Page 68 of Cry Madness
“You know my father.”
“Yes, and…? He’d do anything for you, your mother, and Scarlett.” With a sad smile, I stroke her cheek. “Don’t be like me, Ivory. I was stubborn, stupidly so. I wasted too much time for no reason. The time that Maddox and I lost will never be regained.”
But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to catch up on the years we lost.
“No, I know,” Ivory says.
I give her a little shove forward. “Go talk to him.”
“Alice, no!” Ivory gasps. “Stop. My God. Do you want to see me humiliated in front of everyone?”
“How, exactly, will you be humiliated?” I cross my arms over my chest and shoot her an exasperated expression. “Anyone with working eyes can see that man adores you.”
“He does not,” she insists.
March slides a sly glance at Ivory as if on cue, but she’s too busy glaring at me to see it. “No, of course not,” I mutter.
“Wiseass,” she snaps.
“No, I’m stating facts,” I counter with a shrug. “How does the quote go? Nothing worthwhile comes easy. Perhaps that’s how it has to be so that we never forget how quickly something or someonecan be taken from us.” With my gaze on Maddox, I add, “Time is precious, Ivory, and once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”
“What if you’re wrong? What if March doesn’t feel the same way I do?”
“But what if he does?” I give her another gentle shove. “I took a leap of faith. Now it’s your turn. Go ask him to dance. The worst he’ll say is no.”
Ivory drags her feet as she crosses the room, and I’m damn proud of her when she walks right up to March and extends her hand. I cover my mouth to hide my laughter when he glares down at it like her hand is smeared with shit. I can’t hear what she says to him, but when he snatches her hand and yanks her toward the center of the ballroom, I assume he accepted her invitation. When they reach an empty spot between the dancing couples, he pulls her forward, slamming her against his chest—all the while sneering down at her…
…with Roman scowling at both of them.
But Maddox nudges Roman, whispering something in his ear that eases the older man’s frown.
Too bad I left my phone in my purse at our table because I’d love to snap a photo of Ivory and March together. Also, I’d love, love, love to capture Scarlett’s unbridled fury when Maddox breaks away from Roman—and from her—without even a half-hearted glance in her direction. She might as well be invisible,and the one thing Scarlett McQueen could never tolerate was being ignored.
And Maddox, bless him, certainly gave her the cut direct.
A familiar flutter arises within me as I watch him walk toward me, his strides confident and determined. I place a hand over my racing heart and hope I never lose this thrill when I look at him. He makes a pit stop at the conductor of the ten-piece orchestra. The stately musical director doesn’t miss a beat, waving that baton to maintain the tempo as he nods at whatever Maddox is saying. And then Maddox is on the move again, his arrogant grin gliding over me like a caress.
When he’s directly in front of me—his eyes shimmering gold and the earthy hint of his vetiver cologne scenting the air around him—he extends his hand to me. “Dance with me, Malice.”
“Took you long enough to ask,” I tease as I slide my hand in his.
He feathers his lips over my knuckles in a whispery kiss. “Cheeky wench.”
“Always,” I retort as he leads me to the dance floor. People make way for us, and I’m positive Maddox’s reputation has them parting as we pass. And then I’m swept up in his arms, our fingers interlaced, with a breathy, “Maddox…” falling from me when the orchestra plays “These Arms of Mine.”
His favorite song, the one that reminds him of me the most.
Maddox softly sings along as we sway to the hauntingly beautiful words, the lyrics all about yearning,burning, to be with the person you love. I couldn’t listen to this Otis Redding masterpiece for three years, but hearing it now, having Maddox sing it for me…has me blinking back tears as I gaze up at the man who so freely gives everything of himself to me. Who demands I give all of myself to him. This man, who tried everything toprotect me from myself and who waited for me to heal enough to come home. To come back to him.
I lay my cheek against his chest, knowing each beat of his heart is for me. “I love you, Maddox,” I whisper, unsure if he hears me over the music.
He does, squeezing my fingers and his arm around my waist. “I’ve always loved you, Alice.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll love you until the end of time.”
“That’s a long time.”
He twirls me. Dips me and holds me, bent over his arm. Kisses me breathless right here in front of everyone. “Forever isn’t long enough for us.” No, it’s not. A million lifetimes still wouldn’t be long enough for me to love this man, and when he straightens me and twirls once more, laughing, I crash into his chest. “God, I missed that sound.”
“What sound?”