Page 206 of Mad As Hell

CHAPTER 55

MADDIE

Three days later, I sighed as I watched the Los Angeles skyline pass by the window as Ryan drove us back to Pacific Cross.

His hand found mine across the center console. “I know.”

I turned to face him, and my engagement ring and wedding band caught the light. “I guess I need to take this off.”

His lips tightened, as did the hand on the steering wheel. His own wedding band flashed when the sun’s rays hit it through the windshield. “Yeah.”

My phone dinged with an incoming text, and I figured it was Bex. We’d been texting most of the drive back, but I’d started to think she’d fallen asleep.

Looking down, my heart clenched when I saw the message wasn’t from my bestie, but from the asshole who’d contributed to half of my DNA.

“Gary,” I murmured, squeezing Ryan’s hand before I unlocked my phone.

GARY: Car will be at your dorm at 6 pm

“Looks like he isn’t wasting any time,” I added, relaying to Ryan what the text said.

A muscle in his jaw popped, and the leather on the steering wheel creaked in protest from his tight grip. The engine roared as he hit the gas a little harder.

“We knew he wanted to see me tonight,” I reminded him, keeping my voice calm even as I wanted to close my eyes from the way he started weaving in and out of the midafternoon traffic. “This is the plan.”

A rough laugh laced with bitterness filled the car. “I can keep going and we’ll be in Tijuana before he knows you’re missing.”

A half smile tugged at my lips. “We could live on the beach. You could run a surf shop, and I’ll weave baskets.”

Genuine laughter exploded from his chest. “I wasn’t aware basket weaving was a skill you possessed.”

I shrugged. “I can learn. The other option is five-dollar blow jobs on a corner. I have it on pretty good authority that mine are, how did you put it? Fucking amazing.”

At least that was what he’d told me last night as I’d worshiped him on my knees.

He grimaced. “Maddie, come on.”

“I know,” I sighed with extra drama. “You don’t share.”

“Actually, I was going to say you’re underselling yourself. You’re worth at least ten dollars.”

I tugged my hand free to slap his chest. “Asshole.”

He caught my fingers in his again and dragged them to his lips to kiss. “But seriously, I hate sending you there. I could come with—”

“No,” I interrupted, my tone firm. “Ry, we’ve been over this. Gary needs to believe I’ve got you wrapped around my pinkie.”

He snorted. “Not exactly a stretch.”

I arched a brow. “Oh? Has the mighty Ryan Cain been tamed at last?”

He scoffed and shot me a look. “Tamed? Not a chance. But you have me doing shit I never thought I would. Like letting you take the lead on handling Gary when I should just put a bullet between his eyes and call it a day.”

“Great plan,” I agreed, my voice thick with sarcasm. “I’m sure Beckett will spend the rest of his day protecting Corinne. And I know I’d love to spend the rest of my life seeing you from the other side of a piece of glass.”

“We’d at least have conjugal visits, babe,” he assured me.

“Until you realize the true love of your life is your cellmate, Junior.” I rolled my eyes.

---