"Someone in the middle of all our long talks, silly jokes, and stupid little fights, I fell in love." —Anonymous

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Chapter 44
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Maggie

To my side, I passed Fang another section of my leftovers. When he licked the corner of my wrist as a thank you, I leaned down to grin at him, before shooing him off.

I chuckled at Fang's backside, watching him tread off. Just as I went to turn, I heard Luke grunt, "You both just love being a pain in my ass, don't you?"

I searched for Fang, but he was long gone, now. Traitor.

Turning back to Luke, I offered an innocent smile. "That, or maybe you're just way too mistrusting."

He shot an eye roll my way, then returned to his batter.

It was midnight, now. I wasn't quite sure what woke me up, but it was impossible to get back to sleep, afterwards. I tried to not bother Luke, but the moment I shifted, he was waking up.

I knew he was tired, especially after working on the shop all this evening, but he wouldn't go to sleep if I wouldn't. Instead, he got out of bed to stay up with me until I grew sleepy, again.

Ever since then, we'd been up, baking, and with Harry Potter playing on my laptop. It was surely a turn of the night, my life, really.

I had Luke baking and watching movies with me at midnight on a Saturday night. It was a pretty strangely, satisfying feeling.

Luke reread over his spatula to make sure that he had it right. I did teach him about the kitchen utensils, which he mastered quite quickly, but was apparently still cautious about.

The longer I watched him, the more a smirk built on my lips. Why not tease the man a bit?

"Are you sure that's right?" I asked, nodding at the utensil.

Luke paused, his gaze shifting with confusion as he turned. "Of course it is...right?" He glanced over the spatula with uncertainty, then back up to me. Before I could respond, he was already heading back for the other utensils, curses in tow.

I laughed. "Luke." When he didn't stop, my laughter deepened. "Wait a minute." Slowly, he did, the look of skepticism still remaining. I attempted to ease it with a humored, "I was just fucking with you, don't worry."

Luke hesitance remained. He continued to cast glances between me, and the bowl, before finally ending on me. With a scowl, he cursed me without even saying the words.

"You're such a brat, Norris," he grumbled. "A smart-mouthed, pain in my ass, brat."

I laughed, lifting myself up on the counter until I was sat. "I couldn't help myself." His grumbles continued as he turned away, but I kicked him in the ass with the underside of my foot before he got too far.

His mouth twitched at me he picked up his bowl. "Did you just hit me in the ass, Maggie?"

Chuckling, I grabbed my own bowl from the counter, and laid my eyes on the screen of my laptop. "Mhm."

Luke turned until his back was against the kitchen island, leaning against it so that we were facing one another. Just as he went to say something, his phone buzzed from the counter.

On instinct, my eyes darted to it, then back to him.

Luke let out a soft sigh, and glanced down at the screen from his spot. Just as yesterday, his face grew tight with agitation.

Instead of responding to it, he flipped it over, then went back to his dough.

I flicked my head at him. "Who was that?"

"No one."

"This no one sure seems like a someone."

Luke rolled his eyes, locking his lips under the other at my response. Instead of giving one back, he focused on his cookies instead.

I drawled out a sigh just as his phone vibrated, again. Instead of asking, I let him have it. He wasn't planning on telling me anytime soon.

I reached for my pack of chocolate chips, nibbling on my lip in thought. It was one of those that'd been weighing on me for a minute. We had already spoken over a lot of unplanned things with one another, so it shouldn't hurt to add another topic to the mix.

"Luke."

"Yeah?"

My gaze focused on the mountains of chocolate chips I poured into the bowl. "Why aren't you out right now? You know, partying, drinking, shit like that. You know...like you used to do." I knew because I used to be at those same parties with Raven and Levi.

I paused, considering the next question before I shrugged. I wouldn't lose anything by going for it; it was too obvious to ignore, now.

"And, all of those girls in your phone...I know that you blocked them." I didn't have to elaborate on any of it; my imagination wasn't that strong. "Why did you?"

He placed his bowl down to grab another bag of candies. "Why are you asking?"

I shrugged, pulling my legs up the counter. You got this, Maggie. "Because I can." I tucked them under me until I was comfortable.

