Once Upon A Half-Time: A Sports Romance - Sosie Frost Page 0,238

breaths not lost as his grip tightened over my neck.

“Maddox—” His name tumbled from my lips, stolen with every sharp and punishing thrust of his cock. “Please.”

“Say it!”

Why was he torturing me?

Why not confront the truth?

I loved this man more than anything else in the world. I’d damn the consequences and let him stay at my side. If Nolan threatened him, I’d protect him. I’d keep Maddox safe because I couldn’t live without him again.

His cock sliced through me. Once. Twice.

And I was gone.

“Maddox!” I gasped, hard, shuddering his name in a panted whisper. “I love you!”

“Fuck, I love you too, Sweets.”

We rocked together, collapsing onto the bed as the weight of our words and the pleasure of our touch might had shattered our bones and minds. I twisted, fighting him, not knowing why. My body demanded more, and I bucked and arched to fill myself with his punishing length.

He loved me.

God, that was better than any orgasm, even one that stole my breath and rendered me into fragile shards of reason, sanity, and responsibility. His heat flooded inside me, and I welcomed that feeling once again—warm, safe, and loved.

Maddox whispered incoherent promises to protect me from threats that had yet to come and vows we hadn’t murmured in a year. My breathing shuddered, and I laid still, just holding onto a man more shadow than real.

I shouldn’t have welcomed him back, but a life without him wasn’t worth protecting.

If Nolan wanted to hurt him, he’d have to fight me first.

And I was sure I’d regret that challenge.

I woke in the middle of the night. I checked the time. Groaned. I had work in the morning, and I wasn’t about to make a walk of shame to my apartment after all eyes had been on me at the meeting.

I shifted from his arms. Maddox stirred, but he was always a heavy sleeper. I cleaned up in the bathroom and tossed on my clothes without waking him. At least no one would see me at two in the morning, despite the thirteen missed calls from random townspeople after the meeting.

The voicemails kept me company during my walk home, but the light cast by the phone was more of a comfort. Whether it was the darkness, the stillness, or the paranoid prickle on my neck, something felt wrong about my walk. I stilled on the steps before my apartment door.

The door wasn’t shut all the way.

…But Maddox had me lock it before I left.

Did someone break in?

I swallowed, pushing the door open and glancing inside. I heard nothing. Was that good or bad?

My finger poised over the speed dial for Maddox, and I slipped inside, flipping on a light and expecting a masked murderer, a creepy little ghost child, or worse of all—Nolan.

No one waited inside. Everything was still. Untouched.

The hairs on my arms rose. Just enough was out of place. The rug kicked up by the door. My magazines scattered in the wrong order on counter. The sink was wet, like someone ran water. They even stole a chocolate chip cookie.

I crossed to the dining room table and gasped.

A Zippo lighter stood on its edge, left as a message for me.

Someone had been in my apartment.

And, next time they visited, they’d burn it to the ground.

12

Maddox

“It’s an easy job.” Nolan waved the envelope in front of my face, like I was a dog chasing a steak. “Believe it or not, you’re the only one I trust to do it.”

“Bullshit.”

I popped the collar on my jacket. Didn’t matter. This time of night, everything was cold. That uncomfortable clammy after midnight when only these type of deals were struck. I worried our conversation echoed over the town. It didn’t. Nolan parked on the quiet edge of Highland Street and leaned out of the SUV’s window. He gave me the plans.

“You’re a good electrician. My family’s barn has lights with bad wiring. Need you to fix it.”

“You joking?”

“Even you could use an honest day’s work.”

Neither of us ever worked an honest day in our lives. I sneered. “I’m not electrocuting myself on your property for Matthias’s wages.”

Nolan snorted. “Of course not. That old man would’ve gone broke without Josie’s candy shop fronting him money for tools. I’ll pay you what I’d give for your…other jobs. For the discretion.”

“You’re afraid to be seen with me doing electrical work?”

“I’m running an election campaign. Can’t have felons working on my property.”

“Right.”

“You better keep this quiet. Don’t tell Josie.”

Like I’d be stupid enough to tell her. I gritted