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Chapter 24
Mature content readers advised
It had been a long night by the time the family walked in the door of their home and the sun was just beginning to rise. As tired as Madison was, she noticed the sky. The pink, purple, and orange glow lit up the sky in the distance. It was going to be a beautiful day. Madison hoped that feeling would hold on a little longer as she looked at the shock on Cassie's face. She was still shook by what happened in the cave and wasn't able to shake it off.
With the sun rising in the distant sky, Daniel walked Peyton up the steps to her apartment. She had stayed with the boys until the family got home. She had settled them down and put them to bed. She had kept them calm and safe. Everything that they needed.
Her maternal instincts were in high gear not knowing what was happening to the others. When the boys came down stairs again, still unable to sleep without their parents, Peyton allowed them to stay up to keep her company. The eerie darkness outside as well as the fear of a killer on the loose kept her quite uncomfortable in the house too.
Now, with everyone home safe, she could relax enough to rest. The pretty brunette he had a crush on for years was wiped out. Daniel could see the dark smudges under her eyes. She hadn't slept since they had left the house in search of Madison and Cassie. She had been afraid to close her eyes.
"Thanks for taking care of the boys for us," Daniel broke the silence as they reached the top of the stairs.
"No problem," Peyton answered and fumbled with her keys. She knew all the McKennans were gentlemen. Their father wouldn't have raised them any other way, but she wished Daniel had just let her leave on her own to get home. She wouldn't be feeling this awkwardness and could disappear from his life again without having to deal with what his brothers had instigated earlier.
"I hope Cassie's okay," Peyton tried to keep the conversation from running into a direction she wanted all too much to avoid. "She looked pretty shaken up."
"Yeah, me too," Daniel agreed.
Why was this so awkward? She was just a girl for Christ sake. He had dated plenty over the years. He had been harassed by his brothers about other women hundreds of times over the years. So why was this so different? Daniel felt a nervous twitch in his stomach. A fist gripped at his insides and squeezed making him even more uncomfortable.
"Well this is me," Peyton announced as she motioned to the door behind her. "Thanks for bringing me home."
Turning she unlocked the door. She wasn't going to ask him in. She wasn't going to turn around. She definitely wasn't going to kiss him good night. Peyton turned her head around and looked at him over her shoulder. The look on his face told her what she needed to know. He wasn't interested.
She tried to smile, but somehow knew it only came off as a snarl. Daniels teeth clenched, the muscles in his arms flexed. He didn't want to end things like this. The tension was not only building inside him, but he looked about to explode. He was no sooner interested in talking about it than she was.
He wasn't saying a word, no smile, not even a hint of one of his sarcastic grins that he was known to give even the old lady at the grocery checkout. If that didn't scream uninterested nothing could.
Peyton, she thought, time to close the door and say good night.
Daniel felt as if his feet were in cement. His arm and legs seemed weighted down where he stood. With the light at the door behind her she looked like she had an ethereal glow around her. The only thing he could see was her.
It was a moment. A very odd, very clear moment in his life when nothing else existed, but her. Daniel didn't understand what was wrong with him.
Kiss her you idiot, he thought, what are you waiting for an invitation?
"Okay," Peyton muttered as she turned and faced the door, accepting the defeat. It wasn't the first time Daniel McKennan rejected her. It would definitely be the last, she would make sure of that.
"Good night," she said over her shoulder softly and started to close the door behind her.
You're losing her, he thought. Do something! Daniel knew it was now or never.
"What the hell," He muttered and pushed the door open, taking her by surprise.
Peyton lost grip of the door handle, letting Daniel step inside. Before she could get her balance, he grabbed Peyton around the waist and crushed her against his chest. His mouth crashed onto hers in a hard, passionate kiss, smothering any chance of her objections. Peyton felt her knees go weak and knew if it wasn't for his arms holding her so tightly against him, she would be melting to the floor.
Daniel wasn't sure where the emotions came from. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. His rough hands slid up her back holding on to those feelings just a moment longer than he should have then stroked down her spine slowly to end resting his hands on her hips.
The goose bumps on her skin told him she felt it too. The tingle down his spine told Daniel his control had bunched up like a spring and was about to pop. It was time to go before he did something they would both regret.
