Page 214 of Mad As Hell

“Ah, shit,” he hissed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “That bad, huh?”

I could only nod as I focused on controlling the erratic rhythm of my heart and getting my shit together before Ryan saw me freaking out.

“What the fuck happened?” Ryan’s voice boomed across the room.

I winced inwardly. So much for getting it together.

Ryan moved Ash out of the way so he was in front of me, his rough hands framing my face with infinite tenderness.

“Maddie, talk to me,” he urged, his tone edging on desperate. “What happened? Shit, why are you wearing different clothes?”

I glanced down at the simple green dress I’d switched into, and the cream ballet flats. “Because my mom threw up on my other clothes.”

His brows shot up. “You saw your mom? Is that why—”

“Gary killed Madelaine,” I blurted out.

Every muscle in him tensed. “What?”

“Did he tell you that?” Ash demanded over Ryan’s shoulder.

“Not exactly.” I rubbed my forehead and sighed before looking at Ash. “Did you call the others? Everyone needs to hear this.”

Ash nodded and tucked his phone into his back pocket grimly. “Yeah. They’re on their way.”

“Maddie,” Ryan snapped, turning my head so I met his eyes. “Are you okay?”

“He didn’t hurt me, I swear. No measuring me for a new choker with his bare hands,” I assured him, wrapping my fingers around his wrists.

Ryan hissed out a breath, his eyes flashing. “Not fucking funny, Mads.”

I was still shaking, still out of sorts, and my brain was going with seriously dry humor to try and regain some sort of control over the night. I took a deep breath and told him, “Gary bought everything, but maybe a little too well.”

Ash crowded against Ryan’s back to see me. “How so?”

“Seriously, guys, can we wait for the others so I’m not explaining everything twice? I need a drink and a minute to breathe.” I fixed my eyes on Ryan and lowered my voice. “Ryan, I promise no one touched me. My mom threw a glass at my head, but her aim still sucks.”

“Christ,” he muttered, pulling me into his arms and pressing his lips to my temple. I felt a tremor ripple through his strong frame as his hands smoothed up and down my back, like he needed to prove to himself I was okay.

He held me until someone knocked at the door, and then he pulled me to the couch and onto his lap. I shot him an amused look, but he only scowled back, daring me to try and move away.

Ash opened the door for Bex. Her hazel eyes immediately found me. “What happened?”

“Long story,” I muttered. “We’re waiting for the others.”

It didn’t take long for Court and Linc to arrive. Once everyone was settled in a spot, I took a deep breath and confessed everything that had happened with Gary. From him buying that Ryan was head over heels obsessed with me to planning to take over all the shell companies Phoenix had set up, his part in Madelaine’s death, and ultimately kill Ryan.

When I was done, no one spoke for a long time.

“Well, fuck,” Linc murmured, looking stunned.

“I can’t believe he killed his own daughter. I mean, that’s beyond psychotic,” Bex breathed, looking worried.

I chewed on my lower lip, my stomach in knots even as Ryan wrapped his arms tighter around me.

Court rubbed his jaw. “But does he know all the shit that Madelaine did before she died? About Phoenix and us?”

Ash shook his head. “Doubtful. The shell companies are just that, and I buried Phoenix’s involvement in them. All their assets are technically held by Phoenix, but we’ve kept our identities as private as we can. And I really think if he knew, there’d be no reason for him to keep up the ruse.”

---