Take Me Home (The Heartbreak Brothers 1)

“It’s okay. We’re leaving. You don’t have to talk to him.”

“Is that Maddie?” Brad asked, pushing his way toward them. “Maddie, I need to talk to you. You need to tell everyone it’s a misunderstanding.”

“Get out of here,” Gray said, his voice ominously quiet. “Don’t say a word to her.”

“She’s a fucking freak.” Brad’s voice rose up. “Everybody at school said so. She’s nothing. Nobody. So why the hell is she ruining my career?”

Gray’s hands curled into fists. “Get out,” he growled. “Before I fucking slay you.”

“Let’s get you out of here.” Liam put his hand on Gray’s arm, but he shrugged him off.

“Get Maddie out. I’m okay.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Maddie told him. “Not without you.”

“Jesus, she’s doing it again. She was fucking clingy with me, too.” Brad shook his head. “I hope she’s a better lay now than she was when I was with her.”

He stepped forward, his good arm pulling back to give his punch enough impact. But before his hand could connect with Brad’s jaw, Maddie was stepping in front of him. Gray had to stagger back to avoid hitting her.

Then Brad was stumbling backward, a shocked expression on his face. It was only when Maddie cursed and cradled her fist that Gray realized she’d hit Brad herself.

There were phones everywhere, being held up and pointed at the three of them. Liam stepped between Maddie and Brad, who was standing completely still, as though he was dazed. “Miss Clark, we need to get you and Mr. Hartson out of here.”

Maddie nodded. She looked pretty dazed herself. “Okay.”

Liam hustled the three of them through the crowd, then opened the door of the black town car that was waiting at the end of the street. Maddie climbed in first, followed by Gray and Marco. Liam walked around to get into the front seat.

“Okay,” Liam told the driver. “We can go.” He turned to look at Maddie. “Unless the lady wants to take another swing at Mr. Rickson.”

Chapter Thirty

The corners of Gray’s eyes crinkled up as he grinned at her. “I’ve been messaging you all day. Now I know why you didn’t reply.”

“I replied when I arrived in LAX, but you were probably in the studio by then,” she told him. She was still shocked from seeing Brad again. From hitting him. It was like she was in some kind of dream.

It hurt to move her hand. She winced when she tried.

“Let me take a look,” Gray murmured, reaching for her hand. He touched it gently with his own good one. “Does it hurt?”

“Yeah. Like a bitch.” She raised her eyebrows.

“You should have let me hit him.”

“And had you ruin your remaining good hand? I don’t think so.”

His eyes were soft and warm. “I’d have done it for you.”

“I know you would’ve. But I’m glad I hit him. He had it coming. Has for years.”

Gray’s lips twitched. “You should have seen his face. It was a freaking picture.”

She tried – and failed – to swallow down her laugh. “I saw it.”

“Well you’ll be pleased to hear it’s been recorded for poste

rity,” Marco said, not sounding amused at all. “It’s all over social media. So much for stopping this story in its tracks.”

Marco’s phone began to buzz and he let out a sigh. “That’s Angie. She’s going to be pissed.”