Time to regroup, old boy. Better to think long and hard about this before you screw up big time.
Daniel knew he was quickly losing his footing and he was falling into deep water. Pressing her backward, he felt her body hit the closed door at her back. Pressing himself closer still, Daniel sealed the gap between them. Sink or swim, he was taking all he could get.
Peyton's hands were clenching his shirt in her fists. She had a hold of the front of his shirt so tight, her knuckles had turned white. As Daniel kneaded her hips, her body swayed. She wasn't going to be able to stand if he pulled away from her now.
Get a grip or he's going to walk out, Peyton thought.
It was pure hunger, his and hers, Daniel concluded. Shifting and angling for better position, Daniel felt her give, the tension in her loosened and her surrender came. It was time he backed off before he knew it would be too late. There was something here, more than he considered and hotter than he ever imagined. He would have to come back after he had time to think. And if that kiss was any indication, she wanted him to come back soon.
Get out while you can, Daniel thought, his control back in check. Now back out before you can't walk down the stairs.
The bulge in his pants was almost painful pressed firmly against Peyton. He couldn't hurt her. Not like this and he would if they pursued this tonight. Just as quickly as he had pulled her into his arms, he pushed her away.
"Good night," Daniel said, only too glad his voice didn't shake.
It came out a bit colder than he meant it to be. Quickly, he turned, walking back down the hallway to the stairwell. It was a good start, he thought and quickly went down the steps - there's something about her he definitely needs to think about.
Peyton fell back against the door in shock as he left her. Her lips swollen, her body aching, needy and weak. She had to wonder what had just happened.
"Definitely something to think about," she whispered to herself and closed the door. There would be no sleep for her now.
Cassie and Travis checked in on the boys before heading to their room. They were fine, awake and with Peyton watching a Disney movie when they had gotten home. Cassie had never been so relieved to know her boys were safe. The fact Jerry drugged them scared the daylights out of her. But now she could rest easy, both of the boys were sound asleep in the attic where Matt had been forced to give up his room to the three kids.
Once in their own room and the door was closed, Cassie sat down on the edge of the bed, watching Travis pull off his boots. She couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't over.
"Cassie, Jerry's dead. It's over. You can relax sweetheart, it's all over," Travis reassured her as he tossed the boots into the closet before heading to wash up in the adjoining bath.
He didn't see the look on her face. She didn't believe it. Something out there had spooked her, Travis was sure it was just that she had shot Jerry. Killing someone's bound to shock you. But Cassie was always so quick to bounce back after stressful events. This just wasn't like her.
"I can't help it, Travis." Cassie defended herself as she toed off her tennis shoes and flopped back on the bed.
She stared up at the ceiling and could still see herself shooting that gun. When she closed her eyes, she could see the look in Jerry's eyes when the bullet hit him. She killed him. Yes, it was self defense. Yes, he would have killed them if she hadn't acted. That doesn't make it easier.
"What if it wasn't Jerry? The person who killed Stone. What if someone else killed Pierce Stone and they're still out there." She couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over.
She knew it in her gut. She has very good instinct and Cassie knew she was right about this too. It was eating at her. It would, until she could figure it out. As Travis always said, she was a dog with a bone. When she had something in her head. she just wouldn't leave it alone until she had the truth.
"Cassie, I know you got really scared out there. And yeah, we have to find the proof that puts Jerry at the scene of the crime. But that's my job, babe. Not yours." Travis tried to ease her mind.
Travis came back into the bedroom and stripped down to his boxers. He crawled onto the bed next to Cassie. Gently he started to unbutton her shirt. "It's been a long night, let's just ... " tugging at her shirt, he pulled it off her shoulders and down her arms. "Snuggle up for a few hours before the boys get up."
"I am tired," she agreed.
He smiled, popping the button on her jeans. "Maybe things will be clearer once we get some rest." He was only hoping it would be clearer for all of them. The evidence wasn't there to point at Jerry as the killer. That doesn't mean he didn't do it. "I was so worried about you, Cass. I was as scared as I was when I was protecting you from Dean."
He stripped her down and pulled her under the covers with him. Spooned against his body, Cassie still shivered. The cold in her veins wouldn't disappear and sleep wasn't going to come. She stared at the window across the room watching as the outside sky began to lighten. She was afraid to close her eyes. Cassie now understood how Madison felt with her nightmares. She knew she would be having them as well.
