Free Becoming Maddie (The Casterhouse series Book 1) by Hannah Gittins Page A

to them till she was alone, till she could spend them all and then pack.
    They didn’t know which way he was headed but she did. There was only one way he would go and that was to get her.
    “You don’t need to be scared.” Miller carried on. “All you need to do is get in touch with me if you see or hear from your ex-husband or Craig Chambers. I have no doubt that he will be caught and we will be speaking on the phone again in no time to say it is all over.”
    Maddie almost laughed but instead kept her hand over her mouth so that she didn’t sob.
    “I will give you my number just in case and will ring you again soon.” Detective Miller said and then gave her his number before hanging up.
    Gradually she lowered the phone but still kept her other hand to her mouth. The need to cry or laugh hysterically still bubbled up in her throat. Things were hard with Aiden being around but she had had fun. Watching Ethan play football and Rosie meeting Marvin. Then there was the joking and sharing with Sarah. For a couple of days there had been a friend in her life. Now she would have to leave it all behind and run.
    “Ruby?” Aiden said softly reaching up and taken her hand away from her mouth. “What was that about?”
    Her hands went up to look at his face but kept avoiding his eyes. She would not tell him, she would never tell him.
    “Ruby?” He said again with a bit more demanding. “Look at me and talk to me.”
    “Why do you call me Ruby?” she asked.
    Aiden frowned at her. This was clearly not what he wanted to talk about right now but it was all he was going to get.
    “When you share with me, I will share with you.” He said roughly.
    “I need to go home.” Maddie said totally ignoring his comment. So she wouldn’t know why he called her Ruby but it was more than worth it to not have him look at her with pity. She would rather he looked at her like he did now, with the annoyance of being shut down, than anything else.
    “Okay.” Aiden said taking her by surprise. Maddie had thought that he would put up a fight. Everything between them so far has been a fight so why has he given in so easily. “Go to the truck I will let Sarah and the kids know that something has come up.”
    Finally looking him in the eyes she said softly. “Thanks.” And she meant it. He held her hand and gave her some strength when she needed it. He was taking her home and doing it all without fighting with her.
    Aiden looked her in the eyes for a long moment before standing and helping her to her feet. One step at a time they made their way to his truck where he then helped her in and she didn’t complain. He left her for a moment and Maddie just sat perfectly still her mind swirling with thoughts and trying (but mostly failing) to come up with a plan. Before she was anywhere near with coming up with something Aiden was back and driving the truck to her flat. She needed to break down and cry her heart out then, and only then, would she be able to think clearly.
     
    * * * * * * * * * *
     
    Aiden let her have time in the truck to stew over her thoughts. Or whatever was going on in her mind. All he knew was that he was not going to let her run. She hadn’t said anything, she hadn’t needed to, besides it was written all over her face. She was already mourning the loss of her friends and life here. He would not let her leave. What Aiden was not going to do was study these feelings to close.
    Seeing her on the side-lines of the pitch had taken him by surprise. It wasn’t that he hadn’t planned on going looking for her again, because he was (oh yeah he was.) Aiden was not going to complain if a small bit of good luck came his way. Little did he know that that luck was going to keep coming? His star player Ethan was a neighbour of her’s (something he had learnt already) but they were going out for ice cream. Aiden had even managed to get himself an invite. Watching her get all wound up and bothered by being near him. It had been