Page 15 of Deception & Daylight
Miles
As soon as Maggie’s out of sight, I lean closer to Cade, keeping my voice low. “How is she?”
“Careful, Miles. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you actually care about her.” His teasing falls flat, our usual banter feeling too heavy at the moment. I’ve been watching Maggie all night, and damn near every time she shifts, she winces in pain. Despite her attempt to cover up the bruises, their faint purple outline is still visible, and the thought of what it would’ve taken to cause that kind of damage has me clenching my fists to quell the anger thrumming through my veins. There’s a special place in hell for men who dare to put their hands on a woman.
Cade claps a hand on my shoulder, clearly sensing my inner turmoil. “She’ll be alright, man. She’s just not herself right now.”
“Yeah, I sensed that. She hasn’t even told me to fuck off yet.” I let out a quiet chuckle at my own feeble attempt at humor, but it dies on my tongue when Maggie reappears.
“She’sright here. And youcanfuck off, Miles.” I hide a smile behind my drink, casting a sidelong glance at Mags as she retakes her seat beside Paige. She holds up her middle finger with a scrunched nose and a surprising amount of enthusiasm.
Cade barks out a laugh and says, “I think our girl’s gonna be just fine.” Our girl. The casual phrase catches me off guard, stirring up emotions I don’t care to identify. I chug my beer, trying to shake myself out of my thoughts. Maggie’s anger is misdirected, and I don’t know howmuch longer I can keep playing this game. I know what’s at stake, but I can’t seem to muster the energy to give a single fuck about it now that she’s here. It’s been over two years, and I’m ready to put the past behind us; I just hope it doesn’t cost me everything. I run a hand through my hair, steeling myself for what I’m about to do.
“Hey Mags, can I talk to you for a sec?” I jerk my head towards the dock, silently urging her to follow.
She stiffens, and her brow furrows as she meets my serious gaze. “I’d rather jump into the lake.”
I shake my head. “That can be arranged. Just hear me out for a sec?”
She briefly glances at Paige who shrugs, then carefully lifts herself to standing. “Lead the way, I guess.”
We walk in silence, shoulder to shoulder. Maggie’s eyes are trained on the sky as the breeze dances off the water, eliciting a shiver. I resist the urge to pull her into me — the gesture seeming too familiar given our history.
Stopping at the end of the dock, Maggie pauses, exhaling sharply before she turns to face me. “What do you want, Miles?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Look. About what happened —”
She presses her palm to my torso, halting my speech with that one touch. “No.”
I probably shouldn’t be surprised by her steadfast refusal to hear me out, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting. “No?”
“I can’t do this with you. I don’t have it in me to go another round.” I flinch at the insinuation; tension flaring.
“Wow. Ok.” My voice is sharper than I intend, but I can’t seem to rein it in. “Fuck me, I guess.” The harsh words taste like acid on my tongue, and I wish I could take them back when I see the flash of hurt in her eyes, gone as quickly as it appeared.
“What do you want me to say? That everything’s fine? It’s not. I’mnot.” She tilts her head to the sky, exhaling a long breath. “It’s been two fucking years, Miles. Let it go.”
“Don’t you wish we could move on? We can’t keep avoiding this conversation.”
For a second, I see a glimmer of openness in her eyes, a crack in her defenses, but then it’s gone, replaced by a familiar wall of reserve.Fuck, she’s so strong. Even when she doesn’t have to be.
I cling to that fragile thread of connection — that tiny spark of hope — letting it soothe the sharp, burning sting of rejection. I want to tell her everything — the app, the betrayal, all of it — but I can’t if she’s not ready to hear it. Shehasto be ready because once the truth is out, it’ll changeeverything. I feel like I’m walking on a tightrope, torn between the fierce need to protect her and the desire to fix what’s been broken between us. I’ve had two years to come to terms with her hatred for me, but time hasn’t lessened my longing.
After what feels like an eternity, Maggie speaks, her lyrical voice catching on the breeze with four simple words that shatter my resolve. “I can’t do this.”
Chapter 6
Mags
? Pain is Cold Water - Noah Kahan
“This’ll be the primary bedroom with an en suite bathroom. I told Luca if it doesn’t have a soaker tub, I don’t want it.” Ivy’s face lights up as she guides me through the bare bones of their new build out at Whispering Oaks Ranch and I follow along while she describes all the little details she has planned for each space. “Then back here, we’ll have a set of antique French doors that lead out to a massive wraparound porch.”
The view of the pasture and the acres of farmland beyond feels endless and immovable. A foal whinnies in the distance, cozying up to its mother on the vast expanse of land.
As we round the corner at the back of what can only be loosely described as a house, Luca sidles up next to us. “If my wife would quit distracting the crew, maybe we could actually get the work done in time for this little one’s arrival,” he teases, wrapping his arms around her tiny baby bump.
They married roughly a year ago in hopes of keeping Ivy and her daughter safe from her pieceof shit ex. Once they got their heads out of their asses and admitted their feelings for one another, Luca proposed again. Ivy’s four months pregnant now, and they’re disgustingly in love.
