Page 13 of Maddox

Not anymore.

I stared at Maddox's message, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. What could I ask of him? What did I even want?

Finally, I typed: "Could you...maybe just talk to me for a bit? About anything. I just need a distraction."

His number lit up my phone and I answered.

"How about I tell you about the time I accidentally dyed my hair bright green?"

Despite everything, I felt a small smile tug at my lips. "That sounds like a story."

For the next twenty-five minutes, Maddox regaled me with tales of his misspent youth—pranks gone wrong, embarrassing moments, and ridiculous adventures. With each story, I felt the tension in my body ease slightly, the nightmare fading to the background.

Then the knock at the door jolted me, just when I’d thought I might be able to sleep.

“It’s me. I’m here.”

With shaking hands, I got up and went to the door. I peered through the peephole, confirming it was indeed Maddox standing there. Taking a deep breath, I unlatched the door and opened it.

Maddox stood there, concern etched on his face. He was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, his hair slightly mussed as if he'd rushed over. "Hey," he said softly. "I hope it's okay that I came. I was worried about you." He grinned. “I actually know your night doorman, Roger. He works weekends for us.”

I nodded, stepping back to let him in. I hadn’t even questioned how he’d been able to come up without them calling me. "It's...it's okay. Thank you for coming."

He entered, his eyes scanning me as if checking for injuries. "How are you feeling?"

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly very aware that I was in my pajamas. "Better," I admitted. "The talking helped."

Maddox smiled gently. "I'm glad. Do you want to talk about your dream?"

I hesitated, then shook my head. "Not really. I just...I don't want to be alone right now."

Maddox smiled like that was the most reasonable thing in the world to say when I knew he should be questioning my sanity.

“How about you get in bed, and I’ll stay until you go to sleep?”

I was so tempted. The sleep I’d gotten before the nightmare had been the longest in a while. He steered me to the bed as if he didn’t need an answer, pulled the comforter so I could slide in, then perched on the edge.

I immediately felt guilty. “Please sit properly.” He moved and sat next to me, but on top of the comforter and sitting up, leaning his back against the headboard. His presence was both comforting and nerve-wracking. Part of me wanted to curl into his side, to let him wrap his arms around me and chase away the lingering fear from my nightmare. But I held myself rigid, afraid of what might happen if I let my guard down.

"Is this okay?" Maddox asked softly, seeming to sense my tension.

I nodded, not trusting my voice. We sat in silence for a few moments, the only sound our quiet breathing.

"You know," Maddox said eventually, his voice gentle. "It's okay to need comfort sometimes. It doesn't make you weak."

I swallowed hard, tears pricking at my eyes. "I just... I don't want to take advantage of your kindness," I whispered.

Maddox turned to look at me, his expression serious. "Clare, listen to me. You're not taking advantage of anything. I'm here because I want to be. Because I care about you."

His words sent a wave of warmth through me, maybe something like comfort. Something like safety. Before I could stop myself, I found myself leaning into him slightly.

Slowly, hesitantly, I rested my head on his shoulder. Maddox's arm came around me, loose enough that I could pull away if I wanted to, but firm enough to make me feel secure.

"Is this okay?" he asked softly, his thumb tracing gentle circles on my arm. I nodded, not trusting my voice. We sat like that for a while, the silence no longer uncomfortable but soothing.

"Do you think you can sleep now?" Maddox asked after some time had passed.

Part of me wanted to say no, to keep him here with me. But I knew that wasn't fair. "I think so," I whispered. "Thank you for coming over."

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