Page 47 of Sweet Addiction

I glance up at her. “It’s your mother.”

Her face pales and at lightning speed she moves away from me before I can stop her. “Get back in bed,” I grit out just as the call cuts off.

She shakes her head, wrapping a robe around her naked body. “No. No way. You—” she is cut off by the obnoxious ringtone again. Her eyes widen. “It’s obviously important if she is calling again. You need to leave my room and go talk to her.”

I growl, sliding my finger across the screen. “Scarlett,” I greet, holding my cell between my ear and shoulder. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I pull on my sweats.

“Knox,” she purrs. “Did I wake you?”

“No. What’s up?” My tone is abrupt as I stride past Dove and leave her room. I would have normally ignored her boundaries and stayed put but Madison doesn’t need to hear my conversation with her mother. Not after what I put her through yesterday. It will only make her feel more guilty.

She huffs in exasperation. “I need you to come to North Carolina—”

“I’m too busy,” I cut her off.

“Well get unbusy. There is an article online speculating that we have broken up. Clarissa is not happy. She will be calling you to arrange travel details and photo opportunities. You signed up for this; you have to hold up your end of the deal. Book flights today.” She hangs up, before I can argue.

Sighing, I pull my cell from my ear, dropping it on the bed and scrub a palm down my face. My dove isn’t going to like this, but what choice do I have? The only way to put a stop to this farce is by coming clean. Madison isn’t ready for that. Although we have exchanged the L word, I still don’t think she has one hundred percent come to terms with our relationship. She hates what she is doing behind her mother’s back and doesn’t want to hurt her.

Scarlett’s a tricky one. I don’t for one second, believe that she has genuine feelings or that she will be hurt over me. Whatever anger and pain she may have when my relationship with Dove comes to light will be down to her losing control over Madison and the ensuing public embarrassment. And it will become public knowledge. I’m not naïve enough to think we can keep it hidden from the press. I don’t want to. I almost want to break the news myself. At least then I am controlling the narrative. The tabloids will go crazy for our story and the only way for me to come out of it not being public enemy number one is to tell the truth about everything. I know there will still be backlash but surely the public would appreciate the honesty.

Groaning, I shake my head, ridding it of my racing thoughts. It’s not something I have to deal with today but eventually it will come to that. There is no other way.

Madison Devereux is mine, in every sense of the word.

And soon the whole world will know it.

* * *

Two days later, I flew to North Carolina. I only stayed for one night because school was starting up. I had begged Madison to come with me, but she refused. My dove was pissed and wouldn’t speak to me for the whole thirty-two hours I was gone. It made me crazy. I would have headed straight home had I not been able to track her necklace. At least with her having the jewelry, I knew where she was at all times.

Like at 7 p.m., when I tracked her to a diner not far from school. I messaged to ask her who she was with. She read my text, but the little brat didn’t reply. It made me furious and put me on edge the entire time I was out of town. My moods didn’t go unnoticed by Scarlett. I saw the suspicion in her eyes every time she watched me on my phone.

But I digress. Let’s get back on track. The diner. Who was she with? Was it Talan or Kenzie? If it was the former, I will lose my shit. If I find out he touched any part of her, I am not past removing his offending body parts.

Extreme? Maybe.

Warranted? Definitely.

People need to learn that Madison is owned and if I have to remove limbs from an eighteen-year-old to make an example to prove that. I will.

Though Madison is mad at me, the trip served its purpose. Scarlett and Clarissa both got what they wanted and now the whole world is talking about how in love Knox McCabe and Scarlett Grisham are. It makes me sick to my stomach. But needs met. I did what I had to do. For now.

“Do you want to ride with me to school today?” I ask Madison as I saunter into the kitchen. I know she is still angry even though she tells me differently.

“No thank you. I’m heading to Kenzie’s after school to finish a joint project.” She sips her coffee not making eye contact.

My gaze narrows on her and the attitude in her voice. “What project?” I grit.

She glances at me. Defiance flashes in her green orbs. I want to fuck it right out of her. “An English project.”

I nod. “Funny,” I say though it’s not funny at all. “Every other time you’ve had a joint project, your assigned partner comes here.”

She shrugs. “Yeah, well for this one we decided to go to Kenzie’s house.”

I am closing the distance between us before she can blink. Coffee splashes on the floor but I don’t care. “Cancel it. We need to talk.”

“No,” she grits, her chin lifting defiantly.

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