Temptation

18 - Hero

She can't stand my constant waving and patting to force her to lay with me because she thinks it's causing me pain. I am in pain; my head is fucking killing me but Madden being here is distracting me from the pain. She asks me if I remember what happened and all I can say is I know that Ryan Teller fucking hates me but that's all. Madden starts telling me what happened, information she got from Mara and then she asks me why Teller hates me.

I don't want to tell her why Ryan Teller hates me because he and I used to be really good friends but because of my fucking dumb ass actions, he wants to basically kill me. Lying to Madden never has worked for me the last few times together so lying now when I can barely keep a straight thought isn't worth it. "I slept with his sister," I can feel her cringing at the thought of me sleeping with someone and even I cringe. We aren't even together; I need to change that. "I slept with her and threw her away. I'm not a good person, but I feel like I need to be better around you." I don't know how she feels but I do know I'm not a good person, I throw people away because I don't want the commitment. Commitment means that someone has the opportunity to hurt me and I don't want to feel that, ever—or at least I didn't until Madden showed up on the floor at Costco.

"Be my girlfriend?" I ask her and I'm being completely serious. I did not think I'd be asking this girl to be mine in a hospital bed when I look like a fucking log, but I did and there's no taking it back now. I want her to be mine, I don't want anyone else to have this girl and I sure as hell want to protect her from the psycho. She lifts her head from my chest and looks me into my sleepy eyes, "We just met, and I can't." I expected this but I didn't want this. I need to tell her how I will protect her and maybe I can convince her. "I know he's out there, but I have money and I have people. I can protect you and I am fucking obsessed with you." I realize my words are probably going to scare her. I should not have said that.

I can see the million thoughts streaming through that beautiful mind and her eyes watering, waiting for this silent pause to be over and then she finally speaks up, "I cannot be seen by cameras. We need to be extremely cautious and you need to promise me one other thing?" "Anything?" "Don't do stupid shit to get you into the hospital again!" She laughs and I laugh along with her, but my head starts hurting so we both stop laughing and she lays her head back onto my chest. "Can I call you mine?" I ask with so much excitement I cannot fucking hide it. She nods her head and gives me a gentle kiss on my cheek. Her simple kiss makes me feel ten times better.

With Madden on my chest, I fall to sleep quickly feeling the comfort in someone. Her small body up against mine and her cold hands wrapped around mine have brought me comfort.

Madden falls asleep shortly after I do, and as the sunsets Mara makes her way back into the room. Thankfully she is quiet and only seems to wake me. I raise my finger to my cut lip and 'shh' her as she walks in. Mara gently kisses me on the forehead like a mother would do to her son and she grins at the sight of Madden in my arms. "She's why you've been happy lately." There is no judgment from Mara about this woman who lays with me, instead Mara seems joyful. Usually she fights with me on all the woman I have slept with and gives me shit but not this time. I look down to Madden, at the peacefulness on her face as she sleeps and turn my attention back to Mara, "I need you to help me," I tell her. She is curious but I know Mara would do anything to help me. I tell Mara my secret plan, checking Madden's state every so often to make sure she is still sound asleep.