Page 70 of Mad As Hell

“So do I,” she answered seriously, her eyes somber. “Which is why we might want to consider outside help.”

“Like?”

“I’m guessing the police or FBI are out?”

I snorted and nodded. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure he could buy them off, if he hasn’t already. It’s like I’m living in some twisted soap opera. Evil twin and everything.”

“I don’t know if Madelaine was evil,” Bex wheedled, trying to be considerate.

I gave her a flat look. “She tortured you for years. She drugged you. Are you really defending her?”

“I mean, she’s your twin.” Another helpless shrug. “I don’t want to speak ill of the dead.”

Sighing, I turned my body so I could lean against the wall while looking at her. “About that.”

She groaned and dropped her head back onto the headboard. “There’s more?”

“You know how I told you Mrs. Delancey thinks Gary might have killed Madelaine?” I waited for her to nod. “Ash said he thinks Madelaine may have faked her own death and left me here to be her.”

Bex winced and looked away. “I mean, it’s not outside the realm of possible. Lainey was twisted and she was pretty damn brilliant. As much as I’d want to think she wouldn’t be that heinous, I could see her doing it.”

“Great,” I muttered. “All I know is…my old life is gone. Gary literally killed me.”

“There’s people from your old life who remember you, right? Would they defend you?” Bex suggested.

“I considered it. But there are only a few, and as soon as Gary plays the twin card, they wouldn’t know which I was. And Gary said he’d have me labeled as crazy or something.” I shook my head. “Bex, I’m screwed. I’ve been trying to figure a way out of this, and I just don’t see it.”

She let out a heavy breath and eyed me closely. “I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but have you considered telling Ryan all this?”

I frowned. “I don’t trust him. Do you?”

She hesitated for a second. “He broke your heart, Maddie. No one is denying that. But I think Ryan really loves you. And while I’m in no way advocating you two picking up where you left off, I do think he could keep you safe.”

“I’ve considered it, but I just don’t know. Part of me is waiting for Ryan to find something else to get tripped up on and break my heart. Again.” I bit the inside of my cheek. The idea of opening up to him only to have my emotions trampled on one more time seemed impossible.

Keeping things calm between us was one thing. But stepping back into a world where I trusted him was something else. I was barely holding on at this point. I didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with Ryan turning his back on me again.

“I’ll think about it, okay? But if you want to tell Court, or—”

“No.” She slammed that door shut with cold finality. “Court and I are not even worth mentioning in the same sentence.”

“Except that you just did,” I pointed out with a soft laugh.

She glared at me. “Court’s an asshole. You think you and Ryan have issues? We’re like the freaking Titanic. We were doomed before we even left the dock.”

“I told Ryan I would sit with him at lunch and dinner.” I made a face. “If you don’t want to sit with us, I understand.”

“If I can handle Gary threatening me, I can sit at a table with Court. But I draw the line at talking to him.”

I nudged her with my toe. “You keep mentioning how sorry Ryan is—you don’t think Court is sorry?”

She scoffed. “Oh, I know he is. But I also know he’s always sorry. And I just want to move on.” She straightened her shoulders, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “Think Charles is available?”

I considered telling her the truth about how Court followed her around to make sure she was safe, but honestly, I was okay with him hovering, since Gary had threatened her. Court wouldn’t let anything happen to Bex.

That being said, I wasn’t entirely sure my best friend was ready for the fallout of openly hitting on another guy in front of him. Ryan hadn’t handled it well, and Court seemed wound up tighter than Ryan in a lot of ways.

Ryan could turn on the Prince Charming with ease, but there was a darkness that always seemed to linger around Court. I could see the appeal to a lot of the girls around campus. There was something in a lot of women, including myself, that wanted to be the one to tame the bad boy.

---