Page 44 of Would You Rather
I press my lips together to stop my grin. “I’m not going anywhere,” I tell her, sitting at the edge of the bed. “Lie back.” I place the warm towel on her forehead. “Is it too hot?” I ask when she lets out a whimper at the contact.
She shakes her head, her eyes fluttering closed. “It’s perfect,” she whispers. “It’s just… humiliating,” she admits, her brows furrowing.
I adjust the cloth on her forehead. “There’s nothing humiliating about needing help once in a while, Madeline.”
Her eyes crack open, and she purses her lips together like she’s going to say something, but instead, she closes her eyes again, falling into a deep sleep. It isn’t long until she’s snoring. I smile to myself when I hear it, glancing down at her. My chest aches, and I have the urge to trail my fingers over her face. I keep myself in check, balling my hands into a fist before I do just that.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, the sound blaring compared to the quiet snores coming from Madeline, and I rip my gaze away from her and run a hand through my hair. I reach for my phone and let out a sharp exhale when I see all of the missed calls from Ana.
My eyes find Madeline once again, seeing she’s fast asleep, and I ease myself out of her room, making sure not to wake her up before I call Ana.
She picks up immediately. “Where the hell are you?” she yells. “You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “There’s been a problem.”
“A problem?” she asks. “What kind of problem? Don’t tell me it’s because of Madeline. We thought she’d be professional, not cause trouble.”
My brows tug together. I don’t like how she’s talking about Madeline at all. “No, actually,” I interrupt. “It was me.”
“You?”
“Yes. I uh…” My hand reaches behind my neck, tugging at the strands there. Shit, what do I say? “I have some family problems right now, and I just couldn’t make it.”
“Unbelievable.” She scoffs. “Do you know how hard I had to work to get this interview for you? You know you won’t berelevant forever, Lucas. I’m trying to help you. I’m trying to make sure your career doesn’t fall down the drain. Do you want to lose everything?”
My jaw clenches, and every muscle in my body feels tight. I know what’s on the line. It’s all I ever think about. “Listen. I’ve got to go. Rebook it for another day, or don’t. I don’t give a shit. Right now, I have something more important to do.”
I don’t even wait for a reply, hanging up before I shove my phone in my pocket. Yes, this interview was important. It was CelebCentral Media, for fucks sake. They’re huge. But I’m not about to let Madeline go out there when she isn’t feeling or looking her best. She was struggling to keep her eyes open, her body breaking out into shivers in my fucking arms. I’m not putting her through that. No fucking way.
I open her door again, and walk inside, seeing her still sleeping. I head to the chair where all of her clothes are crumpled up and start folding. The last thing Madeline needs is to wake up to a mess. Knowing her, she’d probably pass out at the sight.
“Lucas?” My head snaps to where she’s lying in bed, shuffling in the sheets. Her tone is sweet and hushed, completely the opposite of what she normally sounds like.
My heart fucking melts. “Yes, Madeline?”
“You stayed?” She says it more as a question like she can’t believe I stayed.
“Yeah,” I tell her, approaching her. Her eyes are still closed, and I look down at her, swallowing hard. “I told you I would.”
Her brows knit together when she sighs. “I thought you’d leave,” she whispers. “I know you don’t like me. You didn’t have to do any of this.” Her voice trails off into a murmur. “Why didn’t you leave?”
I stare down at her, my brows furrowing and an ache in my chest that I don’t quite understand. “I’m not a bad guy, Mads,” I tell her, wondering if she’s fallen back asleep. “When we met… I was going through a hard time, and I guess I still am. But none of that is because of you,” I admit more to myself than to her. I might have resented her a bit for being forced into this situation when everything around me is crumbling, but if I’m honest with myself…
I hear her soft snores again, and I know she’s fallen back asleep.
I sigh, running a hand down my face and looking down at her face. “You’re the only good thing that’s been happening to me lately.”
Chapter 16
Sketches and soulmates
I don’t expect anyone to be in my room.
Least of all a strange figure that I can’t make out in the dark. My pulse races, and I quickly lift myself up, and do what any sane person would do. I throw a pillow at it, letting out a scream.
“What the hell?” the voice says, groaning when the pillow hits him in the chest.
Wait. I know that voice. “Lucas?” I ask, trying to adjust my eyes to the dark. Thankfully the lights turn on, and I let out a breath when I see Lucas’ face scowling at me, liquid dripping down his clothes.
