Page 70 of These Jagged Edges

Standing on shaky legs, I turn on my heel and flip him the bird. "I'm going home. I don't have to stay and hear this." I take two painful steps before Maddox leans over and gives my clit a gentle flick with his tongue making my knees damn near buckle.

"Your ass is staying here tonight. Now, let's go shower." Standing at his full height, he gently scoops me up in his arms before heading to the shower.

Showering with Maddox Wilder is a treat. The man lavishes me with affection and care every single time. It's one of my favorite things we do together. After rinsing my hair, Maddox leaves me under the spray of the water and gently touches my neck.

"Are you okay?”

"Yes, although I am a little pissed you didn't give me a chance to handle it."

Maddox throws his head back and laughter rings loudly in the bathroom. "God woman, you’re something else. I’m talking about what happened in the kitchen. Did I hurt you?”

Blame the alcohol but the genuine look of sincerity on his face makes me laugh. “No, although God wants me to tell you he heard my prayers, and my vagina will be out of commission for the next few days. Also, I’m pretty sure there’s a hole in your pantry door.”

"Areyou sure you have the room?"

"For the sixth time, yes I do." Maddox stands shirtless, glistening in sweat as he puts the finishing touches on this tree house monstrosity he insisted on building the boys. "Just go get the cake woman. I wouldn't offer to put it in my place if I didn't mind."

I cross my arms under my chest. "Fine, you don't have to be a dick about it."

Maddox turns giving me his full attention. "We both know I’mnot. You're just so used to doing everything on your own that you're looking for a reason to refuse my help."

"No, I'm not," I tell him defiantly.

"Evie…" He blows out a frustrated breath and for the first time, I can tell how annoyed he is with me. "Earlier it was helping hang the decorations that you know damn good and well you are too short to reach. Then it was trying to rearrange the picnic table and patio furniture by yourself, now you're arguing with me about storing their birthday cake at my house."

Well, when he puts it like that it does seem like I’m being difficult for no reason. "I could have hung those, and the furniture wasn't even that heavy," I grumble. It isn’t that I’m purposely trying to pick a fight.

This is a new experience for both of us. He’s here for my son's birthday, trying to find comfort amidst the pain of losing his daughter. Meanwhile, I’m accustomed to managing everything on my own. My fierce independence is a defining trait that he both admires and struggles with. I’m not entirely sure how he feels about being so deeply involved in this unfamiliar situation or how my need to handle things solo is affecting him.

My heart races as Maddox closes the few inches between us and brushes his nose along my nape, the scent of pine and sweat suffusing my body, and he completely melts away my prickly demeanor. I can feel myself melting against him as he trails his lips along my earlobe before sinking his teeth into my neck, making me whimper softly. "Go get that fucking cake and stop picking a fight with me. It's not just you on your own anymore, I'm here." With a quick nod, I tell him I won't be long and head to Joe's.

The parking lot’s empty, as expected since it’s well past closing time. Still, the dark and desolate lot makes me uneasy. Allison should still be closing up, so I call her name as I enter the back door of the café. She doesn’t respond, but that isn’t unusual; she often zones out while working.

"Ally, I'm going to grab the boy's cake!" I call over my shoulder,walking to the walk-in cooler. As expected, Soph knocked it out of the damn park, this cake is just a bigger replica of the chocolate cupcakes Charlie and Bash love so much. She even added a few of those crime-fighting turtles they love so much, and a banner that says, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE AND BASH'. They’re going to freak out when they see it. Hell, I'll be surprised if they shared with anyone.

Deciding it best to come back for the cupcakes, I gently pick up the cake and slowly make my way out of the cooler. "Ally, you should see this cake! The boys are going to love it!" Where is that heifer? I check our prep area, but she’s not there. I check the office, but she’s not there either.

I enter the dim diner, my stomach twisting with unease. Something's wrong. I head behind the register, and my cake slips from my hands, landing in a mess at my feet. There, amidst scattered money, sits Allison tied to a chair with tears streaming down her face. I rush over, ready to rip the tape from her mouth, but she begins thrashing wildly in her chair, her eyes wide with terror. She shakes her head violently from side to side as if telling me no.

I urgently try to soothe her. "Shh, it's okay. You're okay. I'm going to get you out of here." My heart pounds like a drum in my chest as I desperately try to figure out who could have done this to her and why. My hands fumble with the knots, trembling with anxiety, so absorbed in the task that I don't realize we're not alone until it's too late.

"Petal, it’s been a while."

The color drains from my face as a terror unlike any I’ve felt before washes over me. I have always known, deep down, that this day might come—that eventually, he would find me. But I'm no longer the fractured woman he once knew. I've healed, rebuilt myself, and emerged stronger and more resilient than before. I’m Evie Taylor goddamn it and I refuse to cower for this shit stain excuse of a human. I give Allison a wink before turning to face my devil.

The Trent standing before me is a ghost of his former self. The robust, fearsome figure who once used his strength to intimidate me has withered into a mere waif of a man. His once formidable presence has been replaced by a skeletal frame, and the only thing that betrays his identity is his lifeless, icy eyes. If not for those haunting eyes, I could almost convince myself that this isn’t him. Plus, he's dirty and his clothes look three sizes too big.

"Not long enough, fuckhead," I spit my words at him.

A greasy smile spreads across his cracked lips. "I can see you've forgotten our last lesson." The scars on my thighs tingle as if saying, we'll never forget.

"Stick your lessons up your ass."

Then quicker than a snake’s strike, he lunges at me, plunging a needle into my neck. Allison’s muffled screams pierce the air as everything around me fades to black.

Chapter Twenty-Five

MADDOX

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