Angel in the Shadows (13 page)

Chapter 15

Madison sensed Seth rising from his huddled place in front of the fireplace and opened her eyes to see him watching her, his eyes the deep blue of sapphires. Her heart leapt in her throat. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Why couldn’t her guardian be some hunched back toad of a man instead of this Adonis like creature? Surely rescue skills were not reserved only for the handsome and desirable.

Jerking her mind back to the problem at hand, she realized that she needed to get away from this man. Not to keep her life intact but to keep herself sane. She was becoming too interested in him and that terrified her. The last thing she needed was to grow some sort of emotional attachment to this guy. A man that said he didn’t even want her. She may get out of this alive but in the meantime, her pride was taking several hard hits. Nothing that she couldn’t overcome of course but she still didn’t want it happening.

He stood directly in front of her, the smallest of spaces between them. He was so close, she could reach out and touch him. Struggling against the insane compulsion, she crossed her arms tightly underneath her chest to keep from doing just that.

“Go to bed, Maddie,” Seth ordered. His voice was low and husky and it turned her insides to jelly.

Not what she had expected, she was taken back for a moment.
Did he just order me to go to bed?
Anger leapt quick and hot, drowning out the intense strength of desire that had her clutching her elbows in a desperate show of restraint.

“Wait a minute. Just who do you think you are?” she demanded, her voice bristling and harsh.

“I’m someone that is
trying
to keep you safe.”

“
Safe
?” Madison said with a rough laugh, staring at the tall, smoldering man in front of her. “Is this what you call safe? Stuck with you in the middle of nowhere in a cabin with no electricity?”

She was definitely not feeling safe right now
.
She felt trapped, anxious, and there was an unreasonable need building in her just by looking at him. She had never felt anything like it before and it shook her to her core. But he didn’t want her. He’d made that perfectly clear and she had no reason to doubt him. She had never felt so undesirable and miserable in her entire life. And that left her irritable and on edge.

“At least you’re not dead,” he quipped lightly.

“How dare you?” she seethed, dropping her hands to her sides. “First I get kidnapped by you . . .
twice
, dragged around like I’m your own personal pet, brought to this godforsaken cabin, and now you’re telling me when to go to bed!” Madison said through clenched teeth.

“My pet?” Seth said, clearly taken back. The look of surprise that crossed his face was unexpected and totally genuine. But the emotion was gone as quick as it had revealed itself, slipping back under the carefully cultured surface.

“Trust me, you’re not
anyone’s
pet. If you were, you would listen and obey without bitching and we both know you’re incapable of doing that,” Seth remarked, dark laughter in his voice.

“You bastard.”

“So you’ve said,” he said with amusement.

God, how she hated him. More than anyone in her entire life.

“Now as much as I’m enjoying this bantering, I really think that we should go to bed,” he murmured softly.

She froze, hearing the words he just said and her heart lurched almost painfully.

Seth returned her stunned look with a disgusted one of his own, his blue eyes dark and unreadable, as usual.

“Don’t freak out, Maddie. I didn’t mean ‘
we
.
’
I only meant that it’s late and we have both had a long day so we need to go to
sleep
,” he said patiently, as if he were explaining to a small child.

Of course that’s what he meant. Why would he mean anything else? Really, Maddie, you have got to get your shit together.

“I
know
what you meant,” she lied, her face burning as hot as the logs in the fireplace. Thank God it was dark enough in here to hide her embarrassment. Though he probably knew how she felt anyway. He was too damn smart and perceptive, and handsome . . .

“. . . the couch.”

Startled out of her wandering thoughts, she stared at him, confused. “What?”

“I
said
you take the bed and I’ll sleep out here on the couch,” Seth repeated, the patronizing tone still apparent in his voice.

“Why do I get the bed? What if I want to sleep in here?” Madison asked angrily. She actually preferred the bed but it was a matter of principle. He had, yet again, taken away her right to choose. And it infuriated her.

“Are you kidding me?” Seth asked. “I give you the more comfortable of the two and you still bitch about it. Amazing!” Seth turned, walking away from her. “And besides, I can’t have you trying to escape again now can I? Not after all the trouble I’ve gone through to keep you alive.” Sitting on the couch, Seth leaned back, his strong arms thrown casually over the back.

