Taken by Storm Read Online Free

the Rocha Estate, Maddie tried to force the words out that she should’ve said over a year ago.
    I’m sorry.
    What did those words mean anyway? They couldn’t take back what she’d done. They couldn’t make MJ forgive her. Why bother saying them when they were meaningless?
    She couldn’t change the past. Leaving was the only option she’d been given. She had to protect him from getting hurt. Maddie knew hurt all too well, and she’d always stand between MJ and pain if she could.
    She’d never let him feel the twinge of fiery anguish that hit her in the heart every time her mother was mentioned.Every time she fingered the smooth silver angel pendant crammed in the very back of her jewelry box that her mom left behind. Over the past sixteen years, Maddie had relived the day her mom left a million times in her head.
    The pain was still raw even after all the time that had passed. Driving down the road so many years later, it still felt like her mom had walked out on her only yesterday.
    “Watch it!” MJ shouted and grabbed the wheel. “You almost hit that light post.”
    “I did not! You’re so drunk, you can’t even see straight. Let go!”
    He let his hand drop to his lap. Sitting beside her, MJ was painfully close. She could almost feel his body heat pulsing off his skin into hers. Or maybe she imagined it. Manifested it because it was what she wanted to feel so badly. Being so close to him and not being able to reach out and touch him drove her crazy.
    But it shouldn’t. Not anymore.
    Maddie glanced at MJ out of the corner of her eye. When had he become so cynical? Had she done that to him? Caused him to be so jaded and cold?
    That fucking Old Man was going to pay if she couldn’t figure out how to reach MJ, how to bridge the gaping hole between them that she’d ripped open when Enzo made her leave the Rocha Estate.
    She pulled into the long driveway and parked in front of the garage. MJ had his car door open before her foot was off the brake. “Thanks for the ride.”
    She scrambled out of her car, not willing to let him get away from her that easily. “Are you okay? Do you need help getting inside?” She placed a hand on his arm and felt his muscle flex under her touch.
    He stepped away breaking their contact. “I’m fine.”
    His tone made it clear that he didn’t need her. Didn’t want her. So much for making things better with him—getting back to being like brother and sister.
    Like that could ever happen. What a dumb, desperate idea anyway. “Okay. Goodnight.”
    She watched him walk away. His footsteps echoed as he walked to the back entrance of the big house. When he reached for the door handle, he stumbled and almost fell, knelt down and caught himself on the cement sidewalk. “You’re not fine,” she said, rushing to his side as he stood and wobbled from foot to foot. “I’ll help you to your room.”
    “I don’t want your help,” he said, his tone less than convincing.
    “Too bad.” She hooked her arm around his waist and opened the back door. “Come on.”
    They stumbled into the dark back entryway. Maddie glanced down the hallway running off to the right. The double wooden doors to the Old Man’s office at the end were closed. Light poured out from the crack underneath.
    She had to get MJ upstairs quickly and not run into Enzo.
    The two of them walked like they were in a drunken sack race down the hallway to the front staircase. MJ raised his foot and missed the first step, then busted out laughing.
    “Shut up!” Maddie hissed, jerking her head back behind them to watch for the Old Man. “Hurry.” She nudged him in the back with her knuckles and he jolted forward, laughing again. “You’re a terrible drunk.” Maddie skittered up the first few steps, taking his hands and hauling him up after her. “How do you get home on your own when you’re like this?”
    “Carefully.”
    They were finally at the top. Maddie let go of his hands and pushed her hair back out of her