Page 54 of Collide (The Rhapsody of Heartbeats #1)

And I honestly don’t know which thought unsettles me more.

Riley places a hand on my arm, yanking me back to the present. “Elena.” Her voice is careful. “You do know that was total manipulation, right? She wanted to shake you. And I gotta say, you did a damn good job standing your ground.”

I nod, though I’m not sure I fully believe her. Because no matter how composed I may have looked , no matter how well I played it off, Madison weaseled her way under my skin.

We finish lunch and enjoy the activities planned for the rest of the day—shopping in town, then heading to the spa for mani-pedis and massages. The thought of an afternoon wrapped in fluffy robes and lavender oil sounds perfect, exactly what we all need before the big night ahead.

And yet, even as I laugh along with the girls, even as I smile, try to stay present, I can’t shake the tension still clinging to my chest.

The encounter with Madison leaves an imprint. One I can’t quite brush off.

She was too confident. Too poised. Like someone who knows something I don’t. Every carefully chosen word, every flicker of amusement in her eyes—it was all designed to make me doubt.

And damn it, it’s working.

Riley, ever the perceptive one, nudges me with her shoulder as we stroll past boutique windows, her smirk knowing. “I can hear you overthinking,” she teases.

I sigh, dragging a hand through my hair. “Something about her felt…off. Like it wasn’t just about Alex. She was setting something up.”

Riley hums, tapping her chin dramatically. “Yeah, well, the bitch is definitely calculating. But listen, babe, if she really had Alex, she wouldn’t have needed to come up to you like that. That was an intimidation move. Plain and simple.”

I want to believe her. I really do.

But my gut tells me this isn’t the last I’ll hear from Madison Walsh.

By the time the sun dips below the horizon, streaks of gold and violet stretch across the sky. We’re back at the Montgomery Estate, where warm lantern light spills over manicured gardens.

The guys are already back from their adventures, looking spunky in relaxed button-downs and linen pants, lounging by the outdoor bar.

Alex’s gaze finds mine before he pulls me into an embrace, arms warm and familiar. “Hey,” he murmurs, voice low, dragging me out of the spiral. “How was your day?”

“It was good,” I say, but the words come out flat.

His smile falters—just slightly. So slight no one else would notice. But I do.

We settle by the pool, sliding into the rhythm of the group. Andrew and Broderick are deep in debate with Philippa and Sienna, laughter rising above the music. The taste of champagne still clings to my lips.

I want to melt into it. I want Madison’s words to vanish into the night air. But they cling to me.

Broderick throws a teasing remark my way. I don’t bite. His brow lifts in concern, but I dodge it, eyes fixed on the water or my drink or anything that isn’t him. Or Alex.

From the outside, the night is almost perfect. But under the glow of string lights and summer air, something simmers.

I feel it in the way Alex watches me between conversations, how his hand finds mine, squeezing gently, like he’s checking I’m still here. I am, though not really.

He finally pulls me aside, guiding me quietly through the house and into the dim hush of the library.

I know this won’t be sweet nothings.

The door clicks shut behind us.

“You’ve been weird all night,” Alex says, his voice clipped. The usual charm fades into something sharper. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or do I have to guess?”

I cross my arms, leaning back against the edge of the desk. “You really don’t know?”

His jaw tightens. “Enlighten me.”

I exhale slowly. “I ran into Madison today.”

Something flickers across his face. Not shock. Not guilt. Irritation. Like he already knows what’s coming.

“Let me guess.” He rubs a hand along his jaw, eyes narrowing. “She fed you some bullshit story about us?”

“She said she was your girlfriend.”

He lets out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “She’s not.”

“Then why does she think she is?”

He snaps, stepping closer. “Madison knows exactly what we were. She’s messing with you.”

“Then explain it to me.”

Alex exhales hard, dragging a hand through his messy blond hair. “We were never together. She was…someone I fucked around with.”

The words hit like concrete.

My spine stiffens.

He throws it out like it’s nothing. Like I could be nothing, too.

“She knew what it was,” he continues, locking eyes with mine. “It was casual. No promises. No exclusivity. And trust me, Madison had plenty of other people keeping her occupied.”

The bitterness in his tone slices through the air. I feel it lodge somewhere beneath my ribs.

“She made it sound like?—”

“I don’t care how she made it sound,” he cuts in, sharp and fast. “She’s toying with you, and you’re letting her win.”

I want to believe him. I do.