“Speaking of which, why have you kept me alive if I’m such a bother to you? Why not just let me go and let me take my chances?”

“Your chances?” Seth laughed. “If I didn’t protect you, you would be dead within twenty-four hours or at least you would wish you were. As for why I’ve bothered with saving you, I don’t really know.”

“Oh, you mean the great and wonderful Seth Reynolds doesn’t know something?” Madison asked, mocking him, intentionally prompting his wrath. She was sick and tired of his secret, manipulative ways.

“So, I’m great and wonderful? I didn’t realized that you had noticed.” His grin was playful, charming, and it annoyed the hell out of her.

Madison glared at him hotly.

“You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to try and escape again. I don’t know where the hell I am and besides, it’s snowing like crazy outside and I really don’t relish the idea of freezing to death.”

She was rewarded with a victorious smile. “Then it’s settled. You’re sleeping in the bedroom and I’m sleeping out here.” Leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, Seth stared at her, an intense look she couldn’t identify lurking just below the surface of his eyes. “But you know, if you feel bad about taking the bed and you want to share . . .” His suggestion hung in the air.

Madison felt her face burn. Oh, what would it be like to share a bed with this man? But he was just playing with her. He had no interest in her and yet he continued to torment her mercilessly. The bastard. Even as she wanted him, she hated him. “Absolutely not! You can have the couch,” she growled.

“Well if you insist . . .”

Oh God, she had to get out of here before she completely lost her mind. Whirling around, her hair flying wildly, she stormed off to the bedroom.

“Hey, Maddie, could you be a dear and bring me some pillows and blankets?” Seth called from behind her.

“Get them yourself,” she retorted, not even bothering to turn around. Slamming the door, she stood with her back pressed against it taking deep breaths to calm herself. That guy had some nerve. Asking her to bring him a pillow and blanket. Really, who did he think he was? His personal servant? More like his own special court jester. Ordering her around, amusing himself with her unfortunate circumstances. He really was an asshole! A gorgeous, frustrating, mysterious asshole.

Pushing away from the door, she decided that if she were being forced to go to bed, she may as well change into something more comfortable. She walked over to the dresser and withdrew a pair of warm cotton sleep pants and a T-shirt. They looked so soft and comfortable, she sighed softly to herself. When she got out of here, these were exactly the kind of pajamas she intended to buy. Right before she locked herself in her apartment for a very long time.

She had the shirt halfway over her head when the door abruptly opened. Yanking it back down, she stood there in only a blue T-shirt and panties.

“Do you mind?” she screamed at him, pulling her shirt down as far as it would go to cover herself.

“Not at all,” Seth said, barely looking at her as he strode in. Passing her, he went to the closet and grabbed a couple of blankets and pillows. “Correct me, but you did tell me to get them myself, right?”

“You could have at least knocked,” Madison grumbled.

“Yes, I suppose I could have but it’s not like I haven’t seen your body before. Only this time with a little more clothing,” Seth said smoothly and without any pretense of apology. “By the way, how is your back feeling? Would you like me to take another look?”

“It’s fine. Just get out and leave me alone.” Truthfully, after he’d applied the mysterious cream to her wounds, they stopped hurting almost immediately. After the burning, of course.

“Gone,” he replied before shutting the door loudly behind him.

Face burning with both embarrassment and anger, she released a pent-up breath and tugged on the pajama pants. She drew the drawstring tight and stomped over to the bed. Yanking back the soft quilt, she all but collapsed onto the firm mattress.
Well, at least that settled one of life’s more interesting queries. Chivalry is most definitely dead.

Turning onto her side, she wrapped her arms around the pillow, drawing it against her. Curling into a tight ball, she stared at the door, eyes wide and still. She forced herself to take deep breaths, she was able to bring her anger to a somewhat more manageable level. Gradually, most of the irritation bled from her body, leaving in its place a dull, aching sorrow. How had things gone so terribly wrong in such a short amount of time? It was enough to make her head spin.

