Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“He’s losing his mind down there,” she says. “Asking everyone where you are. I had to make sure he didn’t see me so he wouldn’t follow me.”
“Good.” If I’ve lost my mind, he can lose his too.
“Madeline.” She sits on the other bed. “You have to talk to him, or this is going to explode.”
Another knock sounds at the door. Harder. Urgent. My heart jumps. We both look at the door, knowing who it is already.
“Madeline?” Luke’s voice sounds muffled through the wood. “Open up.”
Georgia and I stare at each other.
“Tell him to go away,” I whisper.
She raises an eyebrow. “You tell him. See how well it works.”
Fine, I’m not scared of him. I walk to the door but don’t open it. “Go away, Luke.”
“That’s not happening.”
“I’m tired. I need my beauty rest.”
“You’re already beautiful.” My hand is on the doorknob. I should keep it closed. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way.”
“What’s the hard way?” I ask, and half a second later I hear the key card lock click. The door starts to open, and I quickly take a step back and then another. Luke fills the whole freaking frame of the doorway.
He’s standing there in his team jacket, hair still damp from the shower, eyes wild and desperate. He looks at me like I’m the only thing in the world.
It pisses me off.
“You want to know what you did?” I step toward him, tilting my chin up, wanting to appear confident and not hurt. “You stared at them. The whole time they were out there. You couldn’t stop looking.”
His face goes blank. “What?” His eyes flick over my shoulder, and I glance back to see Georgia staring at us.
“The Ice Crew. The sparkling girls.” I hate the slight crack in my voice. “I made you a shirt, Luke. I stood there screaming for you. And you were staring at them like—” I can’t even finish.
“Madeline.” He starts to smile. I narrow my eyes at him. I’m being ridiculous and irrational, but for some reason, I can’t stop it. I just keep going. Luke is rubbing off on me. Now I’m acting like him.
“Don’t think I won’t punch you in the dick.”
“Buttercup, I know you’re more than capable of that.” He reaches for me, and I take another step back. “I was thinking about you. How boring they were compared to you. How you actually give a shit and they don’t.”
“Bullshit.”
“All right, ask Georgia then.” He nods toward my best friend.
“She’s on my side.”
“Then she’ll tell you the truth,” he counters. “Georgia, you know of me ever eye-fucking anyone before? That you’ve seen?” She shakes her head no.
“He doesn’t, Maddie. That’s why everyone is always staring at the two of you. They are all shocked. There were stupid rumors I think Lana was behind. She’s had a thing for him for years. I mean, you heard her in action tonight. She was trying to get under your skin.”
Luke closes the space between us. I don’t move. His hand comes up and cups my jaw. “I’m fucking crazy for you, and if you don’t see that, I can step it up a few notches.” His thumb traces my cheekbone.
“Yeah, let’s not do that because you’re already too intense,” Georgia says. I keep my lips pressed together because maybe I do enjoy how intense he is.
“I’m obsessed with you. I’m crazy about you.” He leans in, his breath hot against my ear. “You want to be mad at me? Fine. But you’re still my girl.”
I push against his chest, but he doesn’t move. I have to fight a smile. “Luke—”
“You made me a shirt.” His other hand finds my waist and pulls me closer. “You yelled at a ref for me. You think I’m going to let you pull back now because you got scared?”
“I’m not scared.”
“You’re terrified.” His mouth is almost on mine. “Same as me. Every fucking day.”
I should push him away. But I don’t.
I grab his jacket and pull him down, kissing him hard and desperately. He makes a sound in his throat, hands tightening on me, lifting me slightly so I’m pressed against the wall.
This is what we do. Fight and burn and crash into each other.
“I’m, ah, still here, guys.” Georgia’s voice cuts through the lust filling me.
Luke pulls back just enough to breathe. “My room.” I nod in agreement. He puts me back on my feet, grabbing my hand.
“You kids have fun!” Georgia calls after us. I let him lead me back to his room because I’m just as obsessed as he is.
Chapter Thirty
LUKE
Idon’t let go of her hand the entire walk to my room. I won’t chance it. If I have my hand on her, I know she’s here and there is no escape. I need to see about getting a better tracker. That shit only let me know she was in the building. I had to hunt for her little ass.