Chapter Twenty-Three
Moon
Madison is waiting in our room when I’m finished with a few security details. I was extremely proud of how she handled herself in the earlier meeting. It doesn’t mean I’m not worried about what she’s been through. Her turnaround has been too quick. It’s possible she’ll take a step backward and hide in the dark again. If I dare mention that she’s delicate, I’ll be sleeping with Two Dogs for the foreseeable future.
She’s sitting on the bed staring at her toes and when she sees me, a small smile quirks her lips. “You’ve been very patient with me.”
“I love you,” I say simply and take her hand.
She looks away, which bothers me. “I need to tell you everything that happened,” she whispers so low I almost don’t make out the words. “I know I shouldn’t be ashamed. My rational brain tells me this, but the irrational part is having trouble.”
“Tell me when you’re ready, baby. I’ll be here.” I circle one arm around her back and she rests her head on my shoulder. “I just want it done and over with and I know that doesn’t make sense. Talking about it won’t make me forget.” She lifts her head and leans away so our eyes meet. “I love you and you need to know what happened,” she lifts her hand and places it over her heart, “is eating me alive. It’s like cement blocks on my chest making it hard to breathe. If only one is removed maybe I can breathe easier.” She puts her hands in her lap and stares down. “It might not. I just need to try,” she whispers.
“Start at the beginning,” I encourage gently. “I know you got in that car to save Cori. It doesn’t mean I’m happy about it, but I love you for who you are, and that woman would never let a friend suffer without trying to help.”
A small whoosh of air escapes her lungs. “They didn’t give me time to think or plan. It was come now or she dies. So stupid really, and that’s one part that’s bothering me.” She glances up. “My getting in that car didn’t help Cori.” I see the regret in her expression.
So not true, and I tell her so, though it kills me a little inside because I always want her safe. “Cori’s alive because of you. Fernandez would have made good on his threat. If you’d have called me, you never would have gotten out of that building and into Fernandez’s car and Cori would have died. I can honestly say I would protect you over Cori.”
She doesn’t blink and her anguish is real. “Cori thinks death would be better.”
“She might feel that way now, but give her time. Cori will always have a home with us.”
“She’s not a goat,” she chastises with another slight grin. “She needs her own life.”
“She’s a smart, stubborn, and beautiful woman like my wife. And if my wife becomes more active in my organization, she will need someone to run her successful escort business. Cori could do that while going to school.”
“School?”
“She wants to be a doctor.”
Madison stares at me like I’ve grown two heads. “A doctor?” she says, obviously stunned.
“She told me when I went to see her earlier. If she’s willing to work hard, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, I’ll make it happen.”
“You’d do that for her?” It’s sad that she doubts I would do whatever I could for all my employees. Madison lifts her hand and covers my lips with her fingers. “I take that back. Of course you would. I love you, Catch Xavier Moon.” She removes her hand and her expression changes once more. “There came a point where I stopped fighting him.” She’s switched away from Cori and is now talking about Fernandez. “It must be on the video and I need you to understand.” Her eyes go back to her lap and tears wash over her cheeks. “He liked it. He wanted me to fight and all I could do was take that small piece of evil joy away from him.” Her breath comes out in ragged gasps. “It killed me to do it. Maybe if I continued fighting, I could have stopped him.”
I need to kill that bastard twice. “Madison, no,” I say softly. “You did everything you had to do to stay alive and come back to me.” I pull her in closer to my side. “You were strong and brave. You killed a man in order to escape and you did it all on your own. I’m so damn proud that you’re my wife.” She continues crying and as much as the tears tear me apart inside, she needs them.
The bedroom phone beeps twice, signaling dinner. Madison wipes her eyes. I move to kiss her cheek, but she turns her face and her lips meet mine. The kiss deepens, and relief fills me. My wife is opening up and I know she’ll eventually be okay. Changed for all time, but she’ll be by my side.
With a slight moan, she pulls away from the kiss first. “Gabriella made my favorite and Cori’s coming to dinner too. We don’t want to be late.”
I tug a small section of her hair. “Dax and Sofia are coming too.”
“With the twins?”
“No, they’re keeping the kids on lockdown at their clubhouse. Dax has some information about Fernandez he wants to share and Sofia wants to visit you.”
“I want to be in the meeting with Dax.”
My slight chuckle fills the room. “Knowing Sofia, she already has the information or she’ll be in the room too.”
Madison nods. “After they’re gone, I need to watch the video.”
This one’s hard and I knew she would eventually ask. It’s not that I won’t show her, it’s just that it’s too soon. “You can wait a few more days if you need to.”
Madison stands up and faces me. “I need to see it and deal with it. Alone, please.”
I inhale slowly, pull her between my thighs, and bury my face in her stomach, breathing in her unique scent that always welcomes me home. Her hands circle my neck and she kisses the back of my head. She is my entire world. If she wants to do this alone, I’ll manage and wait on the other side when she needs me.