AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chloe is right. He’s an asshole, always has been, always will be. I probably could have chosen a nicer friend to kiss.
But he was there, and neither of us was complaining at the time.
I rub a frustrated hand over my face as my mind and feelings begin to scramble.Is this what I want?
I could easily forgive Chloe now and get my best friend back, but I can’t get past the pain. The feeling I was disposable. She swapped my friendship for a relationship with Brandon.
“Maddie…” A tear drips down my cheek as she puts a hand on my shoulder. “I am so sorry. I missed you so much while you were gone. I wish… I wish it was different. I wish I’d told you the right way, and you could be happy for me. We always said we were practically sisters, didn’t we?”
My throat aches as I look at her. I want her to hug me, tell me it’s going to be okay, but it isn’t. Nothing has been okay for a long time, and my world just keeps getting more uncertain.
I shake off her touch and turn my back to her. In the garden, Brandon is happily chatting with the group. Mom and Dad are beaming with pride. Arthur is trying to get to the table of sandwiches on his hind legs. There’s no sign of Roman, and I wonder if he left. I hope so.
“I need some space to get my head around all this,” I say finally. “Right now, I don’t know how to be your best friend — and I certainly don’t know how to be your sister-in-law.”
Chloe nods slowly. I weave past her as my stomach clenches, needing fresh air. As I rush down the stairs, though, long fingers curl around my wrist and yank me aside.
Roman is glaring at me, his hair still ruffled from my fingers and his lips still swollen. I scowl back, yanking out of his grip even as the memory of his lips ghosts over my skin, making me want more.
“What was that up there?”
I shrug innocently. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“You kissed me.” The muscle in his jaw dances.
“You kissed me right back.”
With an aggravated sigh, he straightens to his full, towering height, leaving me in his shadow. His shoulders are squared and defensive. “Look, I understand that you’re throwing a tantrum because suddenly not everyone’s worlds revolve around you, but next time, don’t involve me in your silly schoolgirl games. Is that clear?”
The words sting more than I expected them to. I know I’m being childish, but am I being selfish? Don’t I deserve to be upset after today? After everything?
Suddenly, I hate this man more than I ever have before. His hostility and patronizing demeanor mirrors Elio’s way of speaking down to me whenever he needed me weak, and I refuse to let it happen again.
I make myself taller, too, and though I still have to look up to meet his gaze, I do it confidently. Harshly. “Oh, trust me, Roman. I won’t be doing anything with you again. You were just in the wrong place at the right time.”
His eyes turn to wintry ice, as violent as hailstones. “I’m glad we agree. And you won’t tell Brandon about it, because you’d only be revealing yourself as the petty child you are. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to ruin his happiness.”
Bitterness drips from me.How dare he?
I decide to taunt him, show him he’s not the only one in control. “Oh, I don’t know. I think he’d be interested in knowing how much of a sleazy jerk his best friend — and boss — is. Don’t you?”
He pinches my elbow, something like genuine fear flashing in his eyes. Does he really care that much about my brother’s friendship? With all the money he has, he could just buy new friends. Or new shoes. Or new anything-that-isn’t-Brandon. “I mean it, Madison. He can’t know about this. Ever.”
His face is so close that his hot breath fans across my cheeks, sending goose pimples scattering across my skin. When he licks his lips, plump and pursed, my toes curl and I resist the urge to lean in. His own eyes slip down to my mouth as though he’s having the same thought.
This is not good. This is really not good.
“Or what?” I whisper: a test.
His nose grazes mine as he frowns. “You expect me to threaten you?”
Oh.
I draw back, ice pooling in my gut. I did expect that. I wouldn’t have put it past him, not with how much money he has, but it’s more than that. It’s Elio. He would have threatened me. He would have gripped my elbow a lot harder, too, so hard I’d find a bruise the next day.
What has he done to me?
I no longer know if the kiss with Roman was solely about revenge. What if Elio has ruined me so much that I’m not myself anymore? What if I’m just looking for the next toxic asshole to come along and use me?
