Page 13 of Mad for Madison

“You look wonderful, babe,” he said. “Burgundy was always your color.”

I clenched my teeth at the word he used. It had been over a year since he’d had any right to call me that, and even then, it hadn’t felt natural. “What do you want?”

Dane Pierce made a wounded expression. “Why do you hate me?”

I could have listed ten reasons off the top of my head, but I didn’t. It would only entertain him and rope me into a conversation.

“All I want is for you to succeed, Madison,” Dane said.

“I’m plenty successful already,” I said. “No thanks to you.”

Dane sucked his teeth and pretended I hadn’t accused him of stalling my career last year. “Hon, your vanilla stuff is outdated,” he said with all the genuine affection of a loving, caring mother. “Have you watched any porn lately? Times are changing. You shouldn’t stay on the sinking ship when I’m here pedaling a lifeboat.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know who they say leaves the sinking ship first?”

“Be real, Madison,” he said. “I’m starting a production company. I need guys like you.”

Tension twisted and strained every muscle in my body.

“Guys who can take it,” Dane said in a lower voice. “And I know you can.”

I looked at him with fury burning plainly in my eyes. The only reason he knew that was because he didn’t know when to stop and didn’t give a fuck about the script. “I told you already, I’m not interested.”

“You’re talented, Madison,” he persisted, putting his hand on my arm. He didn’t hurt me, but the grip was strong enough to keep me there unless I wanted someone to notice the struggle. “And you know we’re fire together.”

“There you are,” a voice sent by the heavens said. Bradley’s arm circled around my waist, and he pulled me close. He couldn’t know this, but the relief I felt was such that I could have kissed him.

I didn’t need to kiss him. He leaned in and pressed his lips against my cheek.

The smile that came to my face couldn’t have been faked, especially when Dane tensed and stepped back.

“I’m thirsty,” Bradley said. “Who’s your friend that’s keeping you?”

“Uh, Bradley, this is Dane. Dane, Bradley.” I introduced them, but neither moved to shake hands. Bradley’s right arm was still around my waist, and he looked at Dane with innocent bewilderment as if asking him why the hell he had been keeping me and what the point of him standing here still was.

Truly, it was a master class in bitchiness.

Stiff and cold, Dane examined Bradley like he’d just fallen through the roof. “Bradley who?”

“Just Bradley,” my date said. “Madison’s boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Dane didn’t bother hiding the distaste on his face. He looked at me. “I didn’t realize you had a boyfriend.”

“Well, I do,” I said.

“Good for you,” Dane said. “Anyway, you have my number. Don’t delete it just yet. You’ll need better opportunities soon.” His smug tone, mixed with a glance at Bradley, made me want to claw his eyes out.

“That’s funny,” Bradley said. “Madison’s been telling me how he’s happy precisely where he is.”

“I’m sure he is,” Dane said, his voice hinting at double meaning and not hiding sarcasm. Still, he retreated with what little grace was left to him. “We’ll be in touch.”

“I doubt it,” I said.

As Dane turned away from us, I handed Bradley his cocktail and bit the straw sticking out of mine.

“Why is he being so pushy?” Bradley asked.

“I’ll tell you later when we’re alone.” I drank, my head cooling down a little.

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