Page 56 of Sweet Addiction

I want to believe him so much, but he is right; I am angry. And right now, my anger is overshadowing everything. Even my ability to think rationally. “You should go,” I choke out through a sob.

He searches my face before sighing. Stepping into me, he presses a kiss on my forehead. “I love you Dove. Always.” And then he is gone, leaving me a puddle of tears and confusion.

ChapterThirty-Seven

KNOX

“Are you fucking crazy?” Both Clarissa and Brett shout simultaneously. We are on a video call, and I just told them my plans.

“I have never felt saner than I do in this moment.” I smirk, leaning back on the couch of my hotel suite.

“Knox,” Clarissa starts. “You need to think about what you are saying. This will ruin you. I have managed to slowly push Scarlett’s pregnancy under the rug for the moment but that’s not to say I’m not working on a story for it. I was going to go down the route that you two were having problems. Michael consoled her, they fell in love and are now having a baby. It’s not a great narrative but you will come out of it better than Scarlett. If you go public with Madison? Well, you can kiss your career goodbye. And forget about the endorsements Brett has secured you.”

“Clarissa is right Knox. Is this girl worth it? I know you said you love her but… I know you. This infatuation with the young pussy will pass,” he says nonchalantly like he didn’t just offend my dove.

I see red. “Don’t you dare. You’re lucky that I am not in the room with you right now. I would have fucking cut out your tongue just so you couldn’t speak those words again.” They stare at me like I have lost my mind. Like I’ve grown another head. It irritates me. They just need to shut the fuck up and do what they are paid to do. And do it now. Time is precious. I want my dove back where she belongs. By my side. How I didn’t throw her over my shoulder and make her leave with me yesterday I don’t know. The primal part of me was begging me to do just that. Make her mine, no matter the cost. The normal, rational side of me told me I did the right thing. My dove wants actions, a gesture. And that’s exactly what I will give her. Taking a calming breath, I break the silence. “I want you both to listen to what I am saying. I don’t care about my career or any endorsements. I love Madison. I am doing this, so set it up. I won’t ask again.” My eyes narrow. “Or do I need to find another publicist and agent?”

They both groan. “I just want it on record that I think you are making a huge mistake,” Clarissa says.

Brett runs a palm over his mouth. “I told you when this whole thing started that if I heard one bad thing about you, I would have to consider ending our working relationship. I think fucking your fake fiancée’s daughter is one of the worst things you could do. I will be honest with you Knox; I can’t promise that I will still be with you at the end of this shit show. I have to think about my own career and my other clients. I don’t want to kick you off my roster man, but if this goes how I think it will, then I will have to reassess our working relationship. I agree with Clarissa; I think it’s a bad idea. But from the look on your face and your words, there is nothing we can say to stop you,” he finishes and I know he means every single word he says.

I don’t want to lose Brett as my agent, but I will if it means keeping my dove. I will lose everything for her. Give up anything for her. I clear my throat. “You’re right. There is nothing you can say. Madison Devereux is mine and it’s about time the whole world knew it.”

“Possessive.” Brett smirks, some of the tension leaving his face. “I never thought I would see the day.”

“You bet your ass I am. Now get it set up. I have my girl to claim,” I say before ending the call.

Sighing, I fall back against the couch. Pulling up the tracking app on my cell, I smirk, when I see that Madison is at her father’s house, and something settles in my chest. The hotel I chose is not even a block from where Dove is currently staying. I wanted to be close. You know, in case she decided to go for a walk or something. If I happened to bump into her on said walk, then she would think it was just some big coincidence. Really, it’s because I am tracking her and know exactly where she is.

Vanessa seemed great. Within a minute of meeting her, I knew that Madison had told her everything. She confirmed as much with her words. My girl had told her father and her stepmother every little detail of what happened. Even knowing everything, she was still willing to hear me out despite how protective she seems of my dove. Madison needs someone like her in her corner. I know that if Vanessa had any doubts about what I told her, or even for one second, thought I was lying she would not have let me past the door, let alone near Madison. I will forever be thankful she did. It made things easier. I know things would have gone differently had her dad been home. No way would he have let me near his daughter. I don’t blame him. If I had a daughter and learned that not only, was she sleeping with a man eleven years her senior but who was also supposedly engaged to her mother, I would flip the fuck out.

My dick hardens at the thought of Dove, her belly round with my baby. I want that. I want it all with her. Marriage. Kids. The whole nine yards.

And nothing on this earth will stop me from having them.

* * *

“Everything is set up. Are you sure you want to do this?” Clarissa asks, her face full of concern. It’s been three days since the video call and both she and Brett flew into New York for the press conference. I have literally counted down the minutes, waiting for this moment. I’ve had to be patient. Something I don’t possess when it comes to Madison. But somehow, I got through it.

It took longer than expected to get everything set up, because my legal team had to go through the contract that was signed when I got into this with Scarlett. I am breaking some of the terms of our agreement but nothing that half a million dollars won’t fix. It’s worth it.

There is also the matter of Scarlett. After our video call, Clarissa spent most of the day in talks with her. She is not ready to go public with who the father of her baby is and was angry that I am doing this. She even went as far as saying she would deny everything and say that not only had I gotten her pregnant, but I had forced her barely-legal daughter into an affair with me. When Clarissa told me, I laughed, then told her to tell Scarlett to do whatever the hell she wants. It will only make her look crazier than she already does. From what Clarissa has said, neither Scarlett nor I will look like saints in all this, but I might just come out marginally better. At least, I hope I do by the time I am finished. I may have done some fucked up shit, but Scarlett has done worse.

I contacted Vanessa last night and asked her if she could get my dove to the conference, which is being held in my hotel. I want her to be here. To see the lengths, I will go to prove what she means to me. Vanessa wasn’t hopeful about it happening but said she would do what she could. I can only hope that Madison will stop being so stubborn. I know she is hurting but damn, I didn’t do anything wrong. Surely, she will see what I’m about to do as romantic. If not, then I don’t know where I go from here. I just know I will never stop trying. Even if it takes forever. Madison is it for me. And soon everyone will know it.

“Yes. Stop questioning me. I know what I’m doing,” I grunt.

Clarissa sighs as Brett watches me with an unreadable expression. “They are ready for you. Let’s get this over with.”

I give her a curt nod before refreshing the tracker app. I sigh. The red dot is showing Madison is still at her father’s penthouse. Vanessa must not have been able to convince her to come. My head falls back on my shoulders, and I take a deep breath. I am still going to do this. I just wish my girl was here to give me the strength I need.

Straightening, I shove my cell in my pants pocket. Eyeing my agent and publicist, I say, “Let’s do this.”

With or without Madison, I will make sure I get the same result.

Her back in my arms and the whole world knowing she is mine.

ChapterThirty-Eight

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