Do You Dare (Truth And Dare Duet 1)

Maddox was stubborn, but so was I.

He gritted his teeth, a storm flashing across his face. “Fuck… off. Leave.”

“No.”

He let out an empty laugh. “Then how about… you shut the fuck up… and sit on my dick instead? Be a nice… give me good… pussy and cheer me… up, why don’t you?”

That was drunk Maddox speaking, I reminded myself. He was barricading himself against me, trying to be hurtful and mean–to push me away.

I blew out a frustrated breath and reached under his armpits, pulling him up. He sat forward, and the water sluiced onto the sides. I turned off the running tap with one hand while supporting Maddox’s limp body against the crook of my arm. “I’m going to ignore what you just said. But still, you need to get out of this tub before you catch pneumonia,” I mumbled. “Don’t be a jerk.”

His clothes were soaked through, and I couldn’t get him in bed in this state. Shit.

His eyes closed, and his head slumped over my shoulders, with his nose buried in my neck. A shiver racked through my body because Maddox was practically freezing as I dragged him out of the tub.

“I’m sorry,” I said in a low voice. “But I’m going to have to get you out of these clothes.”

Maddox was going to catch a cold if I left him like this. He mumbled something under his breath as a response. He settled on the edge of the tub as I peeled his wet shirt over his head. It wasn’t my first-time seeing Maddox shirtless, but I still found myself pausing to stare.

Maddox was ripped, sculptured and…

No, stop! Don’t look.

I averted my gaze and worked efficiently, trying my hardest not to stare longer than I needed at his naked body. He slurred more profanities at me, but I chose to ignore all of them. Once he was clad in his grey sweatpants and a shirt I found lying on the floor in his room, I dragged Maddox out of the bathroom.

My knees almost buckled under his weight. “Jesus, you’re heavy.”

He snorted in response as his body shuddered violently.

I hated this. So fucking much.

I was angry, so goddamn furious, that nobody thought to check on him. His parents or Mr. Hokinson. Anyone, damn it! What if I hadn’t found him when I did? He could have accidentally drowned himself or… worse.

I was livid and fuck…

My heart ached.

How could Maddox be so careless? Didn’t he understand how precious life was… and how easily it could slip out of our grasp? In a blink of an eye… everything–gone.

Tears burnt the back of my eyes, and I sniffled. “Why, Maddox? God, why?”

“Stop being a bitch… come and sit on my dick if... you won’t stop yapping…” he slurred.

“I’m going to throw you on your ass if you throw one more insult at me, Maddox,” I warned him. He stumbled and jerked out of my grasp, swearing under his breath.

“You're all bark and no fucking bite, Garcia,” Maddox snarled, his eyes opened into slits.

He was angry – about something. I didn’t know what, but if I could take a lucky guess, it had to do with his parents.

I understood that. But he didn't have to be an asshole.

When he stumbled again, his legs giving out under him, I grabbed his arm and hauled him to bed. Once he settled on the mattress, he swatted my hand away. It didn't hurt, but it still stung.

With my hands on my hips, I squinted down at him. “Don't do this, Maddox. I'm going to walk away.”

The warning gained me a reaction, a small one. He opened his bloodshot eyes and stared at me, his expression a mask of unfiltered pain. “Then go. That's what they always do anyway. Walk away.”

Goddamn it, did he have to hurt my heart like this?

I rubbed a hand over the ache in my chest, attempting to relieve the dull pain there.

“There is no reason for you to be mean to me when I'm only trying to help,” I said softy, running my fingers through his wet hair. “Don't push me away.”

Maddox let out a mocking laugh and closed his eyes. So be it.

I got off the bed and was only able to take a step away before he grabbed my hand. Firm and strong, even in his state. “Don't go. Don't leave…me," he croaked. The cracks in his voice made me pause. “I'm scared… scared of being alone.”

I settled back on the bed again, all fight leaving me in one breath.

Maddox wasn't complicated in ways everyone liked to believe. Once I got to know him, I really saw him, the real him, and realized that he only hid behind a mask.

“You can't do this, Maddox. You can't be an asshole and then ask me to stay with that look on your face.” Like a kicked puppy, a lost boy, a broken man. My sweet Maddox, with a heart of gold.