The Rebound (One Night Stand Series Book 2)

by Toni J Strawn

  The right thing.

  I straightened as she ended the call. I had no idea what the right thing was anymore. Was it to expect my husband-to-be would stray from time to time? Or had it been my night with Cole, when every touch, each stroke of his fingers had been a symphony against my skin?

  I dropped my phone into my bag and walked back to the table. I hadn’t been missed. The conversation flowed around me as if I were invisible none of them realizing anything was wrong.

  How could they not even notice?

  Unable to stay and play out the charade any longer, I mumbled a vague excuse about seeing my fiancé, air kissed cheeks and fake-hugged goodbyes, all the time fighting against the bile rising in my throat.

  I had someone to see about an engagement.

  Chapter Eleven

  Madison

  Coming face to face with the man I’d come this close to marrying didn’t bother me as much as I’d thought. I hadn’t known what to expect when the moment arrived.

  Hurt?

  Yes.

  Anger?

  A little.

  Heartache?

  Not so much.

  I tilted my head to consider my ex-fiancé across the desk. He looked good. But then, Logan always did. Today he wore the charcoal suit pants I’d picked out at HB’s, coupled with a snowy white shirt and silver bar cufflinks. With boyish blond hair falling over his eyes, Logan appeared as charming as ever.

  Which is usually what got him into trouble. His father wanted Logan to grow up and take responsibility.

  So did I.

  I searched his face, looking for a sign—some small spark of recognition from my soul confirming Logan was the one.

  Nothing.

  No fluttering butterflies in my stomach. No blood racing like quicksilver through my veins. Logan had a certain charm.

  But he was no Cole.

  Okay, I was officially staring at Logan like he was a lump of meat. I cleared my throat and pulled back my focus. Logan shrugged, dishing up his patented man-boy grin. Except I saw past the playboy charm and recognized the tightness around his eyes, the worry pressing his lips together.

  For one brief moment of insanity, I thought about asking if he was okay.

  “So, what do you think?” I prompted, reminding him of the proposition I’d just laid at his feet.

  “That you’re crazy,” Logan said bluntly. He leaned forward. “You want your allowance for the next few months, even though, according to you, we’re no longer engaged? And you haven’t told your mother.” He shook his head. “Why would I do that?”

  “You mean, what’s in it for you?”

  Logan stared back, not bothering to deny it.

  I smothered a sigh, sinking in my chair. “You left me no choice, Logan. You cheated. Remember?” It’d been too much to hope he would do the right thing.

  His patronizing grin disappeared. “Almost cheated,” he corrected.

  “Semantics and you know it. You would’ve slept with her if I hadn’t caught you out.” Probably with his tongue down Chloe’s throat and his hands…

  Well, never mind where his hands might have been.

  Logan’s scowl deepened for a moment, then like clouds dispersing on a sunny day his face brightened and the charm emerged again. “It’s hard being me.” He fell back easily into playboy mode. “I’m a good looking guy. Rich. Influential.” He pointed across the desk. “You’re beautiful enough, but you’ll never know what it’s like to have charisma.”

  I choked back a laugh. “I didn’t realize charisma came with a direct link to your penis,” I said, not the least bit offended by his opinion of me. I was well past that. “And I didn’t read that on your gift-tag when my mother bought you off the shelf.”

  Logan’s mouth fell open, but he quickly regained his composure. “Touché, Madison. Touché.” He laughed, looking impressed.

  And with it, I experienced a glimmer of hope that Logan might soften. The stiffness in my chest eased, allowing me to breathe properly for the first time since I’d left Baltimore.

  “So, you’ll help me?” I pressed. “All you have to do is pay back my allowance for the next few months. Just until I can figure things out with my mother. Please, Logan. I really need this.” I wasn’t above begging.

