by Ava Frost
“Well, now that help has arrived, I have things to do, place to go, people to see,” Angelique rambled off before rushing back out the door.
“I see you have your hands full,” Maddox said as he ducked into her apartment closing the door behind him and reaching for the first trash bag by the door.
“W-what are you doing here,” she asked and steadied herself against the dinner table.
“It’s a long story, but first I want to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being such a selfish prick, and for leaving you when you needed me the most. I’m sorry for not being here when I should have been. I’m sorry…”
“Just stop Maddox,” Danielle interrupted and started clearing the table, “please leave.”
“Not until you hear me out,” he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders turning her towards him. “It was true what you said about me, that I was not cut out for this, not while I was with the Reckless Devils, but people change Danielle, I changed,” he said as he looked down at her.
She wanted to believe him so much that her heart ached in her chest. “People don’t change Maddox,” she said and lowered he eyes.
“Not without extreme effort, but I swear to you, I have. I’m no longer with the gang; I stepped down about five months ago, and went to make things right. I partnered with my brother at Donavan and Son’s, but before I could come here, I had to make sure it would work out for me.”
Danielle was shocked, she couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing, “But why?” she asked as she looked up at him, “Riding was your life, it’s who you are.”
“It was who I pretended to be, but the day I set foot in Hill City and met this drop dead sexy stubborn librarian, all of that changed. I thought I could ignore it, but it became harder and harder. And yes, I did spy on you, but not for my own benefit, I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he continued without pausing for a breath. “When Michael told me about the pregnancy test I had to come and see for myself…”
“Michael? You had my assistant to spy on me?” she asked in sheer disbelief.
“I asked him to look out for you,” he corrected her and then stepped in to cup her face in his hands.
“Even if there was no baby, I would still have come back for you and begged you for a second chance, I just needed to sort out my life so that I could make you proud, but the honest truth is that I don’t want to live another day without you.”
Danielle was rendered speechless as her eyes shot full of tears, as he pressed his lips against hers. She couldn’t stitch together a single response or comprehend what was happening, her world was spinning off orbit and there was no stopping it.
“Will you marry me?” Maddox whispered between kisses.
This was all so surreal; she would never have thought that he would show up into her life again, much less ask her to marry him, but she had to be sure.
“Do you love me?” she asked as she rested her forehead against his lips.
“With all my heart,” he said and tilted her chin up to look into her eyes.
“Oh god!” she cried out, doubling over.
“Is that a yes?” he asked smiling down at her.
“No, I mean yes, Oh shit, the baby-is-coming,” she said through gritted teeth. “Hospital, I need to go to the hospital, NOW.”
*******
Maddox held his son in his arms as he sat next to Danielle where she lay sleeping, less than a year ago, he would never have guessed that his life would turn out the way it did, and now as he sat with his son gurgling up at him with eyes wide with wonder, he couldn’t help but feel proud.
“Hey you,” Danielle said sleepily, “how’s our boy doing?”
“Strong and beautiful like his mother,” Maddox said as he stood up to lay their son in her arms, before digging in his pocket and pulling out a small black pouch.
“This wasn’t quite the plan, but since our lives have been beautifully interrupted, would you marry me Danielle Reid?”
Danielle’s eyes filled with tears and she looked up at the man who came into her life like a hurricane, “Yes, I will marry you Maddox Donavan,” she whispered as she tried to contain emotions.
Maddox leaned over and brushed his lips against Danielle’s kissing her softly as happiness and love flooded his soul, because for the first time in his life he felt complete.
“Oh my god, you guys are going to make me cry!” Angelique wailed from the doorway.
“Shut up!” Danielle and Maddox shouted at Angelique and then they all burst out laughing.
Danielle never expected this, but it was the unexpected things in life that threw two people on a collision course to happiness. She smiled up at Maddox and met his eyes, it was this moment she would remember forever.
