“It was your father-in-law who came to look after us.” She’s no longer yelling to be heard. They must have moved a microphone closer to her. “He showed up here every other month for two years to make sure I was okay, and I’m pretty sure he did it with all of us.”
“Oh, stop complaining. You roped in an entitled billionaire because of it, didn’t you? What happened, did you trap him with a pregnancy?”
I shoot to my feet. “Oh, fuck no. No. No. No. Get the plane ready. We’re heading back to Georgia right now. I’m going to kill that fucker.”
“Shit.” Something in Grey’s tone has me looking back at the screen.
Madison has stepped closer to Alistair, aiming the toy gun at him that he obviously has no idea is fake.
“G—get her away from me. I told you something wasn’t right with her.”
“If I lose control, it’s you who pushed me to it. Braxton merely reclaimed what was his, well, now his and Greyson’s, I suppose. I don’t know why Ace didn’t toss you out sooner, but I promise you, Braxton will clean up the trash, and if you ever step foot on my property again, I will shoot you.”
“She threatened me, did you hear her? She’s threatening me on live television.” Alistair’s face is so red it shines brightly on the screen, and sweat drips down his forehead.
“Why did you do it? Why did you take the twenty million to raise Braxton as your own if you were only going to abuse and mistreat him?”
The camera spins to Alistair, but it’s as though he isn’t even aware of them anymore. He glares at Madison as if she’s the only person in the world, and he looks like he might actually attack her.
He steps into her space. The cameramen are farther away now, but they zoom in on her so only the back of Alistair’s head is visible. But the sound comes through as though they’re each holding a microphone.
“I didn’t abuse him, little girl.” His voice is low and menacing. It’s obvious he thinks his words will only reach Madison. “I let Ace take care of the mess his daughter created.”
“Madison,” someone shouts in the background. It sounds a lot like Cian.
“No, but you’re the one who took the money. Why?”
“Why? Why?” The camera catches the spittle flying from his lips. “Because Ace gave me a dying company and expected me to put my own money into it. He expected me to fail, and I refused to give him that satisfaction. But once I was a success, he couldn’t take it away from me. That was the deal we made.”
“Huh.” Why is she waving that damn gun around? Even if it’s not real, she must be terrifying everyone.
Cian enters the camera frame, takes one look at the shotgun, and howls with laughter, then takes a seat on the porch steps.
“It must cut so deep then.” She smiles brightly, and I can almost feel the camera crews falling in love with her.
“What does? And will you please put that damn gun away before you hurt someone, little girl.”
“He just can’t help putting people down, can he?” Grey mutters in disgust.
“Funny, that. You keep calling me a little girl, but I’m the one who owns a thriving business, three of them, actually. I’m the one who’s going to marry the man who will destroy you for everything you’ve done. To him, to me, to all the other innocent victims of your sick and twisted fake news.”
“So, you are engaged?” someone shouts.
“When’s the wedding?”
“How long have you known Braxton?”
“Fucking hell. I’ll call the pilot now,” Grey says, rushing from the room, his phone already held to his ear.
Madison ignores them all and speaks directly to Alistair. “I’m not the scared, innocent little girl you harassed all those years ago, and you’ll never intimidate me again.”
“You have no idea who you’re messing with,” Alistair shouts, crowding her against the railing with the barrel of the fake gun pressing into his chest. “You don’t have the balls to pull the trigger.”
He steps back when Cian approaches.
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Madison pulls the trigger. It makes a loud popping noise, and Alistair falls to the ground, patting his chest. The instant he sees the little flag that saysPOP!!!, he scrambles to his feet.
“You don’t think I have anything? You think I can’t still ruin you?” He steps closer and holds up his phone, practically shoving it into her personal space, and whatever is on it drains all color from her face.
