Page 120 of A Dangerous Proposal

Madison saw Alex’s shoulder rise and then fall with a deep breath. “You are my mother, and, for that, you are owed a degree of my respect. But if youever…”His voice lowered to a gravelly growl.“Treat my wife or any of our children with even an iota of disrespect, you will be dead to me.”

Selena glowered at him, but Alex only stared stonily back. Eventually, she threw her hands in the air dramatically and stalked to the door, spinning at the last second.

“I spent years trying to make you into someone worthy of your father’s name… your birthright. You would do well to remember that no matter how well you dress or how much money you make them, you’ll always be the bastard son of a man who never wanted you.”

Madison couldn’t see Alex’s expression, but his shoulders stiffened.

“That was hurtful,” he mocked. After a deliberate pause, he said, “I suppose it’s hard to grasp loyalty when the only person you’ve ever been devoted to is yourself.”

Selena slammed the door, making the pictures on the wall shake.

Alex let out a heavy sigh and bowed his head. “You are going to want to talk about this, aren’t you?”

Madison stepped into view and slowly descended the staircase. When she reached him, his lips curled in a smile, but his eyes were flat. “If you’re taking notes, that was a masterclass in maternal affection.”

“Why do you do that?” Madison didn’t return his smile.

“Dowhat?”

“Pretend like everything is a joke. Like you don’t care.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

The air in Alex’s lungs stilled as Madison watched him expectantly.

What did she see? What did she want him to say?

Defaulting to his natural avoidance, he lifted an indifferent shoulder. “What makes you think I care?”

Her navy eyes bore into him. For a moment, it felt as if she was peeling him open, stripping away every protective layer he possessed until she reached the parts he kept long buried—the ones that were still far too raw and vulnerable.

The armor he had carefully constructed, since the day he’d been old enough to understand his place in the world, had too many chinks now.

Because of her.

“I know you care. You can try to deny it and pretend it’s not true, Alex, but you’ve already let me in more than you want to admit. I can see the truth.”

She pivoted to return upstairs, clearly not expecting a response.

Until the day he breathed his last, Alex would never understand what prompted his next words. Words he’d neverspoken aloud, and barely acknowledged as a thought in his mind.

“I never fit with my family. For all that we are the same… Fundamentally, I’m different. Because of who I was born to. I will never fully belong.”

Madison paused and turned slowly on the step to face him, her expression almost angry. “Youdobelong.Webelong to each other… and to Jax... toourfamily.”

He gave her a curt nod, not trusting his voice. Unable to face the feelings bubbling dangerously inside of him, he disappeared into his office without another word.

Alex got very little done for the rest of the day. He hated that he’d allowed himself even a flicker of hope when he saw his mother in the foyer, thinking she might behave. He hadn’t informed her of his wedding because he had known she would receive the news as badly as she had.

He was surprised, however, that someone had reported to his mother about his conversation with Armstrong at the country club. She was correct. Mikhail was not happy about it, but when Armstrong couldn’t point to a single actual threat Alex had made, Mikhail had settled for scowling at him.

Angela had stopped by earlier when she was leaving and let him know that Madison and Jax were watching a movie in the master bedroom, and that she’d put the lasagna in the oven. Alex had the sudden bizarre urge to go up and join them, but he forced himself to stay at his desk.

A little while later, Madison leaned in the doorway with a smile. “Would you like a plate? I just strapped Jax into his highchair.”

“I’ll eat later.” He caught the flash of hurt on her face. If they sat down to dinner, he knew she’d want to talk about what she’d seen earlier, and he wasn’t ready for it.

But his reprieve was short lived. A couple of hours later came the soft knock. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair as Madison pushed the door open. Holding a baby monitor, she sat facing his desk without waiting for an invitation.

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