Page 190 of Mad Love

I panted, my stomach aching and my head pounding. Right now I needed Ryan to shove aside his misplaced sense of guilt and just be with me. “If you make me stand up to hug you, I’ll kick your ass,” I threatened. “Or I’ll have Royal do it.”

He scoffed but moved between my legs before wrapping me up in his arms. “More like I’m gonna beat the shit out of Royal when I see him alone.”

“Don’t you dare,” I retorted, leaning against his chest. “Royal did exactly what you would’ve done—he went out for freaking groceries, Ry. No one knew that Beckett would show up. Hell, I bet he was already inside when we arrived. It was shitty timing.”

Actually.

“Or not,” I muttered.

He pulled back and shot me an incredulous look.

“What? All I’m saying is, now Beckett is in police custody,” I pointed out. “He’s done. Attempted murder tends to land you twenty-five to life.”

He smirked at me. “It’s cute that you think I’ll let him live long enough to use up state resources for decades.”

I rolled my eyes and pinched his side. “Look, Gary got off easy—”

“A bullet to the forehead is easy in your book?” He made a disbelieving sound in the back of his throat. “Geez, woman, what does it take to please you?”

I tipped my head back to look at him. “I want one of our parents rotting away in a jail cell, alone, while we live the rest of our lives happy.”

Ryan sighed heavily. “Fine. Any other requests?”

“Just one.”

He arched a brow.

“Kiss me.”

The grin he shot me sent heat licking through my veins. “Hell yes.”

CHAPTER 66

MADDIE

With nowhere else to stay except a hotel, Ryan and the guys all decided we should go to the beach house once Cori and I were released. Other than a lingering ache in my chest and a couple of fun bruises on my ribs and jaw, we’d made it out of the inferno unscathed.

Cori seemed to have bounced back faster than me physically, but mentally, she was struggling again with the loss of her family home. My heart broke for her all over again; going to the Cain Estate was supposed to help her. Instead, I was worried we’d added a whole new trauma to the ever-growing list that girl was dealing with.

When Knight and Bishop offered to stay in a hotel, Cori proved she had every Woods brother wrapped around her finger by tearfully asking why they were leaving her. Within seconds, they caved. Royal hadn’t even mentioned going with them, which was clearly for the best, since Cori was clinging to him like a baby spider monkey.

On the drive to the house, she slept on Royal’s lap. He carried her inside like she was made of the most delicate glass known to man.

When I reached for the handle to get out of the passenger seat, Ryan scowled at me, and I didn’t even fight him. I was exhausted, so I relented and sank back against the leather while Ash climbed out of the back. Court, Linc, Bishop, and Knight had followed in a separate car.

At my door, Ryan pulled me from the cab and carried me to the house, my legs wrapped around his waist and his hands holding up my ass as I rested my head against his shoulder and let my eyes drift closed. Again, I didn’t protest. If he wanted to carry me around, I wasn’t going to stop him. I was freaking done with this day, and it was barely past sunrise.

Royal waited inside, looking unsure as Cori slept in his arms. “Where’s her room?”

Ryan sighed. “She doesn’t have one here. I guess—”

“She can have mine,” Ash offered. “Top of the stairs, first door on the right. It’s across from Ryan’s, so if she wakes up and needs him…”

Royal met Ryan’s eyes. “I’ll sleep on the floor in her room, in case she needs something.”

I felt Ryan relax with relief. “You sure?”

“Fuck yeah.” Royal looked down at Cori with obvious concern and adoration. “I already failed her once tonight.” He looked at me, regret in his usually cold eyes. “Both of you.”

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