DARE-TO-LOVE-TRUTH-AND-DARE-DUET-COLLECTION-by-Lylah-James-pdfarchive

anyone specifically said I’m not allowed into this house?
Because from what I remember… Maddox said I can come
and go any time I want. I have free rein, don’t I? Even
you’re aware of that.”
The old man blinked and pursed his lips in silence. “Are
you going against his words? I’m not sure he’s going to like
that.”
“He–”
“I just want to know if he’s okay, and I’ll leave,” I
interrupted before he could give me another excuse. Before
Mr. Hokinson could stop me, I walked around him and into
the house.
I took the stairs two at a time to his room. His door
wasn’t locked, but I still knocked. Once, twice… four times,
but there was no reply.
With caution, I opened the door and peeked inside.
Nothing. Empty. Bare. No Maddox.
I walked inside to find the heavy drapes still down,
blocking any sunlight from entering the dark room. There
was something gloomy about the atmosphere. His
bathroom’s door was open, though, and I could hear the
water running.
There he was...
My brain stuttered for a moment and a shocked gasp
escaped me. The sight of him had me stumbling and
rushing into the bathroom. “Maddox!”
No. No. Please, no.
I fell to my knees beside the overfilled tub. He sat inside,
fully clothed with an empty bottle of…
God, no.
Maddox stunk of alcohol and cigarettes. I almost gagged
at how heavy the smell was. His eyes were closed, his head
barely staying above water. My heart fell to the pit of my
stomach, cramped and twisting with nausea at the
distraught look on his beautiful face. There were shadows
under his eyes, as if he didn’t sleep the night before.