“I’m late. I’m late. I’m late,” Madison chanted as she charged downstairs and flung her backpack on the kitchen counter. Grabbing a bowl, she filled it with cereal and a splash of milk. Shoveling the sugary flakes in, she paced, willing herself to chew faster.

“Slow down before you choke and I have to perform CPR,” her dad admonished, turning the page of the local newspaper.

She gurgled an unintelligible response then took another bite.

“You wouldn’t be rushing if you’d gotten up when I woke you,” her mother said, strolling into the kitchen. Her badge and gun was proudly on display on her right hip.

Madison gave her mother the evil eye and swallowed. “I got up,” she insisted. “And I don’t need you to wake me. I have my alarm set.”

“Which you snooze at least ten times. Honestly Madison, if you’d just get up instead of lying there…” she heaved a sigh and grabbed the coffee carafe, pouring herself a cup. “I better not be getting a call from school today saying you were tardy.”

“I’ve never been late to school before.”

“Then I suggest you not start.” She held the cup between both hands, letting the heat warm her up. “And what kind of breakfast is that? Sugar and more sugar. You should be eating something nutritional.”

The criticism rankled. In defiance, she scooped more into her mouth and gave her mother a wide smile.

“Brat,” her mother said affectionately and kissed the top of her head. “Behave at school today.”

“When have I not? I’m an exemplary student. All my teachers love me.”

“Such modesty.” Her mother took a seat next to her father. “Our daughter must get that from you.”

“Oh no,” he protested, putting the paper down. “That is all you dear. Like mother, like daughter.”

Madison grimaced while her mother chuckled. “That reminds me, I saw a cute boutique by the boardwalk the other day. I thought maybe after school we could check it out. You need some new clothes.”

Madison looked down at her jeans and t-shirt. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“Besides the fact that they have holes in them?”

“They’re supposed to have holes in them.”

“You look like a hoodlum.”

She rolled her eyes. Ripped jeans and a long sleeve plaid button down over a white tank top hardly qualified her as a hoodlum. “I think you’re overreacting.”

“And I think you need some new clothes.” The way she crossed her arms and set her jaw meant there was no room for argument.

“Fine. I’ll come by the station after school.”

Pleased, her mother’s posture relaxed. “Afterward we can stop by that Indian place you like. Make a whole afternoon out of it.”

Madison chewed the inside of her cheek. “You don’t have to work?”

“I think I deserve an afternoon off to play hooky with my favorite daughter.”

“I’m your only daughter.”

“Certainly simplifies things doesn’t it?”

Madison placed her empty bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you guys later.” She grabbed her bag and headed out the door.

“Drive safely,” her mother called after her. “And no speeding!”

Not heeding her mother’s words, Madison sped to school, arriving in half the time it should have. Running through the halls, she skidded into homeroom just as the bell rung.

As she took her seat, she noticed Avery and Wyatt. They were passing notes back and forth, occasionally glancing in her direction. She knew they were wondering if she was going to join their club. It’d been four days since that meeting in the library and they were becoming anxious—probably because she was avoiding them. She scurried in between classes and hid out in the newsroom during lunch and recess, giving them no opportunities to approach. But by the looks of Wyatt, that game plan was no longer going to work.

It wasn’t that she had a problem telling someone no. She wasn’t one of those people who backed down from a confrontation. No, her fear of answering them stemmed from what would happen after she refused. They had that picture of her locked away in the library. Would they use it as leverage against her? They’d promised not too as long as she kept her mouth shut, but as she knew, promises were easily broken.

Wyatt gave her another hard stare and she knew her time had run out. He was done waiting. One way for another he was getting his answer, even if he had to track her down. The ruthlessness in his eyes should have terrified her, and to some extent it did, but for the most part, she respected it. He was doing what he needed to protect his friends and made no apologies for it. That type of loyalty was rare…and admirable.

Oddly enough, it was Kelly who frightened her. There was something about that girl that seemed off to Madison. She was morally opposed to lying, but okay with stealing. More than okay, Madison corrected. In fact, by the look on her face as she held that Christmas ornament, she enjoyed it immensely. Wyatt may betray her to protect his friends, but Madison had a feeling Kelly would do it just to get a thrill. That made her volatile and dangerous.

As class soon as class ended, Madison bolted for the door, ignoring Wyatt’s voice calling out her name. Pushing into the middle of crowd, she let herself be carried away by the tide of moving students.

She managed to evade them most of the morning but her luck ran out right after lunch. Avery caught wind of her by her locker and was closing in. Madison zigzagged through the halls and ducked into an empty classroom. Crouching below a window, she silently waited. When minutes went by and Avery didn’t follow her in, she breathed a sigh of relief.  

“Running from someone?” a voice whispered in her ear.

Madison shrieked and jumped up. “Holy crap,” she cursed, pressing a hand over her racing heart. “What are you doing here, Carson?"

He put his hands in his back pocket and rocked back on his heels. The movement made his shoulders stand out. “I’m supposed to be here. You, however, are not.”

She took a second to look around, noticing the tall trophy case in the corner. “This is Mr. Perez’s room,” she noted. The cross-country coach.

“He lets me use this room during my free period.”

Madison looked around his body to see his things sprawled across three desks. She was about to comment on his explosion of belongings when he moved. He took deliberate steps toward her, invading her space. Quickly she backed up, moving till her spine touched the cold wall. Goosebumps formed on her skin, the chill welcomed to combat the sudden heating of her cheeks. “W-what are you doing?”

Leaning, he braced his hands on the wall above her head. Only inches separated their bodies. She could see his chest rising and falling with each breath. Her heart pounded to the same rhythm, subconsciously synchronizing with his. Her gaze traveled up his body, past the rigid lines of his shoulders to the curve of his lips. They looked soft and supple, the bottom slightly larger than the top.

What would it feel like to touch them? To feel them moving against her own?

Her eyes widened at the thought. What was she doing? She couldn’t fantasize about him. This was Carson after all. Good ole’ Carson the Boy Scout.

“Maddy?” The deep rumble of her name felt intimate in the enclosed space. She listened to him to talk, the slight roughness of his voice stroking against her delicate skin.

“Hmmm?” she hummed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. His scent invaded her senses. It was warm and earthy, reminding her of a thick blanket on a cold winter’s eve.

“Did you hear me?”

She leaned closer and took another breath. There was a hint of something sweet as well. “Vanilla,” she murmured placing the scent.

“Maddy!” Her eyes popped open. “I said whoever is chasing you is gone.”

She blinked, processing his words. “Oh. Oh!” Horrified, she pulled back, smacking her head against the wall. Starbursts exploded in her eyes. Moaning in pain, she grabbed her head.

Carson steered her to a chair, one hand on her shoulder and the other against her lower back. “Are you okay?”

She dropped her head to her knees, but that only made it worse. Sitting up, she rubbed the spot. When she could finally speak, she muttered, “I’ll live.”