The Rebound (One Night Stand Series Book 2)

by Toni J Strawn

  I sagged against the door, all of my earlier confidence torn apart with her knowing smile. I’d deluded myself in thinking there was a choice. My mother was never going to let me go.

  “I won’t marry Logan.” I met Patricia’s steely expression with the last of my reserves of courage.

  My mother considered me for a moment before inclining her head. “Yes. I may have been hasty in forming an alliance with him.” She leaned forward. “But, of course, you will be required to move home. Immediately.”

  I hadn’t expected any less. I choked back my refusal, knowing it would do no good. There weren’t any winning options here. Either way, Cole was lost to me. I destroyed his business or destroyed his trust. In the end, it amounted to the same thing.

  In the end, I could never have the one thing I wanted.

  Cole.

  Patricia’s expression softened with the certainty of success. She’d trained me to acquiesce to her every whim, to always be the good girl. I clenched my hands behind my back, relishing the bite of my nails in my palms to root me to the spot. Anger welled. Hot, bitter anger spilling from a place deep inside me. My mother appeared sad. Sorry that she’d had to do this to her daughter. It was bullshit. All I could see was false contrition couched as caring.

  Just like the day with Logan when I’d finally seen the truth, I stared past the well put-together mask into the brutal, egocentric reality that was my mother. I wasn’t scared for her fragile state of mind any longer. That had been a convenient lie I had let myself believe.

  Anger at myself filled me, stiffening my spine. Getting to know Cole and Jess and the adversity they had faced, I was ashamed to realize how much of a coward I’d been. I’d allowed my mother to lead me through life because I had lacked the backbone to do it for myself.

  Making my mother happy had always made my life seem better. Go against her and the repercussions had been swift and often painful. It’d been easier to go with the flow. Follow the rules. Suck up to the people who held the power.

  “But not this time.” I took a step forward.

  “Pardon?” Mother looked up sharply. Her brows pulled together.

  “I said. Not. This. Time. Mom.” I met my mother’s gaze, knowing my eyes were as hard and steady as the ones I faced. “I’m taking my life back. You can do what you like. With Logan. With Russell. With…Cole. I-I don’t care anymore.” I drew in a breath, refusing to react to the perfect ‘O’ of shock on my mother’s face. “I love you, Mom, but if you go ahead with your plans to ruin Cole, you risk losing me.”

  “Oh, Madison.” My mother’s mouth tipped upward, a shadow of her earlier confidence returning. “You are such a silly thing. I am your mother. I can never lose you.” Her forehead puckered into that familiar worn look. “I gave my life for you. Remember.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek against the tug of my heart. “And I’ve more than paid for it. Please. I know life was tough. I get that. You wanted what’s best for me and I love you for it. I do.” I pressed on as my mother’s expression hardened. “You fought for the life you wanted. Now let me live mine.”

  “You may not remember Minot, Madison, but I do,” my mother spat out. “Going hungry. The utter despair of having to scrimp for every dollar.”

  “Look at your life now.” I swept my hand out to encompass the mansion, the fine fittings, wealth dripping from every fixture. “You can’t tell me you’re scared of poverty. Not now.”

  “And what if Robert divorced me. I have sunk every penny of money I have into you, Madison. I have nothing of my own.”

  “I know that’s not true.” I shook my head. I’d seen the bank balances, the jewels, the cars in her name. “But it’s never going to be enough, is it Mom. No matter how much you have, you will always want more.”

  “You can’t tell me you’re not happy now. After all I’ve given you?”

  I stood my ground. “If you knew me at all, you would know the answer to that.”

  “Maddy.”

  It was a name I hadn’t heard since I was four and I caught a glimpse of the mother I remembered. There had been good times, before my mother cared so much about being noticed.

  “I’m doing this for the best,” she said. “I’m doing this for you. For your future.”

  And just like that, the mask slipped back over my mother’s face. Cool. Composed. Calculating.