But doubt coils at the base of my skull—cold and persistent.

Because it’s not just Madison.

It’s the bruise he left when he lied before.

The one I keep pressing to see if it still hurts.

It does. And I hate myself for not being able to let go, move on. It’s like I’m torturing myself. Maybe there’s something wrong with me.

His gaze scans my face, and whatever he sees—whatever flickers behind my eyes—sets something off in him.

“Fucking hell, Elena.” He backs away, pacing, dragging both hands through his hair now. “Are we really doing this again?”

“Doing what again?” My voice cracks despite myself.

“The trust thing,” he snaps, stopping short. His eyes blaze. “I’ve told you the truth. I don’t owe Madison anything, and I sure as hell don’t owe you an explanation for something that ended before we even met.”

“That’s unfair.”

“What’s unfair is you calling me out over Madison while I’ve had to stand by and watch whatever the hell’s going on between you and that guy .”

My breath gets stuck halfway in. “What?”

“Did you invite me here to make him jealous or something? What is he to you?”

He’s unraveling now. The anger is real, but underneath it—panic.

“A friend . He’s just a friend.”

Denial tastes sour the second it leaves my mouth.

And I know he hears it too because his expression twists, turning into something bitter.

“You don’t think I see it, Elena?”

“See what?” I breathe.

“The way he looks at you.”

“I can’t control that.” I take a step back. My hands are cold. My heart’s thudding against bone.

“Are you giving him a reason to look at you that way?”

I hesitate. “No.”

“Who’s lying now?”

“This is all new to me, Alex. You know that.”

He scoffs—low and hard. “I don’t know how long that excuse is going to work for you.”

I stare at him, my breath shallow. “This isn’t just about Madison.”

“Then what is it about?”

“I don’t know.” I sigh, exasperated.

The silence between us stretches tight. A breath away from breaking. His chest rises and falls in quick, shallow pulls. His jaw works like he’s biting down on something cruel. “For what it’s worth, I’m not lying about this.”

“But you did lie to me before,” I say. The words cut, sharp and brittle. “Maybe I forgave you, but that doesn’t mean I forgot how it felt.” He flinches like I’ve slapped him.

His hands clench at his sides, then fall loose again. He exhales through his nose—controlled. Barely. “And what am I supposed to do with that?”

I press my palm flat against my chest like I can hold myself together. “I don’t know. But I don’t want to be another woman you just fuck .”

That lands. His eyes narrow, then he looks away, jaw tight. A vein in his neck twitches.

Before either of us can say another word, Natalie knocks on the library door to ask about something trivial. The moment is severed clean. But the weight of it lingers.

Alex drags a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath before walking off. And the conversation stays unfinished.

But not forgotten.

Laughter and music float up from the party below, but they barely register. I’m too caught up in my own head, pacing the edge of the porch like I can outwalk the thoughts thrashing about.

The fight with Alex still clings to me—his sharp words, the frustration burning in his eyes, the way he looked at me like I’m slipping through his fingers and he doesn’t know how to stop it.

I brace my hands on the railing, sucking in a breath of cool night air, trying to calm the storm clawing through me.

“Okay, what the hell is going on?” Riley’s voice cuts through my spiraling. I turn to find her leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, one brow arched like she’s already sifted through every thought in my head.

She steps closer, eyes scanning me carefully. “You’ve been MIA for an hour, and you look like you’re about to throw yourself into the ocean fully clothed. Spill.”

I let out a shaky breath, dragging a hand through my hair. “I had a fight with Alex.”

Her eyes sharpen, the teasing edge slipping for a moment. “About what?”

“Madison,” I mutter, eyes fixed on the dark waves crashing against the shore. “The conversation earlier with her. And when I asked him about it, he got…defensive. Irritated.”

Riley stays quiet for a beat, her gaze softening. “Did he explain?”

I nod. “Yeah. Said it was nothing. Casual. Over before I even showed up. But…I don’t know, babe. It’s not just about her. It’s everything. Me not knowing where I stand with him. Feeling like I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Riley leans her elbows on the railing beside me, bumping her shoulder into mine. “Okay, but let me ask you something.”

I glance at her, wary. “What?”

She tilts her head, studying me. “Have you ever felt this way about anyone before?”

The weight sits heavy in my throat. “You know I haven’t.”

She smirks, but it’s soft, understanding. “Exactly. I’ve never seen you like this.”

I frown. “Like what?”

“ Alive ,” she says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.