Page 94 of Mad Love

“I can make that happen.”

“You’ll always be looking over your shoulder. As long as my kidnapper is believed to be out there, my family and my men will never stop looking for him.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. The news should be out by now.” He lets go of my arm.

I don’t rub the pain from where he gripped me. What he says numbs me. “What news?”

“Answer my questions first. I answered yours. A tit for tat.”

I blink. “You being here means the world to me.”

“Good. That’s good, doll.” He holds out his arm for me. I growl low in the back of my throat and rein in the urge to sucker punch him in the throat.

He tsks. “Play nice, Blaise, or else I send the files to the authorities. You wouldn’t want your father to spend time rotting behind bars, would you?”

For as much pain and suffering he’s caused, I can’t do that to Cillian. Someday, he’ll answer for his crimes, but he won’t be doing so because of me. I’m not a snitch. And . . . I’m starting to care for the old guy with the sick sense of humor. He doesn’t think I catch on, but he’s as lonely as I am. Cillian McCabe needs more laughter and love in his life.

I slip my arm through the crook of Hale’s, and we make our way back to the ballroom. On the way, he shares the reason he won’t need to look over his shoulder.

“Your kidnapper is in police custody.”

Sure enough, the news broke. People rush up to us, showing us their cell phones.

“Blaise, your kidnapper showed up at Oakland’s Police Department and confessed. It was one of your security guards all along. Tobias Phelan.”

If I could, I’d cry out, “Bullshit. My kidnapper is right here.”

Except from across the room, I feel his eyes on me. I glance up and lock gazes with the sexist man in this room. Lucky me, he has the most gorgeous eyes I’ve come across.

Too bad I have to break his heart.

I walk over, and all eyes on me, everyone leaning in to hear what I’ll be saying to my husband while holding on to a different man’s arm, I deliver more gossip-worthy news.

“Hello, Maddox. My lawyer will be contacting yours. Our marriage is done. I’m in love with Hale. He and I plan on marrying as soon as our divorce is finalized.”

“So it’s like that, eh, Blaise?”

So it’s like that, eh? I pinch myself. Am I having a nightmare? This can’t be real. His reaction, so cold and blasé, can’t be real.

“Good riddance. Have a nice life.”

My heart shatters. I’m right. I was a temporary fascination. He could never love me, oddities included. Maybe I am destined to be with someone as odd as me. I mean, how can someone pretend to not speak since he was nineteen?

A freak, that’s who.

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