  “Who’s best?” I shook my head, sadness weighing at my shoulders. “All I wanted is a mother who loves me as I am. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “Don’t threaten me.” Anger sparked in my mother’s eyes as she stood, rounding the desk to stand in front of me. “You know nothing about how life works. You’ve been pampered, sheltered, given only the best. So stop talking nonsense or I will destroy Cole.” Her voice shook slightly, with fear as well as anger.

  It was the fear that gave me a spark of hope that she might begin to understand. Not today. But, one day.

  “I know,” I said quietly. “And I really hope you’ll change your mind.”

  I left before I said something I might live to regret, words that would forever stand between us. I still loved my mom, and I’d been telling the truth. I didn’t want to lose her.

  I drove back to Wellsford, my eyes hot and dry, my mind spinning in circles. I should feel elated. I’d finally gotten my freedom. But at what cost? The relationship with my mother? And Cole? He didn’t know I’d just cost him everything…

  The weight crushed me, pressing down on my chest, gripping its dark fist around my heart. He would never forgive me. I’d just done the very thing Cole had accused Thomas of doing all those years ago. Sacrificed him for my own selfish gains.

  How could I tell Cole that?

  And that wasn’t even the worst of it.

  The worst thing?

  The very worst thing was knowing I would do it all again. I was past lying. Past pretending I wanted to live how everyone else expected me to. Let Cole’s punishment rain down on my head if that was what it took. At least this time it would be fair. At least this time I deserved everything I got.

  Even if I did lose Cole in the process.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Cole

  Madison had gone to see her mother today. She was nervous about something, I knew her well enough to recognize the signs. The smoothing and re-smoothing of her skirt, the pale tinge to her cheeks.

  She hadn’t said much about the visit before leaving. I tried not to think about the reasons for that. Either she was genuinely anxious about seeing her mother. Or she was reporting back about what I was doing here. Maybe even had copies of my plans.

  I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. Thinking Madison was some corporate spy, using her beauty and brains to outwit me. But there was no humor in the truth if it was reality. In fact, the truth had the potential to really fucking suck.

  “Shit!” I hammered my fist on the kitchen counter.

  “What was that?” Jess appeared at her door.

  “Nothing.” I struggled to find a smile and utterly failed.

  “You okay?” My sister looked at me sharply.

  “Of course.” This time, I managed to form my lips into the shape I wanted. “How about we go for a walk? I’ll buy you breakfast and you can show me this coffee shop Madison’s always talking about?”

  “There’s a café around the corner that’s just as good.” Jess threw me a sour look. “I only go further because Madison is so nice.”

  “And I’m not?” I pretended to be wounded at being painted as the bad guy. Oh. That’s right. I wasn’t pretending.

  “You’re my brother. I don’t think it counts.” Jess looked at her watch, unnoticing—or uncaring—that I was actually hurt. “I’m meeting with Tash in an hour, so I can’t do breakfast. Maybe a late lunch?”

  “Sure.” My words fell into an empty room. Jess had already left.

  I sank onto the couch, wondering how in hell I’d gotten to a place where my own sister thought I was that hor
rible. Oh yeah. She’d had an accident and our mother had died, leaving me to deal with shit I knew nothing about.

  I rubbed at my brow, my neck aching from muscles held too tight. I didn’t blame my mother. She’d played it right from the start. After their deadbeat Langford father had left, she’d never approached the rich side of the family for help or support. My mother had known the score. She knew which side of the tracks she’d come from.

  I had been seduced by the lure of money. When my generous uncle had turned up, offering me the chance to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, I’d jumped at the opportunity. I’d seen how the other half lived and I’d wanted it. Badly.

  The cost had been high, but it was too late by then. No one would listen to my side of the story. I’d rolled over and let myself be shafted. And the repercussions of my weakness haunted me every day.

  When Jess had lain in the hospital, I knew the Langford money would buy her a full and unaffected life. The fact my grandfather had refused because of what I’d supposedly done at school was something I could never forgive.

