Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Madison peered into Marcus’s eyes for a few seconds in silence before looking around at the rest of us. As if she was looking for confirmation.
“He’s right,” I told her. “We’re not letting you out of our sight.”
Madison looked upward where Chloe was still sleeping.
“I don’t care about me. I care about her. Please, help me protect her,” she begged us.
“No one is going to hurt her or take her,” Marlo assured her as Marcus released her. “In fact, protecting both of you will be easier now that we know what we’re up against. We’re not in the dark anymore.”
Madison still looked wary, but she nodded and took a seat on my stool.
“I wish my ex was just some regular guy with an attitude, but he’s not going to give up. He’s going to throw everything he can at us, especially when he figures out you guys are helping me,” she warned us. “I don’t want anything bad happening to you guys.”
I walked closer to her and shook my head.
“Bad things have already happened to us. Mostly due to our own mistakes. If we can do something good with ourselves, we’ll do it for you and Chloe,” I replied, needing her to let go and let us help her. She worried so much about other people, and her caring nature was admirable, but she had to let us run into the fire with her.
Madison ran her fingers through her hair as her tears dried on her cheeks. She slowly nodded, and her jaw tightened as she clenched her teeth. Now, she looked like a lioness about to kill for her cub.
“Then, it’s war.”
Chapter 16
Madison
It felt like my world was rocked the moment it was confirmed that Michael was the one behind this insane situation that endangered both me and my child.
I had my suspicions, but I didn’t think that he would stoop to such a low level of taking an interest in his daughter for the first time in her life just to use her for political gain. That still blew my mind.
He was so different when we first started dating, but he got a taste of power and money, and he became addicted to it. He loved towering above others and abusing his authority, and he was going to do the same thing as city councilor. He had a talent for tricking people into seeing him in a better light.
When we were together, he obviously made more money than I did, and if he could find a way to hold that over my head, he did. He made it clear to me that I couldn’t survive without him and that Chloe would suffer if only I was providing for her. It made me wary about leaving for a while, but I knew that I could do it.
I ignored his claims that I wouldn’t make it as a single mom. That he was the college-educated one and that I wasn’t, so he would always have an advantage. I stopped listening when he shamed me for buying things for myself instead of getting things for him since he worked so long and hard at the office. It was all manipulation.
Despite my worries about him and what he was up to, I tried to go about my life as normally as I could for Chloe’s sake. It was already a big adjustment temporarily moving to the attic of the tattoo shop, but Chloe saw it as an adventure and an excuse to pester the guys as much as she could. I knew it was risky letting her get so attached to the seven of them, but it was hard to keep her away from them when they were doing everything in their power to protect us.
My feelings for them continued to get more and more complicated, especially as our relationship became more romantic and sexual. They made me experience things and feelings that I hadn’t experienced before, and when I forgot about my troubles, I was happier than ever with them. With each of them.
Marlo was comforting and level-headed, and he grounded me in a way that made me feel like I had some sort of control over my life. Having him by my side made the world feel easier to face. With Marcus, I knew that no harm would ever come to me and Chloe. He was a protector, disciplined and persistent. He made me feel so safe. And Gus was strong and sweet at the same time, even if he looked pretty intimidating. He always made sure I was okay.
Despite being twins, my relationships with Baker and Bryce were different. Bryce was a master at humor, and he made me laugh to the point of crying. He always lifted my spirits. Baker was honest and smart, and I loved brains in a guy. Watching him work on crossword puzzles or sudoku never failed to put a smile on my face.