The killer was still out there and that person knew they were getting closer to him.
Matt stayed downstairs when everyone else had gone up to bed. He was wide awake and wanted to talk to Madison. He waited in the kitchen, hoping Madison would come back down so he could talk to her. She had been so quiet on the way home. He knew she was scared, he understood it was a lot to take in. He just wanted her to know he was there for her. He would always be there.
Josh padded softly into the kitchen and saw his dad, sitting at the old worn out table, staring out the window. "Dad?"
Matt looked up at his son and smiled. It was good to have him home. "You should be in bed."
There was a lot of tension between father and son. It wasn't going to just disappear, Matt knew that. He was going to have to work for his son's love and trust. Tonight wasn't the best example, but he would find a way.
Josh nodded, walking slowly over to his father. There had been a distance between them even before he had come to live there. They both felt it, but it seemed tonight something had changed for Josh. He had seen his father in a different light. His father had been a hero, someone he could look up to, and definitely not the same guy he had been when Matt walked away. As young as he was, it seemed the boy had aged overnight. Josh put his hand on his father's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.
"Did you love mom?" The innocent look in Josh's eyes when he asked the question made Matt want to hug him. Matt nodded, the lump in his throat made it difficult to speak. Matt reached out, pulling Josh onto his lap. Giving him a hug before either of them could say anything else.
Josh was still trying to understand everything that had happened to him. His mother and grandparents had died. His father and another woman were now together. It seemed so strange this new home, new life that he was being thrown into and he didn't quite understand where his place was in it.
"You know, your mother loved you more than anything," Matt admitted softly.
It was a conversation that had been put off as long as he could. Josh nodded, understanding how much she had loved him. "She did what she always thought was best for you. So did I. When your mom and I split, it wasn't because we didn't love you, or each other," Matt took a long breath. Some things were just harder to explain when you didn't completely understand them yourself.
"What I do for a living was hard on your mom and me. She didn't want you to suffer because of it." Matt didn't know how to explain it.
"But you loved each other?" Josh asked, a point that was very important as Matt was coming to understand that more and more.
"Yes, we did, and we loved you so much," Matt assured him. He needed to be sure Josh knew that he left him because he loved him.
"Do you love Madison?" Matt gave his son a half smile, for someone so young, the kid was smart. Dropping his head, Matt nodded. Even his son had seen what he himself wasn't able to admit. "Are you going to leave her, too?"
Matt cringed, that wasn't what he wanted Josh to think. Loving someone didn't mean leaving them. He hadn't taught Josh that lesson very well.
"No. I'm not leaving her or you again. Are you okay with Madison and I being together?" Matt needed to be sure Josh was going to accept this decision he was about to make.
"She's nice. But she's not mom," Josh said, thinking carefully about the question before answering it. Thoughtfully the child compared the two women in his father's life and now in his.
"No, she's not, and she won't be, but she could be your friend," Matt said, hoping that would work.
"She protected me. She did what she could, so that weird guy wouldn't hurt me." Josh paused and thought for a moment. "She could be my friend."
Matt smiled. At such a young age, everything seemed so simple. "Are you okay with her being my friend too?" Matt asked and waited holding his breath that his son would be good with this. He desperately needed approval from Josh before he could conceivably move forward.
Josh bit on his lip and thought again before nodding his head once. "Yes, I'm okay with it."
"Good. I want to ask Madison to stay with us. Is that cool with you?"
"You aren't going to leave again?" Josh asked, hoping his father would be there for him now. He had wanted him around so badly and needed a father figure in his life. Josh was hesitant to hope that he was living with this big family where he would be able to stay for good.
Matt knew he had hurt Josh more than he had realized. It broke Matt's heart knowing he had made that big of a mistake in his life. He knew at the time it was the only decision he could have made, he had been in no shape to raise a child.
Now ... Now it was different, he was different. Now, he would give his son everything he needed. "No. I'm not going anywhere without you and Madison with me."
"Then tell her," Josh stated simply. "Good night, Dad."
Matt released a breath, the simple truth from a child. "Good night, kiddo," Matt responded softly as his son left him alone again with his thoughts.
