PATIENT LOVE

Chapter eleven

"It's not what it looks like," Madelyn sighs, rubbing her forehead.

My eyes snap over to hers, glaring at her for explaining herself.

"What? Is he your boyfriend?" I say the word with so much venom.

"Yes-"

"No!-" Madelyn and the guy speak at the same time.

"Madelyn, Baby, what are you doing with him?" he says and just him using the word 'baby' with her irks me. Anger spikes immediately.

"Why don't you go back to wherever you came from, mate," I say, taking in how stiff Madelyn has become.

"Oh, so he speaks for you now Maddie?"

And again, anger flares in me but this time from the use of her nickname.

"I don't have time for this Roman." She sighs. Roman. So that's his name.

"We need to talk, now." Roman strains his words. "We need to make things right." He adds but Madelyn just sighs in frustration.

"I'm not leaving here until you agree to speak to me," he says trying to reach out for her hand.

"Back off, Roman," I spit his name out.

"You're not part of this asshole, I'm trying to speak to my girlfriend."

Something triggers in her mind from his words when she says, "I'm not yours and I won't ever be again Roman, goodbye." She says, finally having enough. She locks the door behind her as she strides away from us both.

I glare at him with so much anger from the assumption I've gathered: he's her ex, he wants to get back together with her, but Madelyn obviously never wants that ever again, meaning he did something horrible to her. He hurt her. Knowing that, I find myself hating him, a man I've known for about ten minutes. My knuckles flinch with the familiar feeling and I have an urge to punch his face in.

He sizes me up just as I'm doing the same to him. "Just so you know," he says after meeting my glare with one of his own, "No matter how many times she lets you in between her legs, she'll always be my Madelyn."

My breathing gets hard, fists clenched, nostrils flaring. "What the fuck did you just say to me?"

I know I've never had the privilege to be with Madelyn in such a way but I choose to let him think I have. What bothers me is that he believes he has a claim on her.

"You heard me," he steps closer to me and I'm trying so hard to remain calm, so hard to stop my fists from shaking. "When she's done with this whole 'so over you' act, she'll come back to me and you'll just be some fucking rebound."

I've never slept with her is what I want to shout, but I decide against it because it's none of his business and I just know it would bring him pleasure knowing that, knowing that he has a chance to win her back.

"I suggest you leave, now, don't ever show your face again," each word coming from my mouth a bullet.

"Or what, tough guy?" he pushes against my chest.

Red. I'm seeing red. I'm not even aware of my actions until I see him pinned against a wall by my forearm, applying pressure to his throat.

He strains to say something, to get me away from him. "What was that? I can't quite hear you," I press on his throat harder.

"Harry!" I hear Madelyn shout from beside me, pulling me away from him. He immediately chokes in his lost breath, resting his hand on his throat.

"What the fuck was that!?" she's yelling at me.

"He- I, - I don't know what came over me," I stutter.

She's looking at me like she doesn't know me, like she sees something different in me, in my eyes. I hate the way her hazel eyes are looking at me, like I've done something wrong, but she doesn't know the things he was saying.

"I need to take you home," she says, pulling on my arm.

We're walking down the hall when I hear Roman's icy voice say, "You better hope I don't see your fucking face again Harry."