Chapter Twenty-three
Cole
As I stepped Madison through the proposed shopping center, I couldn’t help but sneak looks at her.
Was she playing up to me?
I rucked a hand through my hair. She seemed interested; asking questions and exclaiming over my description of the entrance foyer, adding her own little tweaks to my planned light and water fountain. Whereas I knew her idea of a mall was probably gold-plated designer shops with a platinum card entrance fee, this was just dirt and dreams.
A dream which might never be realized if Russell and Thomas Langford got their way. I lost hold of the bitter thought when Madison tugged on my arm to ask where the escalators would be.
I hadn’t expected her to act like this. But then, I hadn’t expected to find her cozied up with that fucker, Logan, either. Finding them together had been a shock to the system.
And my first reaction hadn’t been anger.
I shoved my hands into my pockets. She’d looked fantastic—a consummate professional with her hair sleek and glossy, knotted at her nape, a knee-high skirt above long, bare legs. I’d nearly lost it right then at Crovens. A part of me had screamed she was mine…and a part of me had been proud at the professional vision she created. I’d caught a glimpse of the Madison she was on her way to becoming. And it had cut deep to realize I wasn’t part of it.
The knowledge still pricked at my ego, knowing she’d gone running off to Logan as soon as she’d needed something.
I sneaked another sideways glance. Madison was gesturing as to where she’d like to see Tiffany’s and Michael Kors. Right next to Lululemon.
How many other rich women would dance about an empty lot in bare feet? Strike that. How many women, rich or not, would do that? I shook my head. Madison was the ultimate contradiction.
I wanted to learn more about her, was beginning to wonder if she held the key to me having someone more permanent in my life. My heart beat louder just contemplating what that might mean. And that was when I realized, I wanted to trust her. I wanted her to be the one.
Which was dangerous. Because I still hadn’t worked out how good her game face was…or if she even had a game face. I was either the luckiest men alive or the stupidest.
“So, what do you think?” She turned to me, excitement a wide, open grin on her lips.
The ache in my throat eased. “I think you missed your calling.” I twined my fingers in hers. “Maybe you should be an interior decorator.”
Madison surprised me by laughing. “So just because I used to be a beauty queen, I’m supposed to have impeccable taste?” She grinned. “Not me. I have terrible fashion sense.”
“No.” I refused to believe it. “What about your apartment?”
“Mother picked everything.”
“What about what you’re wearing now?” I looked her up and down appreciatively. “That looks pretty nice.”
“Pretty nice cost at least twelve hundred dollars, I’ll have you know. But alas, it was put together by my mother. She coordinates all of my clothing, so I won’t mess up. It’s all preassembled.” She laughed at my dumbfounded expression.
“Okay then, Cinderella,” I challenged. “It’s the night of your prom and you can pick anything in my mall.” I swung open the imaginary doors. “What would you like to wear?”
Madison smile faltered and her brow furrowed. “I’m not sure. I never went to my prom.”
“Why not?” This did shock me. I had visions of Madison swathed in silky gold, her hair bundled on top of her head, gliding across the dance floor like a glittering swan among the rest of the high school ducklings. She would have been dripping with jewels and senior boys.
“I was probably at some beauty pageant or other.” She shrugged as if it didn’t really matter.
But I could tell it did. “I bet you had heaps of guys lining up for a date?” I teased.
Madison glanced away. “Not really. Most of them were too frightened to ask. My mother scared away the rest.” She laughed depreciatively. “No one was good enough for me.”
I wanted to say, “So what?” At least she’d been at school. Unlike Jess, who’d never gotten to her prom either. But looking at Madison now, so beautiful and open and tinged with sadness, I realized it couldn’t have been much of a life. No freedom. No choices.
I rubbed my thumb across the back of her hand. “I would have asked,” I said, knowing it was the truth, even if it would have been for the wrong reasons.
Madison snorted. “My mother would have thrown a blue fit.”
