Love Again ✔

16. Two Secrets

Rose:

Maddox looks way too handsome in his suit as he sits across from me, sipping on his whiskey gracefully. His eyes shine with love as they look at me like I'm the most beautiful woman on the planet, but I wonder why I'm wearing this red dress. I hate this dress.

"You look delicious tonight, Rose." His voice is as soothing as it always is, sending butterflies to flutter around in my stomach.

"I'm leaving tonight." He says regretfully and my smile disappears. Why is Maddox leaving? We still had time. "I'll miss you, but our time has come to an end."

"Stay." I begin to tell him, because I can't lose him too. "I love you. Please stay."

Maddox's face turns hard, his eyes so cold that I feel a wicked shiver run down my spine. "You can't love me, Rose. I'm in love with someone else. You know that. I was very clear with you from the beginning."

"I know." My hands are shaking in my lap, but I have to tell him. I have to take the risk. "I didn't plan for this to happen. Just give me a chance. Please."

"I have to be with her. I love her. You knew that from the start." He says accusingly and my heart breaks all over again when I see the disappointment in his eyes.

"You love me too." I find myself saying sternly, despite how uneven my voice sounds. "I know you and I know that the way you look at me is full of love. I'm not a fool. I've seen it. You don't have to be afraid, Maddox."

"You only see what you want to see." Maddox's words sound too familiar, too ugly. "You live in a fairytale land, Rose. This story in your head doesn't have a happy ending. I thought you were smarter than to fall for someone you can never have. Again."

"Please don't do this." I beg, cry, plead, as he stands up, buttoning his jacket. "Please don't go."

"I care about you, I really do. But this has to end." His jaw is clenched in anger and his eyes are sad, but he's still walking away from me. "Goodbye, Angel."

"No!" I bolt upright in bed, panting heavily as my eyes scan my surroundings to make sure that I'm not back in that damned restaurant, that has been haunting my nightmares for so long. But this time it was different. Worse. This nightmare is the worst I ever had.

Wiping the tears off my face, I blindly reach for my phone and dial Maddox's number. He answers on the third ring, his voice heavy with sleep. "Rose? Are you alright?"

I hear the shuffling of his sheets on the other line as I cry. "M-Maddox, can y-you please come to m-my room?"

"I'm already on my way, baby." He says and my heart calms down just a notch. "Stay on the phone with me, alright? I will only take a few minutes."

"Th-thank you." I hiccup, rocking my body forwards and backwards with my legs tucked against my chest. Why did this have to happen?

"You're okay, my angel. Everything's gonna be okay." He sounds so calm and so sure that I almost believe him.

"I'm really s-scared."

"I'll be right there and we'll cuddle, okay?" He says and I nod even though he can't see me. We stay on the phone but remain silent for another minute before he says, "I'm outside, Rose. Open the door."

I rush and pull the door open then jump into his open arms, wrapping myself around him completely.

"It's okay, baby. I'm right here." Maddox whispers in my ear as he shuts the door and carries me to the bed. He lies down with me on top of him before he covers us with the blanket. "You're gonna be fine, my angel."