Becoming Maddie (The Casterhouse series Book 1) (17 page)

Chapter 15

Waking with a start Maddie sat up quickly in her bed. Cringing she put her hand to her sore ribs and took some steadying breaths. She wasn’t totally sure what it was that woke her but she had this bad feeling that remained and then settled in her gut.

“Ruby?” A husky, sleepy voice asked from next to her. 

Turning her head Maddie could make out Aiden’s face, his eyes on her. Then it registered that his legs were tangled with hers and that when she had sat up she had thrown off his arm. A small smile lifted her lips.

“Sorry I woke you.” She whispered back to Aiden as she started to lay back down. “Bad dream.”

Aiden pulled her into his body and held her close as he kissed the back of her neck. Maddie loved being little spoon to his big spoon.

“About what happened?” He asked softly.

“No.” She said back quickly, trying to reassure him.

It had been just over a week since Maddie had come home from the hospital. There had been no broken bones just plenty of bad bruising and sprains, her shoulder being the worse of the sprains and ribs the worst of the bruising. She tried to avoid looking in the mirror because the person that looked back at her still looked badly beaten and not a lot like the person she was used to seeing. Then again this was not the first time she’d had black eyes even if she had been hoping to never get them again.

For the first few days of being home she didn’t do much of anything but take strong medication and sleep, Marvin spent his time doing the same. Sarah spent the days nipping between Maddie’s flat and her own until they decided the kids should come and see her and Marvin. Neither Ethan nor Rosie had fully known how to react at the sight of their friend hurt and their adopted dog being so quiet. Maddie and Sarah just kept talking to them and reassuring them that she was okay and it was going to look worse before it got better. After a while it seemed to work and they both came forward to hug her, gently. Although Maddie did ask them not to pet Marvin until he came to them to be petted.

On day four Maddie told Sarah that she was fine and didn’t need looking after anymore. She knew her friend was stretched thin trying to look after Maddie and the two little ones. It was also driving her crazy to have someone pecking over her so much. Never in her life and had she been so looked after before. It melted her heart but, enough was enough, she needed to get back to moving around.

Well…a little at a time anyway.

So Sarah cut down on her visits during the day but didn’t stop them altogether and Maddie found she could live with that.

Work had been more than understanding with her situation and told her she would be getting paid her sick pay (which was her full pay anyway) and to take as long as she needed to get back to full health.

Just another thing that melted her heart. Maybe Maddie needed to start a list. A ‘Things that melt Maddie’s heart’ list.

On her last day in the hospital Aiden had taken her keys and gone into her flat and tided the place up with a lot of help from Eddie, Fiona and some of the guys from the garage. Maddie knew the people from the garage were just doing it for Aiden but knowing that Fiona and Eddie had helped for Maddie’s sake meant she had burst into tears when the door had been opened. Aiden had said nothing but carried her over to the sofa, held her until she stopped crying and then got her settled with a drink and some pills in easy reach, then he had left.

Maddie didn’t really see him during the day at all. He came to her every night though. The first few nights he carried her from the sofa to the bed and then got in with her. Now he just met her under the covers and pulled her close. They didn’t talk about what had happened or how he spent his days. Really they didn’t talk much at all. Maddie just took comfort from Aiden being there and holding her. Although she had not told anyone, or had even reassured them of the opposite, she was scared to sleep alone in her flat, it was not much of a sanctuary anymore. That was the worst thing the thieves had taken from her. She didn’t feel safe in her own home.

What if they came back to take the rest of her stuff or hurt her more?

Aiden had known that’s what was going through her head but they never talked about it he just took actions to make sure she felt better. Sometimes he went completely out of his way to make sure she was comfortable and safe, to make sure that she knew it. Maddie was so grateful that first night that he was there that she had cried silent, rib hurting tears. Aiden held her as tight as he could without hurting her and just whispered over and over in her ear.

“You are safe. I won’t let anything happen to you. I am here now. You are safe. I won’t let anything happen to you. I am here now.”

At that moment in time they were exactly right words that Maddie needed to hear but they didn’t stop the tears for a good long while.

So every night they cuddle and held onto each other while they slept, Marvin on the foot of the bed (a place she was only letting him sleep because he had fought to save her, that, and she didn’t have the heart to kick him off, the sad eyes always got to her), then every morning Aiden gave her the best wake up kiss and left.

Aiden had even called out a locksmith and security men to sort out her flat. So now Maddie had a new alarm code that she needed to remember and two new shinny locks on her door and one on every window. Maybe a bit over the top but Maddie liked that Aiden was doing what he could to keep her safe. What she hadn’t liked was that when she went to pay for the work done, the men just smiled at her and told her that Aiden had taken care of the bill.

It had become another thing that she wanted to talk to him about but had yet to find the right moment or words.

The good morning kisses were the best part of the last week. They were the things that kept her going in her darker moments, along with his full body cuddles, and they were the things that she looked forward to.

Sarah thought it was weird that they didn’t talk but Maddie didn’t. Not even a little bit. She had so much she needed to tell him, so much that she had to share it was a kind of blessing to have this time with him where they didn’t talk so that she could work out how she wanted it to begin. Not to mention Maddie’s body was loving having this time to just be close to Aiden’s body, even if her brain was struggling to find the right words. It was also a relief to have time away from the constant questions.

