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Certainty settles in me. He can spew whatever bullshit narrative he wants to make him feel better about this, but I know the truth.
“Your sister is the strongest, bravest woman I’ve ever met. I couldn’t take advantage of her if I tried, and I wouldn’t want to. Despite what you believe, Brandon, I am…” I take a shaky breath. Am I really going to say this out loud? “I’m falling in love with her. I wake up thinking about her. I dream about her. I watch her with Leo and I imagine a long, happy future with her, and I think she wants that, too. I think she’s the one. I understand that you’re hurt, and you’re angry, but don’t undermine your sister’s say in this. I might not deserve much, but she deserves some respect. Especially considering that you caused the same hurt you currently feel, whether you choose to admit it or not.”
Brandon recoils as though I hit him. I don’t care. If I’m going to lose him, I’m going to make sure he walks out of here knowing all the facts. Knowing how I truly feel.
“I wish I could believe you, but you’re getting awfully good at lying to me these days.” He takes a step back, his fists clenched at his sides. “I quit! I can’t work for you anymore, and I sure as hell can’t be your friend. When this all comes crashing down, don’t you dare come knocking on my door. Either of you.”
My entire body burns with frustration. “You’re being childish.”
“You’re being a fucking asshole.” He flips me his middle finger and then slams the door behind him, leaving me in a silence so uncomfortable it feels like it’s scraping away my skin. I shake my head, collapsing back into my seat before standing up again a minute later.
I can’t be here. I need to talk to Madison, tell her what went down. As I yank on my blazer, I get a text from a number I’ve never made use of before.
Chloe.
For a moment, I think she’s already heard the news, but then I read the message.
I think Madison is in trouble. Hard to explain, and I promised I wouldn’t tell, but I don’t know how to help. Can you meet us in Central Park before 12?
I’m out of the door before I even have time to wonder what Chloe means, my heart feeling seconds away from failing completely.
I reply with trembling fingers:On my way.
* * *
Madison
“Thank you again for being here,” I say to Chloe, shifting nervously on the park bench as I glance around us. I’m antsy as hell, looking for Elio’s Mediterranean features in every face I see, though we’re not by the fountain yet. After a weekend of trying to figure out the best way to do this, I realized that I couldn’t cope with this alone. Instinct had me picking up the phone to tell my best friend all about it. I ended up in her apartment, crying into her sweater for most of Sunday as I told her all about what happened in Italy. It felt good to finally get it off my chest.
And it’s good to finally have my best friend back.
“Of course. Thank you for telling me.” Chloe’s eyes are full of empathy as she takes my hand, nestling into her scarf to keep warm. Our breaths are visible in the air today, but it doesn’t make the park any quieter. I’m glad Elio picked a public space but I can’t help but wonder if it will be enough to finally get him to leave me alone. He’s the type of man who will always want more: I gave him every penny I had, and here we are again, with him trying to exploit me.
Nausea rolls through me. I’m terrified I might throw up if I think about our impending meeting for too long. I wish I never met him.
“Look…” I take a deep, shaky breath. “I get it now. You and Brandon… I get why it all happened. You can’t choose who you fall in love with.”
She narrows her eyes. “You sound like you know this firsthand. Please, don’t tell me…”
“You can’t choose who you fall in love with,” I remind firmly, and she puffs out an exasperated breath before nodding in resignation.
“Okay. You’re right. But Roman? Really?”
“Came as a shock to me, too.” The corner of my mouth curls wryly. “But I think this is real, Chloe. He’s been so different recently. I trust him.”
“So why didn’t you tell him about Elio?”
I purse my lips into a thin, tense line. “This age gap thing keeps coming up for us. I’m scared that if he finds out how pathetic I was, how submissive, he’ll see me differently. I don’t want him to think of me as some damsel in distress, and I really, really don’t want him to think that I’m weak.”
Chloe softens. “If he knows you, he could never think that. It wasn’t your fault that this happened, Mads. You were in a new country, alone, and you were abused and exploited. That really isn’t your fault.”
I nod, knowing deep down she’s right. But still. Roman is a dad. I don’t want to enter this new phase of our relationship with baggage. That’s why it has to end today.
Pulling out my phone, I check the time and find there’s just a few minutes to go. I stand up, rubbing my cold hands together nervously. “I’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll be above the terrace. I’ll be watching the whole time, okay?”
“Okay.” Chloe hugs me, and then I’m walking toward Bethesda Terrace on stiff, shaky legs, my heart leaping erratically in my chest.