Luke sent a side glance my way, his lips twitching at the sight. "I don't even let Kade and Levi sit on my counters, yet here you are, Norris."

There was something about his tone, something so there that I cursed myself for not being able to place it on my own.

Instead, I settled on, "Yet, here I am."

His eyes came to me first. Just as they had caused lately, a wave of energy surged through me, one that I'd never been able to have claim to beforehand. Only he brought it along with him.

Past a good amount of self-chants, I managed to break free from the trance. It was proven to be more of a challenge just moving my eyes elsewhere, than it was doing anything else.

We continued to work on our batters in silence. By the time I finished with mine, I was afraid to get off the counter, solely because of my jellylike limbs.

I nearly fell out once I heard Luke clear his throat.

"The reason I'm not out right now," said Luke in the midst of our silent dance. He had his back turned to me, so all I could see were the tensed muscles in his back. "Is because I don't want to be."

My sunken heart seemed to skip an entire cycle at his confession. I wasn't doing any better, skin burning and eyes widened to the point of glistening.

"Why?" was the only term I found myself able to form.

Luke turned to face me this time, letting his eyes remain downcast. Mine nearly followed, almost afraid to clash with his own in this moment.

Every cresses of his face was contoured with conflict, and if not that, then a fearful use of honesty. "Because you wouldn't be there," he confessed around a sigh. "And...I don't want to be anywhere else if you're not there with me, Maggie."

My breath sucked in so fast, I had to wonder if I were trying to cough up the very heart he was toying with right now.

The longer he spoke, the more I worried that he'd gain full ownership to it. The more I listened, the more I worried that I'd give it him.

I didn't even realize I hadn't given a response until the intensity of the atmosphere itched at my skin. My lips separated for one, but before I could, he shut me up all over, again.

"As for those girls...they're just that. You're not," he added, gazing up at me. He tucked either hand under his pits, nodding at me. "They're not you, and you're not them. You're not the same, not at all. You're not even in the same category, because they meant nothing, and you mean...well, a lot. You're..." his lips clamped shut. He focused on the ground below us, brows scrunching in tight as he considered his next set of words. "You're the first person that I hope and pray that I don't fuck up in keeping. That I really, really hope to not disappoint. You're everything that I don't want to ever lose."

I was so concentrated on his words, that I didn't even realize my heart was jolting, because he was coming closer.

Luke hadn't noticed, or maybe he had, but with how he held my eyes to his so effortlessly, I wasn't too sure of anything. Either way, I was nothing, but a good excuse of mush the longer he continued.

My blood buzzed at him, so erratically, I found myself digging my fingers into the counter just for an ounce of reality. Because, with the feelings Luke was bringing on, I knew that nothing this good, nothing this perfect, could be reality. It couldn't be mine.

It couldn't be.

I had to blink a number of times in order to work past the blurry vision the intense emotions left behind. It was so much. It was all so much that all I had to do was reach out, and grab it. Him.

I wanted to. I wanted to so bad that it hurt.

I couldn't.

This person, this girl, that he wanted to be good to. That he wanted to be different, and right to...she wasn't the one who he'd be getting in the end.

These next couple of weeks were going to show him that. They were going to present the real pathetic excuse of a woman he believed he was falling for. He deserved better than that...than me and my fucked shit.

Luke didn't know the truth. He knew nothing, not even a glimpse of how tainted I was. Of those men. Of what happened. Of who he would be falling for. It wasn't worth it. I wasn't worth it.

As badly as I wanted to grasp him, to take him as my own, to embrace him, I couldn't make way past the fear long enough to do so. It was infuriating, it was so painful to carry, but this was all I had left.

His eyes had darkened with fear of my response. The scars on his throat were jumping as he if he were trying to swallow down his previous words.

My gaze remained downcast as I grasped him by the shoulders, then brought him closer to my shaky figure. Luke took action quickly, enveloping me in a tight hug.

With our embrace, he had me tucked into his chest, one hand gently cradling the back of my head to him while the other hung around my waist. My own remained around his torso.

Just like that, that same heaviness poured through me until I was drenched. I couldn't place the exact feeling, because there were too many to choose from when it came from him. All I knew was that in the center of them, there was an ache for him. It was much more than physical, or emotional. It was something greater.

