Not Never (Sample of Published Book)

Chapter 4 - Part 1

Ashley sat cross-legged on her bed while she worked on her homework. At least for the first time in a long while, her parents weren't yelling at each other. The house was quiet, which was unusual. She sighed tiredly as she finished the last of her assignments.

It was nearly ten when she was done. She began to close her books and put them back in her school bag, when her phone began to ring. It wasn't a number she recognized, and she debated whether to answer it or not.

"Hello?" she answered, not sure who would be calling her this late at night.

"I'm outside." It took a few seconds to place the voice.

"Maddox?" she asked, incredulous. Why on earth was he calling her? Or more importantly, how did he even get her number?

"I'm outside," he repeated.

Curiosity made her go over to her bedroom window to peer out. She could see him leaning casually against the side of his car, which was parked outside her house.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, feeling annoyed.

Their eyes met and she felt a flutter inside her chest. Why was he the one to make her feel this way? Why did it have to be him? She ground her teeth in frustration. And why was he here? Was he stalking her?

"Meet me outside and I'll tell you why I'm here."

"No." Her response was firm and unwavering. Whatever game he wanted to play, she wasn't playing. She had told him to leave her alone and he wouldn't listen.

"You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?" he said with a sigh.

"I'm not going to do it," she explained matter-of-factly. This guy was really getting on her nerves. Who did he think he was, coming into her life and thinking he had a right to tell her what to do?

"Are you always like this?" She could hear amusement in his voice.

"Yes," she whispered angrily. "I don't go out to meet strange guys late at night."

"I'm not a stranger," he countered confidently.

"Listen, Maddox." She looked up to the ceiling to rein in her temper. "I don't know why you've suddenly taken an interest in me, but... stop." She held the curtain tightly in her hand, watching him from her bedroom window. "I don't need or want your help."

He sighed again. "Don't make me play dirty." His words were light but his tone left her with no doubt there was an underlying threat.

"What does that mean?" She glared crossly at his dark figure.

"It means you have five minutes to get your ass downstairs."

She wanted to tell him no, but Maddox Larson wasn't someone who made empty threats. But what could he really do to her? She bit her lip as she tried to think of what he could possibly hold over her head, and she came up blank.

He hung up and folded his arms. He knew exactly how to get her to do what he wanted, and it made her angry. Damn him.

She twirled around and made a beeline for her door as she shoved her phone into her pocket. How dare he make demands on her and then have the audacity to threaten her? Did he do this type of thing often? Making threats to get what he wanted?

She opened and closed the front door quietly so her parents wouldn't hear, before she stalked to where Maddox pushed himself off his car.

"I don't like being threatened." It was dark except for the light from the nearby streetlight. It illuminated his face enough for her to see his smirk.