Page 75 of Make You Beg

Slipping off my shirt again, I tear off a gauze pack and attempt to tape it on my back. It’s a special kind that comes with tape on its side, pre-glued already.

The footsteps grow heavy pretty fast.

Madelyn stands a few feet away from at the end of the staircase as I stretch my body to reach my back, the struggle evident as she crouches by me.

“Let me help.”

“I said I’m fine.”

Her eyes widen when she sees what I assume must be open gashes on my back. “That’s not fine.”

“Well, I don’t want your help.”

She doesn’t listen. As usual, the little demon. She leans forward and snatches the gauze from me.

“And I said I want to help.”

I groan. Then cry out as the fabric touches my bare skin. Her fingertips are cold, and it makes me flinch, a mix of pain and electricity running through my spine.

“I need another one,” she says, stretching her hand toward me.

“That’s enough,” I claim.

Getting up, I do my best to get her off me delicately, as if lifting something you don’t want to break and placing it somewhere else.

If I let her do this to me, if I let her take care of me—I’ll get lost in it again.

That part of me I don’t know may take over again.

I’ll get in even deeper trouble.

No matter how much I’m drawn to her. How much I want to ruin her.

She’ll be the death of me if I let her.

I’m done playing. I’m not the Romeo to her Juliet, no matter how much I try.

My father has made sure of that.

She needs to stop making things harder for me.

“Okay,” she resigns. “You’re welcome.”

I don’t respond, taking careful steps toward the stairs. I can’t show her what anything really means to me.

How she’s taking my wounded heart and piecing it back together with every little thing she does.

No matter how annoying she is. How much I hate her for making herself present in my life—for every reason I have to despise her—I want her. And if I let myself lose control with her again, I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold back.

20

MADDY

A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE PARTY, 18 YEARS OLD

I’m not ready to face Jordan or anyone after the party fiasco. So, I pretend I’m sick and take a few days off. Mom understands me, that’s why she doesn’t say a thing and plays along in front of Lucas.

He’s the stricter of the two.