I put my phone away after deciding I'd call Chris later tonight and tell him about everything. Well, not everything. I don't ever want to think about what happened with Jason and I know if I tell Chris he won't ever let me forget it.

"We need to talk." Maddox says and I hear the tension in his voice. I look at him and see he's not happy about something.

"What's wrong?" I ask, worried.

"It's about what Chris wants to tell you, what he found on the internet about me and my family."

"All right." I reply, confused.

"When I told you my dad passed, I didn't tell you the whole story." He lets out a deep breath. "My mother's dead too, she shot my dad then herself." He said it so calmly, like it was normal.

"Oh my, God. I'm so sorry." I pull my hand up covering my mouth. How can he sit here so passively and talk about his dead parents like he's talking about the weather?

"It was murder suicide." He states.

"How old were you?" I ask, horrified by what he just said.

"Eleven." He replies.

"Why did you only say your father was dead?" I ask.

"I don't have a mother." He shakes his head. "I never want to acknowledge that she was my mother after what she did, so I don't." He answers, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maddox." I say, softly as I rub his arm. "I'm so sorry. I'll tell Chris to never talk about it." I tell him, reassuringly.

"There's more." He adds.

"More?" I ask, weakly.

"I found them." I hear his voice become detached as he continues. "I went into the library to tell my dad I got an A on the math test he helped me study for. When I walked in, I saw my father's body face down in a pool of blood. I didn't have to turn to see my mother, she was right beside him with half of her head blown off. The blood was everywhere. I stood there for three hours in my own piss looking at and smelling my dead parents. I was numb. I couldn't move, talk or feel. When our cook came to find us for dinner, he pulled me out of the room and called the police."

I can't say anything, I'm in shock. I feel like grieving for the little boy. No wonder he doesn't want to ever feel numb, he stood for three hours with his dead parents feeling that way, tying not to feel their deaths. I would fight that memory as hard as he does if it were me. I can't stop the tears. I sit crying silently until we pull into the diner parking lot. When Maddox looks over he sees my tears.

"Don't cry." He's orders, brushing away my tears with his thumbs. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to hear that from Chris."

"Don't be sorry, I should be sorry. Chris and I basically forced you to tell me about your parents. It shouldn't have been this way." I respond, looking at my hands in my lap. I can't make eye contact with Maddox. I'm so ashamed of myself and Chris.

"Kitten, I want you to know everything about me. It's just not something I like to talk about. Please, don't be upset."

"Stop comforting me, I don't deserve it." I say, even more disgusted with myself. I should be comforting him not the other way around. I look up at him and throw myself at him hugging him tightly.

He holds me and buries his face in my neck. "It was a long time ago, Kitten."

"So, I'm a fur ball then? Kitten?" I question, smirking at the nickname he's chosen for me.

"Yes, but a beautiful fur ball." He replies, kissing my cheek.

"I'm so going to give you a nickname you'll hate." I reply, sternly.

"Do your worst, Kitten. I like it when you use your claws." He winks. "Have you seen my back?"

I stare at him saying nothing, my mouth hanging open and my cheeks warming.

He laughs. "Time for food." He gets out of the car and comes to my door opening it. I check the visor mirror and dry my eyes. I don't look too bad so I get out of the car.

"Smells good." I comment, taking in the breakfast smells.

Grabbing my hand we walk into the restaurant and it's very busy, obviously it's a popular place.

I can tell people are staring so I look down, moving behind Maddox as he walks to an open table.

We sit in a booth, him on one side and me on the other and the waitress makes her way to our table staring at Maddox. "What can I get you to drink?" she asks, standing close to Maddox. I look away from her obvious attempt to get his attention.

"Kitten?" He asks.

"Orange juice please." I reply, smirking.

The waitress looks over and gives me a dirty look and a fake smile. "Sure." She says. "For you?" She looks back at Maddox, getting even closer and batting her eyes.

"Milk." He says, looking at the menu and still not noticing her attempt to get his attention.

I look at the menu and decide on blueberry pancakes then I hear, "You could've help me out with her. She was practically on my lap." He states, looking a little irritated.

I laugh. "I didn't know if you knew her or not. Why would I start something with one of your many girls?" I tease.

"She's not one of my many girls, I never had a girl. So act like a proper girlfriend and put her in her place." He orders getting angry.

"Why are you mad?" I ask, surprised. "I was joking, really. I don't care about your past. I won't bring it up again." I say, genuinely sorry.

