Page 43 of Mad As Hell

“That’s really fucking helpful,” I drawled, shaking my head in exasperation.

“It actually is,” Ash retorted, shoving my shoulder. “Ryan, I know you better than anyone else, and you need someone like Madison, but only if you’re willing to put in the work. She isn’t going to forgive you because you gave her a gift, even if it was a would-be-rapist in handcuffs.”

I rolled my eyes. “She basically said it was too little, too late.”

“She’s right,” Ash replied bluntly.

“You know why we couldn’t move on O’Shea before today,” I reminded him. “His father is a shoe-in for the next Supreme Court Justice. Or was until today. I’m not sure even Judge Reginald O’Shea can sweep away a rapist for a son.”

“Ry, we’ve been playing defense for so long, planning and plotting, and where has it gotten us?” Ash’s brows raised. “Dean wasn’t even the worst guy on our hit list. We’ve let shit slide for years because we’re waiting for the stars to fucking align.”

“We show our cards early and everything will fall apart,” I snapped, rubbing the back of my neck as irritation prickled up my spine. “We all agreed to that when we started Phoenix years ago.”

“And I think we made the wrong call,” he replied. “I think we’ve been sticking to the shadows because it always gave us an out.”

“An out?” I repeated. “What does that even mean?”

“It means that until today, we could’ve closed the doors on Phoenix and the whole plan. Someday was never going to happen. There would always be a reason not to pull the trigger.” His expression softened. “Until Maddie. She’s the pivot point—the reason we decided to move. She’s the one person who was able to get through to you.”

I rubbed at my chest, as though that would make the ache go away. “Your point?”

“Today meant that we’re all in, even if we go down in flames, and it’s about fucking time.” He reached over and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “It’s time we went on offense, bro.”

I snorted and pressed my lips together. “Maybe you’re right.”

A brow lifted. “Maybe?”

“All you’re getting is a maybe, you smug bastard,” I replied, pushing him back with a smile. “Let’s go deal with these asshats so I can focus on my girl.”

“You know, the easiest way to get her back might be to just tell her the truth. Loop her in on it all,” Ash told me as we started walking again.

I looked at him sharply, my heart slamming in my chest at the thought. “No. No way.”

“Ry—”

“I’m not dragging Madison any deeper into our world than she needs to be.” The idea of her knowing even more details of the world I came from—the family I came from—was enough to make me shudder in revulsion. I could only imagine how fast it would send her running.

Call me a selfish asshole, but I wasn’t prepared to lose her further than I already had. Especially not if I could help it. “Maddie isn’t going to be touched by any more of this shit than she already has been.”

He gave me a long look. “You really think more secrets are the best plan?”

“I think I would burn the world to the ground if it meant I could keep her safe,” I replied in a hard tone. My hands balled into fists, the barely closed scrapes on my knuckles splitting open anew with a blaze of pain that radiated up my arm.

I embraced it, letting the fire licking through my veins burn away my doubts.

It could all burn, and I wouldn’t care as long as Maddie was protected. Because even if I burned with it, she and I were the endgame.

Not even the total destruction of my world and all the people in it would keep me from Madison.

I would rise from the ashes just like a fucking phoenix and reclaim her every single time.

CHAPTER 12

MADDIE

Party at 8 at the frat. Look sexy AF unless you’d like me to strip you down and dress you myself. I’m hoping you pick option #2.

I stared—for, like, the twelfth time—at the text Ryan had sent me an hour ago.

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