Chapter 164

Beckett moved fast, stepping in front of Madeleine and landing a solid kick right in Clinton's stomach. "You've got a death wish touching her." "Beckett! Madeleine's mine!" Clinton wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth, eyes blazing with fury. "We've been together since we were sixteen. Ask her—ask if she still has feelings for me!" "Sixteen?" Beckett's tone dropped, low and scornful. "You really think childhood puppy love counts as anything real?" He held Madeleine tightly in his arms, steady and firm. He didn't need her to answer that question. Whether she still felt something for Clinton or not, it didn't change anything. Her heart was hers to give, and he'd be there regardless. "Madeleine, just say it—you still care about me, right? Tell him you love me!" Clinton's voice cracked, like a desperate kid begging for attention. Madeleine trembled all over, frozen from anxiety, her mouth unable to form a sound. "She's silent because she still loves me, Beckett," Clinton pushed again