“Oh, shut up and let me say yes would you, you stubborn ram?”
Travis busted out laughing and nodded, and Sky replied with a, “Yes,” before he placed the big solitaire on her finger and pulled her into his arms.
Madi stood quickly and turned away from the scene as applause rang out all around her, her emotions too great to stay.
She was breathing hard as she moved into the kitchen from the patio, holding her chest as she attempted to calm the panic attack coming on. This had happened several times when Hunt had first died, and she’d let the grief almost consume her. She still had them on occasion, but they weren’t as frequent now as they were in the beginning. She continued to move through the kitchen, finally stopping in the butler’s pantry and leaning against the counter. She closed her eyes and told herself to relax.
Soon, she was able to see without spots and breathe normally, but just as she turned to rejoin the party, Lang stood in her way, giving her a disturbing grin that stilled her blood. She gulped as he stepped forward.
“You ok, Madi?”
She nodded and made to move around him. He caught her arm and pulled her into his chest, backing her into the counter.
Panic rose in her gut. She gulped again as his knuckles moved over her cheek and his eyes appraised her body, clad in nothing but her bikini and the thin cover-up that did nothing to cover anything up at this point.
“You’re so beautiful. I think I know what you need, baby doll.” He motioned down to his crotch which she could feel was stiffened against her.
She stifled a whimper, hoping someone would be stumbling in to check on her very soon.
“It’s been a long time for you, I heard. Perhaps it’s time to remedy that, don’t cha think?”
She couldn’t move as fear held her captive, Langley’s face coming down on hers. His lips were rough as they moved against her own. Her attempt at pulling back did nothing, for there was nowhere for her to go.
Madi struggled to scream even as he lifted her and braced her hips with his own. She was resisting and pushing against his chest even as she heard the zipper of his pants give way. She screamed loud as she shoved with all her might, but to no avail. He was simply too big and too strong for her to fight him.
This wasn’t happening. He wasn’t going to do this. He wasn’t—
“Lang, dude, what the fuck are you doing?” It was Pax.
Oh, thank God! “Paxton—” she began, but he was already moving, his big arm reaching for Lang’s shirt and pulling him backward. Madi fell abruptly to the ground with an, “Umph,” as Langley’s grip immediately loosened around her.
“Pax, what the—?” Brett asked and frowned as he realized what had just happened. Suddenly his eyes turned murderous, and he lunged for Langley’s throat. “You motherfucker, I’ll fuckin’ kill you!” The roar that escaped Brett’s lips was animalistic, and Madi stood to stop him from murdering Lang.
TJ grabbed Brett’s arm before he made it to the man’s throat, and he and Pax moved in to hold Brett back, for they were the only two as broad as Zeus was. Quil, Travis, and Linc were there then, grabbing Lang even as Brett fought to get to him. Brett was as furious as a bucking bronco, and Madi came forward to try and help, cupping his cheek and telling him to look at her.
“Calm down, baby. I’m ok. I—”
“Let me go, Pax. Fuckin’ let me go, right now or I swear to God!”
“No can do, bro. I can’t win a Super Bowl if my QB is injured. It’s not happening.” Pax held tight, but Brett’s adrenaline was fueling him, giving him inhuman strength.
Quil and Linc took Lang out of the room even as Brett yelled to him. “You filthy bastard, I’ll fucking kill you if you ever touch her again. You sorry piece of shit!”
“Brett, baby, it’s ok,” Madi cooed and finally got him to stop struggling; Pax and TJ looked exhausted.
“Call the fucking cops, Trav. He ain’t getting away with that shit this time. Madi, baby, did he hurt you?” His eyes softened for a brief moment as his focus moved back to her, then he erupted again. A volcano of fury. “I’ll fucking kill him, I’ll—”
“Shh, I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.” Brett’s eyes flashed with pure rage, but Madi reassured him once more. “Brett, I’m fully clothed.”
All the while, Madi was shaken to her core, fearing the man was going to rape her. She was grateful he hadn’t gotten any further than he had.
Brett looked her over carefully, assessing for any marks before she finally got him to relax a little. TJ released Brett first, but Pax wasn’t apt to let him go too soon. Brett swore he wasn’t going to attack Langley, but Madi wasn’t so sure. She threw herself into his arms when Pax finally let go, knowing that her presence calmed her captain.
“Oh, Madi, baby, look at me.” He pulled her face up and touched her, his eyes darting her body for any sign of harm. When he was satisfied, he sighed heavily. “Are you ok?”
She held her tears and horror back, drawing every ounce of her willpower out as he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her softly yet possessively, treating her with delicate hands as if she were fragile cargo.
He sighed once more as he kissed her forehead and looked deeply into her eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop him.”
“Don’t. He didn’t do anything.”
“He assaulted you,” Brett growled. “Again! I swear, Sunflower, if he’d have—”
She didn’t let him finish as she leaned up on her tiptoes and took his lips again. When she pulled back, he groaned as if in pain. “Don’t do that to yourself. He didn’t rape me. I’m fine. You rescued your damsel and, trust me, you’re gonna get the girl.”
