I tapped on Davis’ laundry room window three times.

Tap, tap, tap.

Two fingers slid through the slats of the vertical blinds covering the window. “Who is it?” Maddie whispered, flipping on the back-porch light.

I leaned against the glass, my leather-covered arms pressing against the pane. “It’s your boyfriend. Who else would it be?”

Her fingers disappeared, and the blind flew up in one swift movement. She stood there, one hand on her hip, and smiled in my direction. “I don’t know. An axe murderer maybe?”

Smartass. “Baby, axe murderers don’t tap on people’s windows at one in the morning. They just break in through one of the doors.”

Maddie’s smile dropped as she glanced over her shoulder toward the back door. Slowly, she turned her head back in my direction. “Thanks a lot. Now all I’m going to think about is some big hairy guy, wielding an ax and wearing a mask, breaking in the front door.”

I shook my head. “If that happens just scream real loud. I’ll come running.”

She smiled. “You would, wouldn’t you?”

I leaned back, stepping away from the window. “Without a doubt. Somebody tries to hurt you, I’ll kill them.” 

It was the truth. If anybody ever tried to hurt Maddie, they’d have to get through me first. Just the thought of someone laying their hands on her had me seeing red. I took a breath and mentally counted to three. One. Two. Three.

Feeling a little more under control, I said, “Get out here before Grandmama catches us and shoots my ass.”

Maddie opened the small window and stuck her left leg out. I wrapped one hand around the back of her thigh and reached for her upper body with the other. “Come on, baby, I’ve got you.”

Despite being only a few feet away from the back door, Maddie insisted on climbing out the laundry room window. She swore the deadbolt on the door made too much noise when being unlocked but I think she just liked sneaking out the window. I guess she thought she was a ninja or something. It was a miracle I’d been able to stop her from trying to slip out her second-story bedroom window. The first time she brought the idea up, I’d squashed it.

Slipping the rest of the way out, she leaned against me and let me take her weight in my arms. Gently, I set her feet on the ground.

“She wouldn’t shoot you, ya know. Shoot at you maybe. But I don’t think she’d aim to kill.”

“You sure about that?”

She looked away and fiddled with her hands. “No.”

Thought so.

“Uh, huh.”

There was no doubt in my mind—Grandmama would aim for my head if she caught me sneaking Maddie out of the house in the middle of the night.

Not that I blamed her.

I reached up and shut Maddie’s window before taking her hand in mine. “Let’s go, pretty girl.”

She followed behind me as we walked towards the woods that bordered both our backyards. Despite leading her into the dark woods in the middle of the night, there wasn’t a hint of fear in my girl’s voice as she asked, “Where are we going?”

I looked over, and her curious gaze met mine. “It’s a surprise.” I pointed towards the break in the trees ahead of us. “We’re going to have to take my bike though. I already pushed it down here before I came to get you.” Hopefully, that would keep anyone from hearing us leave. My bike was loud, but the woods weren’t close.

“Your dirt bike?”

“No, my Huffy.”

Maddie smacked my arm. “Don’t be a dick, Hendrix.”

I loved the way she said my name. “I’m just kidding.”

She growled and released my hand. I turned towards her, ready to snatch it back, but stopped when she wrapped her arm around mine and rested her hand on my bicep. Leaning her head against my upper arm, she said, “It’s beautiful out tonight.”

I looked up at the night sky. The moon was full, and the stars were bright. “It is.”

My bike came into view as we reached the break in the trees. Maddie squealed with excitement and ran towards it, stopping to stand by its side. She loved it when I took her riding.

Guess her Daddy was wrong all those years ago when he told me she’d never get on a dirt bike.

Lifting my helmet off the seat, I sat in on her head, pulled it down tight and strapped it in place under her chin. “That tight enough?”

She nodded, flipping the visor up.

“Where’s yours?”

“You’re wearing it.”

“What? You can’t ride without one.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

Maddie shook her head. “What if we crash?”

I slipped my finger under her chin and tilted her face up towards mine. “First, we won’t crash. You think I’m going to ride hard and fast with you on the back?” No way in hell. “Second, my head’s hard. I’ll be fine.” She opened her mouth, no doubt to protest, but I cut her off before she could get started. “It’s fine, pretty girl. Nothing is going to happen.”

I removed my hand, and her face dipped down. “You promise? Because I can’t… Hendrix, nothing can happen to you.”

Messed up as it sounds, I loved that she worried about me. Loved that she was terrified of something happening to me. Not because I wanted her to be worried or scared but because it meant she cared.

No one else had given a damn before.

Not until Maddie.

“It won’t.” I threw one leg over the bike’s seat. “Now get on.” Nodding, she placed her hands on my shoulders for support and climbed on. I wrapped my hand around her right calf. “Put your feet on the pegs, baby.”

She did. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Good girl. Now make sure you don’t touch the exhaust.”

“I won’t.” She wrapped her arms around my waist, and her hands rested on my abs. “I’ll be careful.”