Tell her, Matt thought, simple and honest. Only a child would come up with something so easy that for an adult was so hard. Josh was right, if he didn't tell her, he would lose her. Matt wasn't ready to let that happen.
Nervously, Matt climbed the stairs to her bedroom. He had held her before, he had kissed her, but now, in the early morning hours, he wanted more. Matt paced outside of her bedroom door for fifteen minutes before Michael came out of his room, disturbed by the noise and saw his brother.
"Either go in there and tell her how you feel or go to bed," Michael advised as he leaned against the door jam. "You keep pacing out here and keeping the rest of us awake, I'm gonna get Dad's shotgun and shoot off your dick then no one has to be subjected to your needs."
Matt stared in disbelief at his younger brother for a moment. His brother's threat hadn't registered in his head as his fear of rejection came first. Matt's brows drew together as a terrible thought came to him.
"What if.... What if she doesn't want me?" It was the first time in his life he was insecure about a woman.
"You've got to be joking?" Michael ruffled his hair. He was exhausted and for the first time, Matt wanted to talk to him about a woman problem. Any other time Michael would have jumped on this and harassed Matt for all it was worth. At the moment, he was too tired to come up with any good comments toward Matt's dilemma.
"Matt, if she doesn't want you then you go to your room and get some sleep like the rest of us. If she does want you ..." Michael smiled and laughed, knowing exactly what he would be doing if the situation was reversed. "Just don't be too loud in there, okay? There are kids in the house."
Michael turned, chuckling and went back into his own room, silently closing the door. Matt stood in silence staring at the closed door in front of him. Just tell her, he thought, here goes nothing and lifted his hand to knock.
Madison had changed into an old oversized t-shirt and was just pulling the covers over her head when she heard a soft knock at her door. Cassie, she thought. The woman was full of nonstop conversations.
Since they had left the cave and headed home Cassie had been dead silent. Now, as Madison yawned and tossed her head on her pillow, she wanted to talk. Knowing how persistent Cassie can be, there was no point trying to sleep until giving her her say. She flipped the covers back and padded softly across the room. Pulling open the door, she expected to see Cassie wanting to talk about what happened, but there in the dim light of the hall stood Matt.
He stood shifting his weight from one foot to the other, fidgeting with his watch band when he froze as she opened the door. He's nervous, she thought, and very, very sexy.
He had taken off his shirt and was standing in the darkened hallway in just his jeans. The broad shoulders and satin bronzed skin glowed in the soft light that spilled out from her room. Matt's dark hair shimmered as he lifted his head and looked at her. Madison felt her heart flip and her palms go damp. She tried to swallow, but her mouth had suddenly gone dry.
"Can I come in?" Matt asked softly, not wanting to disturb the rest of the house. Madison couldn't find her voice but simply stepped to the side and allowed him to enter.
Quietly, she closed the door and leaned back against the wood. She needed the solid oak behind her to help hold her up since her legs had suddenly lost their strength.
What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? Madison wondered.
Was this the end, was Matt there to tell her to leave, was she being carted off to jail again. There were so many horrible things that had happened it was only fitting that it ended the way it began. Madison could only assume the worst. She had nothing else to base his visit on. Having been tossed aside so many times in her life, she could only assume Matt was one more in the line of those who had turned her away.
Matt felt sixteen again and nervous as a horny teenager about to have his first time. He turned around and the sight of her took his breath away. Her blonde hair tumbled around her face she had scrubbed clean. Her big blue eyes wide. He saw it then her eyes were tired. The fear still rested there. He would have to do something to fix that.
The t-shirt she wore just covered her to mid thigh, allowing him a tantalizing view of her legs. Matt's heart pounded in his chest at the thought of what he was there to do. He took a step toward her and stopped when she looked up into his eyes and he saw her fear.
She couldn't retreat, she was already plastered against the door. Her hands flattened against the wood and prayed he couldn't hear how fast her heart was pounding. He saw the quick rise and fall of her chest. She was as nervous as he was. Good, they were on equal ground, Matt thought and took one more step to close the distance between them.
"I need to tell you something," Matt hesitantly reached up to brush the hair from her face. Madison didn't speak and pressed her lips tightly together. Her hands tightened into balls, clenching the bottom of her shirt.