  “Don’t be stupid.” Logan’s charm disappeared in the blink of an eye. “Of course I can’t give you any money.” He drummed his fingers on the desk and my heart plummeted. “You said yourself, your mother bought me. I’m a done deal. Hence, the money is mine.” He smiled again, the full charm of his dimpled grin resurfacing. “But have you considered this might be our chance to start again? A fresh beginning and all that.” He moved to stand behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders. I tried not to shudder as the hair on the back of my neck prickled. “I take care of you, don’t I?” he murmured, drawing a shiver-inducing circle with his thumb. “We have good times. Don’t be so quick to throw that away.”

  “Stop. Logan.” I shifted out of his hold, halting his impromptu caress. I couldn’t stand to hear his lies, not when a part of me still wanted Logan to mean it. It would be so much easier if he were capable of seeing past my wallet.

  “Can you blame me?” Chuckling, Logan returned to his seat. “I mean, look at you.” He appraised me much the same way I would a new handbag—calculating how many other people would love to own it. “You’re gorgeous. And I fucked up.” He held up his hands. “Sorry to use that word, but I regret hurting you. I do.”

  “And I need my money.”

  “Don’t we all?” Logan pouted.

  “Some more than others,” I retorted sourly. The conversation was going around in circles, and I doubted there would be any meaningful resolution. “Let me put this plainly, Logan. You have my money. I need it.”

  Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Logan looked at his desk, his phone, his hands—anywhere but me.

  “I think you’ll find I need it more,” he said quietly.

  “What? Surely you’re not telling me you’ve hit the ceiling on my allowance too? Seriously, Logan? How much money can one man spend?”

  His furtive glance toward the window gave him away. I stood, taking in the brand new Lexus SUV towering over the other vehicles in the parking lot. My mind had been on other things when I’d come in, but how could I have missed that?

  “Oh my God. You have got to be kidding me?” I buried my head in my hands, too stunned to speak.

  When I could bear to look up, Logan shrugged again. His trademark gesture. I swallowed back the string of curses threatening to erupt. Letting loose at Logan would achieve nothing. No matter how good it might feel.

  “I bought it when we were still together. The day we…I…” His voice took on a whiny quality, but at least he managed to look contrite. I glared harder. “I thought we were a done deal,” he added.

  Deal. That word again. “So, what am I supposed to do now? I’m going to be kicked out of my apartment. I have nowhere to go.”

  Except back to my mother’s.

  “And I’ve just told you. I can’t help. Sorry, Madison, I really am.” Logan stood and started herding me toward the door.

  I admired the fact he could say that with a straight face. My nails dug into my palms and I could barely hold onto my calm demeanor.

  “Unless you want to come and live with me…” He grinned slyly.

  “Absolutely. Not.” Everything else in my future might be up in the air, but I was certain of one thing: Logan wouldn’t be a part of it.

  Logan’s mouth twisted with regret. His fingers splayed against my back as he nudged me out the door.

  “Shame. I don’t know how else I’m supposed to help you.”

  Ripples of hot anger splashed up my spine, but I held it in. I still needed Logan to stay quiet about our break-up, at least until I found a way to convince my mother that not marrying him presented a better story to the outside world. So I swallowed back the bitter retort and counted down from ten as he urged me down the h
allway.

  “How about you sell that car?” I asked sweetly as he reached past me to push the call button on the elevator. “Or, move into a smaller apartment? If I did the same, it could work.”

  Logan shook his head. “No it couldn’t.”

  “I’ve got nothing left. You’ve taken it all.” I reminded him again as the elevator dinged. One last throw of the dice.

  “I don’t know what to tell you, Madison. You made your choice.” Logan lifted his shoulders one last time and walked away.

  Leaving me staring after him.

  “Nice to see you get what you deserve.”

  I knew that voice. Gorge rose in my throat and I whirled around, my gaze lighting on Cole in the elevator, arms crossed, a look of icy satisfaction on his face.

  Seriously. Could my day get any worse?

  Apparently so. “I think it’s called just desserts,” he added, scorn twisting his lips.

  It was all too much. Blood roared in my ears. Spinning on my heel, I raced for the stairs as if the devil himself chased me.