Every single time he held me, talked to me, looked at me, did and said anything, his existence alone seemed to only make it grow. I didn't think it was possible for it to stop.

My eyes fluttered shut at the harmony of his heartbeat. If I stayed still enough, I was sure it could rock me to sleep, right now.

Luke caught hold of it, chuckling at my limp figure that I didn't even try to fix. He leaned back to get a full view of me, his gaze softening at me. "You wanna try for another nap, Norris?"

I nodded. It wasn't about sleep, though. It was about him, and having him as close as possible for as long as I could.

His stare lingered, before he nodded, stepping back just enough to wrap then place our cookie dough away. I heard him shut my laptop off before returning to me, again.

Not a word passed between us as he wrapped his arms around me, again. The spots his hands grazed were as warm as can be, with the most thrilling sting behind them.

I returned the same effort from before, burying myself into him. Luke lifted me up into his embrace, dropping either hand to my thighs to wrap them around his waist.

"Come on, angel," he whispered against the corner of my head, his hand already beginning its gentle pattern through my hair. If I weren't so dazed, I thought I felt him leave a kiss the side of my head. "Let's get some sleep." He only tightened his grip on me, leading us toward my bedroom.

I didn't fight the hold. Or, him. Instead, I embraced it all.

I used the image of being able to receive, and return it to him every single day. I wished for a reality where I could.

I wished for a reality where he could know the whole truth, and still care about me after knowing it.

***

Something was buzzing so loud, I had no choice but to be stirred out of my sleep. It continued on despite my every wish, and threat for it to stop.

"Luke," I hissed out, throwing my arm over my eyes. "If you don't answer your phone in the next couple of seconds, I'm launching it at the wall."

I didn't receive a response.

The confusion overpowered the grogginess. The phone continued to ring.

My arm swept over Luke's side, except there was nothing but a flattened surface, and sheets. At it, my eyes parted to confirm my suspicions.

I glanced over the room, carefully. Luke was gone, so I guessed he decided to work out early.

I sunk back into the mattress, my hand swinging around in every possible direction until I finally found the source of my agitation.

I cast a quick glance over the screen. It was only seven in the morning, which debunked the idea of Luke working out. He was usually back in bed from his workout at that time.

My thumb lazily tapped at the screen, and I placed the phone to my ear once I had it.

"Unless you're a long lost, filthy rich relative, then you better have a pretty close reason for waking me up so early," I grumbled into the phone, fighting back a yawn.

I hadn't even taken the time to get a good look at the contact name. If I could guess, I'd say it was Raven or Kimberly still calling to check on me about Xander, even though that happened weeks ago. I guessed they expected me to be heartbroken. They didn't understand the act of emotional detachment, which was luckily something I knew quite well with Xander.

I waited, and waited, and...nothing. Nothing at all.

The only thing that could be heard was heavy breathing, and what sounded like static.

My arm slowly fell from my face. "Hello?"

The static grew louder.

What the fuck?

"Look," I said, unsteadily. "I don't know what kind of prank you're—"

"Prank," they cut me off with a chuckle, clicking their tongue so eerily, it made me flinch. "You think what we're going to do to you is a prank, Maggie?"

Slowly, my body raised as I pressed the phone to my ear. "Who is this?"

A dry laugh skipped through the phone, "How could you forget me so soon, sugar?"

I threw the phone down as if it were poison, slamming my thumb at the screen. The man had already hung up, but I continued on until the screen went pitch black.

Oh my god.

"Shit, shit..." my voice fell right along with my heart at the recall of the voice. The nickname.

There was no doubt, not anymore; my father was already beginning the plans he had mapped out for me. Being half-asleep, being naive, being an entirely different person...didn't change that fact.

I didn't even recognize the man's voice, but it didn't take much to know he was one of my fathers' goons. Harry would have called me if my father was released early, so I had that small reassurance.

Small. A speck, at most.

Luke was gone, but he was definitely still inside the house. His keys and phone were sitting on the nightstand. Good.

I needed to tell him. Now.

Hurriedly, I brushed my teeth, then washed my face. I made sure to grab my phone, as well. I probably wouldn't be able to get the words out on my own, but the messages could do it for me.

