Page 76 of Mad Love

He pressed his lips together, likely hiding the start of a grin. “Okay, Mads. You win.” He nodded at Knight.

From behind me, Linc chuckled. “God, I’ve missed her.”

CHAPTER 28

MADDIE

Watching Knight redo Ryan’s stitches ruined any appetite I’d had. Worry churned in my gut as I sat on the edge of the bed in what I was told was my and Ryan’s room.

I studied Ryan shirtless as Knight worked, and while I still got that familiar thrill at seeing all his hard lines and sculpted muscles on display, as I looked at the healing wound that would leave a scar, guilt weighed me down.

“Mads.”

My gaze snapped to his to find him frowning.

“None of this is on you.”

I didn’t have the energy to argue. Sighing, I turned away and stared out the window. It had started to snow again.

As a kid, I’d loved snow. The trailer park I’d grown up in was rough and dated, with more weeds than plants and deep ruts in the gravel roads. But snow had always turned my world into something new and pure.

Wistfully, I tried to recapture that feeling, but it hovered just out of reach.

My world was too fucked up for even a blanket of snow to hide the trauma.

“Okay,” Knight said, coming to stand in front of me. “Can I take a look at your back?”

I startled and looked at Ryan, who was pulling his shirt over his head. He gave me a supportive smile that did nothing to help me feel more at ease. As if seeing my uncertainty, his eyes narrowed.

“Uh, sure,” I finally muttered, even as I wrapped the bottom of my shirt in my balled fists and held on.

Knight’s brow furrowed. “Maddie—”

He was cut off by a soft knock at the door. With an annoyed huff, Ryan stalked across the room and ripped it open to reveal Chase on the other side.

I stood quickly. “You’re okay.”

Smiling, Chase stepped forward, only to be blocked by Ryan.

“Ry,” I entreated, “Chase is a friend.”

Ryan glanced over his shoulder, brow cocked. “Chase? He has you calling him that shit, too?”

I rolled my eyes and elbowed him. “Would you have found me without him?”

“Yes,” Ryan countered. “Ash had already found three properties we were going to check out, and one of them was where you were.”

“Before or after Gary had another chance to beat her or sell her to one of his friends?” Chase asked, his tone sharp.

I flinched, and Ryan growled before shoving Chase into the wall on the other side of the hallway.

“Stop!” I shouted, hurrying forward to grab Ryan’s shoulders and stop him from putting Chase into the damn wall. I managed to tug him away from Chase, but Ryan stayed firmly between us, like I needed a shield from the guy who’d essentially helped Ryan save me.

“Class act as always, Cain,” Chase taunted, shaking his head in disgust as he straightened his shirt. His green eyes pierced me. “Should I even attempt pleading a case for you to leave all this mess in your past? I can have us on my family’s estate in Blye by tomorrow night. You’d be safe.”

Ryan chuckled, the sound devoid of humor and full of venom. He took a single, threatening step toward Chase, rolling his massive shoulders as if readying for a fight. “Fucking try to take her away from me. I dare you.”

Chase smirked. “Doesn’t seem like much of a challenge if a wanker like Gary can manage it.”

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