Abandoned

Chapter 44

Maddox POV

I was gripping Maddie’s hand tightly. I was nervous as fuck. I just wanted this day to be over.

"The prosecutor will keep it short, Maddie." Will, Ryan’s friend said, turning around to look at her. "He will ask you the questions you practiced with Ryan. The problem will be their defense lawyer. We don’t know what he is going to ask, but our prosecutor will do everything she can to keep it as short as possible."

I liked Will. We met him two days ago when he came to the cabin to speak to Maddie about the trial. I was also pretty sure that there was something going on between him and Ryan. I noticed the way they were looking at each other, and I could tell that there was something going on there. I had no idea that Ryan liked guys, but I couldn't give a shit about it. I loved him, and I would love him if he had a thing for bald aliens. As long as the bald alien didn’t hurt my sister, I would love him and accept him as a part of our family.

I glanced at Milo. He was staring through the car window. His jaw was clenched tightly. His eyes were narrowed. He was holding Maddie’s other hand in his. He was rubbing small circles on the top of her hand.

"He will say that I am lying, won’t he?" Maddie mumbled quietly, making me look at her.

"Probably." Will sighed. "They want to prove that your family did nothing wrong. He will try to get you to say that you lied."

I could feel Maddie tense up.

"Everything will be okay, Mads." I mumbled, pulling her closer to me. "It will be over soon, and we will go back home. I will make you pasta with pesto. Deal?"

She loved pasta with pesto.

She nodded and glanced behind us. Sam was driving behind us because Will wanted to come with us to talk to Maddie a little bit more before she went in. Zack and Blake were in the car with him.

I noticed that Maddie was very peaceful around Zack. He made her smile, and he didn’t make her nervous. I was happy that she trusted him, but I knew what he wanted and he would get it over my dead body. She wasn’t ready for a relationship. I wasn’t ready to have another person who would grab her attention. Sometimes I was even jealous of Milo, and I would give him my heart if he needed it. She definitely wouldn't have a boyfriend right now. Not a fucking chance.

"Don’t look at them while giving a statement, Addie." Ryan said softly, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. "Keep your eyes on the prosecutor, the defense lawyer, or us. Don’t look at them. They will only make you more nervous."

Maddie nodded and leaned more into me.

"Everything will be okay, love." I mumbled as I kissed the top of her head.

Milo looked at us and gulped.

"We will get you out of there as soon as possible." Milo said to her as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

I wrapped my arm around him and pressed him closer to us. He looked up at me, and I gave him a small smile.

I knew how afraid he was. I knew that he needed me right now.

"Will?" Maddie mumbled quietly.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Will said softly, smiling at us.

I saw Ryan glancing at him with a small smile on his face.

Yeah, there was definitely something there.

I was happy for Ryan. Will was a great guy, and Ryan deserved only the best.

"Will you be there as well?" Maddie asked him.

Will smiled and nodded. "Of course, sweetie. I'll be in the courtroom, waiting with your brothers. I will even go back home with you. I need to make sure that my sweetheart gets home safe."

Will winked at Maddie, making her smile a little.

My heart fluttered. I needed to thank Will for this. He was amazing with her. If he was really Ryan’s boyfriend, he would be an amazing brother-in-law to all of us.

"Ryan?" Maddie called our cousin.

"Yes, baby?" Ryan said, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Can I ask you something?" she said quietly. "But please don’t get mad at me."

Ryan glanced at her through the rearview mirror again. "Never, baby. You can ask me anything."

She took a deep breath and glanced at Will.

"Are you and Will..." she mumbled, but stopped.

Will raised and eyebrow at her. I saw a small smirk on his face.

"What, sweetie?" Will asked her.

"Are you two good friends?" she asked, and I had to stifle my laugh. "Like really good friends?"

Milo snorted quietly. Will laughed. Ryan sighed and shook his head.

"The cat is out of the bag, Ryan." I said, making him turn around and look at me wide-eyed.

"Eyes on the road, Ryan, Jesus." Will sighed, making Ryan turn around abruptly.

Will looked back at Maddie and smiled.

"Would you have a problem if me and your brother were, like you said, really good friends?" Will asked, looking from Maddie to Milo and me.

"Of course not." Milo said. "Ryan needs a really good friend, and I am glad it’s you."

"Just don’t hurt him." I added, making Will look at me. "I know you are a cop and all, but I will kick your ass if you hurt him."

"Max!" Ryan exclaimed, making me roll my eyes.

Will laughed and nodded. "Fair enough. Maddie?"

He looked at her, and I saw a little bit of fear in his eyes.

"Of course I don’t have a problem with it." Maddie said. "I am so happy for both of you."

She smiled, making my heart melt.

"Told you." Will said, looking at Ryan.

Ryan sighed and rolled his eyes.

I noticed that we stopped.

I looked through the window and saw the courthouse. My stomach turned, and the rage exploded inside me.

"Let’s go, sweetie." Will said as he opened the car door. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we will be on our way back home."

Well, that wasn’t true, was it? The trial started in half an hour, not when we arrived.

I didn’t say anything, though. I opened the door and got out of the car, pulling Maddie behind me.

"Hi, love." I heard Sam’s voice. "Are you ready?"

Maddie shook her head and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Sam sighed and kissed the top of her head. "It will be over soon."

Zack and Blake were looking at Maddie with worried looks on their faces. Milo walked up to me. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders.

"Okay, guys, let’s go inside." Will said, making us all turn toward the fucking court building.

I took Maddie’s hand in mine and started walking.

"I love you, Mads." I said softly.

She looked up at me and smiled. She looked at the rest of my family.

"I love you too, Max." she said. "I love all of you. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for giving me this beautiful life. I’ve never felt safer. I’ve never been happier. Thank you so much. I love you all so much."

My heart raced. I wanted to do something and pull her into my arms, but I was too stunned to do anything. This was the first time she told me that she loved me. This was the first time she told any one of us that she loved us.

We were all stunned.

And then I heard a bang. It sounded like a distant firework went off.

Maddie jerked back, making me look down at her.

My heart stopped beating. My whole world crumbled down in one fucking second.