Abandoned

Chapter 36

Maddox POV

“You are kidding?!” Blake exclaimed as Milo and I finished telling them what happened in the last two days.

“No.” I said, shaking my head.

“I am going to fucking kill them.” Zack mumbled angrily.

He hadn’t stopped pacing back and forth since Milo and I started talking.

“Why are you so upset, Zack?” Milo asked, narrowing his eyes at him. “You don’t even know her.”

Zack looked at him angrily. “I was the first one who protected her. I was the one who told you that you two fuckers were going to regret treating her the way you did. I was the one who immediately knew how important she was. Don’t piss me off, Milo.”

Milo tightened his jaw.

“What exactly did you do to her?” Ryan asked angrily, making Milo and me look at him.

Regret washed over me. I was an idiot. If I could go back and punch myself, I would.

“We were mean,” Milo mumbled and I could hear the guilt in his voice. “We bullied her.”

Anger flashed in Ryan’s eyes. “I am going to punch the living shit out of you.”

“No!” someone exclaimed loudly.

I looked to my left and saw my sister standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking at Ryan wide-eyed and frightened.

“Maddie!” Milo and I said at the same time as we rushed toward her.

“Addie, baby, I would never do it,” Ryan said with a hint of panic in his voice. “It’s just something you say.”

I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her. She was shaking a little.

“Did Sam examine you?” Milo asked her softly.

Maddie nodded.

“Good, love.” Milo said softly. “Where is he?”

“Upstairs.” Maddie mumbled. “He will be here in a minute.”

I let her go and looked down at her. Her eyes were still on Ryan.

“Addie, baby, I am sorry.” Ryan sighed as he approached us and kneeled in front of her. “I would never hurt your brothers. I would never hurt you.”

I looked at him angrily. Did he have to say those words?

“Please believe me, Addie.” Ryan said as he took her hand in his. “I love you, baby, and I love your brothers.”

I looked at Zack. He was glaring at Ryan with a murderous look on his face.

What the fuck was his problem? Did he like Maddie?

Fuck no. I wasn’t going to let that happen.

I looked back at my sister who still had a frightened look on her face.

“Maddie, love, Ryan would never hurt us.” Milo told her. “I promise.”

She looked up at him and gulped. Milo smiled and caressed her cheek.

“He is annoying, but he would never do anything to hurt us, I promise.” Milo told her, making Ryan sigh.

“He is right, baby.” Ryan said as he rubbed the back of Maddie’s hand. “I would never hurt you.”

Maddie looked back down at him and gave him a small nod. Ryan smiled, stood up, and pulled her into a gentle hug.

“I love you, Addie.” he said softly as he kissed her temple.

“I am coming with you.” Zack said, making me look back at him.

Going with us where?

“What?” Milo asked, confused.

“I am going with you to the cabin.” Zack said. “I don’t give a shit. I need to make sure that she is okay.”

My eyes widened. Was he fucking serious? Of course he wasn’t going with us.

Ryan let go of Maddie and turned around to look at Zack.

“That’s not going to happen.” Ryan said. “You have school. We can excuse Max and Milo, but we can’t excuse you.”

Zack sighed and rolled his eyes. “That’s not an issue.”

“Yes, it is.” Ryan said. “I am not explaining anything to your father.”

“You don’t have to.” Zack said, rolling his eyes again. “Let me take care of it.”

I looked at Blake who sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Are you being serious?” Milo asked in disbelief.

“Yes.” Zack nodded. “I am going with her.”

“Why?” Milo asked. “She is safe with the four of us.”

Zack tightened his jaw and looked at Maddie. “Having me around can’t hurt.”

I looked down at my sister, who was staring at Zack with a confused expression on her face. It didn’t look like she was afraid of him, though.

“We don’t need you there.” Milo argued, tightening his arms around our sister.

Zack narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted him.

“Can we talk to you in the kitchen, Zack?” I asked as I let Maddie go.

He looked at me and nodded.

I kissed the top of Maddie’s head before walking toward the kitchen. I could hear Zack and Milo following behind me.

“What the fuck, Zack?!” Milo exclaimed as we walked into the kitchen.

“I need to know that she is safe.” Zack said.

I turned around and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Why?” I asked, making Zack look at me. “She isn’t your sister. You don’t even know her. Why do you have to make sure that she is safe?”

Zack gulped and glanced at Milo. He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair.

“I like her, okay.” he mumbled. “There is just something about her that makes me want to wrap my arms around her and glare at the world around us. I want to protect her. I need to protect her.”

I felt anger pulsing inside me.

“Like her?” Milo spoke angrily. “Are you serious?”

Zack sighed and sat down on one of the bar stools.

“Look, I know that nothing can happen right now.” Zack said. “We don’t even know each other. She’s been through hell. I am not crazy. I won’t do anything right now. I just need to make sure that she is okay. I feel this connection with her and I need to be with her.”

I had no idea what to say to him.

A part of me wanted to punch him. The other part was glad that he understood that this wasn’t an appropriate time for him to try anything with my sister. Not that he could. I would never allow it.

“I don’t even know what to say.” Milo mumbled.

“I wanted to be honest with you.” Zack said. “You two are my best friends. I would hate to lie to you.”

Milo opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted when Sam called for us.

“Guys!” he shouted. “Get here! Now!”

My heart raced.

Maddie!