THE END
Falling Hard
Chapter 1
Jaxon
“You’re failing my class, Mr. McKenzie.” Professor Floyd, my English teacher, tells me with a sullen expression. He raps his fingertips on his desk and studies my indifferent reaction. “Am I correct to make the assumption that you do not care whether you pass my class, or not?”
I shrug my shoulders and eye Stacey, my girlfriend—sort of—as she taps her heeled foot on the floor in impatience. Stacey is becoming too high-maintenance for me lately, so I think it’s time we have ‘the talk’. But first, I need to finish talking to Professor Floyd and pretend I care whether I pass his class or not, which I don’t.
“I care, Professor. English is just a subject I can’t seem to do well in. I’m not sure what I can do to raise my grade, considering the semester is over in a little under a month.” I sigh and look anywhere but at him.
If I look him in the eye, he’ll see I didn’t give a shit whether I passed his class. Why should I care? It’s not like I’m in college by choice. My father—who owns two very successful publishing companies—gave me an ultimatum: go to college and major in Literature, or be cut off. And considering I like money and everything that comes with it, I didn’t see any other option but to go to school.
“Have you considered getting a tutor?” Professor Floyd offers and I frown with distaste. “What’s with that face, Mr. McKenzie? Think you’re above having a tutor?”
I grind my teeth and hold my tongue. I wish I could tell this old man to fuck off, but I know I shouldn’t. He’s just trying to help me, even if he’s being an ass about it. “No. I don’t think I’m above a tutor, Professor. I just don’t know how well it’ll go having a tutor. I haven’t had a good record with tutors in the past.”
Professor Floyd raises his eyebrows at that. “Oh? Mind telling me why?”
Well, you see, it’s because I can’t keep it in my pants and end up sleeping with my tutors by the time our first lesson comes to an end. And when they want more, even when I explained I don’t do relationships, they end up crying and quitting on me.
I can’t say that, so I go with the partial truth, “I’m really bad with people, sir.”
He narrows his eyes at me and nods his head. “I think you mean you have a girl problem, correct?” My face flushes, which rarely happens, and I clear my throat, suddenly uncomfortable under his knowing gaze. He chuckles. “Believe it or not, Mr. McKenzie, I was once a looker back in my day. Girls couldn’t help but fall all over me as well.” Kill me now. “But you know what made me settle down?” he doesn’t wait for my response. “My wife. The first moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was it. There was nobody else for me after that. I focused all my attention on her and I did everything in my power to make her mine.”
“Um, sir, I’m happy for you and all, but what does any of this have to do with my tutor problem?” I ask, holding back a laugh when he glares at me for interrupting his story. I hold my hands up and let out a small chuckle. “Okay, continue with the story, sir.”
He nods and folds his hands on top his desk, a thoughtful look passing his face. “What I was trying to say, before you rudely interrupted me, is that you need to stop searching for the ea
sy girl and instead look for the girl who won’t give into your charms. If you’re having problems with tutors and their professionalism, then you need to man up and not let it go past tutoring. The problem is not the girls, Mr. McKenzie.” He levels his gaze on mine to make sure I’m listening to his words. “The problem is you.”
I think over his words and nod my head. I know there’s truth to what he’s saying, that much I can admit, but I don’t agree it’s entirely my fault. Those girls wanted me just as much as I wanted them. Still, Professor Floyd is right. I need to stop taking things further than the job at hand with my tutors if I want to pass my classes. And although I don’t want to be here, I don’t like the feeling of failing at anything, so it might be nice to pull my grade up and pass. Not for my father, but for myself. I’m going to be here for another three years, might as well try to pass.
“You’re right.” I say to Professor Floyd, embarrassed I’m admitting I’m the problem, but knowing I need to. “What do you suggest I do? I’m willing to try again with a tutor and be professional. I do want to try to pass this class.”
