Page 86 of Beautiful Revenge
Teagan leans into her new husband and wraps her arms round his waist. “The manor is perfect. Thank you so much.”
Rocco shrugs. “We might venture out to the pool later.”
Harlow smiles. “It sounds like a perfect honeymoon. Relaxing, just as it should be.”
“Like you would know,” Janie mutters and ignores the newlyweds, focusing on Harlow. “You didn’t tell me you moved suites.”
Harlow moves to the side. “Why don’t you come in so we don’t bother the neighbors more than you already have?”
Janie pushes past me and Harlow, entering the only space in this whole resort that’s mine and mine alone. Harlow rolls her eyes before following her, and I turn to the Monroes. “Sorry to bother you. I’m sure your room service will be here soon.”
Teagan smiles. “Don’t worry. Everything has been amazing. More than we expected, thank you.”
“Good luck over there, man. Looks like you might need it,” Rocco drawls.
“Tell me about it.” I give them a low wave before shutting the door and wondering how long this is going to last. This isn’t the way I planned to spend the day with Harlow.
“What the hell have you done?” Janie hurls her purse onto the sofa and charges Harlow. I’m about to push between them, but Harlow puts a hand up to stop her.
Protecting her from her stepmum isn’t necessary. Harlow stands her ground and shrugs a shoulder. “You seem a little unhinged. You may need to go back to counseling to work on your anger management again. This reminds me of when I was in high school.”
Interesting. Harlow isn’t simply holding her own ground. She’s poking the bear.
And it’s working.
For the Monroes sake, I hope the extra insulation I installed between rooms works, because Janie explodes. “Damn you, Harlow! You haven’t seen anger. I know it was you. What did you do with him?”
The drama of Harlow’s wedding day was nothingcompared to this. The more Janie loses it, the calmer Harlow becomes. “Are you referring to my dad?”
Janie’s face reddens. “You know I’m talking about Patrick. What did you do with him? You had him moved. No one will talk. Not the doctors, nurses, or even the part time orderlies. One of the housekeepers finally caved, but only after I bribed her. You’ve turned everyone against me and took my husband. He’s sick, Harlow. I’m the one with medical power of attorney. You have no rights.”
“I’m well aware I have no decision-making ability when it comes to my father’s health or his life. You made sure of that.” Harlow’s tone dips as she cuts the space between them in half. “Do I look like I care what my rights are? You were counting on the fact I’d be agreeable and defer to your every demand like I always have to keep the peace. What you don’t know, Janie, is that I’m done. I’m done putting up with your shit and being played like a puppet by everyone in my life.”
“You spoiled, little bitch!” Janie screams, but it’s when she grips Harlow by the shoulders and shakes her that I move. “Where is my husband?!”
One moment Janie has her hands on Harlow, and the next, she’s ass to the sofa trying to regain her balance. And that’s because I put her there.
“That will be the last time you touch Harlow. I’ll make sure of it.” I pull Harlow to my side and look down at her. “Are you okay?”
Harlow presses herself tight to my side. “I’m fine. She can’t hurt me or my father—not anymore. I’ve made sure of it.”
Janie pushes to her ass. She stares wide-eyed at her stepdaughter and me, and hisses, “So it is true. After embarrassing our family and humiliating Albert, I shouldn’t be surprised. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
What the fuck?
Every muscle in Harlow’s body tenses in unison to mine.
“What do you mean, it’s true?” Harlow demands.
Janie pushes to her feet and regains her composure. “I don’t even recognize you, Harlow. I’m almost happy your father isn’t coherent to witness his precious daughter acting like a tramp. Well, you’re not the only one sleuthing aroundbehind people’s backs. And now that Harlow—Effie’s precious fucking daughter—is disgracing the Madison name, I’ll make sure everyone knows.”
“This is none of your business, just like my dad’s care is none of your business from here on out. I’ve allowed you too much reign over my life in the spirit of keeping the peace, but not anymore.”
This shit is going nowhere fast. It’s time I put an end to it and kick Janie Madison off my property once and for all. “You’re not welcome here. It’s time for you to go, and don’t come back. If you do, I’ll be forced to call the authorities. They can deal with you.”
Janie’s frantic gaze shifts from me to Harlow. “I’m not the one breaking a medical power of attorney. I’ll report you if you don’t tell me where Patrick is so I can bring him home where he belongs. No one can provide him the kind of care I have while in the comfort of his home. He may be unconscious, but I know he’d want to be at home and not in some barren medical facility.”
Harlow is about to argue further, but she pushes away enough to pull her cell from her back pocket. She wastes no time answering. “Hey, Chrissie. You’ll never believe who?—”
