Page 72 of Mad Love

What can I say to that?

He pulls out his gloves from his back pocket and slips them on. I follow him out to the main room. The guards stand with their hands clasped behind their backs. How they stand reminds me of my men’s stances. God, I miss them. My phone chirps.

I glance at the screen before setting the phone on the arm of a couch.

Hale: Any preference for music?

“Anything but rock music.”

He scrolls through his phone. Seconds later, a song comes on over his phone. I recognize the tune. “Save Your Tears” by the Weeknd.

He extends his gloved hand to me. I set my hand in his. His other hand cups my hip. Our gloves don’t stop me from feeling his heat. He tugs me close but not close enough we touch. He steps forward, forcing me to take a step back. Forward. Back. Side to side. I sway my hips in time to his. Step forward as he steps back.

We’re in tandem, our bodies in tune. I smile. Laugh. My heart soars. The hand he’s not holding goes to his chest. Beneath my fingers, splayed on the spot over his heart, I swear I can feel the thump, thump, thump of his heartbeats.

Something flares in his eyes. Possession. Desire. Longing. Hale tips forward the same time he pulls me to him, his hold on my hip gentle but firm. He dips his head. I know what’s coming, and I turn my head. His mouth presses on my cheek. I push at him but not hard enough that the others will come rushing in. I can’t go through again someone being beat near death for something I did.

“Please,” I say, my voice low, “I’m married.”

He clenches his jaw. Drops my hand. Points at the door. How dare he boss me around. I storm to the door and slam it shut behind me. I pace in the room. Maddox is out with his lover and I am stuck wallowing in my past.

When will I get over my fear of being kidnapped again? Will I ever let him touch me skin to skin? Evie sure has no problems with touching or going out. If she can do it, I can too, right?

My eyelids grow heavy. I crawl under the satin sheets, and tired of fighting the fear in my head, I close my eyes and fall asleep.

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