Take Me Home (The Heartbreak Brothers 1)

“Jesus, Maddie…”

“He uploaded the video to a porn site. Then he printed out fliers with a photo of me and the web address. I was a laughing stock within a couple of hours. Everywhere I went people were watching the video of me sleeping while they had sex.”

“Did you report it?”

“To the dean?” she asked. “No. Not at first. Though Ashleigh contacted them as soon as I told her.”

“I meant the police.”

She shook her head. “The dean wanted to call the police, but I just…” her voice broke. “I couldn’t.” She blinked back tears. “It was so humiliating. I couldn’t stand to be in New York anymore. Ashleigh drove up the moment I called her, and brought me home even though she wanted me to stay and fight for myself.” She pressed her lips together. “She saved me.” And now they weren’t even talking. Her heart hurt at that thought.

“He got away with it,” Gray muttered. “And now he’s got a recording contract and you’re here…” His jaw was tight, his eyes flashing. Maddie curled her fingers around his bicep.

“It’s okay,” she whispered.

“No, it isn’t. I want to fucking kill him.” His eyes drilled into hers. “The thought of him touching you. Hurting you. The bastard deserves to be destroyed for ruining your life.”

“It’s old news,” she told him. “I’m over it. And the fact is, even if he’d never done anything to me, and I’d stayed at Ansell, I probably would have come home after graduating. My mom’s here as well as Ashleigh and her family. I like my life.”

“I have contacts. I can mess him up.”

“No.” Her voice was firm. “I don’t want you to get involved. As I said, it’s history. Over and done with. I just want to move on.” She shifted in her chair. “But can you see now why it wouldn’t work?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I can’t see that at all. I’m not like that asshole. I’d never hurt you like that. I want to protect you, Maddie. I want you to be with me. I don’t want to see you cry like this.” He wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“But you can’t. You’re famous, always in the news. And I can’t…” her voice broke. “I can’t do that with you. I’ve been talked about before and I can’t stand it.”

He cupped her chin with his palm, lifting her face until it was directly in front of his. She could see herself reflected in the depths of his eyes. “Maddie,” he whispered. “You’re damn beautiful. Since you walked into my life.” He smiled. “Or jumped into it, things haven’t been the same. I’ll never be the same. You’re all I think about. Yours is the name on my lips as I fall asleep, and when I wake up it’s still there. Whatever it’ll take to make this work, I’m ready to do it. Just say the word.”

His words took her breath away. She wanted to believe him, she really did. And yeah, she knew he wasn’t like Brad. He was a good guy. She’d been around him enough to know that.

“I’m scared,” she said again.

“There’s nothing to be scared of. I have a great publicist, and she’ll help us with everything. We can just be us. You’ll fly to LA. I’ll fly back here. We can make this work if we want it enough.”

Her heart was hammering against her chest. Not just with the memories of her humiliation, but because of the expression on his face. There was need there, and maybe a little bit of love, too. But more than anything, he looked vulnerable, and it touched her soul.

“I want to try,” she whispered, and he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, a wide smile broke out on his lips.

“Thank God,” he said. He kissed her like she was the air he needed to breathe, even though when he pulled away he was breathless. “Because I can’t imagine being without you. I’ll call Marco and my publicist in the morning and warn them about this. I promise you I’ll make it okay.”

Maddie sighed against his lips, relief assailing her. He knew and he wasn’t rejecting her. Maybe he was right. Things could work out after all.

Chapter Twenty-Five

He was in love with Madison Clark. Gray had no doubt about it. He’d loved her before tonight, but to know what she’d dealt with in New York made him admire her even more. Yeah, he had rumors printed about him, and done stupid things that had ended up as headlines in the wrong kind of newspapers. But he’d also had a publicist to deal with that, and fans who’d do anything to show they supported him.

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But Maddie… It killed him to think about her being so alone and violated. Of somebody like Brad Rickson using her as a joke. Not caring about the hurt he’d caused.

Gray held her hand in his for the entire ride back in the helicopter, then held her body close against his in the backseat of the car that had brought them home, where they were right now. The driver was pointedly staring ahead through the windshield as Gray ran his finger down Maddie’s face and leaned in to kiss her again, her lips tasting salty thanks to her dried tears.

“Can I come in with you?” he asked her, nodding at the bungalow.

“My mom’s in there,” Maddie said, her eyes wide.

“Yeah, I know. But I don’t want to leave you tonight.” He waited for her to fight, but instead her eyes met his and she nodded her head.