Beyond Broken(28)

Maddie watched the door close, muting the sounds from below, but she did peer out the blinds of the window. Even though she couldn't make out Caleb's words, she could hear his tone, quiet and dark. He said something to Brian, who nodded at Jones, and then Caleb stepped up to him, speaking low, his body tense. He had a few inches on Jones, who had to crane up his neck. Maddie, high up in the office, even felt intimidated. Jones backed away, his head shaking, but the anger in Caleb's features couldn't be mistaken.

Finally, Caleb broke away from him and when he came storming back up the stairs, she stepped away from the window. When he slammed the door shut behind him, she said, "That was unnecessary."

Traces of his fury lined his body and Maddie should've known better than to confront him when he was in this kind of mood. She hadn't known him very long, but she'd learned how to read him.

"As long as you work here," he started, his fists clenching, "they will not bother you. I promise."

For some reason, Maddie hadn't expected those words. They took her off guard and before she knew what she was saying, she asked, "And what about you?" 

The moment the words slipped from her mouth, she knew she made a mistake. Caleb took a step towards her, until she could smell the heat of his body. The night before returned to her in a rush and her lips parted, as though in preparation. Caleb noticed. He gazed down at her lips, that same desire in his eyes. They blazed as he rasped, "That's something I can't promise, princess."

And, like he was ripping himself away, he turned away from her, stalking back to his desk, his shoulders bunched tight. It had happened so quickly that Maddie wondered if she'd simply imagined the words, a remnant of a fantasy she shouldn't want but did. He was all wrong for her-too mean, too cold, too everything-but a reckless part of her craved him. A part of her had always craved him.

For once, she didn't want to fade into the background in a man's eyes. She'd waited two years in high school for Caleb to notice her, to want her as much as she wanted him. And now, she finally had his attention. She wanted to channel her inner Kyra, to finally take a chance on something meaningful. Maybe that was why she'd never been in a relationship. She didn't take enough chances, didn't put herself into a position where someone could break her or hurt her. She had always been safe, wrapped up and hiding behind her cozy, comforting walls.

So, she took a deep breath and said quietly, "Maybe I don't want you to promise that." Caleb froze, halfway across the room, not quite at his desk yet. "Maybe I want you, too."

He swung around again, the embers of his anger reigniting. His legs ate up the distance between them until Maddie was backed into the far wall, a furious, six-foot-something man boxing her in. He didn't touch her, but all she would have to do was take one step forward and her curves would be molded to hard planes and muscles.

"Too?" he bit out, his dark eyes seemingly even darker. "You think I want you?"

"I know you do," she whispered, heart thundering, breaths coming out fast. Nothing about this situation seemed real, like an out-of-body experience. Had those words truly come from her own mouth?

He laughed, but it was dark. "How so?"

"I saw it last night. I see it now," she murmured, licking her dry lips.

He didn't deny her words as his eyes followed the pink flash of her tongue. A shot of adrenaline pumped through her body when she saw him swallow, hard. His voice was huskier when he asked, "You want to be kissed, princess?"

Maddie sharply inhaled. She didn't even need to answer. Caleb saw her enthusiasm, the way her eyes widened ever so slightly, how her cheeks flushed pink, how she leaned forward.

He gave her a dark, knowing smirk that made her breath quicken. Stepping even closer, although their bodies still didn't touch, he murmured, "Do you want to know something, Maddie? I haven't kissed a woman in almost eight years." Her brows drew, struggling to process his words. "But I have fucked a lot of women in eight years. What does that tell you?"

Maddie ignored the searing flash of jealousy and the bitter burn of humiliation that swept through her. How many women had experienced the man she'd once wanted all to herself?

Her tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth. "I know what you're trying to do," she whispered.

"And what's that?"

"Scare me away," she answered truthfully, the words tumbling from her lips. "But do you want to know what I think? I think you're scared of me."

"And why would I be afraid of you?" he asked, his defenses rising. A tangible wall. His eyes swept over her. His desire was gone, replaced with something that made her want to shrink away, something like disdain. The high that she felt taking charge had disappeared and she was left shaking as she came down. "You're nothing to me. You're just some irresponsible, spoiled, desperate little girl, wanting a taste of what I can give you. Well, you know what, princess? Get in the fucking line."