Play with the Phantom (Midnight, #2)

by Amanda Richardson

“But seriously,” she says between bites, “I get that Maddox is a lot. Prison time, the smirking, the stalker-ish ‘you’re mine forever’ energy⁠—” “Super intense,” I mutter, nodding. “—but also? I bet he looks at you like he’d burn the whole goddamn world to the ground just to make you smile. And I say this as someone who married a man with a similar vibe, it’s fucking terrifying. But it’s also the most powerful thing in the world when it’s real.” I blink at her, emotion prickling at the backs of my eyes. “You think it’s real?” “I think you think it is. And that’s enough.” She pauses, watching me. “But also? You’re scared shitless.” “I am,” I whisper, and it feels like a confession. She grabs my hand and squeezes. “Good. That means it matters. The right kind of love doesn’t always feel safe. Sometimes it feels like a hurricane you can’t survive. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe it breaks down all the bullshit so you can finally build something real.”