  I struggled to my feet, my throat tight, as if I couldn’t fill my lungs with enough air. From what I knew of Patricia St. James, she was as ruthless as Russell and Thomas had ever been. Madison didn’t appear to be like them, but then, appearances were seldom what they seemed. She had the face of an angel. It remained to be seen whether her soul belonged to the devil.

  I paced the room, my life hanging in the balance as I waited to find out.

  One hour.

  Two hours.

  Three…four…five…

  My head jacked up as the key turned in the lock.

  I knew the truth as soon as I saw her.

  She looked like she’d gone to hell and back. Her hair was unbound and tangled, as if her fingers had combed through it more than once, her eyes clouded with the heartache of painful secrets.

  My chest clenched tight, then loosened as I took the first proper breath since I’d seen Patricia’s name on that damn computer screen. It took a moment to process my relief, the incredible lightness sweeping me off my feet to carry me to her, the crushing need to touch her. Console her. Make everything right. I wanted to scoop her up in my arms and kiss her, to take away the pain and uncertainty and replace it with everything good we had between us.

  “Oh God. Cole. I’m so sorry.” Madison pulled away as if my touch hurt. “What have I done?”

  “Tell me.”

  I guided her to the couch and she sat down, burying her head in her hands. When she raised her face, it was pinched white, her eyes wet with tears. Her expression tore at my heart, but I stayed quiet. I needed to hear what had happened from her own lips.

  “My Mother. Your own uncle.” She shook her head, disbelief coloring her words. “They are trying to shut down your development. My mother has promised to help him unless I walked away from you.” Horror leached into her face. “I should have done it.” Her words gathered speed. “I should have told her I’d move back home. God, I’m so selfish. But I couldn’t bear to live out some lie for the rest of my life. I couldn’t stand to see her win. I’m sorry, Cole. I’m so sorry.”

  I listened to her out-pouring of grief and apologies and self-recrimination. I captured each expression and held it close, like a cherished thing, denouncing her guilt.

  It took me a moment to realize she’d stopped talking. Her hands clenched and unclenched as she stared at me, her body filled with tension as if she waited for my blows to rain down.

  “Aren’t you going to say something?” she demanded.

  I couldn’t meet the tortured look on her face. She hadn’t known a thing.

  “Madison. I’m sorry.” I started toward her, finally allowing myself to offer her comfort.

  She cut me off with a sharp gasp, disbelief etched on her face.

  “Oh my god. You knew?” Madison recoiled from me. “I don’t understand. Why d-didn’t you tell me?” She struggled to ask the question and I didn’t want to tell her the answer. I saw it transform her as comprehension dawned. “You thought I was part of it.” Hurt flattened her voice.

  “I wasn’t sure,” I admitted, rubbing at my neck. I hated to see her wounded expression. Those beautiful eyes wide open in shock. But what else could I have done? Madison was one of them. I had every right to be suspicious. “You should be pleased I didn’t warn you.” I tried to ease the guilt sitting like acid in my gut. “If I’d said something, you would’ve handled your mother differently. Instead, you stood up to her.”

  I wanted Madison to understand how proud I was of her, how amazing I found her strength, but her gaze hardened, hurt becoming anger.

  “Because you thought my mother and I were hatching some evil plot against you.”

  I rubbed at my chest. “Yes. No…not really,” I muttered. “I had to be sure.”

  I could see her visibly swallow back a retort.

  Fuck it. It shouldn’t matter if I hurt her feelings, but now, in the cold light of day, I could see how it must look. Madison had been nothing but open and honest and trusting. I shoved aside the first pangs of self-loathing, telling myself she hadn’t lived the life I had. This was Madison’s first glimpse into the shitty truth behind her privileged upbringing. Reality was harsh, yes, and Madison didn’t deserve to find out this way, but I was just doing what I’d always done.

  Protecting myself. Protecting Jess.

  “I can help you.” I moved forward, seeing Madison as being within my inner circle now. Perhaps there was even a place for her in my future.

  She shut her eyes, closing off her expression to me.

