Games 009

Maddie POV

My phone beeped from the night stand, I pulled it out and ended the morning parrot that decided it was time to wake me up this early.

I groaned when the person still repeated calling me. "Seriously Eva? What's wrong with you? Yesterday I woke you up by twelve and you complained, now you are waking me up by.." I pulled my phone out of my ear to check the time and "Shit!! It was already two."

"So, have you seen what the time says? I'll be coming home by six, prepare, we'll be going clubbing, it's long we chilled out, let's do it!"

"Are you normal? So you woke me up from my delicious sleep to talk about some weird clubbing?"

Eva chuckled on the other end, completely ignoring my irritation. “Weird? You’ve been cooped up in that mansion for days. You need to breathe, Maddie. Maybe even flirt a little. Who knows, you might meet a guy who doesn’t look like he eats people for breakfast.”

I rolled my eyes and sank deeper into the sheets. “Yeah, sure. Let me just waltz out of your Grim Reaper brother's castle for a great night out, I'm not calling this a girls' night because I just hope it's a good idea. Great idea.”

“You’re being dramatic again,” she said, in that annoyingly calm tone of hers. “Just tell my brother, you’re going out with me, he wouldn't bite.”

“Oh, he won’t?” I snorted. “Eva, I’ve seen the way he looks at people. The man could kill flies midair with that stare, even his smirk looks dangerous, I better not mess with him.”

“Or maybe he’s just looking at you,” she teased.

I sat up immediately, my heart thudding. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She laughed. “Nothing! I’m just saying, you seem to have caught his attention. That’s all.”

“Eva,” I warned.

“What? You should see the way you talk about him. It’s giving crush with a side of fear and a sprinkle of lust.”

Of course, I lusted over him. Damn!

I threw a pillow at the air. “You’re insane.”

“Six o’clock,” she said sweetly, ignoring me completely. “I’ll text you the address. Don’t wear anything boring, dress sexy so that you don't end up driving the guys.”

Before I could argue, she hung up again. I'm starting to believe hanging up before a word was Eva's style.

I let out a frustrated groan and fell back against the bed, staring at the ceiling, the room felt like it was spinning lazily above me. Clubbing? With everything going on? Perfect timing, really.

Then again… maybe she was right. Maybe I did need to get out, clear my head and stop obsessing over Maddox little cock and his stupid rolled sleeves. Ok, maybe it was large a bit.

I sighed, pulling myself off the bed. “Fine. But if I die tonight, I’m haunting her.”

Dragging myself to the mirror, I squinted at my reflection. My hair was messy, eyes puffy, lips slightly swollen from how much I had been biting them last night—great. Just great.

I looked like someone who hadn’t slept in a decade.

I grabbed a towel and trudged to the bathroom. The warm water hit my skin, and I couldn’t help but think back to him again and how his voice dropped low when he spoke, the way his hand brushed my hair aside like he had every right to.

“God, Maddie,” I muttered, scrubbing my face. “Get a grip before you start moaning over your shampoo and your damn fingers.”

By the time I stepped out of the bathroom and got dressed, it was already past three. I guess I spent an hour in the bathroom, I threw on a loose tee and shorts, deciding I’d rest before Eva’s grand club adventure.

But just as I lay down, a knock sounded on the door.

Three slow, measured taps. My heart did a full backflip. Nobody knocked like that except the one I was thinking did right now.

“Maddie,” his deep voice came through the door, smooth, huskily and attractive. “Come downstairs.”

I blinked at the door like it just spoke a foreign language.

Why? Why now? Why that sound?

I cleared my throat, trying to sound normal. “Uh, why?”

“Because I asked you to,” he said simply.

And just like that, his footsteps faded.

I stood frozen for a second before whispering to myself, “So much for staying out of his way, huh.”

Then, muttering a curse, I grabbed my phone and made my way downstairs.

My feet felt heavier with every step I took down the staircase, like the floor was testing me—asking if I really wanted to see him again. Spoiler: I didn’t. Or maybe I did. Ugh, brain, shut up.

The house was quiet except for the faint ticking of the grandfather clock near the hallway. When I reached the bottom, I saw him standing there by the living room window, a phone in hand, now, he was putting on a white shirt that clung to his goddamn while attractive features. Was he trying to seduce me. He even wore a casual grey sewtlants that showcased the lining of his dick. Jesus fucking Christ.

He looked up with a smirk smile. “Took you long enough.”

I swallowed hard. “Sorry, I was... asleep.”

He arched a brow, that smirk of his forming like it had a mind of its own. “At two in the afternoon?”

“Beauty sleep,” I said quickly, crossing my arms over my chest. “Some of us still need it.”

He hummed, clearly amused, slipping his phone into his pocket. “You eat?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” His eyes flicked down briefly, as if checking I was telling the truth. “You’ll need the strength.”

There it was again, that same line. My brain immediately started overanalyzing like an unpaid detective. Strength for what? Was he planning to make me dig graves? Run laps? Survive his intense glares? Or exercise with me?

He started walking toward me, slowly.

I tried not to move, tried not to give him the satisfaction of knowing he made me nervous, but my breathing betrayed me. When he finally stopped in front of me, I could smell that clean, musky scent of his cologne—strong, masculine, unfairly distracting.

God, what the hell was he doing? Was he doing this on purpose?

“I’m going out,” he said, "Do you want to join me, by seven, you might feel bored staying at home."

"Nevermind." I gave him a fake genuine smile, "Eva promised to take me out for a walk when she's back."

"A walk?" He looked surprised. "By evening?"

"Of course, is something wrong with it?"

"Of course, it better not be what I'm thinking." He said with his brows raised up.

Gosh, so scary! I hope it isn't what he's thinking too.