Chapter Thirty-one
Cole
From the corner of my eye, I caught a ripple of activity ruffling the crowd like wind through wheat grass. A tingle of heat burned between my shoulder blades. I halted and turned, eyes skipping through the faces until they lit on one.
Madison.
She drew to a stop, a hesitant look on her face.
Her expression of uncertainty caught at my heart and squeezed tight. I started toward her, drinking her in, drowning in the sea of emotions that rushed through me, too numerous to follow. Hope. Despair. Need. Want. Love.
I tracked her every movement while she made her way to me, reeling from the effect of being so close to her again. On stage, Madison had been too beautiful for words. Up close, she was a complete devastation. Her scent gripped me hard. She smelled just like she looked. Clean and fresh and mouthwateringly sweet. A sense of calm settled over me.
I cleared my throat. “I want to talk to you. About us.”
Now the moment was here, I didn’t know how to put everything I felt for Madison into words.
“About us?” One brow rose.
“I’ve been an idiot. A total fucking idiot.” The words tumbled out. I shook my head as her eyes widened. Shit. This wasn’t how I wanted to explain everything. Not here. Not like this. “Can we go somewhere else?” I suggested. “There’s a hotel close by we both know.”
A small frown bit into her forehead, her brows pulling together. The chill of defeat rolled over me. Despite running after me, she was reluctant to go any further. I rubbed at my chin, glancing around the room, trying to find the answer. My gaze lit on the spot Jess had been in not five minutes ago. She’d gone. Disappeared. And I didn’t even care. I was right where I needed to be. Now, I just had to convince Madison she was in the right place too. With the right person.
“Do you trust me?” I offered my hand, an invitation to join with me.
Madison hesitated a moment and I held my breath. Waiting.
She looked up at me, the hurt in her eyes so clear I felt it like a knife to the chest. “I think the question is more about whether you trust me.”
“With all of my heart.” My voice cracked as I spoke the words that had never been truer. I tightened my hand around hers, gripping so hard I was scared I would crush her fingers, yet unable to find the courage to let go.
“So, will you come with me?”
Her eyes met mine, dark and smoldering. “Yes.”
My heart started hammering and it wasn’t for fear of what to say anymore. The way Madison was looking at me, we needed to go. Now. Otherwise Patricia St. James might just get more of a spectacle than she bargained for.
It was Madison who guided me out through the dressing room. Mostly deserted, backstage was stark and bare away from the glamour of the ballroom. Giving into the temptation to touch, I put my arm around her back as we found our way outside. The brush of her skin was a sizzle of heat against my palm, sending a flurry of warmth to pool in my gut. Harden my cock.
My grip tightened and she looked up at me. The corners of her mouth curled upward and her breath blew against my cheek, sending shivers of desire scudding down my spine.
“I dreamed of you,” I told her.
“You’ve been in my thoughts too.”
“I don’t take it lightly, what you’ve done,” I started. My head was swimming, lightheaded with hope. I fumbled with words that should have come naturally, impatient to have her back in my arms and never let go. “I can see you’ve been struggling…to get away from your position. Your wealth…power…everything I thought I hated about you.” I tried to cup her face but she started to pull away. “I was wrong about that,” I tried to explain, conscious I was fucking it up. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to say I know what you meant, about the life you’re stuck in. Thomas and Logan too, no doubt.” I was surprised to feel a pang of sympathy for my cousin. And Logan. The man who had sent Madison rebounding into my arms. “I’ll be with you, wherever you are. Whoever you choose to be. I don’t care if you’re Lady Madison or lowly Madison, you can live your life however you want, as long as I can be a part of it.” My voice faltered. “I need to be a part of it.”
Time and again, Madison had proved her belief in me. She had stepped up and claimed my heart. She deserved so much more than I could give her…but I’d spend a lifetime proving my worth if she’d let me.
“I see you for who you really are,” I said. I crushed Madison’s fingers, fearful she would run if I let go. “I feel who you are,” I whispered hoarsely.
Madison said nothing for a long moment. Then she reached up and pressed her lips to mine, our breath melding us together. It felt so good.
Right.
Before I could lose myself, Madison pulled back and slipped her fingers in mine. She looked up at me and squeezed my hand in return.
“I see you too,” she said.
And there was only truth between us.