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Prior to mine and Vincent’s last sit down, he and Rocco had almost lost control with one another, the same night Vincent had ordered my kidnap and instructed Alex to bring Mads to the lock-up I was being held at. I knew the guy wanted me to pay for my sins, but when I met him face to face a few days after Rocco’s funeral, the two of us beat each other to a pulp.
I was raging at everything that had happened. On arealslim technicality, I guess he never broke his word; his vow that onlyIwould pay. Still, what Alex put Mads through, that was on him. So, I unleashed my demons and let him have both barrels.
He did the same to me.
I spent almost a week at home to recover, needing Jess to come over and stitch a nasty gash above my eye. A tiny divot now sits prominent near my brow, but the beating needed to happen. There’s no love lost. We’ll never be mates. The one thing in common is our love for our clubs and our men.
Which makes it possible that thisisjust a rouse to trick us. But it doesn’t make sense for it to be them. Why now? And why risk everything when he’s trying to rise to the top? “It won’t go that far again,” I say, slowly twirling my lighter between my fingers resting on the table. “We either choose to believe each other, or we’re against each other. It’s a shit fucking reality, but it was inevitable.”
Like always.
Chapter Six
MADISON
Iwake up all warm and cosy, Dean’s arms draped around me, my back close to his front. Turning under his hold, I nestle my head closer to his chest and breathe in his scent.
I’ve loved it from the moment I first smelled it. Whenever he’s near, it still brings my skin out in goosebumps. Throw in my pregnancy, and my ability to smell every detail of him has increased tenfold.
There’s wood as fresh as a forest after it’s rained; bold hints of oak blended with pine come through thick and heavy. And the spice… its delicate blend has me closing my eyes and dreaming of late evening summer rides we took last year. How each time I’d held him close as the warm breeze kissed my skin, riding through the vast countryside we’re fortunate to live in.
I take another unapologetic sniff but detect something else. What is that? Bourbon? Fresh from the barrel? He must have had a drink last night before riding home.
No, there’s something else. Something, stale. No longer earthy and sweet, the old tobacco smells rotten and undesirable. I lift to my elbow and press my nostrils to his neck.
Yep. He definitely smoked. He promised he’d stop, but I have the nose of a lioness now. He can’t hide it.
I feel him smile, and when I pull back to look at him, hekisses my lips, keeping his eyes closed. “Am I in trouble?” he asks, his voice husky and low. He knows full well he’s been found out.
“No,” I say, still hovering above him. “Not in trouble, just…” My voice trails off as I brush a loose strand of his hair off his face.
He keeps his eyes closed, but a small hum leaves him as my fingers repeat the action, softly stroking through the overgrown tendrils.
I lean in closer to him, trying hard not to breathe in the smoky smell as I push my lips ever so gently to his. He sinks into his pillow, his strong hands cupping my back whilst he pulls my body closer to his.
I can’t hold my breath any longer. Taking in a small amount of oxygen, I’m hit with the smell I don’t like. My insides recoil a fraction, and I move my face away from his.
His left eye peeks open, the new scar above his eye scrunching tight towards his forehead.
“I can’t kiss you,” I say flatly, wrinkling my nose dramatically.
Dean lifts his arm, smelling himself, then seemingly not that bothered, rests his head back down on the pillow, eyes closed. “That’s pure man, babe.”
I eye roll him.
“You need to stop doing that,” he says, one eye peeking at me.
Damn. “Doing what?”
“Rolling those pretty browns. It’s becoming a nasty habit.”
“Not as nasty as yours,” I say, laying my body back down against his chest.
“You used to love watching me smoke. Couldn’t watch me lighting one without getting wet.”
I hit his arm, giving him a light smack at his crudeness. Secretly, I love his playful arrogance. “I still do, I just don’t like the smell anymore. So pick one; smoking, or kissing me. You can’thave both.”
“Giving me an ultimatum?” Dean rolls his body towards me. His hand slides down my leg sending tingles up my spine. “That’s an easy choice, Mads.” Gliding over my inner thigh and across my tummy, his hand pushes his t-shirt that I’m wearing, up towards my breasts. I keep my eyes closed as his fingers dance over them, grazing both nipples in turn.