Professor Floyd watches my face for a long minute and I shift from foot-to-foot, feeling awkward standing here while he decides whether to give me a chance or not. After another tense moment, he sighs and leans back in his seat. “I do have a tutor in mind. She’s the best student I have ever had, and she’s only a freshman. She’s also looking for some tutoring work…” he shakes his head and eyes me warily. “The dilemma I face now, Mr. McKenzie, is whether I trust you with her. She’s a very pretty girl, very sweet and innocent. I don’t want you playing with her emotions and ruining her. She’s a good girl.”
“Professor Floyd, I can assure you, I don’t go after the mousy, innocent girls.” I chuckle lightly, finding the idea of me hooking up with a sweet, innocent girl amusing. “I will treat this girl with the upmost respect and professionalism. You have my word.”
Professor Floyd sighs but nods his head.
He tells me the name of my new tutor, Amelia Watson.
I didn’t realize it yet, but Amelia—the mousy, innocent girl—was about to knock me on my ass.
Chapter 2
Mia
“Mia, I heard what happened with Trevor today.” Macey says as she hangs up her coat and comes to sit next to me on the sofa. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asks, her gaze kind and caring.
I’m watching Supernatural re-runs while I eat my way through a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Half-Baked ice cream. Who the hell needs Trevor? I have two amazing guys with me right now and they never let me down!
I sigh and shovel another forkful of ice cream in my mouth. Don’t judge me. We ran out of clean spoons, and I didn’t feel like cleaning one, so sue me. “I don’t want to talk about it, Mace.”
“Can you at least tell me what happened? I’d rather hear what happened from you than listen to what others have been telling me.”
I flush and hold back the tears that want to fall. “People are talking about what happened?” Macey nods her head, her eyes worried and outraged for me. I sigh and tell her the short version of the story, hoping the tears stay at bay. I cried enough today. “Trevor broke up with me because I wouldn’t give it up. Oh, and he told me he has been banging someone on the side while we were together.” I turn my gaze away from her, not able to look her in the eyes because I’m so embarrassed. “Now, can we forget about him and watch Dean and Sam kick ass and pretend like I’m not the most pathetic person on the planet?”
Macey rolls her eyes and gives me a stern look. “You, my smoking hot and intelligent friend, are not pathetic. You just fell for a dipshit. He didn’t deserve you.” She tries to grab the ice cream from me and I hiss at her, shooing her away with my fork. She raises her eyebrows at my reaction and whistles. “Damn, girl. Put the claws away.”
I narrow my eyes at her and finish the last bite of ice cream. Darn it. I need more now. “Want to make an ice cream run with me? I promise not to hiss at you again.” I try to give her a reassuring smile, but from the grimace she gives me, I guess I failed. I slouch in my seat and close my eyes. “Why does it hurt so much? He cheated on me, Mace. He cheated on me, broke up with me during class—in front of everyone, and I still feel like this was my fault.”
Macey leans in closer to me and pulls my head against her shoulder. She doesn’t say anything for a minute, but when she does; I re-open my eyes and watch her talk. “It hurts because the betrayal and pain is still fresh. You have been with that ass-wipe for over a year, Mia. It’s only natural you developed strong feelings for him. You aren’t weak or pathetic for being hurt. You’re human. And it wasn’t your fault. It’s your body, so it’s your choice. Remember that, Mia. When you feel ready to give yourself to a guy, you’ll know. Don’t feel obligated to a guy just because you’re a couple.”
I nod my head at her, feeling better now that she’s said that. She’s right, it is my choice and I’m glad I didn’t give a big part of myself to a guy who obviously didn’t value me. “Have you ever felt this way before, Mace?” I ask.
Macey hesitates before she nods her head. “I have, Mia. And it hurt like hell. I thought I’d never be whole again. But that was a long time ago.” She mutters as she gazes away as if speaking of her heartbreak was bringing her physical pain. She manages to get out of her thoughts and gives me a thoughtful look. “But you know the best way to get over a guy?” she inquires, a mischievous smirk crossing her face.
