Page 107 of Cadence
Maddox follows. “You think this has been easy for me?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Is this hard for you?” I turn and hurl the words at him. My bag hits the floor as I face him, toe-to-toe. “Is it hard being the guy who gets to walk away? Pretend like none of it mattered? LikeIdidn’t matter?”
He shakes his head before I’m even done. “I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to.” My chest rises fast, head pounding for a whole new reason. “But congratulations, your sense of guilt orwhatever, forcing you to play the hero is done. I’m good now. I don’t need you pretending to care—”
“You think I don’t fucking care?” he roars. His eyes burn black, two obsidian pools of anger. “You have no fucking idea what it was like finding you like that. Watching you fade in and out, not knowing if you were gonna be okay.”
He’s shaking, voice breaking, breathing ragged, like the fear’s still fresh inside him trying to claw its way out. And for a second, all I want is to reach for him. To close the distance, bury my face in his chest, and pretend none of this ever happened. But I don’t move,can’tgive him the comfort we both so desperately need. Because he still hurt me.
“You think I give a shit about being the hero?” he yells. “I didn’t help you to feel better about myself. I did it because I’m trying to save you,Penny!”
The name slices through the air.
He freezes, breath caught, only realizing what he said the moment it leaves his mouth. Staggers back like he’s been punched. And I just stand there, gutted, hollowed out, unable to feel the moment my heart breaks. Only the echo of it after.
“What did you just call me?”
Chapter Forty-Six
Penny
Twoyearsago
I swear, if I have to listen to this chorus one more time, I might shove a cymbal through the wall.
But God, how I love this. Listening to their music, the way Beau and Eli complement Maddox in the riff, the way Austin sets the pace perfectly. This is why I do what I do.
Okay, sure, I might not be able to carry a tune to save myself or sing a note like my songbird sister—apparently, she got all the Deveraux musical genes—but taking something unrefined and turning it into greatness? That’smytalent. Yet producing the last ever Sip Station track recorded at Big Sky Studios is bittersweet.
I lean back in my chair, inhaling the electrical smell I’ll never get enough of, peering through the dirty glass into the studio.Beau’s slumped on the beat-up couch in the corner, neck craned back, eyes closed, with Eli resting on his shoulder. Austin’s out cold on a pile of coats beside them, the clock on the wall ticking past midnight.
“You know this is our sixth hour straight, right?” I tease, swinging my legs, an energy drink between my knees.
Maddox sits at the soundboard, headphones covering one ear, in the zone like always, brow furrowed, one hand running through his hair as he listens to the same track for the umpteenth time, chasing something the rest of us can’t hear.
“No one’s making you stay,” he murmurs, not looking at me, though there’s a smirk tugging at his lips.
“Lies. You know my boss would have my ass if he found out I left you guys here alone.” I lean forward and snag a Cheeto from the bag beside him. “Besides, you love me being here. I bring snacks, drinks, excellent conversation…”
Maddox grins at the console, shaking his head. “You also eat all the red Skittles and change the whiteboard to mess with Eli when no one’s looking.”
I smile, shifting in my chair, pressing a hand just below my ribcage where a dull pressure’s been lurking all night.
He chuckles, finally leaning back and glancing at me. God, when he smiles properly, it’s unreal, like his face forgets it’s supposed to be serious all the time and just…lights up.
In moments like this, I get why I fell for him.
Even if it was always going to be one-sided.
“You good?” he asks.
Cheeks warming, I nod, glancing away. “Yeah. Just…can’t believe you’re leaving this place. It’s gonna be weird not having you guys around all the time.”
“We’re leveling up,” he teases. “Feels like we’re finally pushing toward something bigger. New studio. Bigger space. Better gear.”
“Hey.” I nudge his arm. “Are you saying this isn’t good?”
