Page 182 of Mad Love

There was a crash in the bedroom that sounded too much like a door being cracked.

Jumping up, I managed to get a decent grip on the ledge. I’d never really been into upper body strength beyond what was needed for cheerleading, so I blamed everything on adrenaline as I managed to pull myself up into the attic space.

I rolled on my stomach and looked down at Cori. “Come on, Cor.” I reached out a hand for her.

She looked terrified as she climbed up on the small table and reached for me. She was a couple inches away. “I can’t!”

I leaned forward, balancing my hips on the ledge. “Yes, you can. You need to jump, Cori.”

She looked unsure as she started to shake her head.

Another bang from the bedroom and I knew we had only seconds before Beckett kicked in the bathroom door.

“Cori! Jump now!”

Eyes wide, she did as I commanded, and my hands caught her wrists. I grunted and strained as she kicked her legs in the air. Inch by inch, I pulled her up to me.

“Don’t let go, Maddie!” she cried, looking up at me with so much fear and so much trust.

“I won’t,” I vowed, pulling her the rest of the way as something hard slammed into the bathroom door.

I pulled her free of the access and laid the tile back over it.

Not that Beckett wouldn’t realize exactly where we’d gone, but anything to slow him down was necessary at this point. I could hear Beckett throwing things in Cori’s room, and I held her against my side, covering her exposed ear with my hand so she wouldn’t hear him.

Footsteps stomped into the closet, and my heart stopped as I waited for Beckett to come after us.

But he never did.

My ears strained to hear him, but all I heard was Cori’s ragged breaths and the violent thumping of my heart.

Why wasn’t he trying to get up here? What the hell was he doing?

Fear made me dizzy and my stomach roil. One thing I knew in my gut; we needed to get somewhere safe.

“Where’s your Mommy’s room?” I whispered, my eyes struggling to adjust to the dark. Dormer windows spaced out across the roof of the house let in shafts of moonlight.

Cori pointed toward the other end of the house, and I carefully pulled her along the beams of wood. When she stumbled, I knew I had to slow down or risk us both falling through the ceiling.

I looked around, cursing how long this freaking house was, and spotted an access tile. “There?” I asked, pointing.

“Think so,” Cori managed.

I let her go and edged forward to pull back the tile. The dark space below looked like another closet. Unlike Cori’s, I didn’t see something to jump onto, so I’d have to catch her.

Or leave her up here while I took on her father myself. Maybe I could draw Beckett away from the house long enough for Royal to show up.

Looking back at her terrified face, I beckoned her forward. She came, her trust in me absolute.

“Okay, honey, I need you to listen to me.” I met her eyes. “I need you to stay up here.”

She opened her mouth to protest.

“Cor, I need you to be safe while I go find your father.” I pressed a trembling hand against her pale cheek. “You’ll be safe up here. Royal’s on his way.”

Fuck me, I hoped he’d heard me and was tearing through the suburban streets to get here as fast as he could.

“Then stay with me,” she begged, grabbing my hand. “Don’t leave.”

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