Rulers of Deception (25 page)

In the days since she’d found out, he hadn’t opened up to her. Hadn’t sought her help, her refuge, nothing. Instead, he’d acted as though they were at war with each other. Another exhausting battle of wits. Who would hold out till the end? Who would give in and crumble?

The darker part of her nature relished the fight. God knows a good, bloody battle always seemed to cheer her up. Then she could say what she needed to say, cut and slice and punish as she saw fit, and amidst the blood she’d find her satisfaction and so would he. Bruised and torn to shreds, the two of them could stand tall, face-to-face, and know they’d survived one another. That was how it always played out.

This time though she found herself wondering if the fight would do any good. He’d broken her trust, and although he wasn’t the first person to do so, somehow it hurt even worse coming from him. She’d forgiven him once. She’d be hard-pressed to do so again.

As she left the hotel and climbed into her town car, she rubbed at her heart. It ached, searing with pain and betrayal. And even though she was taking steps to secure her own family, she still couldn’t let go of the source of all this trauma.

By the time her driver pulled up to her home, she’d let her rage bubble and build to a boiling point. She thought she could feel it leaking from her very ears and eyes, spilling out to burn anyone who dared get close. But she was better than that. No one would know her turmoil unless she wanted them to see it. And God help those who had the pleasure.

She walked up the steps of her townhouse and unlocked the door, letting herself in quietly. There was no sign of Wyatt in the living room, so she set aside her purse and wandered into the bedroom. She found him there, sorting through a large pile of hundred-dollar bills on their bed.

Leaning against the doorframe, she crossed her arms. “Are you going somewhere?”

Wyatt jolted, not having heard her. A thousand emotions passed over his face before he thought to conceal them. “I had some cash hidden in one of the yachts. I thought it’d be safer here.”

“That’s a goddamn lie and you know it,” she snapped, fire in her eyes as she straightened and approached him. She got in his face and shoved an index finger into his chest. “You want to use that money to run away. To escape the cartel. Where are you going to go? Mexico? Canada?”

Wyatt grimaced, hating that she knew him so well. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“No, you’re trying to protect yourself. Like you always do.” She glared at him and shook her head. “I can’t do this anymore, Wyatt. If I can’t trust you then what the hell am I supposed to do with you?”

Matching her anger with his own, he grabbed her shoulders and brought her closer until they were face to face. The fact that she didn’t tremble was a testament to her strength, one he had always admired. She never backed down from a fight. “I got you into this mess, I’m going to get you out.”

“How, exactly? By getting me out of the city? I won’t run.” She wrestled out of his grasp and balled her hands into fists, wishing she could use them. Wanting to. “I knew what you were when I married you, darling. Even the first time. I’ll be damned if you think for one second that I’d ever let your past or mine hurt us.”

Wyatt ran his hands through his hair, his true fear of the cartel beginning to crack through his anger. He sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at her. “Your past generates gossip, sweetheart. Mine is going to get us killed.”

Madison lifted her chin, oddly insulted by his claim. “You think I don’t have enemies? Don’t forget the bullet you caught last year was meant for me.”

“That was different,” Wyatt argued, shooting to his feet again. He stood before her and wished he could shake some sense into her. “That was a teenage girl who barely knew how to fire a gun. Franco has men who will tie you to a chair and torture you in the worst ways imaginable. Then they
might
grant you the relief of death, but only if you’re no longer useful. Don’t you get it? This isn’t someone to fuck around with.”

Madison’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “Neither am I.”

Unable to stand the sight of him any longer, she swept from the room, grabbed her purse, and left. The front door slammed shut behind her, echoing through the walls of her home.

She didn’t give Wyatt the chance to follow her. Instead, she walked swiftly down the street until she caught a cab. Shutting herself inside, she barked at the driver to take her to the Vasser Hotel.

Hard as she tried to keep her mind in a comfortably numb state, she found it impossible. His words hung heavy over her, like being submerged in the dark depths of the sea. Even alone and seething with vengeance she couldn’t escape reality. The cartel was a real threat, one Wyatt was so terrified of he’d actually flee from the city. She’d never known him to turn tail and run from a fight, though surely self-preservation trumped his pride in this case. Part of her understood his fear, while the rest of her hated him for his weakness.

Damnit, if she was willing to face this fight head-on then why couldn’t he? She needed him at her side, not lying to her and scheming behind her back. All it had done was shatter her faith in him, and as angry as she was she was also wounded by it. He’d held her heart in his hands, the one she’d placed there so carefully a year before, and he’d tossed it into the dirt and kicked it aside. He’d ignored what she deserved and instead pursued what he thought was best.

Well damn him to hell for it, she realized coldly. She didn’t need his protection. If this Franco wanted a fight, then she accepted the challenge. She was no stranger to playing dirty to save herself and her family. Cyrus wouldn’t have played into the bastard’s game, and she wouldn’t either.

