Bad Boy's Baby Girl

Dressed to Kill

*Cade's POV*

When we leave Maddy's house that evening, I can't help but feel like my entire life has changed in the last couple hours. I feel so emotionally drained but my heart still somehow feels complete.

We go get Monroe's bike and then head to her house.

When we walk in, she feeds the dogs and then walks downstairs and pours us each a very full glass of very expensive whiskey. "I feel like you probably need this as much as I do," she says as she hands it to me.

She leads me back upstairs to the living room couch and she says, "What are you thinking about?"

"A lot of things. I'm thinking about how stupid I was today and how I almost fucked everything up. But mostly I'm thinking about how much I love you." I'm hoping beyond hope that she can feel the truth of my words because the split second today when I thought I had lost her was the worst moment of my life.

"I'm so scared Cade. I'm scared that this is all just some sick joke. Historically, things don't end well for me. My mother said she loved me, and yet she still left me with that monster when I was 10 years old. I was a fucking child! And then my dad, oh god, I don't even know where to start with that. I spent my whole life shielding myself from everyone and everything and then you came along and shattered my shield like it was made of glass. I handed you my heart on a silver fucking platter. It would be so easy for you to just crush it. And do you know what scares me the most about that? I wouldn't stop you because I literally cannot imagine my life without you in it."

The vulnerability in her eyes matches what I feel whenever I'm with her. I put my drink down and pull her tight into my chest. "I promise you I will never break your heart. I will protect it more than I ever even protected my own. I feel like I wasn't even a whole person until I met you. I was lost in some shit storm of self loathing until you came along and gave me a road map to the person I was supposed to be. So if I've got your heart, then you've got mine. I hope you'll protect it as much as I will yours."

"I love you so much," She says as she looks into my eyes.

"I love you too," I say.

We spend that night tangled in each other and I can't even remember a time when Monroe wasn't consuming my every thought.

I wake up first the next day (surprisingly) and find her head on my chest with an arm wrapped around me. I gently move an errant strand of hair off her face and admire her. God she's so perfect. How did I get so lucky?

She stirs a bit and then her eyes flutter open and she says, "Are you watching me sleep?" With the cutest groggy voice I've ever heard.

"Of course I was." She snuggles further into my chest and I wrap my arms around her.

"What time is it?" she mumbles into my chest.

"Almost 9am," I say. She bolts upright and says, "What?! Seriously?!" She tries to get out of bed but I pull her back down.

"Woah, baby girl, calm down. It's Saturday. We have all the time in the world."

"We have to figure out who doctored those pictures though."

"We can't do that until monday. For now, just relax and let me show you how much I love you."

We spend pretty much the entire weekend in bed, other than the short trip we made to my house to pick up some clothes and when Monday rolls morning rolls around, it feels like someone is poking a hole in the perfect little bubble we created.

We get ready for school and when Monroe comes out of her closet wearing black jeans with rips all down the front, a tight black cropped top and a choker necklace with her hair up in a high ponytail, I give her a smirk.

"What?" She asks, placing her hands on her hips.

"Nothing, it's just that you look like you're ready to murder anybody who gets in your way today and it's super hot."

"Good," she says, "That's what I was going for."

We take her BMW to school and meet everyone in front of the school. Monroe's first theory is that seeing all of us together (and not pissed at each other) will be enough to piss off Mackenzie. She links arms with Maddy and I'm holding her hand on the other side while the other four follow behind us. Monroe was 1000% right about this pissing Mackenzie off. We can see her scowl from across the atrium.

At lunch Monroe and I head to the yearbook club meeting. I let her take the reins. All of this is her show at this point. I'm just here for support.

"Hello boys," she says, walking up to them, "I know one of you did a photoshop job for Mackenzie. We all know she's not smart enough to pull this off herself. I would love to get the files she gave you."

"We d-don't know what you're talking about," one of the skinny kids stutters out.

She leans her hands on the table, giving them a good view of her cleavage.

"Do not bullshit me. I don't know what Mackenzie promised you, but whatever it is, is it really worth it? Do you even think she's going to pay up? Because I don't. And besides, there is an easy way for us to do this, and a hard way. Personally, I'm a fan of the easy way. What do you guys think?" she says smoothly.

Their eyes flicker over to me briefly and it looks as thought they might shit themselves. Those boys literally have jell-o for spines. Of course, they end up cracking and Monroe gets what she's looking for.