Page 58 of Deserving Maddie

He shouldn't laugh. It was clear she was still embarrassed by what happened, but it was just too funny. Of all the things for her to accidentally mix up texts about, it had to be when they were discussing sex and orgasms.

"I'm really starting to like Kat."

"Yes, well, the feeling is mutual, if you must know."

Maddie didn't sound that thrilled about the notion. He wasn't offended. He got over things like that pretty quickly after years of hanging around Trista.

They talked throughout lunch. He told her about his dysfunctional family and his life growing up. She told him more about Gabe and Charley. He explained the assignment his team was working on and the roadblock he was currently facing. Maddie explained that she was interested in helping Trista and her organization.

By the end of the lunch, he had a newfound respect for Maddie. She was the most caring individual and willing to help anyone. It made him wonder how she ended up with a man like Anthony. There had to be some point in his life when he was a better person, or he was one hell of an actor. Either way, he could see how Maddie would be taken advantage of. She was too sweet for her own good.

After dropping Maddie back off at her office, Ray went back to his own office and got lost in his work. It was well after dark before he finally gave up. There was no way to link Wraith to any of the previous incidents. If the DEA had something on the motorcycle club president, they had it buried deep.

He was just about to leave the building when his phone beeped. It was usually the time Maddie texted to let him know that he could call her. He pulled the device out of his pocket with a smile on his face, but it quickly disappeared when his locked screen showed an unknown number and a picture.

The second he opened the phone and saw what was sent to him, all bets were off. He was going after Wraith. He didn't give a shit what the DEA threatened. Wraith just threatened Maddie, and no one threatened his woman.

Chapter 26

Maddiewasjuststartingto doze off in bed when a loud bang shot her out of bed. It took her a moment to realize the noise was coming from her front door. She stumbled across the hardwood floor, and on her way out the door, she grabbed her robe. She was fumbling to put it on when Gabe's door opened.

Her son was rubbing his eyes as he asked, "Who's banging on our door at almost midnight?"

The usual hostility in his tone was nowhere to be found. At the moment, he reminded her of her sweet little boy who used to come crawling into her bed at night when he had a bad dream. Before his father told him real men no longer slept with their mamas. That was the first time she watched the innocence slip away.

"I'm not sure, honey, but why don't you go back to bed?"

"No way am I letting you answer the door on your own." He was a little more alert now. "I'm coming with you."

Another bang on the door kept her from arguing further. Whoever it was didn't have any plans of going away, it would seem.

"Come on, but stay behind me."

Gabe was already a few inches taller than her, but she would never stop treating him like her little boy who needed her protection.

She looked out the side window of the door and instantly recognized Zack, one of the Charlie Team members who was assigned to watch her house, standing on the front porch. She was throwing the door open before she had the chance to warn her son. In hindsight, Maddie probably should've taken the extra minute. It probably would've saved her from the uncomfortable conversation that was about to take place.

"Is everything okay?" she demanded of Zack.

"I thought you agreed to have your phone on at all times?"

Shit. She must've forgotten to put her phone on the charger after she got off the phone with Kat. The only reason they cut the conversation short was because her battery was close to dying.

"I forgot to charge it," she answered sheepishly.

"Who the hell are you?" Gabe challenged. "And why do you think you have the right to yell at my mother?"

"Gabe, language." It was a pointless reprimand. Hell wasn't even that bad of a word. She was just using it to avoid the real issue; the fact that she didn't want to explain who Zack was and why he was at their door at midnight. Not that she actually knew the reason yet, but she imagined it couldn't be a good one.

"No," Gabe scoffed. "This man, who we don't know, has no right banging on our door at midnight and yelling at you."

Confession time.

"Actually, I do know him. His name is Zack, and he's been watching our house for the past few days. He and his team were supposed to stay hidden, so him showing his face means something happened. Am I right?" she asked Zack.

"Yeah. Ray received a threat against you tonight. He's on his way but asked that I warn you. When you didn't answer your phone, I was forced to knock on the door."

Stupid technology. If she would've just put her phone on the charger, she could've avoided all this.

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