  Chapter Twelve

  Cole

  Seeing Madison St. James was the perfect icing on today’s shitty-ass cake.

  It had started when I’d arrived at the university campus to visit Jess this morning. Only to find she’d moved out of the dorms without telling me.

  After two worry-filled hours—and on threat of death—I’d finally tracked her down. Which had done nothing to improve my day. I’d driven east of the city, into suburbs with rotting billboards tagged with obscenities, where front yards were overgrown with trash and long discarded fliers.

  Then there was the house itself, the place my sister was currently living. I’d rechecked the hastily scribbled address. Maybe I’d read it wrong.

  All hope had faded when Jess had answer the door. Even then, I had tried my damnedest to have an open mind, holding back the lecture. But the moment I’d set foot inside, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. Peeling wallpaper, patchy carpet and vinyl flooring that had holes worn clear through—perfect for a girl with a damaged leg to trip on. And then there were Jess’s house mates…two guys stinking of stale alcohol, who couldn’t even meet my stare.

  I’d hissed a breath out through my teeth, my blood pressure rising to volcanic lava overflow.

  “Go and pack your things.”

  At least I hadn’t shouted.

  Jess had started to protest loudly, but she wasn’t nearly as argumentative as I would have expected. Which had only increased my bad mood when I realized she hadn’t exactly been happy here either. I’d had no time to probe further. I’d already been running late for a rescheduled meeting with my engineer.

  “I’ll be back for you in two hours.” I’d warned Jess as I left. “Start packing. Now!”

  I still hadn’t made my meeting. Two hours had passed and here I was, once again waiting on Madison St. James. She’d taken off like a scalded cat into the stairwell and I’d taken the elevator down to the bottom floor.

  She should be emerging right…about…now…

  My breath caught as the emergency exit opened and Madison stepped out. Muscles tightened.

  Anger.

  Betrayal.

  Lust.

  God, she was gorgeous. I bit back a sigh. I was a sucker for a sad story on pretty legs and from the look on Madison’s face right before she’d bolted, my instincts screamed something was wrong. Just like when she’d come back to the hotel after lunch with her mother. I’d known something wasn’t right then too.

  I had tried hard to forget that afternoon, but Madison had been hard to eradicate from my thoughts. She was the perfect enigma, and I couldn’t get rid of the prickly feeling I might have gotten it wrong.

  “Madison. Stop.” I stepped out to confront her.

  She froze in place and I could almost hear her pulse racing like river rapids through her veins. She stared at me with those large, chocolate eyes, her expression haunted.

  I knew then I couldn’t let her go.

  “Do you have a car?” I kept my gaze firmly on her, scared that if I closed my eyes, she’d disappear.

  “What? N-No.”

  “Then I’ll take you home.”

  Madison recovered enough to shake her head vigorously. “No, you won’t.”

  “Yes, I will.” I wasn’t giving her another free pass. “You owe me an explanation.” I hadn’t intended to say that, but as soon as the words were out, I realized I meant it. She did owe me, goddammit.

  “Y-you didn’t want to listen.” Madison started to inch away.

  “I’ve changed my mind.” I followed, linking my arm through hers, cutting off her escape. I flashed a humorless grin. “Call me mercurial.”

  She was so tense, I could feel the vibration thrum through her body. For a moment, I thought she might yank free and run. Then the pressure in her arm released and her shoulders fell forward.

  “Fine,” she said. “I guess you may as well have a piece of me too.”

  The defeat in her voice made my stomach churn and my grip tighten.

  “Come on. I’ll take you home.”

  Apart from a few sparse directions, Madison was silent on the trip. I let her be, but the question burned in my mind.

  What the fuck was going on?

  I glanced over at her for the umpteenth time. She was checking her reflection in a small, compact mirror. Again. My jaw tightened.

  By the time I pulled up to her Latimer Square complex, Madison appeared to have her composure back.

  “Thank you very much for the ride home.” She slipped from the car before taking the stairs up to her second story apartment. I followed her inside, leaning against the door to close it behind me.