I shake my head. “No, I don’t. But I don’t think I’m going to like your suggestion from the evil grin on your face.”
She stands up and grabs my hand, forcing me to stand as well. I groan but follow her as she drags me to her room, wondering what the heck she is thinking. I know one thing; I’m not going to enjoy what she suggests.
Macey and I are completely different people. I’m a good girl who’s a stickler for the rules, while Macey believes those rules I cherish so much are meant to be broken.
In her words, why would they be rules, if they weren’t meant to be broken?
Macey lets go of my arm and rummages through her closet, which, as always, is in a tattered mess. She’s mumbling something under her breath, something too low for me to hear, and she nearly gives me a heart attack when she shouts in triumph, finding what she was looking for. “Try this on!”
She throws a piece of fabric at me and I frown. Opening up the garment further, I blush and shake my head rapidly. “No. Not just no, but hell no!”
Macey rolls her eyes and undresses in front of me, so I avert my gaze. I know we’re both girls and we’ve been roommates for several months now, but I’m still not comfortable changing in front of her. Hell, I can’t even undress myself in front of a mirror because I feel awkward and shy.
“Mia, it’s just a dress.” She tries reasoning with me.
I snort and eye the ‘dress’ with distrust. “If this is a dress, than I’d hate to see what their shirts look like.”
Macey grins and holds up a small article of clothing. “Their shirts look like this.” She puts the shirt on and it, I’m not kidding you, only covers her breasts and about an inch beneath it, and that’s it. And it doesn’t even cover her boobs. Her chest is spilling over the top and it’s squeezing her so tight, I can see her nipples, which makes me blush harder. Macey sees my discomfort and chuckles. “This is why I gave you the most tame outfit I have in my closet.” I quirk an eyebrow at her and hold up the dress, which is far from tame. She shrugs. “Don’t judge me. I like clothes and these are top-notch. Now stop pouting and put the damn thing on before I shove it on you.”
I sigh and decide to humor her. “Fine, but if I hate it, I’m not going to wear it. And I’m not changing in front of you.”
Macey gives me a fake disappointed pout. “Aw, I was really looking forward to seeing your ass again. Seeing it in the morning while I watch you in shower is just not as much fun.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “You’re kidding…right?”
Macey flutters her eyebrows at me. “Of course, Mia. Whatever you say.”
I know she’s playing with me, but I can’t stop the flush that overtakes my face when I think about the chance she’s not kidding.
Note to self: lock the door while I’m in the shower from now on.
I get into the bathroom we both share and stare at my reflection. I’m a pretty girl, I can admit that, but there’s something about myself I always felt lacking. My eyes are a plain blue, nothing special. I have perfectly straight hair that never curls, much to my annoyance, and it’s a dark black, so there’s nothing interesting about it either.
I smile to myself in the mirror, but it’s forced and makes me look like I’m in pain.
Is that why Trevor went looking at other girls? Am I too plain?
Sighing, I tamper down the depressing questions in my head and begin to take my clothes off. Squeezing into the dress, which is no small feat, I smooth over the sides and step back to examine myself again.
“Okay, maybe the dress isn’t as bad as I made it seem.” I mumble to myself, turning my form in a circle to see every angle of myself in the mirror. The dress, while short, is actually stunning. It is pale blue, so it matches my eyes, and it comes down to a couple inches above my knee. I try bending down, a surefire way to figure out if the dress you’re wearing is too small, and it barely—and I mean barely—passes the test. I’ll have to be careful wearing this tonight, if I wear it at all.
I eye the neckline and groan. Although the length isn’t a problem, the top is. It’s sleeveless, which I don’t mind. What I do mind are my boobs, which are a generous size, spilling out over the top. I guess Macey wants us to match tonight.
I try to pull the top up, but to no avail. Damn Macey and this stupid dress. Knowing I have about two minutes to come out and show her, before she barges in, I unlock the door and walk back to her bedroom.
