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“Of course you could.” Eden glanced at the boxes. “But until you get a job, there’s a secondhand store right down the street that will give good money for designer clothes, purses, and shoes.” When Madison opened her mouth to argue, Eden held up a hand. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
Madison sighed. “You’re right, but I don’t think a secondhand store will give me enough to rent an apartment.”
It took only a second for Eden to make a decision. “Then you’ll move in with me.”
Madison’s eyes widened and then filled with tears. “You’d let me live with you?”
Eden felt her own eyes grow watery. “Of course. What are friends for?”
Getting Madison to part with her designer clothes wasn’t easy. Everything had some sentimental value. Freddie had given her the Hermès scarf and Harry the Versace shoes and George the Gucci purse. Finally, Eden gave her two big boxes and told her she could keep whatever she could fit inside. They were bulging at the seams by the time Madison got through squeezing all her must-haves in, but Eden considered the afternoon a success when they ended up with four boxes of clothes, purses, and shoes that they could sell. The owner of the secondhand store was thrilled to get the designer clothes, especially when some still had the tags on them, and gave Madison good money for them.
“See, all you needed was a plan,” Eden said as she climbed into Madison’s Mercedes and handed her the stack of cash. The car, which had been a gift from Freddie, would probably have to be sold for something cheaper and more economical. But figuring that Madison had parted with enough for one day, Eden decided to wait to break the news. Which turned out to be a smart move, because as soon as Madison took the money she burst into tears.
“I don’t want money,” she sobbed. “I want my Versaces.”
Not knowing what to do, Eden tried bribery. “How about a chocolate éclair? My treat.”
They drove to a nearby pastry shop, and it took two éclairs to make Madison stop crying over the clothes she sold. Although she refused to completely give up on them. “Do you think if I get a job at an art gallery, I can buy some of them back?” She pulled a napkin from the dispenser in the middle of the table and wiped the chocolate from her fingers.
It wasn’t likely that any of the designer clothes would still be there or that Madison could afford them on a starting salary, but Eden kept that to herself. “Of course you can. Once you get established at your new job, you can buy your own designer clothes. And didn’t you tell me that your father loves to buy you expensive things for your birthday?”
Madison looked down at the crumbs on the table. “Before I move in with you, there’s something I have to tell you. I wasn’t exactly truthful about what my life has been like. I mean it hasn’t been all wine and roses.”
Eden covered Madison’s hand that rested on the table and squeezed it. “It’s okay, Maddie. You don’t have to tell me all your secrets just because you’re moving in with me.”
“I know, but I want to.” She released her breath. “I lied to you about my family. My father isn’t a wealthy preacher, and my mother was never on the PTA board. My dad left before I was born, and my mom was so dirt poor that she could barely afford to feed her six kids. Which probably explains why she went through so many men—she was looking for anyone to take care of her and her brood. And I guess I followed in her footsteps. I’m willing to prostitute myself for security. Unfortunately, as it turned out, I’m not secure at all.”
For a moment, Eden was speechless. Her newspaper story had been right in front of her all this time and she hadn’t even known it. If she had been a hard-core reporter, this would’ve been the time to ask questions—to delve into all the sordid details. But Stella was right. Eden wasn’t a hard-core reporter. Because she didn’t care about a story as much as she did about her friend.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Madison nodded. “I guess I just didn’t want you to think badly about me because I’d had sex with men for my own gain—something you would never do.”
Eden could’ve kept her mouth shut, but it was hard to when Madison looked so forlorn. And when Eden was far from perfect. “I had sex with the Dark Seducer.”
Madison stared at her. “You what?”
“I had sex with the Dark Seducer. Not intercourse but oral sex—well, one time it was oral and the other he used his hand—”
“Oh my God,” Madison said. “I’m so sorry, Eden. Chloe promised me that he wouldn’t touch you. If I had thought for one second that he would force himself on you, I never would’ve let you go.”
“He didn’t force me. I wanted him to touch me.”
“You wanted a pervert to touch you?”
“He’s not a pervert. He’s just a guy who needs help.” The truth of her words made Eden realize that, regardless of the story, she was going to help Nash. She had to. She also had to tell someone else her secret. “If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell another living soul? I mean you have to swear it.”
The smile that spread across Madison’s face was as bright as the afternoon sun. “We really are BFFs, aren’t we?”
Eden grinned. “I guess so. Now do you promise?”
Madison nodded, and then lifted a hand. “I swear on my grandmother’s grave.”
Glancing around at the other patrons in the pastry shop, Eden leaned closer. “The Dark Seducer is one of the panty billionaires.”
Madison burst out laughing. “That’s a good one, Eden.”
“I’m not kidding. Nash Beaumont is the Dark Seducer. That’s why he was at The Lemon Drop that night. He had used the phone I left in the hotel room to find me.” Madison’s mouth formed a perfect O as she stared at Eden. When she didn’t speak, Eden prompted her. “Aren’t you going to say something?”
