Page 14 of Maddox

Maddox smiled gently. "Anytime, Clare. I mean that."

As he stood to leave, a small wave of panic washed over me. "Wait," I said quickly, then hesitated. "Could you...could you maybe stay until I fall asleep?"

His expression softened. "Of course. I'll be right here, and I'll stay until you drift off."

Part of me wanted to protest, to ask him to stay the whole night. But I knew that was too much, too soon. "Okay," I whispered instead.

I didn’t move even though I knew I should. Against Maddox’s shoulder was the safest place I’d slept in in a very long time.

It took me a few minutes to wake up the next morning and I panicked because I knew the shoulder I was lying against definitely wasn’t a pillow. For a moment, panic gripped me as memories of Jeremy flooded back, not that I’d ever actually lain in a bed with him. But then I caught the familiar scent of Maddox's cologne, and reality slowly seeped in.

Maddox was still here. He must have fallen asleep himself.

I lifted my head carefully, not wanting to wake him. His face was relaxed in sleep, all the worry lines smoothed away. He looked younger, almost vulnerable. A wave of guilt washed over me. He'd come all this way in the middle of the night just to comfort me, and now I'd kept him from his own bed.

As if sensing my gaze, Maddox's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, confusion clouded his features. Then his eyes met mine, and a soft smile spread across his face.

"Good morning," he said, his voice husky with sleep. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep. Are you okay?"

I nodded, suddenly very aware of how close we were, how intimate this moment felt. "I'm fine," I whispered. "Thank you for staying."

Maddox moved from being half sat-up, and eased his shoulders, careful not to jostle me. "Of course. I'm glad I could help."

I lay there for a moment, an awkward silence falling between us. I wasn't sure what to say or do next. Part of me wanted to curl back into Maddox's warmth, to pretend for just a little longer that everything was okay. But I knew I couldn't.

"I should probably get going," Maddox said gently, breaking the silence. "Let you start your day."

I nodded, trying to ignore the pang of disappointment I felt. "Right. Of course."

As Maddox stood up, stretching slightly, I suddenly felt very small and vulnerable in my pajamas. "I'll just... I'll walk you out," I mumbled, getting to my feet.

At the door, Maddox turned to me, his expression soft but serious. "Clare, I meant what I said last night. You can call me anytime, for anything. You're not alone in this."

I swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "Thank you," I whispered.

Maddox hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently squeezed my hand. "Take care of yourself, okay? I'll check in later."

As I closed the door behind him, I leaned against it, my emotions swirling. Part of me felt safer and more cared for than I had in months. But another part was terrified of letting anyone get too close again.

I made my way to the kitchen, desperately needing coffee to help sort out my thoughts, my mind still whirling from the events of last night and this morning. As I started the coffee maker, my eyes landed on the dishes from dinner last night—dishes Maddox had washed and dried. The sight brought a lump to my throat. Then I remembered what I’d told Maddox. I told him I didn’t drink coffee, yet it was obvious I did. Shame heated my cheeks. He must have known and not called me on it.

He'd done so much for me in such a short time. Made me dinner, read to me, driven all the way back to comfort me after a nightmare, stayed all night... It was overwhelming. Part of me wanted to bask in the care and attention, to let myself be taken care of. But a larger part was terrified.

The last time I'd let someone take care of me like that, it had ended in months of captivity and trauma. How could I trust that Maddox was different? That this wouldn't end the same way?

As the coffee brewed, I found myself gravitating toward the bookshelf in my bedroom. My fingers trailed over the spine ofThe Little Prince, remembering how it felt to have Maddox read it to me. For a brief moment, I'd felt safe, almost...Little.

The thought sent a jolt of panic through me. I couldn't let myself go there again. It was too dangerous.

My phone buzzed with a text, startling me out of my thoughts. It was from Maddox:

"Just wanted to check in and make sure you're doing okay this morning. No pressure to respond, but I'm here if you need anything."

It took me three days to reply.

I even managed to get a zoom call with Anna, my therapist, and she was as non-judgmental as always, even if I’d convinced myself I was terrified of him.

Except I wasn’t.

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