Wicked Good (The Billionaire's Fake Finace 3)

“I still think you should run the other way,” he said, his voice heavy with sleep, “but I’m glad you’re still here Skylar. I’ve never let anyone this close before, but I don’t regret a second of it…”

His breath evened out and I carefully pulled the blanket up higher. I kissed his chest again and laid my hand over his heart. The small glimpses I’d had of the man under the controlling cold exterior were nothing compared to now. If I had any doubt that I could care about him, they were shattered tonight.

Because I knew for sure that not only could I have real feelings for Madden Cross, I did. I’d fallen for him despite everything and the crazy part was that it didn’t scare me. He showed me a part of himself that he’d never shared with anyone else.

Which meant he trusted me as much as I trusted him.

I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my lips and Madden net to me.

Chapter Three

The buzzing reached into my head and pulled me from a deep sleep.

Madden stirred and then rolled onto his side with a groan to answer his phone.

I traced my fingers down his spine as he listened, then his entire body stiffened. “No f**king comment,” he growled then slammed his phone on the nightstand.

When he didn’t roll back over, I touched his shoulder. “What was that about?”

“None of your concern,” he snapped.

I pulled my hand away and pushed to a sitting position. “I’m lying next to you right now so yes, it is my concern. You can tell me.”

He rolled onto his back and I caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were hooded and cold again. Like last night had never happened. A lump formed in my chest. I thought things would be different now. He’d opened up and I saw a part of him that no one else had. That should mean something.

It meant a very big something to me.

“Madden?” I touched his shoulder again and he shrugged off my hand. Anger surged to life inside me. “So we’re back to that now? After last night, after everything that's happened and your back to being a cold bastard?”

I pushed the covers off and swung my legs out of the bed. I didn’t want him to see the tears welling up in my eyes. I should have known better than to open myself up and trust him.

Madden’s fingers wrapped around my wrist.

Hope leapt to life.

“I told you I wasn’t any good for you. You shouldn’t have expected anything more.” His voice was cold, unemotional and that was it. Anything I felt for him died. I yanked my hand away and got to my feet.

His image blurred and I balled my fingers into fists. “You’re a coward, Madden Cross. Or should I call you Alex?”

He sighed and pushed to sitting. The blanket fell away, revealing his bare chest that despite everything, still made my mouth go dry. The bandage on his side had come loose on the bottom, but I didn’t care.

Madden groaned a little as he shifted in the bed. “Look, the media got ahold of the story and the damned New York Times wants a statement. I can’t think about anything else except how to bury this right now.”

“Why not just tell the truth? Stop running from your past and they can’t use it against you. If you own it then they can’t hurt you.”

“Own it?” Madden glared at me. “Like you owned your past and stopped running?”

“It’s different,” I argued.

“No, it’s really not.”

I argued against him in my mind. Yes my past might destroy me but not in the same way. I was running for my own safety. It was different. And it wasn’t like I could do anything about Jacob. He had the connections to make people believe him. I did not.

But Madden was Madden Cross and he had the people and the money to get past all of this. He’d rather bury it though.

“So now what happens?” My legs trembled and I sucked air into my lungs. Last night seemed like a dream now. The Madden that had told me his secrets was gone, replaced by this uncaring as**shole. “Do you pull yet another fake fiancé out of thin air?” I challenged. “Maybe you could talk Jenna into playing the part this time.”

My voice rose higher with each word. God I hated him. I hated that he made me feel something for him. It was clear now that there was nothing between us. Pain sliced through my chest. And if that was it, there was no reason to stay.

Madden shrugged. “You’re in a creative mood.”

“It doesn't matter. Do whatever the hell you want just like you always do without taking anyone else's feelings into consideration,” I spat. “I wish I’d said no to you that first night. I wish I had just walked away and told you to go to hell.”

Something very close to vulnerability flashed across his face before his jaw clenched and the cold unemotional void was back. There may be a man worth loving under that arrogant facade, but he would never admit it. He would never allow that person to be him.