lose my shit on whoever the fuck decided to follow me out here.
“Did you mean what you said inside?”
My heart jumpstarts at the sound of Natalie’s voice. I open my eyes to see her standing in front of me in a pair of ripped-up jeans and a white shirt with the leather jacket I gave her. Her hair is pulled into a side braid just like the first time I saw her, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.
“Did you?” she questions again, taking a step closer. “I need to know, Madden.”
“Every fucking word, Nat.” I toss my cigarette and cup her face, my eyes meeting hers. Fuck, how I’ve missed looking into them. “I never should’ve let you drive away that day. I should’ve gone after you and showed up at your doorstep.” I step in closer until our bodies are touching. “I was a fucking asshole for not stepping up and fighting for you. I let my fear of losing you get the best of me and I made the biggest mistake of my life. I don’t want space. I never fucking wanted space. All I want is you.”
“Then why didn’t you answer my calls?” She attempts to put some space between us, but I step in close again, not willing to let her go. “I called you for days and sent texts and got nothing in return.” Her voice is shaky, her emotions taking over. “I thought maybe you didn’t feel the same way I do. It hurt, Madden; really fucking bad. Do you realize how hard it was to function with those thoughts in my head, haunting me day and night? Do you? I’m pissed at you. I’m pissed that you couldn’t just pick up the phone and talk to me like an adult. I’m pissed that I wanted nothing more than to hear your voice and your laugh and it was nowhere to be found. I hated it so much.”
“I didn’t have a phone.” I move my hand around to grip the back of her neck as I rest my forehead against hers. “And fuck, Nat, do you think I wasn’t hurting too? That my heart didn’t fucking ache to think you didn’t want me back. I was terrified you’d realize I wasn’t good enough for you. It killed me. Every goddamn day.” I pause, my lips moving to brush hers. “I love you, Nat. I’m in love with you, and I just confessed it to a room full of people and walked out in the middle of a concert. That’s how much I love you. I’m willing to risk it all to be with you. I want you. Fuck that. I need you, and I’m not afraid to fight for you until you realize you want the same. If you need time…”
“Wait. What?” She shakes her head, her hands moving up to grab my face. “I walked out the moment you said you had a girl to go after. I wanted to catch you before you left.” She pauses for a second, before asking, “Did you really just do that? Tell a whole room full of people you’re in love with me?”
“Yes,” I whisper, gripping her neck tighter. “I’d do it again too; a million fucking times.”
“Dammit, Madden.”
I grip her face and hold it steady. “What? Are you mad at me for that?”
“No.” She stands on her tippy toes and wraps both arms around my neck. “I’m mad that I’m about to fucking cry, because I love you too. I’m so in love with you that it hurts when you’re not close. I wasn’t supposed to fall for you. I wasn’t supposed to switch brothers. I was supposed to continue pretending that I wasn’t attracted to you. That I didn’t secretly have a thing for the famous rock star that millions of girls have already fallen for. You made it hard to pretend. You made me love you, and I’m scared. I’m scared to lose you. I won’t survive it.”
“Me too. But I’ll risk it all for you, Nat. I don’t care what it takes, I want you as mine. Tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.”
“I want you to not hurt me.” Her eyes study mine and the fear in them breaks my fucking heart. “I know how that feels.”
“I’ll never hurt you, Nat. Fuck. Come here.” Grabbing the back of her head, I capture her lips with mine, my heart feeling full for the first