Like a friend.

A friend you want to fuck again.

Alex grunted, and walked to where Madison was sitting, handing her the glass. Taking the seat across from her, he rested his forearms on his knees. Madison didn’t acknowledge him, simply stared down at her untouched drink, her fingers drumming against the glass.

She was thinking.

Good.

“Say it.” Alex took a slow sip of his vodka.

Madison looked up sharply. “Say what?”

“Whatever’s running through that brilliant mind of yours.”

She let out a low breath and finally took a sip of the wine. He watched the movement of her throat as she swallowed and willed his body not to react to her nearness.

There was something about having her in his home that affected him on a primal level. He wanted to keep her here. Strip her bare and find all the places he hadn’t yet had time to explore.

Between her breasts, the small of her back, the swell of her hip…

Fuck.

His body hardened painfully, and he shifted in his seat, doing his best to dismiss the fantasy.

Oblivious to his thoughts, Madison lifted her gaze to his. “You think it’s connected? The break-in. The custody battle…”

“Yes, and so do you.”

“I don’t know. Why would he? He’s winning.” Her face scrunched in frustration. “Felix is getting away with too much. It can’t just be because he’s playing the responsible dad part well. He has to be bribing the judge or blackmailing someone—There’s no way he’s doing it on his own.”

Madison shook her head. “And if itisFelix, why go that far? Why escalate like that? What’s changed?”

Alex set his drink down. “You’re still fighting. He wants you to back down. He wants you scared.”

Her jaw clenched. “I won’t stop.”

That.

That fire is why I want her.

The tears he could see she was willing not to fall only made the navy depths more luminescent.

Fuck. She’s beautiful.

“You need to fight dirty, Madison. You are going to have to be just as corrupt as he is, if you are going to keep Jax.”

She snorted. “And just how do you think I’m going to do that? He’s got his father-in-law’s money and power helping him. I’ve got?—”

“Me.”

Her eyes snapped to his. “You weren’t serious about that.”

“I think it’s the most serious I’ve ever been in my life, Angel.”

“Alex, I can’t justmarryyou. It’s insane.”

“Why?”