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“Um…” His words are incomprehensible in my spinning mind. I can’t force myself to concentrate on them, let alone think about Brandon’s reaction to all this. “Yeah, okay. If you think it’s the right time.”
“I do. I guess I owe him the truth.” He kisses my temple gently. “You don’t need to worry about it, though. I’ll make this right, and we can finally figure this thing out without anything getting in the way.”
I make another mangled sound of agreement, but all I can think of is the way my heart is beating out of its chest. After all this time, I’m still damaged. Still terrified.
More than that, I’m angry. Elio has always, and will always, believe he has a right to control me.
“Speaking of Monday,” I say, “I’m going to need to take the afternoon off. Dentist appointment. Do you think your mom can stick around a few days?”
“I couldn’t get rid of her even if I tried. That’s no problem.” He frowns a final time, tilting my chin to meet my unsteady gaze. “Are you sure that you’re okay, baby?”
I nod.
I will be, I think. Just as soon as Elio is out of my life for good.
CHAPTER28
Roman and Madison
o o o
Roman
Brandon isn’t at his desk when I go to talk to him on Monday morning. Instead, he barges into my office just before eleven and slams a copy of the New York Times on my desk. Taking a deep breath, I look down at the page, already knowing what I’ll find.
The headline reads: Hunky billionaire isn’t afraid of PDA as he introduces his new wife at a recent gala. Beneath are multiple images of Madison and me looking anything but fake as we enter the venue and kiss on the dance floor.
If Brandon believed me when I told him this was for publicity, he must surely know better now. What we feel for each other is crystal clear in these photos, our expressions of intent and sultry.
“I wanted to be the one to tell you.” My voice shakes just slightly. I clear my throat to hide it.
Brandon is red-faced and seething. I’m surprised I can’t see the steam coming from his ears. Any hope of him being happy for us dissipates quickly. Even the vein throbbing in his temple looks disgusted by me. “You told me again and again that I didn’t have to worry. That you weren’t interested! You told me this was just an act to get the deal with Reid!”
I fold my hands together as calmly as I can manage, though everything inside me feels one hit away from shattering. I have no excuses, but I have no apologies either. Madison is important to me. I tried to push her away, to pretend otherwise, but it was fruitless. How can I be sorry for the best part of my life?
“I know. I regret that I wasn’t honest, Brandon. I was trying…”
“Trying what? Trying to fuck my sister?” he spits with bared teeth. “She’s your son’s nanny, for God’s sake! How low can you get? Who’s next? Your secretary? The next waitress who takes your order?”
Anger ripples through me. I stand up to meet his level, the edge of my desk digging painfully into my palms. “Don’t. Why do you assume the worst of me?”
“I know you.” His eyes are so full of disdain that, for a moment, I don’t recognize him anymore.
“Then you should know I would never risk our friendship for just anyone. Madison and I realized that our feelings aren’t going away. We’re serious about this, and so, yes, I betrayed you. I lied. But if you think I’m just doing this because I can’t control myself, you’re dead fucking wrong, Brandon.”
He shakes his head, glaring at the newspaper article once more. “I trusted you.”
“You, of all people, should know that falling for somebody who’s off-limits isn’t easy?—”
“Falling?” he repeats, his eyes widening. And then, a cruel laugh falls from him, sharp and unfamiliar. “You’re actually convincing yourself that this is real, aren’t you? What the fuck, Roman!”
“It is real!” I bite back ferociously, jabbing my finger on the photos of us. That he could think that I’m messing around when my admiration for his sister is written like ink on every single image is beyond me. I have never looked at a woman like this before. I’ve never been so disgustingly love-sick that I may as well be in a moon-eyed trance.
“She’s twenty-six years old!” Brandon’s voice echoes around the office now, and I’m certain we’ll be drawing a crowd outside the door. “Her life has barely even fucking started, and you’re taking advantage of her! You’re using her to feel good about yourself!”
Cold, inescapable silence runs between us. My jaw aches, my molars grinding to stumps as I glare at him for seconds, minutes. I can’t believe he would think this of me, after everything we’ve been through. He is the only person I trusted with the most secret parts of my life. With Leo.
But he isn’t the only person anymore. She is.
