Page 112 of Madden

I shake my head. She wouldn’t move on already. I refuse to let myself think of her with someone else.

Abel exhales a heavy breath, and I roll my head to look at him. “Maybe she’s not coming home tonight, man.”

“I don’t care,” I grunt. “I’m not going anywhere. So you can either wait with me or leave. Take your pick.”

He holds his hands up, and I clench my jaw.

“She’ll be back here sooner or later. When she does, I’ll be right here waiting.”

He folds his hands in front of him and nods.

The longer we stand here, the more my thoughts plague me, replaying the conversation I overheard back at the hotel.

They went to see Brielle to try and convince her to come to the show tomorrow, not knowing she originally had a ticket to come. At least that was the plan she told me.

Maybe she changed her mind though.

What will she say when she gets home and sees me waiting for her? Will she give me a chance to explain after refusing to talk to her before?

“Madden?”

For a second, I wonder if I’m dreaming until I turn my head to search for her, finding her standing at the end of the block.

She blinks slowly, almost as if she can’t believe I’m here either.

“Yeah, baby, it’s me.”

She flinches, noticing Abel standing across from me.

“What are you doing here?” she asks. Her heels click on the concrete, the words spoken more stern than a moment ago.

“I’m in town for the concert tomorrow. Kyla and Ivy told me how they talked to you and tried convincing you to come to the show so we could talk.”

She nods. “So you only came all this way because I refused to go? What, did you think you could send out the call and I’d come running again?”

She scoffs, shaking her head, and moves to pass by me.

“Wait, don’t go.” I reach for her hand and she snaps it away.

I swallow hard. “I get it, okay? I don’t deserve for you to hear me out or forgive me.”

Her expression softens. There’s an internal struggle playing out on her face; she doesn’t know whether she should push me away or if she wants to give in and hear me out.

The sound of tires squeals around us. Abel reaches for my arm.

“I think we should continue this conversation inside if we can. The last thing we need is someone to recognize you and for this to make another headline.”

“Abel, you can wait in the SUV, but I’m not leaving until I talk to her,” I growl, keeping my eyes trained on her. “Do you hear me, Brielle? I’m not going anywhere. I shouldn’t have run in the first place, but I’m done running now. I’m here, and I’m fighting for us like I should’ve been the whole time.”

Tears fill the brim of her eyes and I take a step toward her, closing the distance between us. I don’t miss the subtle sound of her breath hitching or the way her body relaxes when I wrap my arms around her.

I push her into the small alcove, pinning her against the wall and press a kiss to her forehead. The smell of her engulfs every one of my senses, and I squeeze my eyes shut at the emotions having her with me evoke.

“Madden,” she murmurs.

I lean down, running my nose along her cheek to her ear.

“What, baby?”