How He Fell

1 4 | l u s t

He had made her a piece of metal in what was his anchor. She was glad to be apart of that.

That was gone now though.

It had been fine for a good while, but ever since a certain shy girl waltzed into his life, Tiana had been pushed aside. That was for sure and there was no refuting the truth in that. Sadly, Tiana had to face it as well and it didn't settle well with her.

It wasn't exactly comforting to know that she had to work a year to finally get Maddox to open just a tiny fraction of what was his life, to her. To finally let her have a peek through the door that wasn't fully closed anymore to her.

Then Evelyn Moreau comes barging the door open without any grumble of annoyance from Maddox. He just let her and Tiana knew exactly what that meant.

It hurt her.

Now he doesn't let her in. He tells her stuff, but he doesn't let her in. He may not tell Evelyn the stuff he tells Tiana, but on the other hand...he lets Evelyn in.

Rolling her bottom lip under her teeth, Tiana squeezed her eyes shut in hopes of clearing her mind. All she wanted to do was give Maddox something to go on. A little hope. She had nothing though.

"I'm sorry," she faintly voiced her defeat.

Her defeat in what was a war only in her mind. The war that was just another silent demon she faced.

He nodded his head as he looked the other way, hiding the pain falling from his cheeks.

She inhaled sharply and brought her hand up to rest on his shoulder, to tell him that it's okay to show her the tears. But she hesitated and just before she could touch him, she stopped. Stiffening her muscles, she balled her hand into a tight fist before retracting it. Digging her nails into her skin, she took comfort in the pain that was now brought upon her.

She hated when he was alone in the bath of pain he always succumbed to. He somehow managed to take up all the space so no one else would have to suffer the cold, frost-bite like water.

Only he would get the burns.

That's how he was selfless and that's why she fell in love with him. She fell for the flirty smile on his lips the first time she had ever had an encounter with him. She drowned in the pools of his eyes, she burned her hands when she ran them through the fire that was his hair. She had made her body a place for him, she gave no time to worship herself. Rather, she let him do whatever he pleased in hopes of making him happy enough to love her.

After all, her parents had always taught her that love was given in exchange for lust.

She was confused why it never worked with Maddox though. He never really loved her like that.

Of course she didn't know that. She believed whatever she thought was being displayed. What she mistook for love was really just affection.

"Maddox?"

Her head jerked up. It wasn't her who spoke, but the voice of the person who snapped her out of her thoughts. Registering that it was none other than Evelyn Moreau who stood before them, a sick feeling made its way to Tiana's stomach. Like throwing up acid.

On the other hand, Evelyn's presence seemed to calm Maddox down immensely.

"Evelyn," he whispered as a tear fell down his cheek.

Rushing over to him, she kneeled in front of him and wiped the tear from his cheek. More tears fell and she embraced him into her arms, letting him soak her shirt.