If Wyatt didn’t understand that, then he didn’t know her at all.

As the car made its way through the congested city traffic, her phone buzzed in her purse. She looked at the screen, not recognizing the number. Though she was tempted to ignore it, her curiosity got the better of her. Images of Jimmy and the cartel flashed in her mind as she answered.

“This is Madison.”

“
It’s Daniel.
”

Irritation flared within her, hot and instant. “How did you get this number?”

He ignored her question. “
I wondered if you’d like to have that drink with me tonight
.”

The cocky arrogance he clung to like a shield flavored his voice, though beneath it she could hear his nerves. It must have taken him hours to gather the courage to call. Knowing he was intimidated by her gave her a sense of control, of superiority. The urge to toy with his weaknesses smoothed out the worst of her anger.

“All right, Daniel,” she said smoothly, ignoring the warning signals that fired off in her brain. “But this is strictly business.”

“
Of course. There’s much to talk about.
”

After agreeing where to meet, she tucked her phone away and gazed out the window, unseeing. She desperately tried to hold onto her anger and not let the bloodied mess left of her heart get in the way.

Theodore’s was an
upscale cocktail bar on Madison Avenue, just one block from Central Park. It boasted a wide selection of high-end, spectacular drinks that had not only won awards but were also popular with the high-society crowd of Wall Streeters, celebrities, and trust fund socialites that lived in the area.

Because of its illustrious reputation, Madison had always avoided it. She preferred not to mingle with that crowd and had never been much of a drinker other than wine. But on this night, it seemed the perfect place to find herself. And although the company was not ideal, at least it was different.

“They have this mean blueberry martini you have to try,” Daniel was saying as he ushered her onto a black leather sofa with a view out the window. Outside, the streets were just beginning to settle down as night darkened the city. “Does that sound good?”

“Sure.” Madison crossed her legs and watched him wander off to the bar, rolling her eyes. He’d been beyond excited the second he’d seen her, despite their unpleasant history. It made her wonder if this was all some big mistake, but then again, if he got out of line she could simply leave.

The wood-paneled bar around her was packed to the brim with young professionals, moneymakers, and glamorous women. She let her eyes wander over the crowd, taking in the flirting and the gossip and the continuous stream of bullshit. All of it seemed to ebb and flow with energy throughout the room, circulating like a wave that would soon swallow them all whole.

When Daniel returned, he handed her the blue martini and sat beside her on the sofa. He lifted his own dirty martini in a toast, his colorless eyes meeting hers. “Cheers.”

“
Santé
.” Madison held his gaze, contemplating how she could exploit his weaknesses. She welcomed the distraction, needing to keep her mind off Wyatt. She sipped her drink, not enjoying it nearly as much as the wines she kept at home. But she’d humor him for now.

“Do you like it?” He tried to smile though it was a bit shaky around the edges.

She liked knowing she made him nervous. “Tasty.”

“I thought you would.” He licked his lips and wiped his free hand on his slacks. “So, my father told me what happened the other day, about the cartel and Marshall.”

Madison toyed with her martini glass, never breaking eye contact with him. “Did he also tell you that I have it all under control?”

“I don’t doubt that. You’re a tough woman.” Daniel lifted his glass in a toast to her. “But another murder accusation and a Colombian drug cartel? Sounds pretty serious.”

“If you’re considering making the case to your father that he should end our deal, you won’t get very far. He knows the value I bring to the table, scandals or not.”

Daniel smiled darkly, an odd intensity glittering in his eyes. “I’ve made it no secret that I want the McAllister hotels back under the McAllister name. They’re my legacy, after all. You know how it feels to have a legacy, to want to protect it. Don’t think I won’t throw you under the bus to get back what’s rightfully mine.”

“Likewise, darling.” One of Madison’s brows slid up as her lips curved. “But unlike you, I’m not new to this game. And I play to win.”

“There’s more than one way to win,” Daniel replied, taking another sip of his drink. He leaned closer to her, the light of a nearby lamp glowing in his eyes. “But then again, you know how to play dirty, don’t you? You learned from the best.”

Madison felt suddenly lightheaded, but held his gaze firmly. Most of her drink was gone even though she barely remembered drinking it. She couldn’t let herself get drunk. She had to maintain control. “Not only did I learn from the best, but I saw what made him fail. I won’t make the same mistakes he did.”

A slow smile spread over Daniel’s face as he watched her eyes begin to droop and her steady hand begin to shake. Taking the empty drink from her hand, he set it aside on an end table. When he turned back to her, he took her in like a thing of great and foolish beauty. “But you see, Madison, you already did make a mistake. A big one.”

She stared at him in confusion, unsure what he was saying. The words coming from his mouth made no sense. What mistake had she made?

Before she realized what was happening, Daniel leaned in and captured her mouth with his own. His hands roamed over her body as he pulled her against him.

In that moment, the rest of the night disappeared into nothing but blackness.