Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 724

Hayden didn't say a word.

25 BONUS

I wasn't sure what he meant by his silence, but the thought of him with Yara made me snort coldly. "Of course you're not scared. You've never exactly been short on women, have you?"

His eyes stayed locked on me. That look made guilt creep up my spine.

Just as I was about to demand why he was staring like that, he finally spoke. "What I fear more than anything is seeing you hurt."

Oh.

So, he was willing to let me hate him, push him away, yell and scream-all to keep me safe.

His intentions really were painstakingly sincere.

I got it. I really did. That desperate kind of love, where the thought of losing them terrifies you more than anything else.

"Stop with the sweet talk," I shot back. "You're just trying to get off easy. Love isn't about bailing when it gets hard-it's about sticking together through it."

"I'd give

say things so bluntly, and that one line hit me

time we'd spent apart, my anger, the harsh things I'd said, the way I'd tried to hurt him. I'd even let myself get close to someone else, just to make him jealous. Thinking about it now, he must've

jaw.

stubble, lingering until I reached his

stupid games we'd played-pouring it into that one bite. But as I did, I realized I

forget that. Forcing myself to stop, I rested my forehead. against his chest,

Obviously,

I snapped, my cheeks heating

just kept grinning, and I nudged him lightly. "Still laughing? What,

Chapter 724

would've stripped him down and pinned him

breath brushing my ear. "If you

slid into motion, making it very clear what

had never bothered with alternatives before he was more of a "go big or go home" kind of guy. But now? His offer sounded way too practiced. "Getting creative, huh? Looks like your 'modeling gig' really paid

brow.

"You know what they say-learning never

snorted. "Yeah, but you're not just learning. You've been practicing,

to help me perfect my technique?" he quipped, his hand wandering