Page 71 of Mad Love

I gagged and turned away, leaning heavily on the railing.

“Maddie, look at me,” Royal said gently, touching the back of my head.

Even with me a step above him, he was taller. His dark blue eyes searched mine, worry lingering there. “Can you walk?”

I nodded slowly, unsure I could open my mouth to talk without vomiting. My gaze drifted over his shoulder.

Royal moved, blocking my view of Evan. “Don’t look, sweetheart, okay?” He touched his ear, and I saw the tiny device there. “I’ve got her. Everything clear?” He waited a beat. “Meet at the front. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

“Okay,” I whispered, shuddering at the cold air sweeping into the room from the open front door. I probably should have put on more clothes than a t-shirt and loose gray shorts after my shower. I could practically feel my wet hair freezing to my scalp.

“Hey, hey,” Royal cajoled. “Stay with me, okay? I think you’re going into shock.”

“It’s f-freaking freezing,” I argued weakly, shaking my head as my teeth chattered.

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Because we’re in the middle of Bumfuck, Montana, in December. We need to get you outside.” He grimaced and looked at my bare feet. “I can carry you.”

I wasn’t entirely sure how he’d manage that, since my back would scream in protest. “I can make it.”

“Sure you can, little warrior,” he teased. “Why don’t you—”

Heavy footsteps pounding up the concrete to the front of the house made him stop cold. It was like watching a curtain fall across his face. One second he was concerned and human, and the next he was a machine, whirling toward the front door with his gun trained at the person incoming.

“Put that shit away,” Ryan demanded, tucking a gun in the back waistband of his pants, his bright blue eyes flashing. He didn’t pause, and Royal barely had time to step back before he was in front of me.

I trembled as his cool hands came up to cradle my face, his eyes searching mine. “Maddie.”

My eyes slid shut, the sound of my name on his lips what I’d been craving for weeks. Tears squeezed through my eyelids, falling down my cheeks until they hit his thumbs, where he brushed them away.

“Baby, look at me,” he whispered.

I opened my eyes. “You’re really here?”

“I’m really here,” he vowed, leaning his forehead to mine. His lips brushed lightly over mine once, twice.

“And we really need to be leaving,” Royal chimed in from behind him.

“Ready to go?” he asked against my lips.

I nodded, unable to speak as I looped my arms around his neck and held on.

He kissed my lips once more, then the tip of my nose, before gently turning around in my arms so my hands were clasped over his throat. “Climb on,” he said, bending a bit so I could more easily get on his back.

I hesitated, not sure how he could’ve known my back was messed up. But at this point, I didn’t care. I wanted to go home.

My back still protested as I maneuvered myself up, his hands hooking behind my knees as he straightened. I pressed my forehead against his shoulder and blinked at Royal, who gave me a soft smile and a nod.

“Let’s go,” he told us, leading the way, gun still drawn.

I turned and kissed the side of Ryan’s neck. “I love you.”

A shudder rippled down his spine as he turned his head a bit. “I love you, too.”

“Thank you for coming for me.” My voice broke a little at the end.

“Maddie, I’ll always come for you.”

CHAPTER 27

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