remember telling Madden about my volleyball days on the way here. Apparently, he’s done his research.
“Yeah.” He brings his cup to his lips and takes a small drink. “You looked a little flustered out there when Madden started singing. Your first time hearing him sing outside of a live concert?”
I shake my head. Yes. “No. He’s played for me a few times. I just needed another drink, that’s all.”
“You must really be into him if you needed another drink. He have you feeling a certain way you weren’t expecting? I can do that too.”
Before I can question what he meant by that, the door opens to Madden stepping inside. He takes one look at how close Walker is to me and grabs my hand. “Let’s go, Nat.”
“Okay…” I say when he pulls me along beside him as if in a hurry to get me away from Walker. “What’s the deal?” I ask the moment we get outside.
“Nothing,” he says rigidly. “Everyone’s waiting on you to come back out. Knowing Walker, he’ll keep you to himself for as long as the fucker can.”
“What’s wrong with Walker?” I laugh. “He seems nice.”
“Yeah, a little too fucking nice. Trust me.”
“Calm down, Madden.” I take off walking toward the bonfire. “You’re acting like he’s going to make a move on me.”
“He might,” he grits out, falling into step beside me. “You let me know if he does and I’ll lay the dickhead out. I mean it, Nat.”
I swallow, not used to someone being so protective over me. “Okay, I will.”
“Good. That’s all I ask.”
Once back with everyone else, Madden keeps his eyes on the cabin, as if he’s waiting for Walker to come out. Jake and Seth are talking to him about something, yet he isn’t paying much attention to them.
I can’t believe how worked up he is over Walker getting me alone. I deal with assholes all the time at the hotel who hit on me and try to pick me up, and all Logan does is shake his head and say, “It’s a good thing you have that stun gun then,” as if he isn’t worried about someone getting to me in the slightest.
Just once I’d like to see him care enough to get worked up like his brother is right now. He might be playing pretend this weekend, but his reaction in the cabin was anything but.
I shouldn’t like it, but I do. Maybe I don’t have to be drunk to do something inappropriate. And that scares me.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Madden
I’m protective over Natalie in a way I’ve never been with Alana. Hell, my own brother used to hit on her and I brushed it off, knowing nothing would ever happen between them. I know for a fact nothing would ever happen between Natalie and Walker, yet I still want to keep him away from her.
I’ve known Walker my entire life—he’s one of my best friends—but when it comes to keeping Natalie safe I’ll fuck him up if it comes down to it. I brought her here, which makes her my responsibility, and the way he was eyeing her over earlier like a piece of ass he wants to conquer, he will now be in my sights at all times.
“Who’s got the speaker?” Riley questions from behind me somewhere. “I’ll hook it up to my phone.”
“It’s right here,” Alana mutters. “And no you won’t. I’ll hook it up to mine. I’m done listening to that song from RISK. I’ve got something better to play.”
Seconds later, Alana’s playlist begins playing over the portable speaker. Her song choice has my eyes meeting hers as the lyrics to Alone by I Prevail surrounds us. It’s the song I played for her after she walked away from me and broke my heart. I was desperate to get her back. Apparently, she wants me to remember this song and what it meant that night.
Well… it’s working. That familiar ache hits my chest as I get lost in her stare; the one that used to take my breath away. I’m lost in Alana—lost in that moment of our past—when a hand grabs my cheek and I’m face to face with Natalie.
“Dance with me,” she whispers in my ear, wrapping her arms around my neck as she moves in close; so fucking close. “Come on.”
Pissed that I allowed Alana to get to me, I wrap my arms around Natalie and move my body against hers to the song that’s haunted me for years; the lyrics that break me and remind