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Becks is a senator. I’m sure he has better things to worry about than his little sister getting drunk and getting married,” Scarlet responds, and I nearly get up and leave right then and there. But the look Jules gives me stops me in my tracks.
“There is nothing more important to Becket than his family, Scarlet. Easton and Lindy arebothhis family. Don’t forget this man you all want to vilify for marrying Lindy isn’t a villain. You know him, and you love him. Try to keep that in mind.” She throws me a quick look which holds a hint of defiance, then turns back to the table. “Becket’s already spoken to Easton.”
“Good for Becket.” Mom looks so hurt, I almost feel bad.Almost. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Is he filing for the annulment?”
Jules looks at me again but answers my mother. “Not yet. Easton and Lindy are both adults. If they want an annulment, they know who to talk to. But neither of them has asked for one yet, and I have to think there’s a reason for that.”
“What kind of reason could there be for not annulling a quickie Vegas wedding? She was clearly drunk in the pictures,” Scarlet demands. “Nothing good happens in Vegas.”
“You got pregnant with Killian in Vegas, if I remember correctly, Scarlet,” Lenny jumps in.
My head snaps to Lenny.
Do I have a sister on my side?
“I’m not saying my son was a mistake, Eleanor. But you’ve got to remember how difficult those next few months were. Everyone was furious.”
“And by the end of the summer, you were in love, married, and about to give birth. You were happy, Scar. Sometimes things happen because they’re supposed to.” Lenny reaches over and squeezes my hand.
Holy hell.I’ve got an ally.
“I was an adult with a career and life experience on my side,” Scarlet bites back, and my mom nods her head.
“Madeline, honey. You’re still so young and so sheltered. That’s my fault, but it doesn’t change the fact that we’ve never forced you to be an adult.” I can’t look at my mom by the time she’s finished speaking.
Anger fuels me when I can finally speak. “By the time you were my age, you were a widow with a baby. Lenny was living with Bash at twenty-three. Amelia was marrying Sam.” I look around the table, and Jules shakes her head.
“Don’t look at me. I was living my life, working my way through the hottest runways with the most in-demand designers in the world at twenty-three. Your brother came into my life when he was supposed to. When we were ready for each other.” She turns and squeezes Mom’s hand. “I think you need to let Lindy and Easton decide what they’re ready for, Ashlyn.”
“You don’t get to tell me what I need to do with my daughter,” Mom snaps back with an icy tone I’ve rarely heard her use and never with Jules.
“I need everyone to stop and listen to me.” I’m proud of how steady I manage to keep my voice, even though I feel like I could scream or cry at any moment. “I’ve let you all treat me like the baby my entire life. And I get it. To you, I’ll always be the baby of the family. Even though I have nieces and nephews nearly my age and others who might as well still be in diapers, they’re so much younger. But for some reason, it made you all feel good to baby me, and I let you.”
“Madeline—” Mom interrupts, but I cut her off.
“No, Mom. I can’t even go anywhere without a bodyguard. Does anyone else have that?”
“I do,” Scarlet says. “And so does Max.”
“You’re both the faces of the company,” I argue.
“Caitlin and I both have bodyguards, Madeline. But I’m aware we’re a little different,” Amelia says softly. “And you are high-profile. You have to be more careful than most of us. People are crazy. We all know that, you especially.”
Amelia’s husband, Sam, owns the security company my bodyguards all work for. I get that she’d know better than most what I need, but I just don’t care. I’m past that point. “I appreciate that. I really do. But I’m done asking for you all to treat me like an adult who can make her own decisions and live her own life. Do what you want. But I’m no longer asking. I shouldn’t have to.” I stand up and look at Charles, who’s tucked into the corner of the room. “Charles.”
His head pops up, and he attempts to act like he hasn’t been able to hear every word we’ve said.
“You’re fired.”
“Sorry, Miss Kingston. But I don’t work for you.”
“You don’t,” I agree. “But if you follow me out of this shop, I’m going to call the police and tell them you’re harassing me.” I slap my hand against the table and startle everyone. “None of you have asked me. Not one of you. I said this a few days ago, and you still haven’t asked me.”
I shove the big chair out of my way and grab my purse. “Maybe if one of you had bothered to ask me what I wanted, this would all have gone differently. But you didn’t. So here’s how it’s going to go. I have my own money, my own job, and my own condo. I own my own stock in King Corp. John Kingston might not have ever been a father to me before he died, but he set me up so I can lead an independent life without ever having to worry about how I support myself. If I want to teach baby skaters forever, I can. I don’t have to ask you for anything. I never have. So you no longer get a say in my life.”
I look around at my mom and sisters and stop on Lenny. “Except for Len. She at least gave me the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you should all try that.”
“Madeline...” Mom’s voice shakes, but I’m past the point of caring.
