Chapter Twenty-Three
Isaac
Beth walked down the stairs with her face glowing. I looked past her, waiting for Maddie, but she wasn’t anywhere to be found. I was dying to see her in the new dress.
“Is she ready?” I asked Beth, who just nodded.
The sound of heels on the hardwood floor brought my eyes to the top of the stairs. Maddie appeared, her hair curled and loosely done up on her head. Tiny blonde ringlets dangled at her cheeks, and a side bang swooped across her forehead. Her lips were a beautiful shade of burgundy, like a fine wine, and her lashes so long I could see them batting nervously from the top step.
I was stunned by her beauty as she took the first step down the stairs with such grace and elegance. The slit in the gorgeous gown went all the way her thigh. Oh my! I couldn’t take my attention from her, and I was certain my mouth was hanging wide open. I didn’t deserve her. She was too much. She was perfect.
“You are stunning,” I gasped, extending my hand to her as she took the last step. The metallic embellishments on the dress made it pop, and every time light hit it, it sparkled. “I’ll be the envy of the event,” I smiled, leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. I didn’t want to smudge her perfect application; that was for later. Later, there’d be no rules, no nice guy. I’d smear that lipstick and rip that dress right from her. I didn’t care what it cost.
“You look so handsome,” she spoke softly, her blue eyes sparkling in the light.
Beth patted me on the back. “Why she loves you, I’ll never know,” she teased.
I smiled, but I couldn’t take my eyes from Maddie. She was so beautiful, so elegant.
Beth rushed us out of the door and into the car, complaining that if we didn’t go now, we’d end up on the living room floor, and all that money and work would be for nothing. She wasn’t wrong. My cock was already paying full attention to the beauty in its presence, and as soon as it could find a way to steal the rest of the blood it needed from my brain to take over, that dress was getting ripped off.
The valet took my keys as we pulled up the large banquet center. It was a tall building, designed to look like a castle. As Maddie slipped her hand through my arm, I felt like royalty entering the palace. Every head turned, and I knew all the men were drooling over the beauty on my arm.
Relief fell over me as I scanned the hall for anyone I might know. Elijah was my main concern. He was the one who talked me into this charity event years ago, and my complaining so badly about the boredom caused him to quit asking me to return. So, I had no way of knowing if he still attended. I could only hope he’d finally grown bored of the stuffy event as well.
“Would you like a drink?” I asked, grinning like a kid in a candy store as I turned to Maddie.
“Yes, please,” she replied so elegantly.
I left her by the main room, where she could be noticed by everyone who entered. She didn’t seem to mind the attention; in fact, that dress had given her a confidence I don’t think I’d seen on her since grade school.
At the bar, I ordered a white wine and a whiskey and was ready to make my way back to Maddie when someone slapped me hard on the back. “Fancy seeing you here again; thought it was a bore,” Elijah grumbled in my ear.
“Yeah, I thought I’d give it another try,” I smiled.
“Who’s the broad?” he smacked his lips as he talked.
I followed his eyes to Maddie and felt panic fall over me. “That’s Maddie,” I answered.
“The Maddie, the one you’ve pined over all these years?” he cheered.
I nodded but motioned for him to lower his voice. “There’s something I have to tell you,” I whispered.
“Okay, well, first I want to meet this lovely lady,” Elijah insisted, taking the white wine from my hand, and moving towards the spot where Maddie stood.
“Play along, and I’ll explain later,” I insisted as he gave me a strange look.
“You must be Maddie. Man, I’ve heard so much about you,” Elijah said, handing her the drink.
“Yes, and you are?” she asked, her eyes lingering on mine with confusion filling them.
“Elijah, only Isaac’s best friend, SEAL teammate, and mentor,” he boasted.
Maddie smiled, but her lips were stretched so thin, it was obvious she was frustrated. “Wow, look at that ring,” he roared, taking her hand in his.
“Yes, you helped me pick it out,” I laughed. “I think Elijah got here a little early and started off at the bar too fast,” I excused his behavior. “Can you excuse us for a moment while I help him find a coffee?” I pleaded, hoping she wouldn’t be too upset about me leaving her alone yet again.
I jerked Elijah’s arm towards the main room. “I tried to tell you I needed to talk to you before you just bounced over there,” I snarled.
“Okay, what is going on?” he asked, his expression serious. “Does this have to do with what was bothering you at breakfast?” he added.
“Yes,” I sighed.
I didn’t want to do it, but there was no other way now: I had to tell him the truth. I started from the beginning, how Maddie came here to hide from her abusive ex that wouldn’t leave her alone and didn’t stop until I got to the part where I had to take her to Portland after Christmas as promised, and she’d find out the truth and leave me for good.
“What am I gonna do?” I pleaded with him for some advice.
“You have to come clean. If she finds out on her own, that’s even worse,” he advised.
I knew he was right, but I didn’t really see the benefit of telling her on my own now. Too much time had passed. Enough time that I’d had ample opportunity to tell her the truth, or even parts of it, but I didn’t. It was too late. I’d have to let her find out on her own, and she could walk away from me forever if that’s what she felt she needed to do. I could only pray that the love we’d formed for one another over all these years and over the last weeks would be strong enough to bring her back to me.
“You really got yourself in a pickle this time,” Elijah sighed.
“I know,” I agreed.
“It doesn’t matter what I do now, or how I do it; she’s gonna hate me. I just want more time with her, as much as I can get. Please just go along with it,” I pleaded.
Elijah patted me on the back. “I’ve always got your back,” he boasted, just as Maddie walked up.
“You two okay?” she asked, her eyes filled with confusion.
“Yes. He was just messing around; he’s not drunk,” I laughed nervously.
Elijah extended his hand to Maddie. “You look stunning,” he smiled and lifted her hand to his lips for a kiss.
“I’m planning a Christmas dinner. I’m sure Isaac would love it if you joined us, I know I would,” Maddie proposed so sweetly, the devil himself couldn’t have refused the offer.
Elijah’s smile widened, and he got that damn look in his eyes that I hated. “Of course, I wouldn’t miss it,” he replied.
Yeah, he didn’t want to miss watching me fumble all over myself to keep up this lie. He knew I was the world’s worst liar, or at least I used to be. The motive to protect Maddie, and then to keep her in my life, somehow made lying come easily to me lately.
“Is your wife here?” Maddie asked, scanning the room.
“Not married. I can’t find a woman as beautiful as you,” he charmed.
He was a charmer, always was. The ladies loved him, and by the looks of Maddie’s blushing cheeks, she loved him too. Shit!
“I’ll leave you two to mingle. I’ve got to talk business with a couple of the bigwigs in here,” Elijah excused himself gracefully. I was relieved.
I’d have to call him after this and give him more details. I only had time to give him the basics, and I know it didn’t put me in the best light. That’s what I was afraid of with Maddie: she’d only see the bad decisions I made in this situation, not the reasons why, not the reasons that mattered.
“We’re having a Christmas dinner?” I asked Maddie once we were alone. I hadn’t heard about that, not once had she mentioned a Christmas dinner.
“Yes. I’ve been working on my cooking skills, and I wanted to surprise you. I just thought it would be nice if you had your friend there, and I invited Beth too,” she announced.
That was probably my last day as Maddie’s lover; why would I want anyone else there? I wanted her all to myself.
“That’s a great idea,” I fibbed to avoid hurting her feelings. The look in her eyes told me she was excited, and her happiness was all that mattered to me. We’d have that evening together, as long as they didn’t stay late. I’d make sure they left early.