Page 101 of Mad Love

“Jesus, Mads. Fucking lead with that shit.” Linc threw his hands up in the air.

Ryan tugged my head back by my hair. “Did you see him?”

“No,” I answered, quick to soothe his worry. “But a friend let me know he was arriving to check on something in his own vault.”

Court got up. “I’ll get the car. Ready to leave in five.” He and Linc left the suite to gather their things.

Ryan stared at me, his expression hard. “A friend?”

“I’ll explain it all on the way.” I leaned in and kissed him softly, loving the feel of his lips pressed to mine. “Let’s go home.”

CHAPTER 36

RYAN

Madison fell asleep not long after we crossed the Nevada/Utah border.

As we’d pulled away from our hotel, she hadn’t said anything about being worried, but there was no denying the way she’d kept looking out the back window like something was chasing us.

Or she was leaving something behind.

After telling us about the rest of her trip to Pandora, she’d settled against me, tracing lazy patterns on my jeans-clad thigh. I didn’t think she was aware of what she was doing, and I’d caught Court checking on her in the rearview mirror as well as Linc twisting around in the front seat occasionally to make sure she was okay.

It seemed like we were all waiting to see when she would break. When the stress of the last few months would finally wreck her and send her into a tailspin. I mean, how could it not?

“She’s really out,” Linc whispered now, turning to look at her again, a soft expression on his face.

I smoothed some of the silky blonde hair from her forehead. She’d put her head in my lap and curled up on the bench seat to sleep almost an hour ago, and hadn’t moved since.

As I watched her, my heart expanded, threatening to break through my rib cage. I realized, not for the first time, the lengths I’d go to if it meant protecting her. I’d never thought I’d fall in love, and I’d sure as hell never it expected to feel like this.

It was as terrifying as it was liberating. Like knowing I had it all, but being painfully aware of how quickly it could all vanish.

“I asked Royal to start making a plan to go after Gary,” I said, keeping my voice low and even so as not to risk waking Maddie.

I didn’t want her involved in what came next.

Court’s dark gaze met mine in the rearview mirror. “You want to move on him in Henderson?”

I nodded. “I’m done waiting. If Royal and Ash think Gary’s house will give us the best shot at ending this, then I’m in.”

“Fuck, yeah,” Linc cheered softly from the front, a savage grin on his face as he glanced at me. The facade he frequently wore was good, and I often forgot that, under the comedic relief and playboy persona he showed the world, he was quite possibly the most fucked up of my friends. He had demons shackled to his soul.

“What about Maddie?” Court asked.

My eyes narrowed. “What about her?”

“Planning on telling her where we’re really going when it happens?” Court’s eyes challenged me to lie to the woman I loved.

Sighing, I looked down at her again. “I’m not lying to her.”

“Are you planning on bringing her?”

“Are you fucking serious, bro?” I glared at him.

Court shrugged. “It’s her fucking father, man. He put her and her sister through the wringer. She has a right to see it through to the end.”

“She’s been tainted enough by this bullshit,” I spat. “I don’t want her in the same zip code as that asswipe ever again. She can stay behind with Bex.”

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