"I want you," Matt whispered, his voice growing huskier with each word he spoke. "It's not just sex, or not only that. I want us to be together. Like as a couple. I was hoping you felt the same way."
Cassie wasn't sure how to respond. It seemed strange for a man to want anything from her. Biting down on her bottom lip, Madison nodded.
He moved in and let his lips touch hers just a whisper against her lips. "I want to spend tonight with you. And every night after that."
He reached for her, gripping her waist, and bringing her body to his. Madison trembled as his arm slid around her and held her tight against him. Matt swore she wouldn't be afraid of him. He didn't want her scared.
Tenderly holding the back of her neck, Matt's fingers softly stroked the tender skin at the base of her neck. Closing her eyes, Madison stopped shivering and enjoyed the moment. She hadn't felt anything as erotic and right in her life.
"Madison," Matt whispered softly. His lips moved from hers to her jawline. "Stay with me, don't leave Dahlia. I want you to stay."
She couldn't speak, her body was weak, from his touch but suddenly tensed with his request. Her hands turned into fists, opening and closing as she struggled with her choice. Does she stay and risk everything for him or does she go back to the life she knew, the familiar, no matter how lonely it is, is still what she understands.
Knowing his pushing her, Matt tries again, taking hold of her hands and holding them against his heart. "Madison?" Matt pulled back, looking her in the eyes. "Stay with me. I need you with me. I want you with me."
Madison felt the tears and tried desperately to blink them away. This is what she had missed her entire life. Someone who just wanted her. Someone who needs her. Now she has it and it scares her to think of what she can have and what she can lose.
"I want you to love me, Madison. Because I love you," Matt said softly and lowered his lips again to hers.
She nodded when the words couldn't form. Letting the tears slip down her cheeks, Madison wrapped her arms around his neck. This was what she wanted. Her entire life all she ever wanted was the simple pleasures of life that she had been denied.
Love, family and hope, those were what is important. That was what she had found in the McKennan family. From the moment Matt's mother had taken her under wing, she was offered this from them. That's what she will hold onto for the rest of her life.
Hope had sprung into Madison's heart with Matt's words. He wanted her, he loved her. She was being given a gift she had wanted all her life. It was a gift she would never turn away.
"I want to stay," she whispered as Matt lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. Setting her down, he vowed to take his time with her.
Pulling at her T-shirt, Matt tossed it across the room, baring Madison in all her naked glory. His eyes moved over her, head to toe. She had a beautiful body, curves and planes, soft and supple, and now all his to enjoy. His fingers gentle explored and tantalized her senses as his lips once again met hers.
Kiss after slow sensual kiss teased Madison with what they will have together. Matt laid the foundation for her, giving her a taste of their future. Deepening the kisses, that fiery ball of need lit in his belly and what started as sweet and romantic was quickly becoming hot and needy.
Feeling that same intense desire, Madison pulled at his belt and made quick work of removing his pants. Everything before her eyes were hers for the taking. Swallowing hard, Madison followed Matt's lead and took a long look at the man she was committing to.
Matt guided her to the bed, slowing it down, banking down his needs to appreciate the moment, lap up the chance she's giving him and concentrate on the only one thing that matters in this moment, her. Just her.
With barriers removed Madison opened to cradle Matt's body as he sunk into hers. Tenderly, they joined together while Matt made sure Madison knew what this meant to him, words of love and respect for her and what they would build together.
Slowly moving in time with Matt, Madison climbed this roller coaster of need and tenderness, higher and faster, intensifying with every touch, every kiss, every moment. Fingers digging into his hair, bodies rising together on each breath. Plunging into each fall together, only to climb that need again, each time higher than the last. Mouths and hands, legs tangled up into a hot mess of carnal passion. Until rising together in their final crescendo, he held, held just on the edge until she was shaking, teetering on that edge and with one last thrust, pushed them both over the edge of release leaving them exhausted and sated as they held on and listened to the quiet.
It was a long time later before either of them fell asleep. Wrapped together under the covers, the world outside had disappeared and nothing mattered but what they had together in that room. Madison felt the chill and snuggled closer to Matt. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer to his chest as they continued to sleep.
As far as they were concerned, the fear was over and a new beginning was theirs to hold.
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