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“Shit.”
I walk around the head of the tower to the ladder and look down. “How’d you find me here?”
“Whoa, Maddox.” She peers up at me with horror-struck eyes. “Stay still. Do not get too close to the ledge.”
“Since when do you care what happens to me?”
She reaches my foot near the ladder shelving and I step back. She curls over and catches her breath once she’s on the solid landing. “Holy shit, that was scary.”
“Why are you even here?”
Her hand comes out, clutching onto my arm. “Are you drunk?”
“Yeah, I am drunk,” I tell her. “Got a lot on my mind. Now are you gonna answer my question or you gonna lecture me like my dad always does?”
“I’ve been worried about you. Once I got done decorating, I traced all your steps today and Ridge told me—”
“Oh,” I chortle. “Ridge told you? Was this pillow talk last night or this morning?”
Me and the guys come up here sometimes when we wanna get away, so I’m not surprised Ridge told her I might be here.
Tilting my head to the left, I look keenly at her neck. “Is that a hickey on your neck?” Her hand slaps over the bruised skin, and she presses her lips into a thin white line. “It is, isn’t it?” I peel her hand away and get a closer look. “Did Ridge do that to you?”
When she doesn’t say anything at all, I exhale sharply. “You know what? Forget about it. I know it was him.”
“I’m sorry you have to see this.” She covers the mark again. “I could slap him for doing it.”
“But did you? Because if not, I sure as hell can.”
“What has gotten into you, Maddox? Did something happen?”
It really fucking bothers me that she’s gaslighting me right now. Like I’m the one who has some explaining to do. “Don’t act dumb, Riley. You know exactly what happened.” I jerk my arm away and walk back around to the other side. The sun is now hidden behind clouds. The feeling of static in the air, mixed with the moisture, tells me a storm is coming. It’s gonna make for a slippery climb down that ladder, but I’ll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, I just need to fucking think.
I bend down, letting my forearms rest against the railing, and I close my eyes. Exhaling deeply, I let my head hang limply between my arms. It's a failed attempt at sinking into the silence of my mind, because she's right behind me.
Her hand rests on my back, but her touch feels like an itch I can’t scratch. “Talk to me.”
Normally, I’d welcome it. Hell, before this morning, I would have done anything for it. But now, I’m too hurt to even look at her. “Please, Maddox. Why are you so angry with me?”
My head flies up and her hand drops when I straighten my back. “You wanna know why I’m mad? Because you lied to me. You weren’t sick.”
She inhales deeply and bites her bottom lip. “I’m sorry.”
“You should be.”
I snatch the bottle back off the landing and bring it to my mouth, but she snatches it away and holds it up to observe the contents. “Did you drink all this tonight?”
“Like you care.” I try to take it back but she extends her arm.
“I do care. I care so much about you. Look. I’m sorry I lied but…”
“But what? He made you lie? Or did you just prefer to spend your night with him instead? You could have just fucking told me, Riley.”
“I know. I should have. I just…I knew you and Ridge would overreact, just like you did at lunch.”
“Whoa. Wait a damn minute. Who the hell were you with last night?”
I know it was Ridge in her bed this morning. There’s no mistake about that. I’m confused as hell, though, because why would Ridge and I overreact if it’s Ridge she was with.
