Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Matt gritted his teeth. She was lying. She wasn’t fine. But he held onto his temper—for now. He’d give her today to figure this out. But tomorrow, once they were alone and away from this godforsaken place? Madison had better fucking get honest. Or she was going to meet his unforgiving Dom side.
“Do you need anything?”
“Just time alone.”
Translation: Go the fuck away. Not happening. Todd had said something to hurt Madison, and Matt wasn’t about to let that go.
“It’s just the two of us for dinner. Why don’t you let me throw something together?”
“Agatha sent over pictures of my wardrobe for campaign season and demanded that I lose ten pounds in the next ten days, so I won’t be eating tonight.”
When she started to shut her door between them, Matt blocked it with his boot.
She looked down before her gaze zipped back to his face. For the first time in days, he saw emotion flare in her eyes. Anger. He’d take that over indifference.
“With all due respect, Agatha is out of her fucking mind. You’re already tiny, and your weight is perfect. She can go to hell.”
“Unfortunately, she calls the wardrobe shots, and she made it clear that I need to look as thin as possible at our first public event. Then, over the next month, I should put on a few pounds to support my ‘pregnancy’ announcement in September. I’ll be dieting again after that so I look gaunt in October, supporting the narrative that I’ve lost the baby.”
Volcanic anger seared Matt’s veins. That manipulative old bitch. “I won’t let you go hungry, Madison. That’s not an option. Do you understand?”
“No, Matt.”
She used his name like an honorific, as she had at the swamp. But instead of heavy-lidded obedience and panting pleas, she sounded cool. Detached. Dismissive.
The Dom in him really, really wanted to light up her ass and turn it bright red. He forced himself to take a deep breath. Here wasn’t the place. Now wasn’t the time. He was too fucking furious.
Instead, he tried another tactic. “How about your company for dinner, then?”
Hurt flashed through her eyes. Then she blinked. Her expression went blank again. “Sorry. I’m too tired.”
So she was avoiding him. Somehow, she’d let Todd crawl into her head, goddamn it. “Just a few minutes. I have some questions, and I don’t think they can wait.”
Since he couldn’t ask her what he really wanted to, he’d have to fabricate something.
Madison glanced over his shoulder, and Matt turned to spy a security camera embedded in the crown molding, capturing their every word and gesture. “Tomorrow maybe. I hope I’ll feel better then. I think I’m coming down with something.”
Shit. She was not just shutting him out, but shutting down. He had to do something—fast.
Matt brushed his fingers over his temples, looking straight into her eyes, willing her to understand that she was on his mind.
Her gaze skittered away. Her lower lip trembled. Fuck, she looked on the verge of crying.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She tried to shut the door again.
He wriggled his whole body into the frame and grabbed her elbow. He’d ten times rather be dragging her close, demanding she tell him what Toddhole had spewed to upset her, and reassuring her that he loved her. The hurt all over her face was killing him.
“Matt…”
“Don’t shut me out. It’s my job to worry about you.”
“It’s not. Your job is to keep me safe. No one has threatened me, okay? And no one has touched me.” Her face hardened. “No one will.”
Not even him. He got her message loud and clear.
To his shock, she shoved him square in the chest. Caught unprepared, he stumbled back. While he tried to right himself, Madison shut the door between them. Matt lurched forward, but the quiet snick told him he was too late.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. What the hell had just happened? He didn’t know…but he was determined to get answers as soon as they were alone. Until then, he’d have to lie low and wait. Short of tipping off the fact that the key fob he’d received with Todd’s access gave him entry to her bedroom—information he was keeping in his back pocket until he really needed it—he had no other options.
But once he got Madison to the apartment Deke had arranged for them? He’d extract answers from her.
Snarling, he made his way back to the main room and switched off the TV, resisting the urge to slam down the remote, then forced himself to sit. He took a deep breath and sorted through every possible fucking thing that might have upset Madison. But he’d have more luck finding a needle in a haystack than guessing Todd’s latest depravity or lie.
Matt yanked his phone from his pocket and debated calling Nash for a cool head. But anything he said would be captured by Todd’s cameras and scrutinized by the fuckbucket—and probably his grandfather, too. Besides, he couldn’t drag his buddy into more of this bullshit. Nearly thirty stitches later, Todd’s crap had already scarred Nash for life.