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“He had his phone out. What if he took a picture?” Her chin quivers.
“I’m sure it was coincidence, but I’ll make sure.” I hug tightly. “It’ll be okay.”
With her slightly put at ease, I tell Elijah to get back inside and I deal with my son.
“Give me your phone.” I extend my hand.
“Too late.” He laughs and reaches to slip it in his back pocket.
My son may be a cocky-ass med student, but he’s forgetting his place.
I step closer. Our stares lock, a face-off. Now is not the time for him to cross me, or Madison. I’ve failed to teach him how to treat a woman, and I’ll own that. He has no excuse for not being a decent human being, though.
I pace my words. “Give me your phone.”
“Worried I got a picture? Your secret will get out? How long has that been going on?” Brett looks over my shoulder.
Mint wafts over me as I realize Madison is in the doorway.
“Don’t fight. It’s all my fault.” The worry in her voice makes me boil with rage. I remind myself this is my son. I’ve been at odds with him for years. His mother planted seeds against me that were hard to combat. That’s why I’d been sure the only reason he chose to live with me was because of Madison.
“None of this is your fault, Madison. Go inside.” My palm is no longer open for Brett to put his phone in my hand. A balled fist takes its place and if Madison hadn’t just stopped me, I might have forced the issue.
My son smirks. “Fault…no, but this is even better than I had planned.”
She steps beside us. Damnit. I don’t want her anywhere near my scumbag son. When she shrugs off Elijah’s attempt to put his arm around her shoulders, he positions himself between Madison and Brett.
I grab the phone to keep myself from shattering his face. I have to fix this for my baby girl.
“Don’t forget that I still pay for this.” I hold the phone up.
“Doesn’t matter. Doctor Shepherd now knows that his perfect little girl has a dirty secret.”
“What?” she shrieks.
“Med school’s hard. Got to do what it takes to get ahead, right Dad? Isn’t that your business mantra?”
“Cheating and blackmail have never been my mantra.”
“Do your best, and then some. Be shrewd. No way I would have put up with Madi so long if her daddy wasn’t one of the top doctors in the nation, which you made sure I knew from the moment I said I wanted to be a doctor.”
My hands fly to my son’s neck so fast his phone is still in my hand. I have him pinned against one of the deck columns before I can see anything but red. His fingers claw against my arms.
How dare he use Madison. How dare he twist my words.
“Stop!” Madison pleads.
I glance to the side. The hurt in her eyes is geared toward me as Elijah restrains her.
Everything is wrong. Devastation forces my hands from Brett’s neck.
“I’m sorry, Madison. He’s twisting my words. I never meant for him to use you or hurt you.”
Tears stream down her face and Elijah’s hold on her loosens. A distance has grown between us, even as she’s marked by my release from moments before. Possibly carrying my baby. My world is falling apart.
“I have to make sure my dad doesn’t get that message.” She shrugs from Elijah’s grasp and runs, taking all of the air in the world with her.
Elijah slams a hand across my chest when I start to follow. “You won’t help anything by going.”