I lifted a brow. “But would you have said yes?”
“Yes. I do believe I would have.”
And that was all that mattered. Madison would have given me a chance. Shit, she was giving me a chance right now, wasn’t she? She hadn’t gone running back to her mother. She was trying to build herself a life, doing things she never dreamed of. My dream had a plan and a team of professionals who knew what they were doing. Madison was tackling everything on her own.
Or nearly on her own.
“Come on.” I tugged on her hand, drawing her back to the car. “You promised me an ice cream.”
My phone was flashing and beeping a blue fit in the middle console. I fished it out, intending to ignore it, until I noticed there were three missed calls. All from Marcus. All in the last five minutes.
“Let me just take this.” I apologized, thumbing the icon to return his call. “I won’t be long.”
“Take as long as you want.” Madison said from the passenger seat.
“Marcus?” I took a few steps away from the car.
“Where the fuck have you been?” He answered abruptly.
I blinked. “I’m out at the site.”
“Well, you better get your ass over here.”
“I’ve got Madison with me.” I threw a glance sideways then checked my watch. “We can be there in fifteen—”
“No.” Marcus cut me off. “There’s something you need to see. Alone.”
“Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can—”
“Good.” Marcus’s breath huffed down the line. “And whatever you do, don’t bring Madison.” He hung up.
I frowned at my phone.
“Everything okay?” Madison sent me a worried look.
I gave a half-laugh, half-shrug. “Yeah. I’m sure everything’s fine. Marcus is overreacting.” Marcus. Cool, calm, levelheaded Marcus. I swallowed. “I’ll take a rain check on the ice-cream and drop you home. It looks like I have business to attend to.”
* * * * *
Marcus had been right to warn me.
I stared at the computer screen, reading and re-reading the name sticking out like dogs balls among the list of Salamond Directors.
Russell Langford
Ernest Daniels
Patricia St. James
Each time I saw the letters that made up Madison’s mother’s name, it was like taking a punch to the gut.
“St. James is a patron of the historical preservation society,” Marcus had explained. “Which gives Salamond Holdings a lot more credence than just a group of pissed-off businessmen.”
“Her involvement means this claim will be taken seriously.” My voice rang hollow in my ears as all of the pieces of the puzzle clicked together in my mind.
“Yeah. She’s razor-sharp and lethal,” Marcus cautioned. He threw me an apologetic look. “Its six o’clock and I have to meet Abby. Why don’t you take some time to get your head in order, then we’ll come up with a plan.”
“Yeah. Sure.” I said the words, but my mind was reeling. I waved Marcus away. “Go ahead. I’m fine.”
Marcus left and I lowered my head into my hands, the fight draining out of me. Madison. Was she involved with her mother?
If so, I’d just been taken on the biggest ride of my life.
If?
Hell, the evidence stared me straight in the face. Her interest in seeing the mall today, the fact she was working for Logan, giving her access to my plans. She admitted she’d read them.
I didn’t want it to be true.
But everything pointed to her involvement.
I picked up the phone and dialed half of her number before forcing myself to hang up. My hands shook from holding back. I had to know, but it was better to wait. I closed my eyes, knowing a part of me couldn’t trust my reaction to her anyway. Her sweet voice would come on the line, filling my head with her lies, lust tangling in my brain to confuse me.
I had fallen for Madison, or at least the woman I had come to know over the last week. I wanted her to be that person and it would rip something inside of me if it turned out to be a lie.
And if it was a lie? She was a lot better at hiding her true self than I had ever imagined. From her innocent act in the bar, right through to her fake friendship with Jess…
My hands tightened into fists, every muscle screaming out with tension. I forced myself to sit back and clear my mind. Think things through.
If Madison was involved, this presented a near perfect opportunity to find out what good old Uncle Russell and his cronies were up to. I had to go back to Madison and pretend everything was all right.
If she could play me, I could play her twice as hard.
After all, I’d just learned a lesson from the best.