Page 158 of Straight to Me

“I have to go.” I barely get the words out. My chest grows tight as my feet carry me inside. Aiming for the exit, I negotiate the crowd as I grab my phone from my bag. I send a quick message to Bex telling her to meet me out front. There's a buzz in my veins and my head is swimming. This is too much to take on board.

“Madison?” Chris shouts, following me as I head away from the doormen outside.

“Leave me alone,” I cough as I walk.

I recognise the sound coming from down the road before it fully registers. “Chris, you need to leave,” I tell him. God only knows what will happen if Dean rolls up and sees me and him arguing.

“I won’t. I came here to see if you could give us another go. Now that we know that you’re not the problem.” I stop walking as his words singe the rational part of my brain.

“Not the problem! Did you seriously just say that to me?!” I turn, stepping towards him, glaring as he considers what to say next.

“I thought you’d want that. We could move back in together, get a nice house, have a fresh new start. Surely, you’ve not forgotten how good we once were?”

“You’re delusional if you seriously thought I’d ever get back with you. These last few months have been the best of my life. I never realised how much you kept me from doing anything until you were gone. I’ve finally started to live!” My nostrils flare, my face contorting with rage. I can’t believe what’s happening. I take a few steps towards him, but he doesn’t budge. “Leave.”

“I’m not leaving. I’m worried about you, Madison. Your mum told me how upset you were since you’ve moved here. Let me take you home, we can start over.”

“My mum? What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You don’t know?” His face suddenly takes on a gloating look. “She called me, telling me how you’d had your heart broken. She begged me come and win you back.”

In my mind, my body feels like I’m growing larger with each breath I take. I’m uncontrollably spiralling. If I don’t walk away or do something fast, I feel like I’ll explode. “Obviously I won’t beg you, Madison.”

‘Obviously’ hits a nerve.

Like cutting the wrong wire, I only see red. I take a step forward and connect my fist with the side of his face, the force of my punch sending him falling off the edge of the curb. As he goes down, Dean’s bike roars into life behind me. Great.

My heart now flutters uncontrollably. The adrenaline in my veins is making me feel sick and the shock from sending Chris flying makes me shake.

“Mads, what the fuck are you doing!?” Dean moves to stand in front of me, ripping his helmet off his head. I don’t look up right away, still staring at Chris who sits up clutching his nose. Dean's eyes follow mine. “Did he fucking hurt you?!” he squawks, shaking my arms to get my attention.

“No, he didn’t hurt me.” I loosen the balls my fists have curled into.

Bex and Jess walk out the pub with Travis. All three of them spot the man on the floor, then look to me and Dean.

“What happened to Chris?” Jess asks walking over.

“Chris?” Dean grinds, his eyes turning to pins as his jaw clenches menacingly.

Dropping his arms off me, he turns, beelining for my ex-husband. Travis runs to intercept him, managing to stop him before he does any further damage. “Leave it!” Travis grabs his arms, pulling Dean back.

Chris stands, scrambling backwards. Looking directly at me, he shakes his head in disappointment. “I’m guessing he’s the one who broke your heart,” he spits. “Doesn’t surprise me.”

Dean looks like he could kill. Attempting to shrug his shoulders from Travis’s grip, his attention turns to me. His unbroken, frank stare burns my very core. Not knowing what to do, I turn on the spot and walk away, completely done with this whole night.

Without hesitation Bex and Jess come with me. “Was it a good punch?” Bex’s satisfied grin spreads wide like a Cheshire cat as she wraps her arm around me.

“It bloody hurt my hand.”

“That’s my girl,” she winks.

“What did he say to you?” Jess asks.

Her question makes me forget how to breathe or speak as the weight of my conversation with Chris suddenly lands heavy on my shoulders. “Can we talk about it tomorrow?” I sigh. Right now, I need to sit down.

I clutch my stomach as a shooting pain causes me to double over against a shop door. My breathing quickens while I process everything Chris said.

“Shit, Madison. Are you okay?” Jess stirs.

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