Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
She was right. I couldn’t keep her in the house, and she couldn’t go everywhere with me. There was shit she could never be a part of.
This morning, having Angel in the kitchen and then dealing with one of her fits hadn’t sat well with me. Once, it had made sense for Angel to live in my house, but I didn’t see how this was going to continue to work. Not with Madeline living there, and Madeline would be staying.
Now that we were at the ranch, I stood back and watched as Deidra showed Madeline the things that had changed since she’d been gone the past few weeks.
Deidra had worked for my father most of my life. She was older than him, and he moved her around in different areas when needed. He’d put her in this position until Madeline’s return. I knew he hadn’t planned on allowing her to be gone long. If she hadn’t come back with me, Garrett would have stepped in.
Things weren’t perfect, and we had shit to figure out, like the fact that she thought she needed money to live. I’d let her work, but I’d be damned if she spent her money on things she needed. She was mine, and I’d take care of her. What the fuck she thought she needed money for, I didn’t know.
“Maddy!” Trev’s voice called out from behind me.
I glared over my shoulder as my brother came walking into the office.
Trev gave me his smug, bright smile, then looked back at Madeline. “You’re back.” He clapped his hands together.
She smiled at him, and I fucking hated it. That smile was mine.
“I can see you are broken up about my leaving,” Deidra said to him teasingly.
Trev put his hand on his heart. “Oh, I’ll miss your beautiful face, Dee. But I’m sure you’ll be around.”
Deidra let out a bark of laughter. “You’re full of shit. My feelings aren’t hurt. I have eyes. I understand. You boys like the eye candy, and this one is beautiful.”
“Not his to look at,” I said.
Deidra cut her eyes at me, then smiled. “Eli sure would love to know his baby girl’s daughter was here. Where she belongs.”
Madeline’s gaze moved to meet mine. There were so many insecurities inside those blue eyes. Why? What more could I do to reassure her that she was all I wanted? Why did she look so damn haunted? Like at any moment, I was going to change my mind and walk away?
“She’s home now,” I agreed, keeping my eyes on Madeline’s.
There was a spark of hope there. It wasn’t what I wanted to see. I wanted to see her look at me with the assurance that she knew she was home.
“Literally? Because if she’s moving in here, then I’m going to request she gets the room next to mine,” Trev said.
He was trying to piss me off.
“Go,” I growled.
Trev threw out his hands like he was confused. “What did I do?”
“NOW!” I ordered.
I saw the grin on his face when he looked back at Madeline and winked. If I thought the fucker was serious for one second, I’d break one or more of his bones. He knew the ranks, and he knew Madeline was mine.
“Play nice,” Madeline scolded him, still grinning.
Damn, why did she have to smile at him like that?
He bowed to her, then saluted me before backing out of the office.
“That boy is a handful,” Deidra said. “He’s got Garrett’s charm with none of the edge.”
Or black soul. Trev might be redeemable, but eventually, he’d have to face the truth of the family. When that day came and he had to be Garrett Hughes’s son in the face of hell, then he’d change. He wouldn’t be carefree and spoiled forever.
“Now, if you have any questions, contact me. This is my number. I’ll be available at any time,” Deidra assured Madeline.
Madeline thanked her, and when Deidra finally left, I closed the office door.
“No. Not in here. This is my job,” Madeline said, her eyes big as she watched me moving toward her.
“What? I wasn’t going to do anything. Just wanted my girl alone for a few minutes,” I said, coming behind the desk.
Madeline moved back away from me, and a laugh rumbled in my chest. Damn, she was cute. She held up her hands in front of her.
“Blaise, there could be cameras in here,” she whispered.
I nodded. There were three. I pointed to the corner behind her, over the door, and then to the front of the office desk. Madeline’s eyes darted to each place, then back at me.
“Why are you still coming at me then?” she asked nervously. “I need to work.”
I shrugged as I watched her. Seeing her licking her lips, nervous, turned me on, but she was safe. Those cameras were watched all day by security. I wasn’t about to let some other man see Madeline when she was worked up. That was for my eyes only.