Page 103 of Sweet Poison

As I’m lost in thoughts of her, Willow wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me closer, and the warmth of her touch sends a jolt of electricity straight through me. through me. Her fingers trace the outline of my bearded jaw, and I swear I’m about to lose it just because of that innocent touch.

Then, she leans in and kisses every inch of my face—my cheek, my forehead, the bridge of my nose— and each kiss feelslike the very first one, igniting the fire within. I close my eyes, completely lost in her affection, savoring every second. This moment? It feels timeless. And I never want it to end.

She pulls back, and looks at me in awe. “And you’re more than beautiful, Madden. You’re not real. You’re love. You’re sunshine. You’re magic,” she whispers, her voice soft and full of wonder.

Love.

Sunshine.

Magic.

I blink, my mind reeling.Is that how she sees me?

Buy why?

Her words hang between us.

“Sunshine, huh? That’s a bit much, wild one,” I tease, though the warmth creeping up my chest gives away how her words have affected me.

She shakes her head. “Believe it,” she says, and her gaze doesn't falter. “You make everything feel possible. Just thinking about you makes me feel all warm inside. My sweet Grinch.”

Fuck.

There goes the last shred of my heart. It’s officially hers.

“Likewise, fairy.” I flash her a grin, then gently nip at her chin before pulling her down so her back is resting on the hood of the car. She smiles up at me.

“Ohhh…You’re very naughty, Madden Hunt,” she teases, her voice all sultry and knowing.

I lean in closer, our faces just inches apart. We’re so close that it is hard to tell where she ends and I begin. “Want to see just how naughty I can get?”

She raises an eyebrow, a wide smile tugging at her pretty pink lips. “Show me.”

And then I do.

I show her just how dirty I can get as I unbutton her jeans and slip them down her legs before ripping her thin lace panties with my teeth and then eat her like she’s my last meal. I do all of this on top of my car and when she comes undone for me while shouting my names to the heavens, I pull my cock out and fucked her— twice. All the while, I’m thinking about how I’ve had some of the most incredible moments of my life on these tracks— but this money right here? With my cock inside of the woman who has completely broken down all my walls, has got to be the best fucking one.

Chapter

Thirty-Three

NEW YEAR BLUES

Madden

“The magic of this season can’t compare to the magic in his eyes.” — W

It’s been a week. A week since I last had a hot cooked meal and the warmth of a family around me.

Now I’m all alone while the streets of Philadelphia are alive with the electric buzz of New Year’s Eve, but I feel like a ghost wandering through the crowds. The air bites at my skin, sharp and cold, making me shiver as I pull my jacket tighter around me.

The lights strung across the towering buildings twinkle like stars, but I can’t find any magic in them tonight. Maybe not ever.

With pain in my stomach, I pass by a few vendors selling hot dogs and pretzels. A pit of hunger gnaws at me, sharper than the cold. I touch my stomach but that doesn't make the pain go away. It only reminds me of how fucked I am.

The smell and warmth of the nearby food reminds me of my time with the O’Sullivan family.

I remember the way Mrs. O'Sullivan’s home cooked meals would fill the house with a cozy smell, how she’d always ask if I wanted seconds. I can almost hear her soft and gentle voice, full of kindness for an angry boy, but she's just a ghost now, fading with every step I take away from their lives.

---