“Alright. Hold on.”

Shifting my weight, I kick-started the bike. Maddie jerked as it came to life and the seat vibrated beneath us. Holding her wrists in my hands, I pulled her arms tighter. Her chest pressed into my back, and her hips moved forward. “Tight, Maddie. I don’t want you falling off.” She squeezed me tighter and shifted closer. Her warm thighs surrounded my hips, and she wrapped her hands up in the front of my shirt.

Shifting the bike into first, I twisted the throttle and released the clutch. We rocketed forward and Maddie screamed from behind me. Twisting the throttle harder, we picked up speed. Before long we were flying down the dirt path that led to my special place.

Soon to be our special place.

Maddie’s chest pulled away from my back as the clearing ahead came into view. I cursed under my breath at the loss of her warmth. I loved it when she touched me. I let back on the bike’s throttle, slowing us down as we cleared the woods and entered a grassy meadow. Waist high weeds slapped against my thighs, leaving behind wet streaks on my jeans as the bike pushed through the overgrown field. Reaching the edge, I stopped the bike and cut the engine.

Maddie jumped off and removed her helmet before tucking it under her arm. “Where are we?”

Her chestnut-colored hair glistened, and her porcelain skin glowed in the moonlight.

She was so damn beautiful.

Taking my helmet from her, I placed it back on the seat. Slipping her hand into mine, I pulled her along. “Come on. I’ve got something to show you.”

Maddie had only taken two steps when her feet lost traction on the damp grass and started to fall. Luckily, I caught her before she hit the ground.

I looked at her shoes. Fucking flip-flops. It’s all she ever wore.

Turning my back to her, I squatted down. “Hop on.” She didn’t hesitate. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she leaned against me and curled her legs around my waist. I stood up, taking her with me. Then we moved.

“I didn’t even know this was back here,” she said, her hands resting on my chest.

A stick snapped under my foot. “Few people do. There’s no reason for anybody to venture out this far.”

“How’d you find it then?”

By running from Pop. I wouldn't tell her that though. I didn’t want her mind going there. Not tonight. “Pure luck.”

She rested her chin on my shoulder, and I continued to walk, carrying her along with me. After a few minutes, a small hill came into view. “Are those train tracks?”

“Yeah.” I walked up the incline and stepped onto the tracks.

“What are we doing here? Tell me you aren’t planning on us hopping a train and running away because, if you are, you could have told me beforehand.”

“What’s wrong, pretty girl? Scared to run away with me?”

She scoffed. “No. I would have liked to pack some clothes and snacks though. I mean I doubt trains offer food to stowaways. And I would have needed to grab a couple of books. Can’t leave those behind.” Her reply shocked the hell out of me and I nearly tripped. I stopped walking and looked back at her, surprise etched all over my face.

“You sound like you’ve thought about this before.” Her eyes widened. It was almost comical. “You have, haven’t you?” I bounced her up and down a little to make her reply quicker. I wanted to hear what she had to say. Thinking that she’d possibly thought about running away with me did funny shit to my heart.

She looked away, a small smile playing on her lips. “I plead the fifth.”

I shook my head as I stepped onto the tracks and turned to the right.

Instantly, Maddie gasped. “What is that?”  She sounded panicked.

I kept walking. “What does it look like?”

She tightened her arms around my neck. “It looks like a terrible way to die!”

I chuckled and kept moving. “You won't die. You know I’d never do anything to put you in danger.”

“I know.” Her breathing sped up. “Are you sure it won’t fall?”

I nudged her thighs, and she unwound her legs from my hips. Feet on the ground, she unglued her arms from around my neck and let them fall to her side. “It won’t fall.” I offered her my hand and sighed in relief when she took it. “It was constructed to support a loaded freight train.”

“How high is it?”

I shrugged, looking from the trestle bridge to the water that flowed beneath it. “Around a hundred feet.” 

“It doesn’t have sides? Like, did they fall off or something?”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “No, baby. Most of them don’t have sides. At least not the ones built in the same era as this one.”

“And when was this one built?”

“1946.”

“1946? Holy crap! Are you positive it won’t fall?”

“I’m sure.” I tugged her hand and took a step. “Come on. You’ll love the view.”

“What if a train comes?”

“It won’t. These tracks haven’t been used for over a decade.”

“Hendrix, I swear if I fall and die I’m going to come back as a ghost and haunt you. And I don’t just mean tapping on walls and flipping light switches on and off either. I mean the kind of haunt you where I yank you out of bed while you’re sleeping and drag you into oncoming traffic.”

“You probably would.”

“I totally would.”

I looked down at her, and her green eyes met mine. Her mouth was set in a thin line as her chest rose and fell rapidly. “Don’t worry. You won't fall. Even if you did, you wouldn’t be able to haunt me because I’d be dead too.”

She froze, her eyes wide. “Why would you be dead too?”

I traced her bottom lip with my thumb. “Because a man can’t live without his heart. And you, pretty girl, are my heart.”