Page 137 of The Renegade Billionaire

“I’m not saying I won’t take it, it’s just not something I ever thought I’d do.” Tears stream down her face, and I know without her saying it that she feels alone, even though I’m right beside her. It cuts deeper than I would’ve expected.

Pulling her into my arms, I hold her tight. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be by your side.”

“But what do you want?” She sobs into my chest, and I drop my chin to the top of her head.

“I honestly don’t know, sweetheart.” It’s the truth, but it makes her cry harder, and I feel like an asshole.

A sharp knock on the door has us both standing a little taller.

“Brax?” Grey calls through the door. “I’ve got an errand to run. I’ll be back in a couple of hours, so I’ll meet you guys at the church. The turkey is prepped and ready to go in the oven.”

“Okay.” It comes out crackly, so I clear my throat. “See you there.”

He doesn’t answer, so I know he’s already gone.

“We’ll get through this, okay? I promise you. I’m not going anywhere.”

My mind is running a hundred different scenarios, but Madison needs me, and it makes my decision easy.

I want what she wants.

Whatever that ends up being.

Grey endedup taking much longer than he expected, though I still have no idea where he ran off to. It left Sage and me to cook Thanksgiving dinner for everyone when we returned from serving lunch at the church. Luckily, everyone pitched in, so when he finally walks through the door at six o’clock, we’re just sitting down to eat.

Madison sits to my right. Sage sits on my left with Pops at the head of the table. Then it’s Clover and Savvy, and Grey heads up the other end.

“Nice of you to join us,” Savvy says with a cluck of her tongue.

“Missed me, did you?” His voice is full of ice.

Clover sits across from us, staring at Madison’s face, and when I look down, she’s mouthingI’m fineto her friend.

She’s put on a great show all day, but the tension around her is a force field keeping me at bay, and I hate it.

We all hold hands as Pops says a relatively normal grace, but when we break apart, I keep Madison’s hand in mine under thetable. She looks up at me with a watery gaze, and I wish I knew what the right thing to say was.

Since words aren’t enough, I lean in and kiss her cheek at the same time as I squeeze her hand.

Thankfully, Sage and Pops keep the conversation flowing. They talk about everything and nothing, but I don’t think Madison hears any of it. She smiles at all the right times and answers direct questions, but she’s lost to her fears where I can’t reach her.

After all the plates have been passed around, I sit back in my chair, taking in my surroundings in a different way—a new way—a family way.

Friends laugh and talk. Savvy and Grey bicker on one end of the table, while Clover and Sage debate who will win the Sunshine Bowl next season.

This is family. My skin prickles as though I’m being watched, and when I scan the room, I meet Grey’s gaze. He seems a little lost. Is he experiencing this the same way I am?

When the forks are set down, the conversation keeps going around and around, but Madison stands with her plate in her hands, causing everyone to look up at her.

“Um, I’ll just start clearing the table, for, ah, dessert,” she says, not really looking at anyone.

Grey stands so suddenly that his chair scrapes against the floor. “I’ll help you.”

Savvy frowns, and I start to rise too, but Grey holds out a hand. “Stay,” he says. “I’ll help. I missed the rest, and Madi can show me what to do.”

I nod, even as a sense of unease makes my neck prickle. I’m hating myself a little that two of the most important people in my life are struggling, and I have no idea how to help them.

Madison and I decided I’d leave right after dessert, when everyone’s in a food coma and too tired to question me. Shemust’ve decided to take the medication that would terminate a pregnancy before it had a chance to start.