Page 81 of Caged

By the time I walk into my bedroom, it’s late. The sun set hours ago, and exhaustion has set in. Bone deep. Soul deep. Like I’ve trained for eighteen hours straight, but in reality, I spent most of the day quietly thinking about life.

My life. Mason’s life. His wife and unborn baby’s lives.

Trying to figure out the point in any of it, and how I’m supposed to go on like I didn’t take a man’s life. Like this isn’t a pain I’ll live with and feel every day for the rest of my life. It’s senseless. And it’s haunting me.

Jesus, I sound like a whiny little bitch.

Maddie is lying in bed, curled on her side. The sun set over the lake hours ago, and she’s thrown on the black dress shirt I’d taken off earlier. The sleeves are rolled up, and the top few buttons are undone, giving me a glimpse of cleavage and miles of bare, toned legs. Her soft hair falls down around her shoulders, and her bottom lip is caught between her teeth while she reads something on her tablet.

“What are you doing, Mads?” I strip off my pants and climb into bed next to her, trying to catch a glimpse of the screen before she quickly closes the device.

“Reading Cooper’s sister’s newest book.” She places the tablet on the nightstand, then runs her fingers through my hair as a pretty flush creeps up her skin.

It’s funny... our roles have reversed.

She touches me so freely now, and I’m the one who wants to flinch away. I can’t help but want to avoid tainting her with the blood permanently covering my hands. But I’m not willing to give her up either. A stronger man probably could have. A better man, maybe. But I’m stronger and better when I’m with her. “You told me you loved me earlier,” I whisper.

Her fingers still, and piercing blue eyes hold mine hostage. “I know what I said, and I meant it.”

“I didn’t say it back.” I cup her delicate face in my hands, pushing past the anxiety at the sight of my hands on her perfect skin. “But I do, you know.”

Her hands cover mine, and she turns her face to press her lips to my palms.

“I love you so damn much, it scares me, baby. Because I don’t know if I’m a good enough man to keep you.”

Maddie sits up quickly and straddles my lap. The pretty flush from moments ago has been replaced with fierce determination. “Were you a good enough man two weeks ago?”

I drag my eyes up her body. “I thought I was.”

She presses her lips to mine, breathing me in.

Taking my breath away and giving me life.

“Nothing has changed, Hudson. You’re the same man today that you were the day I met you. What happened was a horrible accident. It could have happened during any fight. No one knew he had that condition. No. One. Not even Mason, or he wouldn’t have been in that cage.”

I trace my thumb along her jaw.

My hand shakes with the effort of holding back.

Needing to touch her, even though I should be pushing her away.

“You’re alive, Hudson. You’re here with me.” Her lips brush over mine. As if reading my mind, she pushes against my chest. “I need you. Don’t push me away.”

My hands slide under her shirt and up her sides, stopping at the top of her rib cage. I run my thumb over her dragonfly, over her symbol of transformation and self-realization. This strong woman being forced to deal with another shit hand in life. “You’re too good for me, Maddie.”

I cup both of her breasts in my hands, and her responding moan has my cock aching and leaking in my boxers.

“You’re mine, Hudson Kingston,” she whispers against my lips, soft and sweet and setting me on edge. “And I’m not letting go.”

The electricity crackles between us.

Demanding more.

No longer tender.

Hunger fueling us both.

“I’m yours, baby, and I fucking need you.” I rip my lips from hers and drag them down her delicate throat, sucking the soft spot where her neck meets her shoulders. I graze my teeth over that spot until the heat of her pussy grinding down against my cock threatens to drive us both insane.

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