"Good, now play the part of the jealous girlfriend and keep all the piranhas at bay." He demands, smirking.

"I'm half their size. Sorry, muffin, you're on your own." I chuckle as the waitress brings us our drinks.

She takes our order I watch her stand by Maddox again and when he starts leaning away from her. I try to hold in a laugh but I can't help it. When the girl and Maddox start glaring at me, I laugh even harder.

"Right, sorry." I say, seriously looking at Maddox. "Excuse me, but you need to back off my man and get your own."

"Just because you're getting breakfast from him doesn't make him your man. Whore."

Then I hear, "Fuck off, Ashley. I had you spread eagle on my couch an hour after meeting you." I look behind me, in the booth next to us is Tyler.

"Looks like you need a dictionary. She was a virgin until last night." Maddox states, but I can tell he's still angry. I didn't watch the girl walk away.

"Hey, stalker." I say, smiling at Tyler.

"Yep, I'm stalking you. I just follow you around and eat everywhere you eat. Waiting in the shadows for you to leave that gorilla you're with and get with a real man." He replies, pointing to himself.

I laugh. "Right. Thanks for helping me out. Consider your debt paid in full, kind sir." Holding out my hand, Tyler takes my hand and shakes it.

Then I hear Maddox say, "Watch her for a minute." And walk toward the door, I look and see Jason entering the restaurant. Maddox grabs him and pulls him back out the door.

Tyler stands up and comes to sit in Maddox's seat. "What the hell is that about, isn't that his friend?" He asks.

"Yeah." I answer. I know I'm blushing and Tyler starts to laugh.

"You have to tell me." He demands, grinning.

"Promise you'll never repeat what I'm about to tell you." I say, gravely.

"Promise."He agrees crossing his heart with his finger, trying to keep a straight face.

I take a deep breath. "Yesterday Maddox had to go to the store and when I thought he got home I went to look for him. He was in the refrigerator bent over, so I smacked his butt as hard as I could. When he yelled and turned I realized it was Jason not Maddox." He laughs and I groan. "That's not the worse part." I wince. "To top it all off I was completely naked. Maddox walked in when I was running back to the bedroom. He hit Jason a couple of times and told him to leave."

Tyler starts laughing. "Why the hell would he be mad at Jason for that?" He asks, as Maddox comes back and sits down beside me. "You're mad at your friend for accidentally seeing her naked?"

"No. I'm mad that he didn't look away. And as she ran away he basically leapt over the counter to watch her."

"Oh, you didn't tell me that part, I would have killed him." Tyler adds, nodding his head.

"I had just assaulted the guy. He could've been running after me to yell." I suggest.

"I knew you couldn't be as perfect as you seemed." Tyler says narrowing his eye. "You're delusional." He accused pointing a finger at me.

"I'm not delusional, the both of you just jump to conclusions without knowing the facts." I reply, knowingly.

"Maddox saw him, those are facts! I'm sorry but if you smacked my ass while you were totally naked I would run after you too and not to yell at you." Tyler says. Then turns to Maddox he asks, "What did you do to him just now? I saw the black eye and busted lip earlier."

Our food comes and it's a different waitress, she's older and professional.

"I reminded him not to look at or talk to her again. Something I warned you about, if I remember correctly." He states, bored.

"Hey, I was helping." Tyler replies, grinning.

"At Ruby's too? I found your number in her purse. That was just stupid." Maddox says, raising his eyebrow. Tyler stops grinning."Unfortunately, Hadley says I can't hurt you because you're her friend."

"Yes!" Tyler yells. "Now we can get those friendship bracelets all the other girls are wearing!" I start cracking up. "Which one do you want? BEST or FRIEND?" Tyler asks, acting excited. "We have to have a sleepover and tell secrets. Like, is it true when Maddox cums, he beats his chest and goes 'ahahahahhhah'?"

I laugh, I can't help it.

Maddox asks, "Is that a Tarzan or King Kong reference?"

"What does it matter, they're both basically apes?" He shrugs. He looks back at me expecting answers to his questions.

"Tyler... stop." I beg, in between laughing and holding my sides.

"Hadley, if you're not going to take our friendship seriously, then I'm outta here." He states, in a high voice.

"Okay, sorry. I'll take BEST. And yes, it's true." I tell him, giggling.

Tyler laughs and looks at Maddox. "So what did you do with my number? I know you didn't give it back to her."

"Nope. Threw it out the window." He answers, stuffing his face with eggs and biscuits and gravy.

I hand my phone to Tyler. "Here, put it in."