  She turned and a smile transformed her face. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

  I blinked, caught again by how beautiful she looked. Confident. Charming. The consummate host. My gaze narrowed. And if her eyes weren’t darting around the apartment like a frightened rabbit I might’ve believed all that was true.

  “Cut the crap, Madison. Tell me what’s going on.”

  For a moment, fire flashed in her eyes, then she sank onto the couch, like all the air had gone out of her. I glanced at her hands. The ring was gone.

  Madison’s mouth twisted as she guessed at the focus of my attention. “I’m not engaged,” she said. “In fact, it seems I’m not much of anything.”

  I shoved my hands in my pockets, refusing to let myself feel pity for her.

  “How so? Come on, Madison.” Impatience edged my words when she remained silent. “You’ve got to give me something.”

  She glanced down. Drew a breath. Then released the dam of information I had been waiting for. Madison spilled everything. Her intended marriage, Logan’s infidelity, the hotel and her mother’s financial coercion.

  With every twist of her story, the churning in my gut intensified. I was angry. Not at Madison. But for Madison. I’d known the rich were a shitty bunch…but this was her mother. It still stuck in my craw that Madison hadn’t been up front with me the night we’d first met, but at least her account went someway to explaining why she hadn’t told me about the engagement.

  “Where’s the ring?” I nodded toward her bare fingers.

  “I gave it back to Logan.”

  I scraped my fingers through my hair. “You mean to tell me that…jerk…not only has your money, but you gave him back the ring as well?” I groaned. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  Her eyes widened. “Do you think I would keep it? After everything I just told you?”

  “Damn straight.” I couldn’t believe her stupidity. “You could’ve sold it.”

  “I’d rather go back to my mother than use a cent of it,” she hissed. I grudgingly admired her grit. I gathered moving back to her mother’s was not an option. One I seconded.

  I pushed off the wall, taking a good look around her living space, poking my head around the corner to survey the short hallway. I’d guarantee there were a f
ew items worth a little something amongst all of the understated elegance.

  “So, what are you going to do?” I asked, checking out the rest of the apartment.

  Two bedrooms. Elegant furnishings. Simple. I glanced into Madison’s bedroom with its plush, plum-colored coverlet and clean, cream painted walls. Nice.

  Unlike my imagination, which played out images of Madison, her blonde hair tussled across the bed, her fingers grasping at the white rungs of her headboard, hips thrusting upward while I slammed into her, taking my fill. Feasting on her…

  I tore my gaze from the bed, my cock growing uncomfortably tight as the two worlds of Madison collided in my head. Shit. I had enough to think about already. There was Jess, for one. And the fact she was living in a rat-infested hole.

  I accepted my refusal to let her move out of the dorm might have played a part in her bad choices. If I had my way, this was the kind of place Jess would get to live in.

  My thumb tapped out a tempo on the door jamb and I turned back to Madison.

  “I have an idea.” I pointed down the hall toward the bedrooms. “How about you take in a roommate?”

  Madison followed the direction of my finger. “I don’t think so.” Color rushed to her cheeks. “I-I’m not—”

  “Not that,” I cut in, tamping down a flare of desire at what she thought I was suggesting. I shook my head. “I want my sister to move in with you. I need you to babysit her.”

  “What?” Madison’s mouth dropped open. “You have a sister?”

  “Yes, I have a sister.” I was impatient now to get on with it, conscious of Jess waiting for me. “She’s around your age. Except she hasn’t had the kind of life you have.”

  Making Madison’s eyes narrow. “And you want me to babysit her? A grown woman?”

  “Yes.”

  Her brows gathered in a storm of thought. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “Nothing,” I snapped. “She’s perfectly normal, apart from an injury to her leg and a penchant for trouble. All you have to do is try and be her friend. Oh, and make sure she exercises every day,” I added. Then, “And if you think she’s straying down a dangerous path, let me know. Immediately.” I accompanied my final words with a stern look. “No keeping anything from me. Not when it comes to Jess.”