I couldn't hide the date on the message, so Luke would come to the realization that I hid them for the past couple of days. I didn't know whether he'd be pissed, concerned, or just done.

Either way, I couldn't say that I never tried. If he were true to his word about helping me, then I couldn't give him any reason not to trust me. I'd need it more than anything over these next couple weeks.

Fang's head popped up as I passed him, his ears jumping. With a huff, he laid his head down, again.

I saved a sigh of encouragement deep in the pit of my throat. My fingers wrapped around the door handle, and tugged.

It wasn't opening.

What the fuck?

I tried, again, and again, but came up empty-handed every single time. The door was locked from the outside.

Luke locked me in here.

I darted my eyes over to Fang, who was eyeing me back. Luke never left Fang in a locked room, which meant that he left him in here with me for a reason.

My confusion only worsened. I wasn't sure if it were an accident, or what, but there was no logical way it was. He was trying to keep me in here for a reason.

One that I'd found out.

I focused on the nightstand next, where his phone was.

Idiot.

Since I had his password, all I'd have to do is go into the home security app, then lift the lock from there. Every single one in the house was accessible from our phones.

My finger continued to tap at the button until I heard the lock of my bedroom click open.

I left a crack in the space just in case Fang decided to wander around. Usually, the only times he did it this early was when he heard the mention of treats, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Hurriedly, my feet padded against the cool floor. I would try the kitchen for Luke before anything else, then the gym.

I planned on training with the guns today, then heading to his shop. It was supposed to be a useful, effective day, but I guessed it all depended on how Luke would react in the next couple of seconds.

Just as I went to turn for the kitchen, I heard a masculine voice. I nearly kept going before I realized that it didn't belong to Luke.

"What did I tell you would happen, Luke? Huh?" That same voice shouted.

The mayor.

As soon as it registered, I didn't hesitate. My footsteps slammed against the ground so hard, it hurt. I paid it no mind, instead heading toward the direction of the voices.

Shock struck through the pit of my stomach at the scene in front of me.

Ryan Vaudest had his son against the wall. Luke's shirt was bunched in one of his fists, while the other was cocked back.

"You little useless bastard," he yelled, slamming Luke against the wall oncemore. "Do you know how badly you fucked with my image by doing what you did? My money?"

I heard Luke mumble a, "I'm sorry."

His father's pale skin darkened with a reddish hue to it. "You're not sorry. You've never been sorry." His fists tightened on either side of him. "You've never been anything, or anyone, but a goddamned waste. A waste of money, time, fucking—" The anger choked his words up. The bile rose as his arm came down for the swing.

From this position, neither of them could see me. If Luke manages to, he'll throw a fit, no doubt. Probably lock me back up in the room, then take the beating.

Fuck.

This was why he locked me in the room: to keep me hidden and safe from his father. The texts he'd been getting all along that seemed to fuck with him: his father.

I had to hold the contents of my stomach at the sound of flesh connecting with flesh. It wasn't even that, really. It was the fact that Luke felt like he deserved it, any of it. Like he wasn't worth anything else except it.

Fuck that.

I turned to head to Luke's bedroom. I knew what I had to do.

The mayor had never faced any real consequences for it all. Instead, he thought himself to have the power against Luke, against a innocent boy that he helped create. It was sickening. It was disgusting, and infuriating.

I wasn't going to tolerate it.

I knew that Luke would probably be outraged at my choice, but I didn't give a damn. I meant what I said at the event. His father was never going to touch him, again. At least not without my retaliation about it.

As soon as I was in Luke's bedroom, I hurried toward the dresser, where it had last been. I hoped, and begged that he hadn't moved it just to spite me, since I stole it from this very place the last time.

A puff of relief sounded out from me once I saw it. I didn't think twice; once I had it, I shoved it into the waistband of my pants. As soon as it was situated, I jerked back around to go and get to Luke.

When I did, a gasp of surprise slipped from me at the sight.

Vance was standing in front of the door, blocking the very exit I needed. "Miss me?"

Fuck. I should have known he was here. Him and his father were little bitches, and little bitches never played a big game alone.

"Move," I demanded.

