass the fuck out of her to the point she’ll never recover. I’m about to start fucking screaming if I have to spend one more minute with these pretentious, annoying people. “I don’t have a vibe, except ignoring a bunch of whores like you who like my last name and what comes with it.”

The entire table falls silent.

Bethany’s face pales, and she shifts awkwardly, trying to avoid my glare.

“Apologize to Madison,” I say, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Bethany stammers out an apology, but I don’t care. I’m already riled up, and someone is going to feel my wrath. My focus shifts back to Madison, who looks embarrassed but keeps her chin high. She nods politely at Bethany’s words but doesn’t bother to say anything in return.

They’re saved by two runners walking up with the food, interrupting the awkward silence I caused. Dinner is served, and the table erupts into chatter again. My father and Madison’s mother talk quietly on one end, Kirsten throws in her usual snide comments, and Bethany stays uncharacteristically quiet.

Halfway through the meal, I glance over at Madison’s plate and notice she’s pushing what’s left of her food around. She’s in her head, and that won’t do at all.

I let my hand drift back under the table, resting on her bare knee. She stiffens at first, but when my fingers press against thesoft flesh of her thigh, she relaxes. This time, she doesn’t stop me.

I lean in close, speaking quietly enough that only she can hear. “What’s bothering you?”

Her head snaps toward me, her eyes narrowing. “What do you?—”

I chuckle softly, cutting her off. “I’ve memorized every expression your face can make, and this one tells me you’re thinking about something that has you worried. If it’s that letter, I’m going to take care of it. By the way you relaxed when my fingers dug into your skin, I know it’s not me.”

She hesitates, her gaze flicking away as she exhales softly. “The note was just creepy,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. “Whoever it was, they were right outside my door while we were there. And um…” She looks away like she’s nervous to tell me whatever is bothering her.

“Look at me. You can tell me anything and I’ll fix it,” I tell her honestly and I’m pleasantly surprised when she does shift her eyes toward me.

“I’ll tell, but you’ve gotta keep your cool.” I frown because I don’t possess a single ounce of that, but I want to hear what she has to say so I nod, agreeing. Kind of. Depending on what it is, really. “That note wasn’t the first thing that’s happened.” I haven’t heard what else happened, and I don’t need to. I’m ready to flip every table in this bitch and head back to campus to start ruining lives. Madison must see that, because she reaches over to cover my hand with hers under the table. Surprisingly, the gesture does wonders to soothe some of the rage running through me.

“What happened?” I try not to sound like I’m snapping, but the letter was bad enough.

“The day you beat up Dawson Meyers…” she quirks an eyebrow at me, pausing as if to tell me to wipe the sourexpression off of my face. I don’t like the sound of another guy’s name on her lips, so she’s just going to have to let me brood. “It was earlier, before the fight during practice. I thought it was a sick joke from someone that doesn’t like the fact that I’m at Castlebrook and clearly don’t belong.” She lifts her hand from mine, and that makes me even more annoyed, but I don’t snatch her hand back because she’s reaching for her little purse thing that doesn’t look big enough to hold more than the phone that’s inside it.

She hands it to me, showing me the gruesome text from an unknown number. I’m powering up with so much rage at the fucking audacity of someone trying to scare my girl, that I could burn the whole world down and it still wouldn’t be enough.

“Has there been anything else? Anything at all?” I reach over, brushing a soft blonde wave off of her bare shoulder, not caring if anyone in this damn restaurant sees me. Madison is mine to take care of and no one will stop me. “I need you to tell me these things.”

Madison tries to hold in a laugh and ends up snorting which is the cutest fucking thing. “Yes, Hayden, because if I had told you about this while you were in the middle of beating someone half to death for touching me, I’m sure you would have taken it very well and been calm the whole time.” The sarcasm practically drips off her tongue and I have no way to refute her statement because she’s not exaggerating even a little bit.

I need to stay level-headed because now there’s three separate incidents of someone fucking with us. I’ll get to the bottom of it, and when I do, everyone involved is going to lose their fucking lives.

My chest tightens, my possessiveness surging to the surface. The thought of her being in her room alone with all this shit going on is not an option. “I’m asking you politely and nicely, toplease stay at my house tonight,” I say firmly. “Between Callum, Tristan and me, it’s the safest place for you to be.”

Madison shakes her head, her lips twitching into a faint smile. “Nice try, but I got roped into a sleepover at your dad’s house with your sister and my biggest fan.” Madison nods toward Bethany and bites her bottom lip like she’s dreading it. “Mom wants us to make the wedding favors for the party.” It’s not what I wanted, but at least it’s off campus and I can easily keep any eye on her there.

I wrinkle my nose, the distaste clear on my face. “That’s the same look your dad made when my mom said she wanted them handmade by her two daughters.” Madison rolls her eyes at her mother’s antics. “I don’t think her and Kirsten really like each other.”

I glance toward the other end of the table, glaring at our parents before turning my attention back to Madison. “You and everyone else can try to make this whole stepsibling thing really weird, but I don’t give a fuck. You’re mine. You have been since I followed you into those woods.”

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