Page 147 of Mad As Hell

Shit. I’d been talking to Bex. No way was I giving her up.

I met Gary’s gaze. “I was talking to myself.”

He scoffed.

“I spent the majority of my life alone. Sometimes I talk to hear another voice.” Not a lie. Mom was frequently in a comatose state, and I’d learned early on that talking to myself would sometimes curb the loneliness when I was by myself at three in the morning.

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “Had I known Ryan was planning on spying on me, I might’ve kept quiet.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “But I didn’t realize how much he hated my sister.”

“So, he’s the only one who knows?”

“Yes,” I answered, my heart thudding in my chest. I wouldn’t put the guys or Bex at risk, no matter what.

His jaw tightened, and I decided to test a theory. Maybe if there was a common goal, Gary would relent a bit and give me an opening.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

“But it’s a good thing he knows,” I added, watching Gary for any signs he’d take the bait.

Sure enough, he scowled, but curiosity glittered in his eyes. “Oh?”

I let myself exhale slowly.

Gary hated the Cains as much as he needed them. Maybe I could work that angle.

“It’s why he’s already forgiven me.”

His gaze snapped to me.

“He got his feelings hurt, but he realized that the girl in the video was Madelaine, not me.” I held up my hand, flashing the engagement ring. “He even gave me his grandmother’s ring because he loves me.”

He barked out a surprised laugh, his expression cooling from rage to interest. “He’s that enamored?”

“Seems to be,” I replied. “He really hated Madelaine, but poor, little innocent Madison? He gets to play the white knight and eats that shit up.”

“And you?” Gary sneered at me. “You’re in love?”

“I was,” I admitted, keeping my tone frosty. “But that was before he left me here to get my ass kicked.”

Gary didn’t even blink at the scorn in my tone. “And now?”

I didn’t flinch as I held his gaze. “And now I’m trying to survive. Ryan can kiss my ass.”

He smirked at me and then, surprising me, he held out a hand. I took it and allowed him to pull me up.

“Have a seat,” he told me, waving a hand at one of the two chairs across from his desk.

I settled into a brown leather wingback chair as he sat across from me.

“Perhaps you can learn better than your sister,” he mused, assessing me coolly. “The Cains have been a thorn in my side for years, and unfortunately, my business is intrinsically linked with theirs.”

I crossed my legs and leaned back, trying to keep my emotions locked down. “They’re playing you, you know. And Madelaine was helping them.”

“What does that mean?” he demanded.

I flashed him a thin smile. “It means that Beckett and Madelaine outsmarted you. I didn’t know about it until yesterday,” I clarified when his face started to turn red. “When I was at the Cain Estate, Beckett came on to me. Kissed me because he thought I was her. Then he told me that my share of the money was waiting in my bank account.”

His brows slammed down. “What money?”

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