With a click of his tongue, a chuckle skipped from him. "No can do, baby." Disgust roared in the pit of my stomach just at the sight of him. "I'm sure my brother will appreciate me entertaining his pretty little girlfriend for him." He dangled a grin my way that I was sure he claimed as attractive. "What do you say we finish what we started at the party? I promise I'm much more equipped this time."

I nearly threw up at the suggestion alone, let alone at how serious he sounded about it. I didn't have time for him, though.

Now that he was away from the door, I made a quick turn for it, one that he was expecting. His arms went around my figure to trap me back into his own. 

Shit. I knew I was on my own when it came to getting out of this. Luke had no idea I was even out of my bedroom, right now. Either way, I had to get out of this, with or without him.

I tried to slam on his foot, but to no avail. I guessed the fucker learned his lesson from last time.

With the way he had my arms trapped, it was impossible to make a reach for my waist. Because of my writhing, though, he was struggling with keeping a hold on me, which could be a help.

"Better yet..." His hot, tobacco-stained breath made my stomach turn. "How about—"

When I rejected, his fingers curled around the ends of my hair, yanking it back until I felt the strands scream. The pain bit at me, but I remained natural. I had no fear to disguise since I had no fear at all. Not of pussies like him.

"Dad's gonna be busy with Luke for a while." His eyes raked over me, a sly grin in. "So, why don't you show me around my brother's bed, and we—"

Without hesitation, I spat at him, landing it right into his eye. "Fuck you."

In between the chaos, I thought...swore that I heard the door creak open, but I wasn't too sure of anything that didn't involve getting him away. Vance was so stupid, he probably didn't even remember to fully shut the door.

He ran a hand over his eye, a dark glare following at me. "Fine. You wanna be rough? I can—"

His threat was only half-made. One minute was full of his words, then the next was nothing.

I blinked over the situation, stepping back and doing so, again. I still couldn't understand the shift, but I welcomed it, nonetheless.

"Get him off!" Vance screamed bloody murder, all smugness long gone. "Get him off of me!"

Fang had a deadly grip on Vance's arm, his teeth tearing right into the flesh without any mercy. He launched his body weight onto Vance to fully separate us, sinking either his long claws, or his sharp teeth into his arm. 

Fangs' growls bounced across the walls as Vance attempted to knock him off, but to no avail. With his weight, and his build, Fang had him trapped without an issue.

That's my boy.

I stumbled back in both relief and shock, but I couldn't focus on either one for too long. Luke.

I left Fang's growls, and Vance's screams behind me as I ran to the kitchen. This time, I went for the cask-iron skillet I'd brought from home.

I returned to the living room just in time to catch sight of the situation, again. Luke's father had drug him to the hard floor, kneeling over him as he spat profanities to his son.

He stuck a finger in Luke's face. "I tried. I tried so fucking hard, Luke," he hissed down at him. "Do you know how long it took me to build my image? My empire? My name? And, you, a whore's worthless bastard, try and destroy it—" His words were cut off by the rage, instead raising his fist to express it, again.

In the corner of my eye, I caught Fang dragging Vance out of Luke's bedroom, but still continuing on with his attack, nonetheless. I'd use that as the distraction.

I crept forward, my hands lifting the heavy pan as well as I could to get the perfect am.

With the anger I was feeling, I was going full Babe Ruth on this motherfucker.

At the sound of Fang and Vance, the mayor jerked around in shock. The last thing I caught sight of was his growing confusion before I swung my arm down.

The pan smacked right into his skull, causing him to tumble off of Luke with a cry. My grip had loosened from the impact, so while I fixed it, I took the chance to grow closer, glaring down at him.

"Shit!" The mayor hissed on his backside, his fingers dabbing at the blood that was slowly beginning to dress his hairline. "Shit, shit..."

"I told you and your bitch of a son that you wouldn't ever touch Luke, again," I warned, releasing the pan, elsewhere; it was time for the real show. "You didn't listen."

I'd been criticized many, many times for my inability to act rationally, but regardless, I came out alive every single time. That should say enough.

His father, despite his injury, still managed to find some type of animosity toward Luke. "So, what? You've painted me to be the bad guy, Luke? After everything I've done for you..." Anger swept over his features as he shuffled closer to Luke. "You lying son of a—"

The front of the gun fit snug against his head.

