Page 80 of A Dangerous Proposal

“I handled it.”

He exhaled hard. “That’s not the point.”

“It’s not a big deal, Alex. I’m already living in your house. I’m not letting you pay for everything.”

“Ourhouse.”

Madison huffed a quiet laugh, not a trace of humor in it. “Our house,” she repeated. “Sure. I mean, it’s just like every other normal couple, right? Fall in love, get married, move in together, combine assets. Except, wait—” she snapped her fingers. “We skipped some steps.”

His eyes burned into hers, but she didn’t stop.

“I don’t even know where to put my clothes.”

What?

For a second, he just looked at her, not sure how to address the nonsensical thing she’d just said. Then, as if on cue, Jax’s cry crackled through the baby monitor.

Madison ran a hand through her hair. “Perfect timing,” she muttered, before turning toward the stairs.

Alex watched her go, his grip flexing around the glass. He honestly couldn’t tell if Madison was being contrary on purpose. Was she making some sort of statement about the card? He didn’t give a fuck how much money she had. She was going to be his wife and that meant he would take care of her.

What was left to understand?

Most people—fuck,everyone—just did what he said.

Not her.

Strangely, instead of pissing him off as much as he thought it would—and he was pissed—part of him liked her defiance. A few minutes later, Alex followed her up the stairs. As he passed one of the bedrooms, he paused, catching the soft sound of her voice through the cracked door.

She was singing quietly about the moon, and the soft tones tugged at something he thought long dead inside of him.

Ignoring the foreign sensation, he grabbed the stack of boxes that she left outside their bedroom earlier. Carrying them to the master suite, he set them just inside the door.

Problem solved.

Madison could argue with him later if she wanted, but it wouldn’t change anything.

She belonged with him.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Facing a gilded mirror in one of the guest suites downstairs, Madison smoothed her hands down the soft, flowing fabric of her wedding dress. Shelovedthis dress. It’s sheer, billowing sleeves were detailed with pearls and beads at the cuffs, matching the decoration at the waist. The neckline plunged into a deep V before flaring to a flowing chiffon skirt that hid her satin flats.

Madison had gone to the boutique planning to get something simple, but the moment she saw this dress, all visions of choosing something she could wear again disappeared. It was gorgeous, and airy, and… bridal.

Her lips pressed together as the butterflies in her stomach took flight again.

Don’t get carried away, she admonished her reflection.

The last three days had been… quiet.

Madison hadn’t seen Alex. Not once.

There had been text messages—short, direct. A couple of voicemails that were primarily logistical about their wedding day and questions about her preferences. But their paths hadn’t crossed.

And every night since moving into his house, she’d fallen asleep on the bed in Jax’s room, after singing him back to sleep.

Alex never came looking for her, and Madison wasn’t sure what to make of that.

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