Page 53 of Reckless

“I fucked up with the venue.”

“Excuse me?” It wasn’t only the revelation, but also the language. This one never swore.

“I fucked it up. I didn’t book it.”

“Clem told me you booked it.”

“I lied.”

I cocked my head sideways examining her face. She didn’t look like she was bullshitting me.

“Why the hell would you do that?”

“I’ll fix it. Obviously.”

“It’s their wedding. Clem is pregnant.”

“Relax. I’ll book it. I have a month. The owner is some jerk who just refused to listen. I tracked down his PA and bribed her. She promised to squeeze me in his calendar if I can’t convince him over the phone. I will fix it.”

“What did you bribe her with?” I asked.

“To plan her wedding for free,” she said, and my disbelief must have shown on my face because she added, “I’m a big deal in New York, Ty.”

“Clem is going to kill you.”

“She won’t, because she will never know. I will book it.”

“This will bite you in the ass.”

“You are so ungrateful. Just like the others. Why did I even bother with you people?” She murmured.

“Because you are a control freak and you can’t help yourself,” I deadpanned. Madison’s lips twisted into a smile. “Why did you tell me?”

“You fuck up a lot,” she shrugged. “I thought you might tell me something useful. Which you didn’t, by the way. I also knew you wouldn’t rat me out.”

“Oh, monster Maddie,” I grinned at her. “Why would I rat you out? It would be so much more entertaining to watch you squirm and explain to everyone you lied.”

“Unlike you, I am actually capable of cleaning up my own mess, Tyler.”

I didn’t know for sure she could clean that mess, but mine only grew bigger and bigger with every year that past. The only thing I did successfully was to attract a mobster.

My phone started buzzing in my pocket. It was Chloe. She was probably returning my call from earlier. I pressed the red button. The bar was still closed. She was home. She was safe.

I looked up from my phone, but Madison wasn’t paying attention to me anymore. I followed her gaze and found Hannah Spencer in the middle of something resembling a nervous breakdown.

Chapter Seventeen

Hannah

Icouldn’tbreathe.Itwas like I was ten all over again. Scared that people might say something to me. Because I knew their words were going to hurt.

My father stood in the middle of the backyard laughing and patting that man’s back in front of everyone.

All the humiliation and insults I suffered because of that man’s case and the fact that my father agreed to represent him flooded back to my mind. They took over the control.

I was shaking. Shaking with rage towards my father. It filled up my body. My heart pounded in my chest.

A little voice screamed inside my head. It told me to go hide somewhere. Get a hold of myself, before I caused a scene. But I couldn’t move. It was probably related to the fact I couldn’t breathe properly.

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