The fucker knew exactly what it was. Under my grip, his limbs grew rigid with fear once he realized.

I kept a steady glare on the back of his head. "Get the fuck off of him. Now."

His hands raised to his side, the bruised and bloody knuckles only fueling my anger. "Now, now, Maggie...is this really the way to handle things?"

"Is beating your fucking child the right way to handle things?" I retorted around the fury, pushing the gun into the back of his head until it shoved him forward. "Get up. Now."

I flicked my head to Vance, who Fang had practically made a steak of. "You too. Come over here with both hands up."

"Maggie," Luke forced out. "Put the gun down. Now."

I didn't look at him. I didn't pay him any attention at all. I wasn't having this shit any longer, nor were they going to think that it was okay to continue it.

I focused on the two shits in front of me, while making my way to stand in front of Luke.

The mayors' expression remained just as wrathful as he raised himself up. I knew he wanted to try, and disarm me. Hell, he would probably succeed if he tried, but until he made the choice, I was going to fake this shit.

The mayor's honeyed over tone only fueled my temper. "You're not even supposed to have—"

"You're the last person who should be preaching about anything." I flicked the gun at the door, then returned it back to their statures. "Go. Walk to the door."

Vance limped to the door, his perfectly, expensive suit now tainted with his own blood. I felt Fang bump into the back of my knees, but I remained in position.

I squinted my eyes at his father once he remained still. "Do I need to repeat myself, Mayor Vaudest?"

His head cocked at me, a challenging look following before he chuckled. "You don't even know how to use that, do you?"

I didn't let my expression break as I cocked the gun. The click that followed made his smirk fall, and my own rise.

I was bullshitting. I couldn't even make a clear shot at a soda can, but he didn't have to know that.

My head tilted, a grin building. "You wanna find out?" I flicked my head at Vance, who was clenching his arm, the tears in his eyes only growing the more the pain settled . "Or, do you want that fucker in the corner to be the test subject of the day?"

"No!" Vances' eyes widened, his gaze alternating between Fang and I, who had gotten in front of me and Luke, his growl of warning building.

Vance raised his hands in surrender, mumbling useless pleads. His father glowered at me, his expression spilling with hatred.

The man had been in the world of politics for the past twenty-five years, I'd read. He'd never been forced to fight for his authority until now. No one else had confronted him about what he'd done to Luke, but I promised, and I absolutely swore...

As long as I was here, I would have Luke's back before anything, and before anyone else. I didn't give a fuck if it were against the devil himself.

Slowly, his father made his way to the door, right behind Vance. The barrel of the gun traced after him with every single step he took, his snarky expression shifting from that, to chunks of fear in a matter of seconds.

He was one real dumbass. How stupid he would feel if he realized that there were no bullets in the gun. It was the same one I had snatched from Luke's room the first day of our training.

"You're going to regret this," the mayor hissed, balancing a glare of hatred between Luke and I. "I promise you're—"

"Trust me," I scoffed. "No one gives a fuck about your villain monologue, you disgusting piece of shit."

I flicked my head to one of the cameras, which were hidden spectacularly. "And, you can surely believe that no one else will care when I release the security tape of this little incident to the public."

I was bluffing since I'd never do that to Luke, but I wanted to give the mayor an extra reason to sweat.

And, that he was. His eyes jerked around the room for a camera, widening in size over time until finally hitting me. "You wouldn't."

I offered a shrug. "Oh, but, I would. And, without an ounce of regret." My fingers tightened around the gun. "Now, get the fuck out. I'll only say it once. If you text, call, threaten, touch, or even think about hurting Luke, again, I'll make sure to send your assistant an exclusive edit of the footage minutes before it hits the blogs."

The mayor held his deadly glare on me, and me only. I matched it with the same malice, if not more. Vance weakly tugged on his arm, nodding at the exit. He was losing a lot of blood, from what it looked like. Fang had really done a number on him.

With a lingering hateful expression, the mayor fiddled behind him until he got to the door. I didn't let my grip loosen from the gun until the door clicked shut, and even then, I remained hesitant.

Fang remained in position, his growl aimed at the door. We both held onto our skepticism until I heard my name from behind me.

