Page 59 of Written In Flesh

“It doesn’t matter, Madd, who said it.” Aero lays a hand on Madden’s shoulder, not that it helps any. Madden keeps his gaze focused on me, and my face is practically burning under the scrutiny. “Look, we all already know this. This isn’t new information. It is why we’re here tonight though. The council is keeping it hushed. There’s concern they’re looking for all the wrong reasons.”

The urge to tell them about the compatibility also depending on a mate bond seals tightly in my throat. I’ve already given too much away. I’ve already given more than I promised myself I would after Azriel confided in me. Just because these guys brought me here tonight, does not mean they fully trust me or that I can trust them. One conversation does not overshadow all that has happened or the past I can’t remember. The information I just gave them is the only olive branch I’m willing to wave, no matter what they say. If I had to confide in anyone in River Falls, it would be these three and Baylee.

“Are you saying my dad may be looking for the Nexa?”

Madden’s eyes flare, and his hand reaches back down to clasp mine. “I think all the elders on the council want the Nexa.”

“Supreme power,” Aero grunts.

“None of them are willing to give up their seats even though their time is coming.” Heath chuckles under his breath, shaking his head like he’s lost between disbelief and acceptance that the men they were born to look up to have disappointed them.

“What about your mom?” My head tilts, my focus solely on Madden. He never even blinks.

“A woman on the council who barely has power now? Yeah, she’s looking too.”

The reality that the Dark Protectors council is not what it appears settles heavily on my chest. Fear of this new reality begins to creep in when I remember how much my dad pushed for me to be here in River Falls both times. How he ignored me until my powers came in.

“I don’t trust him.” My voice is so low; it almost comes out as a whisper. Madden still hears me anyway.

“Good. I’ll protect you against anything,” he vows, but it’s the gleam in his eyes that sparks a response from my magic. It moves through my veins like liquid fire, reaching for his. Madden’s eyes start to turn black at the edges, and he’s already bringing his body closer into mine, his hands resting on my hips.

Heath blows out an exaggerated breath, a devilish smirk on his lips. “Okay, right, so you two are partnered up then. Aero and I will take the north and east side.”

“For what?” I turn to face them, my cheeks flaming, while I try to move out of Madden’s hold. His body moves behind me instead, his arm wrapping around my waist.

“Chatter,” Aero supplies, with an amused smirk on his face while he takes us in. “Tonight is about gathering information. We need to know what we’re up against for real, and who’s making power moves.”

My throat stings when I try to swallow, feeling the heaviness of what he’s saying. “We’re going after the Nexa?”

“If it comes to it,” Aero answers, his face pulling into a serious mask, grim and thoughtful.

Madden lifts his chin to the other two, and they start walking off in the opposite direction of us. Madden keeps my hand in his, guiding me around tombstones and down a path on the southern side of the cemetery. Even from a distance I can see the Gate, our eyes always training back on it, protecting it. Silence between us becomes thick with tension once again, only this time it’s fueled by the soft, fragile understanding that we’re fighting on the same side for once. My eyes drop to our hands, the way his larger one curls protectively around mine, our fingers entwined together.

“What does this mean, Madden?”

“Depends on what you’re talking about.” His voice is smooth, but I can hear an underlying uncertainty in his words that pierce my heart.

I hold up our conjoined hands. “This. And the fact that you’ve kissed me twice now after everything that’s happened this year. I want to know what you actually want from me.”

“I know you feel it, Skully. You may have been gone for two years, you may not remember me or us, but I can tell your body feels something,” he answers, his intense stare overwhelms me.

I have to look away in order to give my heart a chance to calm down from thrashing in my chest. “Maybe. I might feel something.”

Madden shifts so he’s standing in front of me again, his hands automatically winding around my waist and pulling my body into his. I hate how natural it feels, how responsive my body is to a single touch and the possessive way his eyes darken when he looks down at me. His gaze is penetrating, fighting to break down the wall I’ve built over the time we’ve been apart. One of his hands comes up to wrap around the side of my neck, forcing my head to tilt back, relaxing into his hold. My eyes close when he leans forward, dragging his lips gently over the sensitive skin on my neck before pressing his lips to where my pulse beats wildly. He groans as if the feeling excites him before sliding his mouth across my jaw. My hands come up, one tangling in his messy hair, and the other gripping the top of his shoulder. Madden practically growls, pulling back from me and grasping my face in both of his hands.

“If you thought you could run from me, then you haven’t been paying attention, Angel,” he rasps out, gathering me as close to him as physically possible. “This goes beyond just a feeling.”

His words should cause panic or at the very least a sense of foreboding, considering we’ve been at each other since the moment of our run-in on campus. In all honesty, since the moment he was next to me when I woke up in the hospital.

“I thought I was just a spoiled, hot-headed, ugly, desperate bitch,” I remind him, my tongue running along my lips. “Not anymore? Now that you think you can just kiss me again. I suddenly don’t, what did you say, lie and cause destruction?”

Scoffing, I push out of Madden’s arms, walking away before I cause any more damage to myself. He may be right, I do have feelings around him, my magic craves being near him, but I can’t unhear what he said to me. The very low opinion he had of me.

I don’t get far before Madden is next to me, scooping me up and carrying me over to the lone willow tree in the cemetery.

“You want me to lie to you? I won’t. You were all those things, especially to me. I can talk until I’m blue in the face about why, but you don’t remember. Now, though, this version of you. I’m addicted to her. I’ve always been possessive of you, Skully, to the point that I was driving myself mad back then.”

“Well, good thing we broke up then,” I huff, shoving away from him again, my arms folding in front of my chest.