Page 54 of Mad As Hell

I looked down at Maddie, who had snuggled against my chest like a sleepy kitten. “Baby, you ready to take a nap?”

She gave a slow nod. “I love naps. I even have a t-shirt that says I’m the nap queen.” Her forehead crinkled. “Or I did. I think he threw all my stuff away. I hate him. But I think he hates me, too, doesn’t he?”

Worry prickled at my spine as I realized she was talking about Gary. Drunk Maddie might turn into chatty Maddie, and that could be dangerous for everyone. “You can sleep it off in my room.”

“Not fucking happening,” Charles snapped, blocking my way. “She’s in no shape to be making any decisions. I would’ve thought this frat learned their lesson about trying to assault unconscious women, but I guess the tradition is carried from president to president.”

“The only reason you’re still standing right now is because my fiancée is in no shape to stand up herself. A fact you aided in by letting her down shot after shot,” I pointed out. “I would never hurt Maddie. Ever.”

Charles arched a brow. “Funny, I seem to recall a recent engagement party where you did just that.”

“That,” I forced out, “was a misunderstanding. One I’m working on correcting. For whatever reason, Maddie seems to like you, and I’d really rather not have to justify beating the shit out of you on top of the other shit I’ve heaped on her. So, be a fucking pal and step off, your royal dickishness, okay?”

Something like grudging respect flickered in his eyes. “Fine. But if Maddie tells me tomorrow that you did anything untoward—”

I snorted. “We’ll duel at dawn or whatever the fuck it is you Brits do to avenge a maiden’s honor. Got it.”

With a sigh, I pushed past him and went into the house. I spotted Bex and was relieved to see that she was with Court. Judging by the angry slant of her brows as she talked, things weren’t going that great, but I didn’t have to worry about her passing out and no one seeing. Court would take care of her the way he always should have been able to.

I glanced down at the now-docile girl in my arms, and a wave of gratitude swept over me.

Yeah, Maddie and I had problems, but they weren’t as convoluted and deep as the ones Bex and Court had.

“Ryan?”

My heart practically stopped as I looked down at her. “Yeah?”

“Am I going home now?” she asked in a small voice.

I wanted to tell her that I was her home, but I knew we weren’t back in that place.

Yet.

Determination fueled my steps as I maneuvered us through the party and up the stairs to my room. I bypassed Dean’s old room. The door now hung open, and the furniture had been stripped and sterilized. Technically it was the biggest room and, as the new president of the frat, mine. But I didn’t want it.

I didn’t want anything that the prick might’ve touched.

It took a little finagling, but I managed to unlock my door without dropping Maddie. Once inside, I kicked it shut, and the sounds of the party below were immediately muted.

“It smells good. Like you’re everywhere in here,” Maddie murmured, her eyes closed.

I tried not to smile. “Probably because it’s my room, baby.”

One eye popped open as I settled her on the bed. She blinked owlishly as she looked around. “Oh, yeah.”

With a chuckle, I turned and went to the mini-fridge I kept stocked with drinks. I grabbed her one with extra electrolytes.

“Ryan?”

I glanced back to see she was sitting in the middle of my bed with her legs crossed, the angle pulling her skirt up higher. I bit back a smile as I tried not to focus on her barely covered pussy.

I seriously deserved a medal for being able to look anywhere except at that perfection between her legs.

“Yeah, babe?”

Her mouth turned down unhappily. “It’s a mess. We’re a mess. And I don’t think we can fix it.”

I handed her the bottle before sitting down beside her. Everything in me ached to pull her back into my arms, but this was the closest thing we’d had to an actual conversation in days, and I knew we needed to talk if we were ever going to be right again.

---