Page 86 of Wretched Heart
My brother rests his elbows on the table. “I hated every minute of it,” he says, and I’m shocked to hear the pain in his voice. “I’m sorry, but…”
“It had to be done,” I finish for him.
“Do you want me to send all the paperwork through to Maddie’s lawyer?” Reid asks.
“For fuck’s sake, Reid,” I snarl. “For once, stop being so goddamn efficient.”
“He’s only trying to help you clear up your shit, Hunter. We all are,” Mace says, coming to his brother’s defense. “And maybe we should all get back to work. We can’t leave Maddie to deal with the road issue on her own.”
I round on him too. “I’m not fucking leaving her alone. This isn’t a paper mill issue. It’s a Barrett issue.”
“Hunter…” Ash warns. “This isn’t their fault.”
There’s a loud clatter as an office chair is overturned. Reid is on his feet. “Damn right it isn’t our fault! It’s his!” My little brother points an accusing finger. “You knew how this was going to end, but you did it anyway. Maddie was vulnerable and fragile, but you just had to be the big hero, didn’t you? You let her fall for you, Hunter,” he says, his eyes dark pits of fury. “You can claim it was just business all you fucking like, but we all know it wasn’t like that for Maddie. She loves you, man! And you just broke her fucking heart.”
“Thank you, Reid, but I’m good,” Maddie says evenly from the door. The papers she had left with only minutes ago are still in her hand.
Her eyes are clear and sharp, and I should be relieved that she hasn’t been sobbing, but I’m unnerved by her calm as she re-enters the room. If she’s nursing a broken heart, she’s hiding it well. It can be done. I’m doing it.
“I might have a solution,” she says to Reid. She glances at me before adding, “To the road problem.”
“Which is?” I ask nervously.
“If Barrett’s intending to block or destroy the road, he’s going to need heavy plant and machinery. John Cooper can just about maintain his truck,” Maddie says as she returns to her seat and waits until we’re all around the table again.
Maddie sets down the papers she was holding. The brown envelope I’d given her has been opened and resealed, and the transfer agreement to return her shares shows the page she’s just signed. She slides the stack over to me without a second glance.
“For any past works on the road, we’ve always hiredwhat we need from Theo,” she continues as if our marriage hasn’t just ended. “That’s how Theo would have known of John’s plans to clear woodland. He’ll be supplying the plant. There aren’t any other nearby alternatives.”
“And how does that help us?” I ask, keeping emotion out of my voice.
Maddie takes her phone from her pocket. “I can call in a favor.”
I sit with my arms folded and watch Maddie take control. I don’t allow myself to wonder why she isn’t broken. I’m in awe of her. Walking away is the right thing to do. She can handle anything.
“Hey, Maddie,” comes a man’s voice over speakerphone. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
It’s Theo. The nearest thing Maddie has to an ex. His voice grates on every one of my nerves.
“Theo, I need you,” she replies, her smile making her voice soft and her tone suggestive. She wants a favor and she’s seducing the bastard in front of me.
Maddie spends the next few minutes giving Theo an adapted explanation of her current plight. She spins the story of Barrett being the rejected groom, and how he’s scheming to seek revenge by closing the road. I get barely a mention.
“Is any of the plant on site yet?” she asks.
“No, I’ve been waiting for John to confirm,” Theo replies. “Which he did about an hour ago.”
Maddie looks to Mace when she says, “That makes sense. I think the sale of land only went through today. It’s Barrett you’ll be doing business with now.”
“Will I?” Theo asks playfully.
“You know it’s not only the mill that’s going to suffer if we lose the road. There are a lot of otherindependents that won’t be able to absorb the additional travel costs,” Maddie says. She bites her lip. “Please, Theo.”
And now she’s fuckingbegginghim? My wife shouldn’t need to… I exhale loud enough for Ash to give me a warning glare. Yes, I know she’s deliberately pressing my buttons, but still…
“I don’t know, Maddie,” the jerk says. “What’s in it for me?”
“You avoid having your name dragged through the dirt, and starting a hundred-year feud between our two towns,” she threatens, her eyes narrowing at her cell. She’s waiting for him to cave. I’m hoping he doesn’t. It would give me an excuse to go over there and smash his smug face into submission.
