The Perfect Storm 3

Chapter 234

Miles's POV

I speed through the roads, owning them, letting everything on it obey me and only me. I run at through few stops signs, red lights and then I'm onto the main road with Madison beside me who's staring out the window helplessly. Her mention of children sent a pang through my heart. Clearly it's still something that's on her mind, and something I can't do anything about. I can't change what I want. I just can't. I need her to love me like this, and if she can't, I need her to try harder.

I glance at her but her eyes are still on the road; on the window that won't give her the answers she's looking for.

"IT'S PRETTY LATE," I tell Madison who reluctantly steps inside her mother's house. Being here feels like being inside a ghost; in the past of something fucked up.

"I don't even know what he'd look like now." She murmurs under her breath but I don't want to pay attention to it, she needs rest. The trip has taken too long despite my reckless driving. Her eyes are tired as they barely glance my way and I know that she has too much on her mind.

"I don't want to sleep in my room." She says even more quietly.

"I want to go upstairs." She says before I can ask her. As we stand there in the hallway, I give her a small nod, despite her head being turned away from me. I feel too out of place as if I'm inside a distant memory. While Madison is suffering the way she is, I'm wishing David would have taken Angela's place, fuck, I would have taken Angela's place if it would only ease Madison's suffering. Her eye is puffy and I know I only have a few minutes before tears start to roll smoothly down her face.

"Do you want to stay here?" I ask her and she finally looks up at me. She shakes her head and I know I need to take her out of here.

"Please take me out of here." She says in a tone that tells me she's now less than a few seconds away from crying.

"Get into the car, babe," I tell her and she looks up at me, thanking me before she slowly walks out of the place.

I contemplate driving back to Washington and to the cabin but it's too damn far away. God fucking damn Ohio. I grab the keys tight and run out the door, closing it for what will probably be one of the last times we'll ever be here.

I try to think fast as I drive aimlessly onto the main road, hoping I'll figure something out, and finally, I find something that might just work.

After almost twenty minutes of driving, I find us a hotel. Madison follows slowly behind me, but she still somehow keeps up with me, staying by my side.

"One room." I begin by saying and after unnecessary small talk and explanations, we're finally moving again, somehow walking away from further and further away from Madison's hurt. I part my lips to ask her something; anything but she speaks for me.

"Let's go to sleep?" Her eyes are familiar and soft.

"Please stay with me." She says, the words sounding like a dream washing through my whole being.

"Yeah," I say, not knowing what else would come out of my mouth if I start to think about the feeling she just gave me too much. I give her a nod before turning off the lights and throwing my shirt off me. I feel her doing the same so close to me; too close, but she grabs my shirt. I expect her to take off her leggings like I've taken off my pants, but she doesn't.

Sleeping in her leggings doesn't bother me, what does is the hurt only time can heal. The darkness around us thickens and I can't see anything. We both lie down, too far apart but too close to not be together; too close to not feeling the electricity all around us. 

The hotel room looks run-down but there's something about it that I like. The large windows build as if it's the nineteenth century somehow interests me and the large thick dark red drapes I pulled over the window still feel soft in my hands. The bed is too large for us and I find myself wishing they would have had smaller rooms. 

The nightstand is right beside me and I can feel the sharp corner of it before finally pulling myself into the bed, forcing myself to stare at the ceiling I can't see. After what feels like too long with nothing but pure silence flowing around us, I can't help but wonder if she fell asleep, or if she's wide awake like I am. 

I slowly reach my hand toward hers, doing it subtly. I need her.

When I think I'm less than halfway, I feel her hand and I instantly smile; she needs me too. The pitch-black darkness is all around me, comforting me and her in its dark wings.

"We keep meeting like this," I tell her, smiling into the pitch-black darkness above me.

"And I wouldn't change it for the world." She says, her voice sounding like the sunset, or honey, or the only thing I'd ever choose to hear.