If only she would have been more adamant about not covering Vance’s stupid party, none of this would be happening right now. She would be at home, safe and sound, listening to Robert bitch at her for ruining his date with Felicia. But that was impossible now. Robert was gone.
No, not gone.
Dead, she corrected. She saw it all again in slow motion. His shocked expression before he fell to the cold, wet pavement like so much unwanted trash, the blood pouring from him in a sudden flood.

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She had hoped to mourn the loss of her best friend alone and in complete privacy where she could give him the proper respect he deserved but it seemed as though that may never happen. And just like that, all the sorrow and anguish hit a crescendo and broke the dam holding back her tears.
Aw hell, I guess now is as good a time as any,
she thought, burying her face into the pillow in an attempt to stifle the sound of her cries.

Seth lay back on the couch, his arms crossed under his head, listening to the crackle of the burning logs. The shadowy flames moved across the ceiling in a secret, sultry dance. His eyes followed the slow, easy patterns, letting his mind wander leisurely around Madison. No sound came from the bedroom but he had serious doubts that she was sleeping. If he had to guess, she was quietly planning a way to claw his eyes out with the first chance she got.

He smiled lightly, almost against his will. He hated to admit it but he admired her fighting spirit. Most people in her situation would have broken down completely, refusing to fight any longer. But she was different. Mouthy and bitchy, she was also beautiful and smart. The simple fact that she had rescued a stray cat gave a small inkling that she had a soft heart. Most hardened people, such as himself, would have just kept walking, leaving the animal to its own devise. And she had a fair amount of self-preservation although it appeared to be a little off-kilter as of late. Not that it mattered. He intended to do whatever he needed to in order to get her out of this mess alive. Somehow she had unknowingly convinced him that her life was worth saving and now her safety had become essential to him, a development he was not comfortable with. But what the hell, he did well with uncomfortable situations all of the time. This one was no different
. Bullshit.

A muffled noise came from the bedroom, something he couldn’t quite make out. Silently, he leapt from the couch, sprinting to the door, ready to knock it down if he had to. He paused, leaning forward, his ear nearly touching the polished wood, listening intently. There it was again, and this time he knew it for what it was. Madison was crying. Soft, almost inaudible sobs. His first instinct should have been to turn away, not giving a second thought to her pain but it wasn’t. He reached out for the door handle and grasped it tightly before he stopped himself. What on earth was he going to do? Go in there after all the shit he had said and done and expect her to let him comfort her? Fat chance. He had struck a nerve with her several times already and he knew that a person could only be humiliated so many times before they snapped. And the last thing he needed was some crazy woman going postal on his ass. Not when he was so foolishly determined to save her life.

Releasing the handle, he walked away, and tried to ignore the emotions that her muted cries were pulling from him. He stood at the darkened window, watching as the snow continued to fall heavily, a thick curtain of white obscuring the world outside. Staring at his ghostly reflection, he considered the way of things. Maybe bringing Madison here had been a bad idea. In the heat of the moment, it had seemed like the best plan possible but now he was beginning to doubt his thinking process and his initial motives behind the decision. It wouldn’t have been the first time he had made a spur of the moment decision based on emotions but it had definitely been a long time since he had done so. A lifetime ago, in fact. Back when he was young, full of fire, and relatively innocent. Back before he learned it was easier not to care. A lesson he seemed to have forgotten recently. Now, standing here with a crying woman only ten feet away from him, a woman he wanted desperately to comfort, he began remembering what had brought him to this moment in the first place. It was a memory he’d rather forget. But he was suddenly helpless against the onslaught of his past.

He was ten when his father left. Samuel Reynolds just put on his hat, walked out the door, and never returned. His mother, Emily, accepted this change easily, and remarried less than four months later. They would have been better off alone.

Carl was an alcoholic and when he drank, he like to hit. A lot. It only got worse after his half-brother, Michael, was born. Seth’s only means of escape was to take to the streets where nothing but trouble waited for him. He only came home long enough to care for Michael, knowing that no one else would. It all came to an abrupt end the night he’d nearly killed his step-father. The scene was burned into his brain. His mother on the floor, her face a mess of blood and shattered bone and a five year old Michael, hiding in the corner, his right eye swelled shut.