“I don’t doubt that,” the woman replied, sounding genuine. “But I do need the police to formally rule you out.”
“Fine, they’ll be my next call then,” I answered stiffly. I’d already called and spoken to a detective days after the fire, giving him Maddox’s contact information. They hadn’t made an effort to contact me. I’d be damned if my uncle took my home and livelihood from me and I walked away with nothing. I was about to become a major pain in their ass.
“That sounds like a good idea,” she agreed. “Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“I will, thanks.” I sighed, hanging up the phone and meeting Maddox’s stare. “I may need to go to Vegas,” I grumbled.
His brows lowered. “No fucking way.”
“They’re just going to sweep this under the rug, leave it lingering. I can’t let them do that, Mad. I lost everything—I’ll be damned if I accept that quietly,” I exclaimed.
“I don’t expect you to,” he responded calmly. “But you’re not getting within a hundred miles of Las Vegas. And you’re also not in this alone, remember?” he prompted with a raised brow. At my nod he continued, “I can move things along. The club has a few connections in the department. I’ll work them.” He stepped around the counter and took me in his arms. “You just have to be a little patient, baby,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head.
I sighed, dropping my forehead to his chest. I knew he was right. I still didn’t like it.
“I want to take you somewhere,” he told me. “Then we need to get you a phone and pick up a few things for the house. You want to shower?”
I nodded, curious where he wanted to take me. “Do me a favor and let me make breakfast when I get out,” I said, biting back a smile.
My tone was teasing, but the threat of Maddox’s cooking was all too real.
He swatted my ass with a grin. “You better make it quick then. I’m fucking starving.” He stepped closer, his hands gripping my hips. “Worked up an appetite last night,” he rumbled in my ear.
I shivered, the memory fresh in my mind and in between my thighs. “Better let me feed you then, make sure you keep up your strength.”
His answering growl had me biting my lip.
“As much as I want to take you back to bed, I have a feeling you’re sore, and we have shit to do. Shower, baby,” he prompted.
The man seriously scrambled my brain.Shower. Right.
Thirty minutes later, we were on the road in his truck, bellies full, his hand over mine on the center console.
When we pulled up to what looked like an abandoned building just off the main drag of downtown, I looked at him in confusion.
“Work with me here,” he said, cutting the engine. He came around to my side, helping me from the truck. He took my hand and guided me to the doors where I peered inside. It looked like a partly built restaurant, but was either on hold or abandoned altogether.
“This was gonna be a pizza joint,” he explained, standing alongside me and peering with me into the space. “They got overextended, couldn’t afford to keep building it out.”
“Okay….?” I replied, still confused.
He pulled away from the glass, looking down at me. “Would make for a good bakery, don’t you think?”
My eyes widened in shock as I caught on. I hadn’t even contemplated what I’d do next—or where. But Maddox had.
“I’m not sure I can start over,” I murmured. “And even if I did, I don’t have the money—I’m not sure when I will.”
He stepped into my space, cradling my face in his hands. “Baby, you couldn’t make it a day without baking something. You love it. And you’re really damn good at it. And Hawthorne needs a good bakery. This is your chance to do what you love but on your terms. As for the money, you’ll get it. In the meantime, I have what we need.”
There was thatweagain.
“I can finish building this out for you and help with the business side.” He shrugged as though it was no big thing.
“Maddox, I haven’t even thought past next week,” I sputtered, feeling overwhelmed. “We haven’t even talked about me staying in Hawthorne permanently.”
His gray eyes glittered with intensity. “Let’s talk about it then. I want you here permanently, Francesca. In my bed, under my roof. I want to help make your dreams come true, but I want them to be with me.
“If you don’t want to open another bakery, that’s fine,” he continued as I stared at him, flabbergasted. “I’ll support whatever you want to do. But this isn’t just you crashing with me while you get back on your feet, baby. Not for me. It never has been.”