  I stopped. Trust had meant more to Madison than I’d considered. But she’d come around. I was certain of that. Being on the outside was a lonely place. She would need me.

  She opened her eyes again and the tightness in my chest eased. In front of me stood the Madison I remembered from the first night we met. Proud. Determined. Sexy-as-hell. She’d turned those liquid brown eyes on me and melted everything in her path. Including me.

  “Help me?” She started forward, planting her feet wide to stand in front of me. “Help me how?”

  Her question was pure confrontation and her aggression turned my blood to fire. It was more than I deserved, but I was happy to answer her challenge. My little Madison had found her teeth. Good. She’d need them if we were going to fight against her mother and the Langford’s.

  And underneath it all, hadn’t I known Madison would understand my actions? She wasn’t the kind to hold a grudge.

  “I won’t do it again,” I said. And I meant every word. She’d proved herself to me and I wouldn’t forget that.

  “Yes, you will,” she said flatly. Then she sighed. “But that is what makes you, you.”

  I opened my mouth to protest, but my denial was ripped away when she reached down to grip my cock through my jeans. I jerked forward as her fingers stroked me through the fabric, just this side of rough. I let out a groan, every inch of me on fire. I pushed harder into her hand, inviting her to do her worst.

  I got busy with her buttons and I moved my lips from her hair to her jawline. Familiar excitement rose in a wave as Madison responded to my touch.

  “I missed you,” I spoke against her skin.

  She pushed up my T-shirt, just as eager to have her hands on me. I claimed her lips, never tired of tasting her.

  I didn’t know how else I could show Madison what I felt for her. Pride. Adoration. Amazement. I wanted to explore what her future held with her. I wanted to be a part of it. I pushed up her skirt and she gasped as my fingers unerringly found their way to her clit. Wet. So wet. For me.

  She grunted as I tipped her onto the bed, wanting to make her forget—make us both forget—about Salamond Holdings, Patricia…Russell…Thomas.

  I found the slick heat between her legs, brushing my lips against her skin, loving the feel of her body, like it was made perfectly for me. I laved at her nipple and let her gasps of pleasure carry me with her. I pushed my
fingers inside, keeping time with the suck and pull of my mouth on her breasts. I drove her higher, flicking across her clit, feeling the writhe of her body beneath me. She shuddered against me, back arching, legs tensing and relaxing as her pussy clenched tight around my fingers.

  I let her rest for a few beats, then moved downward, replacing my fingers with my mouth as I started over. Giving everything of myself. Mind. Body. Soul.

  I lowered my defenses…letting go, knowing it would be impossible now to haul myself back. Madison had taken my anger, my hard-edged hatred and replaced it with sweet acceptance. And I adored her for it.

  She might be one of them, but she wasn’t like them.

  I knew now, there was a difference.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Madison

  I loved what Cole did to me. How he pushed me, took me to the brink and reeled me back, only to begin again. I didn’t want the wild ride of ecstasy to end. He wrung pleasure from my body until I was limp. Every inch of me satisfied.

  Except…I felt hollow inside.

  One plus one did not equal three, and I’d come to understand that was what Cole and I amounted to. We didn’t add up. The realization was the one truth I had been hiding from. Now facing the mirror, with Cole behind me again, I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

  “Look at you,” he murmured, pride filling his voice.

  A lump formed in my throat. Cole’s approval was the one thing I’d craved and now I had it, I realized it wasn’t worth everything I’d given. He’d lied to me. The person I’d always seen as honest and true, who hid nothing. Bitterness clogged my throat as I looked at my reflection… Madison St. James in all her entirety—naked and real—and for the first time I didn’t flinch. I liked what I saw. A strong, independent woman.

  Would Cole ever see me that way?

  I deserved more. Today, I’d fought against everything I’d known. Had sacrificed my relationship with my mother. My own future. Was I really going to give my love to Cole? Because I knew now I loved him. Loved him for his fierce sense of righteousness. His utter adoration of Jess. I loved him for the way he threw himself into everything, no holds barred, all or nothing.