"Maggie."

I jerked around, immediately falling to my knees. "Luke." My hands gentled at his face as I tilted his head up.

It was just like that day in his building, if not worse. His lip was busted, and the bruising along his jaw was apparent, even under the scrapes and cuts that didn't end until his neck began. I wasn't sure how long his father had been here, but he had caused the damage in the time that he was.

"Fuck." I swept a gentle hand through his hair, then repeated it. "Why did you lock me in my room, you idiot?" I hissed past my worry. "What happened?"

"I knew he was coming soon," he grumbled under his breath. "I didn't want him to see you, or for you to see..." he motioned over himself with a wince. "This. I was planning to just get it over with, it would be quick. Easy. I was going to let him do what he wanted to me, then just go back to—"

I shook my head, no. "You're hurt," I expressed, my heart sinking the longer I stared at his injuries. I offered my hands. "Come on. We need to get you cleaned up."

Despite his argument, I led him to the kitchen. With all of the difficulty he could muster, he continued to argue and bicker against my help, but I continued on, anyway. Screw that.

As soon as I had my ice pack, I turned, parting his legs to stand between them. When I grew close enough, he reached up, grasping my wrist in his hand.

His dark eyes were swimming with conflict. "Maggie."

I froze at his tone, and how much frustration I found in that single word, alone. "What?"

The heated glare behind his eyes fell on me. "The gun," he started, clenching his jaw. "It was loaded."

My eyes widened, falling to the spot where I placed the gun. "What? No..." I glanced back up to him, attempting to block my shock off. "No, it wasn't."

"It was," he hissed. "That wasn't the one you took. That one was empty, but this one was loaded." He flicked his head at it, his expression hardening over. "And, you fucking had it, Maggie."

Oh, shit. That was why it cocked. I hadn't thought anything of it in the moment.

"How was I supposed to know?" I rushed out. "They looked—"

His hand dug into the kitchen island, raising himself so that we were to each others level. "You were supposed to leave the shit alone, and not touch it at all," he scolded, his voice rising. "You were supposed to mind your business, and not purposefully risk hurting yourself by getting into mine."

"I was trying to help—"

"You were being stupid is what the fuck you were doing," he snapped over me. "Stupid and reckless. What would have happened if it went off by accident?"

I shook my head, taking a step back to motion to him. "Okay...one: I suggest you watch your mouth and lower your voice before you ever have it disrespecting me, again. Two: I suggest you sit the fuck back down." His glower lingered on me, but he took his seat, anyway. I continued on by adding, "And, three: I wished it would have went off, honestly. I could have rid the world of two less assholes—"

"This isn't some fucking joke, Maggie."

"Hold on," I stumbled back, tilting my head at him. "Are you seriously mad because I pointed a loaded gun at the people who were beating you?"

"Fuck no, I'm not mad at that," he argued, pointing to me. "You had no idea how to use it. You turned the safety off, and was waving it around in all sorts of fucking directions. Do you know how easily you could have shot yourself, Maggie?"

I threw my arms up, nearly contemplating on launching the ice pack at his head to shut him up. "So? It didn't happen, so—"

Luke jumped up, again, his tone going with him. "What the fuck would have happened if it did, huh? What if you would have accidentally shot yourself, Maggie?"

"But, I didn't!" I shouted back. "I was pointing it at them—"

Luke shook his head, his voice rising with mine, "I don't give two fucks about them, or anyone else, except you, Maggie." Roughly, he raked a hand through his hair, turning around to mutter a series of curses. By the time he turned around, the anger hadn't died. "You could have hurt yourself in a matter of fucking seconds! Did you ever stop to think about that? It was stupid of you—"

My head tilted as the rage slithered right through my bloodstream. "It was stupid of me to help you?"

His heavy hand slammed onto the counter, again. "I don't need your fucking help, Maggie!" he shouted in return. His nostrils flared as he attempted to reel his voice back in. He let a quick breath in and out before meeting me, again. "I told you to not put yourself in danger. I told you to let me handle my own shit, to—"

"I don't give two fucks what you told me to do, and I don't care what you think you're going to have me do, either. I'm never going to sit there, and just watch something like that happen to you. No fucking way."

