Page 66 of Cry Madness
“Well, I am thankful, and I promise to come by Folly House afterward and show you just how grateful I am.”
The way Maddox slides his tongue across his bottom lip sends a flurry of butterflies right to my belly. “I’ll be grateful for your gratitude.”
I tip his hat back, cup his chin, and give him a long…long…kiss. “We’re going to cause a scene when we get out and people see us together.”
“Good,” he retorts against my lips. Then, with a note of mischief, he adds, “Imagine the commotion we’ll cause when we show up to your mother’s ridiculous party together.”
Notifwe arrive together, butwhen…because it’s a done deal, Maddox and me. This has been a lifetime in the making, and now that we’re together, nothing will ever pull us apart.Nothing. Not Rook, or Katherine, or the work Maddox does for Roman—especially not me. I will never,everbuild another wall between us. No matter what life throws at us, the good and the bad, Maddox and I will stand shoulder-to-shoulder and deal with it together.
This life, I’ve found, is better when spent with him. He’s the color my world has been missing and the thrill that makes my heart race. Everything was dull, bleak, and miserable without him, and staring into his beautiful, blazing eyes, a glaring truth reflects at me. I’d always been able to swim out of those crashing waves—I chose not to because I didn’t think he’d be waiting for me on the shore.
But he was there.
He was always there.
And last night, when he needed me, I proved that I’ll always be there for him even when he’s done his worst.
TWENTY-FOUR
“We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
—The Cheshire Cat,Alice in Wonderland
Whimsical.
Fantastical.
Never let it be said that Katherine Wentworth lacks flair. As a host, she’s not one to be outdone. Tonight’s soiree is nothing short of spectacular.
Every year, she transforms the ballroom into a magical fairyland for her annual end-of-summer gala, but this evening, she outdid herself.
Thousands of delicate, shimmering lights cascade from the ceiling to resemble a starry sky. They cast a warm glow over the elegantly costumed guests. The expansive glass doors at the back of the room stand open, inviting attendees to glide out onto the sprawling back patio. There, the surface of the Olympic-sized pool is adorned with lily pads and water lilies that float with thebreeze. There’s a second bar strategically positioned near the firepit, where flickering flames provide a cozy spot for anyone needing a moment of quiet away from the whirlwind inside the ballroom.
But the crème de la crème was the look on my mother’s face when Maddox and I arrived together. That alone was well worth the aggravation of spending a few hours mingling with Grimm County’s aristocracy.
Not that I’m doing much socializing.
Nestled in a secluded alcove of the opulent ballroom, Ivory and I remain protected from my mother’s meticulously curated guests. Maddox stands out as a striking figure across the room, amidst the sea of ornate masks and elaborate attire. His captivating presence has nothing to do with his bold decision to forgo a mask and everything to do with his imposing authority to command attention. Dressed in a high-collared white shirt, he complemented tonight’s outfit with a gold-embroidered onyx vest layered beneath a lavish deep blue frock coat that billows with his every movement. A golden leather belt cinches his trim waist, the wide buckle adorned with a menacing skull.
His auburn-highlighted brown hair catches the light like flickering flames, the vibrant strands spilling out rebelliously from beneath his top hat. The interplay of light and shadow dances across his chiseled features, rendering him nothing short of breathtaking.
He is a god among mortals.
When his brows furrow at whatever Roman is saying, I wish I were a tiny fly, flying around them to eavesdrop on their conversation. And when Maddox pulls out his watch to note the time, I sympathize with his need to escape this silly party, even though we’ve only been here for less thanan hour.
At least the entertainment is excellent—with my mother making an ass out of herself as usual.
She’s not alone, though, because Scarlett’s no better. That ginormous red organza gown looks like it weighs a friggin’ ton, and the way she’s fluttering around Maddox… Good Lord, it’s giving so much second-hand embarrassment. I bite back a smile at how obnoxiously he’s ignoring her. She could perform naked jumping jacks, and he wouldn’t even glance her way.
Normally, her desperate attempt to attract his attention would straight-up piss me off—especially after the bullshit she pulled by replicating that awful painting. But tonight, I see her for what she is—a sad, sad little girl trapped in a woman’s body who is starving for someone to pay attention to her.
Wish I could have even a drop of pity, but her being pathetic doesn’t lessen the fact that she’s a bitch.
I nudge Ivory and point to Scarlett. “If your sister gets any closer to him, she’ll be in his pocket.”
Ivory looks to where I’m pointing and cringes. “She really needs to stop.”
“Oh, God, no!” I insist. “This shit’s hilarious.”