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He stares at them for several seconds before his eyes shift to me in horror. “Jesus Christ, Madison. I thought after everything you’d have grown the fuck up and made better choices. I didn’t love A.J. for you, but he was a hell of a lot better than trash like this.”
“My husband is the best man I’ve ever known—the love of my life. I never stopped loving him. You just made me think Iwas wrong because you thought you knew better. You thought you could control everyone and everything. That’s all Tobias, East, and I are to you. Puppets to be controlled. Minions to make you look better. Well, I’m done with it. They might be stuck with your name, but I’m not. I’m done with you.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying. What you’re bringing on yourself. If you think I’ll just sit back while you try to destroy my career and everything I’ve built with your unfounded bullshit accusations, all because your boy here can’t stay on his feet on the field…” He laughs, it’s sardonic as hell. Creepy even. “Well, you’re right. You’re not my daughter anymore. Never were a very good one.”
It stings like he wants it to, a bullseye to my already sore heart, but I’m not about to let on.
“You were never a good father. So I guess we’re even there.”
“I did everything for you. Paid for everything. You had everything you wanted. But that wasn’t good enough. You had to go and instigate your fucking brothers against me. All for what? So you could slut around with trash like him?”
I see Quentin’s fist ball up, and I grab his wrist just in time.
“Don’t!” I shout, disrupting his one-track mind. Quentin’s eyes glitter with rage but they turn to me. “He’s a washed-up old man with nothing left. He knows the end is near. And what was it you always said, Dad? Hit dogs holler?”
My dad shakes his head in response, a clicking sound from his cheek as he pulls his lips to the side and then meets my eyes.
“I always did think it was too bad that it was East instead of you who was born to that bitch in Vegas. Could have left you there with her and the rest of the trash in that city. You didn’t deserve everything I gave you. Such a selfish bitch.”
I squeeze Quentin’s wrist even tighter because I know he’s baiting him. Begging Quentin to throw a punch. It’s exactly what he wants. Thankfully Quentin listens to my silent plea.
“Ihateyou,” I say it with the kind of finality I know it has. That any hope for reconciliation,ifthere ever was any, between us is gone. I can see that understanding reflected in his face as he looks at me one last time.
“You’ll hate me more when I’m done destroying you both.” He turns his back and walks down the hall, taking the steps instead of waiting for the elevator. Quentin shuts the door behind him and turns to me, concern etched all over his face.
All the adrenaline surging in my body comes to a halt, and I suddenly feel so heavy—like I have a lead weight on my chest all of a sudden, and I’m a thousand feet under water. It’s only half a second before the tears come, and I collapse into Quentin’s arms.
“Jesus Christ, Madison. I’m so sorry.” He wraps his arms tight around me, and I bury my face in his chest.
“It’s fine. It’s who he is. It’s who he’s always been. I was just too blind to see it. I wanted him to be better than he was. I thought he could be. I should have known better,” I mumble into the cotton of his shirt.
“You didn’t deserve that. All that shit he said—it’s bullshit. You’re right. He’s guilty and he’s fucked. He knows it and he’s trying to make everyone as miserable as he is. He knows you’re better without him, and he hates it. But that’s on him. Not you. You know that?”
“I know. I know.” I hug Quentin tight. “But it still hurts so much to hear him say it.”
“I know it does. But you don’t ever have to see him again. Ever. Fuck, I might kill him if I see him again, honestly.”
“He’s not worth it, Quentin. He wants you to react. Was probably praying you’d hit him because it’d make everything easier for him. You can’t let him have that.” I pull back, searching Quentin’s eyes to make sure he’s hearing me. “Promise me.”
“I know. I promise. But I can fantasize about it.” He grins at me.
“That’s true.” I smile through my tears.
“I’m telling Tobias and Easton about this. Whatever the plan is, we’re fucking upping it tenfold after that.”
“He’ll just feed off it. It’s what narcissists like him do.”
“Well… we’ll figure out something. I’m not letting that go unanswered though. He doesn’t talk to you like that.”
“I love you,” I whisper before he hugs me tight again.
“I love you too.”
We stand like that for several minutes, and I can’t help but think how I’m the luckiest person on earth. To have this man who would fight for me to hell and back and take my side every single time. The kind of love where everything else in the world could be wrong, but I know that he’ll keep us safe. I’m not quite ready to let him go, but I’m also ready to collapse in a small heap on the floor.
“Ugh. That was exhausting. Now I feel like I have zero energy. All of it’s been sucked into his black hole of bullshit.”
“Want to watch a Jane Austen movie in bed until you fall asleep?” He kisses my forehead.
