Page 54 of A Dangerous Proposal

Liev’s voice was casual. “Your girl just picked up the baby. She looks upset.”

Alex stiffened, gripping the phone a little tighter. “Is she all right? Is Jax okay?”

The fingers of his free hand tapped restlessly on the edge of his desk.

“From what I can see, yeah. She just looks really stressed. More so than normal.”

“Where is she now?”

“Just pulled through a drive-thru. Looks like she’s heading toward that park off Hollow Creek.”

What did that fucker do now?

Alex weighed his options. Showing up at a playground uninvited would look incredibly suspicious.

But if she was upset about something related to the custody case, this could be his chance.

He needed an opening.

It had nothing to do with the fact that he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. Nothing at all.

Alex grabbed his keys and told his assistant that he was leaving for the day.

The park was tucked off a quiet street near the shopping center where they’d run into each other a few months earlier. Fortunately for him, it was nearly deserted. The late afternoon winter chill had thinned the usual crowd to just a few parents huddled near the playground, chatting while their kids played.

Alex’s eyes swept the scene, landing on her instantly. Madison’s platinum-blonde hair gleamed in the fading light, impossible to miss. She sat on a bench, watching Jax push a bright yellow dump truck through the mulch. The sight of her sent a sharp jolt through him, his pulse kicking up as he made his way toward her.

Madison's legs were crossed, one foot swinging, with her hands wrapped around a takeout coffee cup as the toddler played. Her posture was tense, her shoulders drawn in, like she was waiting for a blow.

His jaw flexed at the obvious strain on her face.

Madison looked up when he approached, her brows pulling together in confusion before her lips parted. “You havegotto be kidding me.”

Alex smirked. “That’s not a very warm welcome, Angel.”

She let out a breath, shaking her head. “What are youdoinghere?”

“I had a meeting nearby,” he lied smoothly. “Saw you from the road.”

Madison’s eyes narrowed, clearly skeptical. “And you just… stopped?”

“Looked like you could use a distraction.” His gaze flicked toward Jax.

Madison sighed, her fingers tightening around her cup, making the cardboard bend. “Do you have a tracker on me, Charming? Does your ego need these opportunities to save me?”

He sat down beside her without asking, stretching his legs out in front of him. “Do you need to be saved?” When she didn’t answer, he added in a teasing tone, “Sooo, what’s new?”

A humorless laugh escaped her. “Oh, you know. Another delightful encounter with my favorite person.”

Alex didn’t miss the bitterness in her voice.

“I take it things aren’t improving with the baby daddy?”

Madison turned her head, her eyes sharp. “You don’t actually care about my custody battle.”

“I’m just doing my best to live up to my name, Angel.”

“Ah yes, Prince Charming to the rescue.” She hesitated, as if deciding whether to say anything. Finally, she sighed, staring out at Jax. “Felix is doing a good job of maintaining his façade as the perfect parent—new wife, stable home, sobriety chip in his pocket. The court is eating it up.”

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