One Night Only

Chapter 20

"She turned 38 the day before she died. Apparently after all those years she still wasn't ready to give up partying. Her and her friends went out on a binger for her birthday. She told them she wasn't feeling good and went to her room. They checked on her before they left but they assumed she was asleep," he explains. "But she had overdosed and passed away on her bed."

I stare at the headstone in anger and frustration. Why wasn't I enough for her to straighten out? Why didn't she care like I did? Did she ever even think about me or wonder how I was? "This is bullshit," I say, gesturing to her headstone. "She wasn't a fucking mother or wife. She was never there. How could they write that?"

Putting his arm around me, he pulls me closer. "Don't work yourself up over it. She isn't worth it. You deserved better."

I sigh. "It just pisses me off. Why wasn't I enough?"

"Hey, look at me," he says. I reluctantly turn to him. "She was young and wasn't ready to be a mother. Just imagine if she had stuck around and continued to do drugs. You could have been taken away from her and put in foster care. You said your dad and grandmother were good to you so be thankful for that and forget about her. She's just a stranger to you."

I know he has a good point so I take a deep breath and glance at the headstone once more before turning back to him. "Thank you for finding her for me. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem. If you ever need anything just let me know." I stare at him and he frowns a little. "What?"

"You're so much less complicated than Owen," I say in thought.

He smiles a little. "Most people are."

I place my hand on his cheek, my thumb brushing across his lips. His smile disappears immediately. "Do you still like me?" I ask quietly.

He raises an eyebrow before laughing dryly. "I guess you could say that." Removing his arm from around me, he gently removes my hand from his face. "We can't do this."

He stands up and I follow suit. "We didn't do anything."

He shakes his head. "Your fucking touch is everything."

My lips part in surprise. Should I take that as a compliment? "Do you ever think about me?"

He turns away from me. "No."

"Don't lie," I plead. "You're the only one who has been completely honest with me from the start."

His eyes meet mine. "Of course I do, Madison."

"In what ways?" I ask.

He groans. "Madison, please."

"Just answer me," I beg. "I need to know."

He runs his large hand down his face in what I think is frustration. "In every way possible."

"Sexually?"

The word is out of my mouth before I know it and I instantly regret it. This is definitely too far. "I've walked in on you having sex with him twice and quite recently got to finish the image with a look at your chest. So yes, my thoughts as a man can be quite sexual."

His honesty surprises me. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. "Why didn't you ask me out?"

He shakes his head. "I told you, Owen wanted you first. You were his from the start."

"What if I didn't want him?"

He stares into my eyes. "Madison, do you want to marry him?"

I look down at the ring on my finger. "I love him and Bryant. I don't know what I'd do without them," I admit. "But sometimes I'm not sure about us."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"I always wonder if he's cheating and I never know if he'll come home in this line of work. Why can't it be easy?"

He sighs. "If love was easy everyone would be in a relationship." There's a long moment of silence before he glances at his watch. "We should get back to the house before Owen sends out a search crew."

I roll my eyes, following him towards the car. "So my touch is everything, huh?"

"Fuck," he groans. "You're never going to let this go."

"You're right," I chuckle.

"Maybe I'll stop being so honest with you then," he says.

I pout. "No."

Shaking his head, he smiles a little as he opens my door. "Let's pretend that this never happened," he says.

I stop, standing on the opposite side of the door. "Then I should take advantage of our time here."

He raises his eyebrows. "I think you already did."

"But I'm not done asking you stuff."

He shakes his head in disbelief. "I think I've told you enough traumatic information for this life time."

"Please?"

He shakes his head. "That's enough for today."

"Fine," I say, climbing into the car. "But this isn't over."

"Yeah, yeah," he says, closing the door.

Climbing in, he buckles his seatbelt and starts the car. "If one of us were to fuck up and we broke up, would you ever ask me out?"

He glances at me, looking completely at ease as he begins driving. "I thought I said no more questions," he says. After a short pause, he continues. "I'd die for you but I don't want to die because of you."

"What?" I ask, confused.

"I'd take a bullet for you but I won't put my life at risk to date you. He'd kill me the second he found out."

My phone vibrates in my pocket but I choose to ignore it. The topic makes me wonder how things could have been if I had chosen Dominic instead. Would I still worry about all of the women? No, I trust him explicitly. Trying to ignore my thoughts, I stare out the window as he heads back to the house. We're about halfway there when Dominic's phone rings. My thoughts are far too loud to focus on his words. When we pass the house, I turn to him in confusion. "Where are you going?"

"I'm taking you somewhere," he says, staring straight forward.

There's an edge to his voice so I decide not to question him any further. A few minutes later he parks the car in front of the shooting range. When I spot Owen inside, I grit my teeth in irritation. I've tried getting him to bring me here several times but he never had the time to but now that I'm mad at him he has all the time in the world. Opening my door, I'm about to get out when I feel Dominic's hand on my thigh. "Don't be too hard on him."

Ignoring his comment, I climb out of the car and head inside. Owen is talking the man behind the counter. "Owen," I say loudly. He turns to me, frowning when he sees my face. "Now you have the time for this?"

"Yes. I -"

"Well I don't," I say, turning to walk away.

He grabs my wrist. "Please. I watched the tape. You need to learn."

"Fine," I say.

He's in for a surprise.

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