Ever since the director of the hospital wanted to make a story out of Marvin being seen to by the vet in her hospital room Maddie had been getting constant calls. Suddenly everybody wanted to know what had happened and how she came about getting Marvin. It had started with animal magazines and then as the other magazines heard about it they wanted to know more about the human side. Before Maddie could even think about what she would say to them, or even if she should at all, they stopped wanting just Marvin’s tale, but hers too. Maddie shared nothing and answered every question with no comment. As did everybody around her or that cared about her in anyway. She just hoped her past didn’t come out so that the reporters could plaster that all over the pages of their papers or magazines.

The dark thoughts in her brain prayed that
HE
didn’t read it. That the headlines didn’t catch his attention, especially the ones that talked about Aiden. They wanted to know who he was and what he was to Maddie. They didn’t not hold back in their search. Maddie didn’t want to be found or Aiden to be hurt.

To lay in Aiden’s arms every night and have all of the stresses above slip away was heaven. Not to mention it kept her from curling up and never leaving her room again. In his arms she had found her new sanctuary, that scared the crap out of Maddie but she was taking it day by day and she was determined to live up to the promise she had made herself. She would not push people away anymore but instead start living her life full of happiness and love not fear.

“What was it about?” Aiden asked breaking into her thoughts.

It seemed like their time of not talking was up and now it was onto ‘sharing’. Strangely that was okay with her because right in that second she knew she was ready to give a bit of herself to him. It might be the most painful bit but sometimes there was pain before pleasure. At the thought of pleasure Maddie blushed and tried to focus on the sharing of her past.

Then, just like that, any happy thoughts left and she was once again feeling crushed down by the same fear. It was like a massive storm cloud that never left her alone. It was there when she went to sleep, filled her dreams and was ready in the morning to follow her around.

“Charles.” She whispered then took another deep breath. “My ex-husband.”

She could feel Aiden’s body going solid next to her and Maddie had a second of doubt but now that she had started she needed to carry on. It had to all come out if things were going to move on and get better.

Aiden had given her that wisdom. He made Maddie want to move on. A different kind of fear hit her. The fear of something new and big happening to you. Maddie had that but there was also the excitement there too.

“I started working in this craft shop after I left school. I was never clever enough to go off to college and my parents wanted me to stay close. I never understood why but they did. They were my family so of course I stayed.” Maddie said talking softly into the quiet darkness. “But I loved working at the craft shop. All the stuff they had in that place was amazing and I got a great staff discount. I use to spend at least half my wages on buying more stuff from there so I could make things, something totally new. I was so happy.”

Memories were flowing in her head. The crazy layout of what had been her second home. The laughing and joking around she used to have with the weekend girls.

“I knew you were ‘crafty’.” Aiden said in her ear pulling her from her past.

“You did?” Maddie whispered back surprised.

Aiden rolled on to his back and reached out for her. He rearranged her so her head was resting on his chest and one of her legs was bent and laying across his thighs. One of his hands interlocked with hers and the other started playing with strands of her hair.

“Well I know you make candles to make some extra cash.” Aiden started to say and Maddie sighed, of course he knew that. “I also know that you don’t have a huge amount of spare money so you must have gotten your furniture from second hand places.”

Maddie tried to pull away but Aiden moved his hand from her hair to down her back to keep her laid against him. She was so embarrassed that he knew that about her things. This man bought a brand spanking new coffee maker that was top of the line. Of course he was able to look at her furniture and see it was second hand. Maddie loved her things but in that moment she wished she had new stuff.

“Don’t ever be ashamed of that Maddie.” Aiden demanded. “I can see how hard you worked on them all to make them look good and they do. They look amazing. So I knew you were crafty cause you took old things and gave them a new lease of life.”

Taking a deep break Maddie let it out slowly and felt her body loosen and curve to his again. She had worked hard on each item she got and although she fought it she could feel herself glow with pride that he liked what she had done.

“I also knew you loved your crafty things because nearly every drawer or cupboard in this place has some kind of craft item in it.” Aiden said and she could hear the smile in his voice. “Plus Marvin’s million blankets and cushions look like they were made with love.”

Maddie gave a startled laugh.

“When I first took him home I wanted him to never have to sleep on the hard floor again.” She whispered looking down to the bottom of her bed to her sleeping husky. “Although it looks like he is the king of the bed now. I bet he never uses them again.”

Aiden squeezed her hand and kissed the top of her head.

“You act so hard and tough but I always knew the sweetness was there and you don’t know it but you are always covering the people you care it in. Even when you want nothing to do with me I could see the way you were with Ethan or Marvin.” Aiden stated. “Or even while we were fighting you would still remember to bring me my travel mug in the truck.”

God he was making her feel so uncomfortable.

“Aiden this is too much.” She mumbled having pushed her face into his cheat.

The sound of Aiden’s laughter filled the air. Under her body she could feel him shake with his amusement and although she wasn’t keen on knowing that he was laughing at something he thought was funny about her, Maddie loved to hear, and now feel, him laugh.

“I know Ruby, you’re not good with compliments or getting sweetness back but you need to get used to it cause I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.” Aiden declared.

Giving a huff that she didn’t really have any anger behind she lifted her head and looked through the darkness to his eyes.

“This was not how I thought this conversation would go.” Maddie announced.              

Aiden lifted his hand and placed it on the back of her head and pulled her down to meet his lips. Maddie knew the kiss was coming and she could feel her insides start to melt and feel warm. The first touch was soft and sweet then his tongue touched her top lip asking to be let in. Maddie would never deny Aiden that. Her nipples hardened and magic tingles shot down to between her legs. Parting her lips Aiden took the kiss to a whole other level that left Maddie holding onto him for dear life.