Page 147 of Mad Love

My lips bunched to the side as I considered my best friend. “Maybe I should check in with her before we go.”

Ryan framed my face in his big hands. “Mads, I’m sure phones will be back up by the end of the day, and if they aren’t, Ash will figure out a way for you to talk to Bex. Right now, you need to rest.”

I nodded reluctantly, but looked at Ash, wanting confirmation of what Ryan had said. When he gave a quick nod, I relented. “Then let’s get out of here.”

CHAPTER 51

RYAN

There were very few moments in my life that I could remember being absolutely petrified. The night my mom died, and when Beckett had first mentioned selling off Corinne if I refused to marry Madelaine, but neither moment held a candle to seeing Gary pointing a gun at Maddie, a split-second away from pulling the trigger.

A heartbeat was all the time I’d had to analyze the moment and react. I owed Court and Royal for all the hours they’d drilled marksmanship into me, all the hours spent at the gun range.

Even still, my hands shook a little as I looked at the woman sleeping next to me. After we’d arrived at Brookfield, I’d taken Maddie up to our room and helped her shower. She was practically a zombie, the adrenaline and shock of the night leaving her weak and fragile in a way I’d never seen.

I’d tucked her into bed and waited for her to fall asleep before I tried to get up to find Grandpa. I knew he’d have a lot of questions, and I needed to give him answers. But as soon as I started to move away, Maddie rolled toward me and fisted my shirt in her small hands, drawing me back into the bed.

The soft whimpers she made, so close to cries, broke my heart and didn’t stop until I wrapped her in my arms. Once she was settled against my chest, I finally felt the knot of tension that had been wound around my heart start to loosen.

I couldn’t stop touching her, my fingertips skimming over every curve and piece of soft skin I could reach. She was here and whole. We’d both survived Gary, and we both needed this moment.

Sleep came in fitful spurts. I was unable to completely relax as my body was attuned to every sharp intake of breath and sigh Maddie made when she moved.

I woke up again when the door to our room opened. Sunlight was streaming through the windows; Maddie had insisted on leaving the curtains and blinds open before going to sleep. But it wasn’t morning; the golden-orange tones told me the sun was starting to set.

Grandpa appeared in the doorway, his expression somber. Eloise, his nurse, was behind his wheelchair.

“May I come in?” Grandpa asked quietly, looking more frail than I remembered. The change was startling and made my pulse pound in concern even as I nodded.

Eloise moved silently as she pushed him to the edge of the bed. Before she stepped away, her gaze swept across Maddie and softened. “Do either of you need anything?” she asked.

“No, thank you,” I murmured with a small smile.

She ducked her head and nodded before leaving.

Grandpa sighed, looking at Maddie. “I’m sorry, my boy, I waited as long as I could, but I wanted to see that you were both all right before I went to bed.”

My brows shot up. “What time is it?”

“A few minutes after five,” he answered with a tired smile. “You’ll have to forgive me—these days sleep seems to be the only thing I can manage with any sort of success, but I wanted to check on both of you.”

I glanced at Maddie, at the perfect pink shade of her full lips, which matched the natural flush of her cheeks. “She’s going to be okay.”

“And you?” Grandpa was never one to let things slide, and the old man saw way too much.

“I can’t stop imagining what would’ve happened if I hesitated a second or if my aim had been off,” I admitted, my arms tightening reflexively around Madison.

“But you didn’t, and it wasn’t.” He fixed me with a hard stare. “Worrying about outcomes that never happened won’t help either of you.”

“I know,” I replied. “But it’s hard.”

Grandpa’s gaze dropped to Madison, his expression similar to when he looked at Cori. “I’m glad you’ve found her.”

“Me, too.” My chest constricted as I watched her for a moment. This girl was part of my soul, and I couldn’t live without her. I refused to live without her.

Maddie stirred in my arms, her lashes fluttering as her eyes opened. If she was surprised to see my grandfather sitting across from her, she didn’t show it. She gave him a slow, lazy smile and mumbled, “Hi, Grandpa.”

He beamed at her like she’d given him the greatest present in the world. He reached forward, his hand shaking as he touched hers. “How are you, my dear?”

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