Rescuing Madison (Book 1)

Chapter Seventeen

Madison's POV

Green eyes.

Why was he here? How did he know that I was here? Did he follow us here like he had followed Jackson the other day? He had slipped out of our sight the second we had turned away from him. I could feel that Jackson was trying to get me to move, so I got off of his lap so he could stand up. He grabbed my hand & started pulling me towards his car. When we got to it, he made sure I was in before he ran to his side. He jumped in & quickly started the car & sped off.

The next thing I knew, we were already back at my apartment. It felt like it had only taken us seconds to get here. We hadn't spoken since we saw him, & I could feel Jackson's anger. It was practically rolling off of him in waves. When he pulled up into my parking spot, he jumped out & walked to my side to help me out. Then he ran us inside.

"Jackson, are you okay?"

He didn't answer. He pulled out his phone & started quickly texting. I guessed he was probably texting his brothers to let them know we had left the party. Jackson kept clenching his fists. I walked over to him & put my hands over his fists.

"Jackson, calm down. Please."

"I can't. He was right there in front of us. He shouldn't have even known you were going to be there. He shouldn't know where you are at all." he said, angrily.

"I know. It could have just been a coincid-"

Jackson cut me off. "Don't even say it. You know it wasn't a coincidence that he was there. He's a little old for a college party. He somehow knew you'd be there." He stood up & started pacing. "I can't keep him away from you. I won't let him touch you again. I should have gone after him & called the police."

I stood up & took his face between my hands. "Jackson. Stop. This is the kind of reaction he is trying to get out of you. Don't let him think he's winning. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

He started to calm down, & I let out a deep breath. It felt like I had been holding my breath, waiting for his reaction to what I had said. He pulled me close.

"I'm sorry, baby."

"It's okay."

He pulled slightly back, & ran his hands through my hair. "It's not okay. I should be strong for you. I'm just so scared that he could do something to you again. I'd die if anything happened to you, Madison. I love you so much."

I gasped. Jackson loves me? I couldn't help the smile that formed on my face. "I love you too, Jackson. I always have."

The serious look on his face turned into a grin, & he pulled me against him once again. He pressed his lips against mine. I felt like I was going to explode with happiness. I had waited for years to hear Jackson tell me that he loved me. If I hadn't heard it with my own two ears, I probably wouldn't have believed it. & Despite what was going on right now, I felt like nothing could bring us down.

***

The next day, I woke up from a dreamless sleep feeling completely refreshed. I was still ecstatic about last night. The part about Jackson telling me he loved me, not the part about him. I could hear Jackson walking around in the kitchen, so I got out of bed & walked in there. He was making pancakes. They smelled so good.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Starving." I laughed.

As I was finishing up breakfast, Jackson went into his bedroom to change. He couldn't cook very many meals, but he had always made the best pancakes.

"Madison?" I heard him call my name.

"Yeah?" I called back.

He walked back in the kitchen. "Who's Joel?"

Joel? The name didn't sound familiar. "I don't know a Joel. Why?"

"You have a text from a Joel."

I gave him a confused look. That was weird. I took my phone from him & saw that I did have a text from someone named Joel.

"That's strange. I didn't think I had a 'Joel' in my contacts." I opened the message.

Joel: I loved seeing you last night. You looked beautiful. I don't think your boyfriend was too glad to see me, though. I can't wait until I can have you for my own again. See you, sweetheart.

My breathing started to quicken. Jackson came up behind me & read the message. He took my phone so I couldn't read the text anymore. I heard him talking & I think he was on the phone. How did his name & number get into my phone? I definitely didn't put it there, & it wasn't there before the party. Before the party.. I had left my phone for a few minutes in my room before we had left. My room..

I stood up to go to my room. I swayed a little. It was getting harder to breathe. I walked into my room. Nothing looked out of order, & I didn't notice anything missing. My pulse was still going at high speed, though. I looked over at my window. I always kept it closed, but I figured that it wouldn't hurt to check it out anyway.

I could hear Jackson behind me saying something, but I couldn't hear him clearly, due to the blood rushing through my ears. I pulled open the curtains, & there was a folded piece of paper taped to the window. I pulled it off my window, opened it, & read it.

You should lock your window, sweetheart.

I tried to hold onto the wall for support. My vision was blurring. He had been in my room? In my apartment? Jackson turned me around to face him, saying something I couldn't hear over the rushing sound in my ears. I took one look at him, & fainted.