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Joy laughed, affectionately kissing her daughter’s head. “What happened, jellybean? Blood pressure?”
Madison shook her head, exchanging a subtle glance with Stone. The last thing she needed was her mother panicked and moving in.
Sex while bearing twins—challenging. Sex with your mother in the next room. Impossible.
“Just low blood sugar. I think my little vampires are in feeding mode.” She blinked sweetly. “I could use some crackers. And maybe a chocolate bar.”
Joy cupped Madison’s cheeks lovingly. “One plate of s’mores, coming right up.”
Madison playfully nudged Jess. “Why don’t you help Mom? It’ll give me and Stone a chance to catch up.”
Jess frowned, clearly dissatisfied but understanding, her unspoken demand for details passing between them. Madison could practically hear the invisible plea from her friend:Tell me everything!
Nodding in silent agreement, Madison crossed a finger over her heart.
As the women left the room, Stone pulled a chair beside her, his senatorial poker face in full effect.
“Spill,” Madison insisted. Stone was a fortress of hidden secrets, always knowing more than he let on, never revealing a word. Would today be any different?
He leaned in, his piercing blue eyes vibrant with intrigue as he straightened the locket around her neck. “Your demands are misdirected. You should talk to your husband.”
“But you do know something.” Of course, he did.Masterminds always do.
Madison’s eyes locked onto Stone’s, searching for the tiniest crack in his facade.
For a moment, he paused, as if contemplating what he might reveal—his expression poised like an Olympic diver ready to execute a perfect swan dive.
But in the blink of an eye, his features hardened, his walls fortified, and Madison’s shot was gone. Sitting tall, he straightened his tie. “The secrets I hold, I take to the grave.”
Frowning, she narrowed her eyes. “Spoil sport,” she muttered under her breath, a mix of amusement and annoyance lacing her words.
Untimely as ever, Joy and Jess returned to the room, bearing a feast fit for an army. Quick as a fox, Stone made a hasty escape, offering his parting words to Jess. “Mark has my number, if anything comes up.”
Markwas Mark Donovan, a billionaire ex-sniper with a penchant for helicopters and a burning desire to flee the chaotic streets of Manhattan for his idyllic mountain retreat. Not only was he Alex’s best friend, but he also happened to be Jess’s husband.
It made Madison wonder if Mark had an inkling into this sliver of Alex’s past. But for now, she was content to let the curiosity simmer.
They all smiled at his remark. It was sweet, really. Stone was worried, and men like him rarely worried.I mean, he’s not worried enough to spill any Alex Drake beans, or anything, but still.
Surprisingly, Jess didn’t press him further. Instead, she nodded, fully understanding the unsaid implications, and reassured him with a warm hug. “I will.”
With one final glance in Madison’s direction, Stone vanished from sight, leaving her with a furrowed brow and a lingering sense of unease. Something about his departure didn’t sit right with her—her intuition whisperingsomething’s wrongin her ear.
“What’s bothering you, jellybean?” Joy inquired, extending a s’more toward Madison with a concerned grin.
Madison shrugged, savoring the delectable treat as she pondered the situation. Even in the midst of uncertainty, it wasn’t like Stone to cut bait and bail.
Something was off. Something she couldn’t put her finger on…
“Shit,” Madison muttered under her breath.
“What’s wrong?” Joy’s voice loud with concern, placing an instinctive hand to Madison’s pregnant belly.
“No, I’m alright, it’s just…” Leave it to Stone to pull a classic operative move—distracting everyone with charm and kisses while exiting, stage left, with the goods.
Damnit, he was right. Magicians are terrifying. He just made that one trace of Alex’s past and potential fatherhood vanish into thin air.
The weight of the missing clue settled heavily on her shoulders, leaving her determined to uncover the truth.