Luke sat back down, then swept a hand under his bloody nose, catching some of the red droplets before they could fall. His glare only deepened with the side of my argument.

His face went flush from his temper as he met my eyes, again. "It doesn't matter if I'm bleeding out, you hear me?" he uttered, the heated rage under his tone under wraps. "You always, and I mean always, put yourself first. You get your ass to safety, and you leave me the hell behind. What you just did wasn't that. I was going to just take the punches, and go on like I've always—"

Oh, fuck that. "You shouldn't have to, you fucking idiot!" I snapped, pushing at his chest. It shoved him further back into the chair, causing him to glare down at the spot my hand was just on. "And, I'm not going to ever sit back and let you. I'm going to be here for you, no matter what, and no matter who it's against. Whether you're such a little bitch about it or not."

The words slipped out before I could stop them. The regret flourished immediately, but now that they were out, I couldn't take them back. And, with how progressively bad our argument was growing, I wasn't going to try, not right now.

I knew he caught it. The vein in his neck ticked as he swallowed down the fury. Without a word, he raised himself from the chair, again.

Luke stepped closer, not stopping until we were chest to chest. I didn't move an inch from my position, raising my head to meet his level. My glare matched his to the same extent of frustration that he couldn't just understand my side.

He leaned in so close, I could feel his breath fanning my lips. His blue eyes remained on mine in one of the most intense staring contests of all time.

"I don't need or want shit from you," he seethed, his voice steady with hidden ropes of rage to string off of. "You'll just make a fool of yourself in the end, because I promise you, Maggie... I'll never want shit from anyone like you. So quit trying so fucking hard to give it."

That heat had burned out into a full-pledge sauna, now. My skin buzzed with both the hurt and the anger. As dire as it was to walk away for the sake of sanity, I remained still enough for one last thing.

I glared back into his eyes, managing to force out between clenched teeth, "You can kiss my ass, Luke."

I slammed the icepack against his chest so hard, he stumbled back into the chair. For a glimpse of a second, I thought I saw the regret building after his statement.

Before I could ponder on it, I jerked around to head back to my room.

I heard him shove out a breath. "Maggie, wait." His long arm stretched out to grab my hand. "Just wait, okay? I shouldn't have—"

"No," I yanked my arm back, releasing a dry laugh. "You want me to stop giving it, right? To stop making a fool of myself by showing how much I care? Fine. You got it."

His fingers grasped my wrist before I pulled it away. "I didn't mean it like that, Maggie. Just—"

I shook my head at the regret in his tone; I didn't believe anything else from him right now. I could hear him following me to my bedroom, but before he could get in, I had shut the door.

I slammed it with such force, it bounced through the quiet house. I could feel him still standing on the outside, but refrained from opening it. I wasn't planning to for the next couple of hours.

I nearly went right through the tiles from how long I marched in place. No matter how much I moved, no matter how much I tried to breathe, nothing was helping subdue the livid feeling.

That asshole. That motherfucker. That little...

How dare he be mad at me for helping him? How dare he try so hard to push me away, then try to insult how much I cared about him? How dare he accuse me?

I figured that the idea of someone actually knowing, and caring about that part of his life was quite new to him, but that didn't excuse his bitchy behavior. I'd done the only logical thing. If I hadn't, his father would have tortured him.

And, how hypocritical was he? A fuck-ton, really. Every single time I tried to push him away, he would insert himself into my business, despite my demand not to. With Lowen, with the cop, with everything.

But, now that I did it to him, I was at fault? Fuck no. It was infuriating, and the fact that he couldn't see it only egged at my nerves even more.

With a huff, I threw myself onto the bed. Fine. If he wanted to be a little asshole, then I'd be the poster child for it.

Fuck him.
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My babies had their first fight, and it hurts. 🫠

Also, I have had this asked of me and I have answered a couple of times in the comments, but if you didn't see it, I'll say it here:

Okay, so if you've read IASWAD, you know that Kade is afraid of bunnies. Luke is afraid of kangaroos. I haven't mentioned it yet, but the answer for Levi is: Levi is afraid of any type of flightless bird. 😂 those are all of the evil trio's fears.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I will be back with another one soon!! Thanks for reading!🤍