MaddoxDamn! He didn't just say that, did he?Kyle was straddling me now, his weight pressed over my lap, and his mouth—hell, that mouth—was on my neck, hot and wet and desperate. The way he licked and kissed the side of it, like he was hungry to mark me back, made something primal snap loose in me. I tightened my grip around his waist, fingers splayed and pressing into the soft ridges of his back, feeling the warmth of his skin through the fabric.And then he whispered it.“Fuck me.”God, those two words shattered every thread of restraint I had left. I wanted to claim him right then and there, against the damn seat, consequences be damned. But I forced my breath steady and caught his face in my palms, thumbs brushing along his cheeks. His lips were red and slightly parted, his eyes dark and unfocused from the rush of it all.“Let’s take it easy,” I breathed, forehead resting against his. “I promise… I’ll make it worthwhile.”He gave a slow, trembling nod.That was all I needed.I sl
KyleI gasped as he pressed his mouth against mine, my body jolting forward as if his lips belonged there. All hesitation vanished as he claimed me without asking or waiting. His mouth was hot and fierce, as if trying to make up for all the time we had spent ignoring the tension between us.My back hit the seat, my breath caught in my throat as his lips continued to claim mine repeatedly. I didn't want him to stop. His hand slid behind my neck, fingers threading through my hair, gripping gently yet firmly as if he needed to feel me, to hold me there and sense my pulse beating through my scalp.He kissed me deeply, and I felt myself melting. Instinctively, my lips parted, as if my body already knew how to match his. His tongue entered my mouth, hot, wet, and hungry, in a way that was raw and real, almost aggressive. It felt like he wasn't asking but taking.I whimpered softly against his mouth and pulled away slightly to catch my breath. My lips were swollen, my lungs craving air, but
MaddoxI didn’t even see it coming.One minute I was staring out the window, thinking about the sky, the water, the warmth of the setting sun—and the next, Maddox was leaning in, his hand curling under my chin like it belonged there. And then his mouth was on mine.Not soft. Not gentle. Not even hesitant.He kissed me like I was something he’d been starved of. Like he’d waited too long. His mouth dragged over mine with so much hunger I could barely breathe. He nearly vacuumed me into him—no, I’m serious. My lips felt like they disappeared into his, and my whole chest jerked forward without thinking. It was that deep.My mind blanked out. For a moment, I wanted to kiss him back. I really, really wanted to. My lips parted on instinct, and I felt myself falling stupidly, and helplessly into the heat of it all. His scent. His taste. The pressure of his body closing in. It was too much.But just as quickly, it hit me.Where we were.My eyes shot open, and I jerked back, lips tearing from h
MaddoxI couldn’t bring myself to tell the nurse the real reason. I just handed her the tote bag and forced a small smile. “Please give this to my sons,” I said. “Something came up. I’ll try to come back later.” She nodded, completely unaware that my hands were practically trembling with the urge to walk down that hallway and into Hayden’s room.But I didn’t. I couldn’t.Instead, I walked out like a coward, back to my car where the silence swallowed me whole. My fingers rested on the steering wheel, but I didn’t start the engine. I just sat there, staring at the hospital doors like some broken fool. Hoping—foolishly—that Hayden would step out, maybe rub his eyes like he just woke up from a long, irrational dream, and say, "Dad, it’s fine. You can come in now."Of course, he didn’t.The minutes dragged. Eventually, I let out a sharp breath and turned the key in the ignition. The car hummed to life, and I pulled out slowly, the weight in my chest pressing heavier the farther I got from
KyleBy the time I reached the hospital, my legs were moving faster than I could keep up with. I didn’t even ask the nurse for directions; I already knew which room was his. I’d been there enough times before, standing outside the door like a coward. But today was different. Today, Hayden had asked for me.Still, as I made my way through the corridors, my stomach twisted painfully. I hadn’t eaten. Not since morning. It made me wince, but I told myself to bear it just a little longer. This wasn’t the time to complain about hunger when Hayden had just woken up from that kind of accident.I finally reached the room. The white door looked the same, cold and sterile, like the rest of this place. I knocked softly before opening it, and there he was—lying on the bed, eyes closed, body still as if nothing inside him had stirred in hours. For a second, I wondered if I’d been misinformed.“Hayden?” I called gently, stepping in.No answer.I moved closer, careful not to make noise, and leaned do
Maddox“Really? He’s awake?” Kyle asked, his voice picking up, the shock and hope mixing into something breathless.I nodded. “Yeah. He just called.”“Oh my goodness—what are we waiting for? Let’s quickly go!” he exclaimed, already turning on his heels. I followed him out, grabbing the keys as he practically bounced down the steps like he had forgotten how to walk and was learning again from adrenaline.We got into the car—he buckled in faster than I’d ever seen—and I started the engine. His knee bounced beside me while I pulled out of the driveway, the road opening before us in long stretches, and I could feel the tension humming off him like static electricity.Then his phone buzzed.He checked it but didn’t answer. Just stared at the screen.I glanced over, slightly irritated. “Haven’t you seen your phone ringing? Why are you staring at it like that? Just answer the damn call already.”He didn’t respond, just turned the phone to face me, showing the screen. It was an unsaved number