I knew it was all Madden’s doing and I really wished that I could snub my nose up at it and walk away. But it was exactly what I’d dreamed of doing since I declared my major years ago. I couldn't’ bring myself to thank him, even in the deepest corner of my mind because thinking about him still made my stomach twist into knots. His actions and his words were at constant opposites.
He’d been all over the news the past few weeks. When the story broke of exactly how he became an East Coast real estate tycoon by using ties to a known mob boss to get into UCLA, people went nuts. Even TMZ ran a story on how the golden boy had fallen.
No one had mentioned any of the violence he’d been involved with in his past, and it looked like the focus was on whether or not Paulie S had bribed the university’s Dean to overlook the fact that Madden Cross did not really exist prior to his admission.
Everyone wanted to know if the rumors were true, but no one could find Madden.
Despite all the media coverage, Madden seemed to have disappeared. No one had seen him for weeks. I saw Jenna on the news a few times hurrying into the Cross building yelling no comment over her shoulder. There was speculation about where he could be, anywhere from hiding away in Switzerland to resting on the bottom of the Hudson River because of his exposed mafia ties. I just hoped he was okay. No one deserved to be torn apart by the vulturous media like that.
And despite everything, I still dreamed of him often.
I would awake, breathless and sweating, heart pounding—and missing him terribly. It was worse than hunger pains. The missing was like the deepest part of my soul had been ripped away.
“So what do you say, Sky? Dancing and hot men Friday night?” Lindsay broke me out of my reverie, lifted her arms over her head and did a little torso shimmy that drew several appreciative stares from the tables around us.
I looked at Lindsay. Like she needed any help in the man department. She was one of the beautiful people I was surrounded by. She had legs that went on for days, which she showed off in the shortest skirts allowed at the company, and her dark brown hair hung down her back in waves that most people would kill to have.
I was intimidated as hell on my first day when she was introduced as my office mate.
As if that weren’t enough, she was also the nicest person I had ever met in my life and quickly turned into the first real friend I’d had in years. We’d had lunch together every day since I started and I knew pretty much everything about her. She had six brothers, which was why she talked so fast, having grown up never getting a word in otherwise. She was a Miami native and had been at the company for two years. She dated but never seriously as there were too many choices to make just one.
I envied her freedom but wasn’t ready to rest out my own just yet.
“I don’t think I’m ready, but you go and have fun,” I said. It was the same thing I said every time she asked.
Her eyes got sad and she reached out and took my hand. I had told her that I had my heartbroken very recently the first time she invited me out for girl’s night. I hated dwelling on the past, but it was hard to move on when Madden’s face stared back at me from every newspaper and was the top Yahoo news story whenever I opened my browser.
I’d get there, I just needed time.
“We could go catch that new art exhibit that just opened up downtown? Its supposed to be hot hot hot. Oh my god, speaking of a tall drink of water.” She fanned herself with her hand and looked over my shoulder. “Now he looks like my next mistake,” she said with a smile.
I laughed out loud. “Did you seriously just quote Taylor Swift?”
“Three o’clock,” she said behind her hand. “No, two o’clock. Holy shit he’s coming this way...” Her eyes got wide and she looked up just over my head. I started to turn around when the familiar scent of expensive cologne wrapped around my senses. My stomach tightened and my pulse leapt to life.
There was only one person who did that to me.
Madden was right behind me. I’d know him anywhere. I ignored the way my head screamed to just get up and run without looking back and how my heart pounded with the need to see him one more time.
Lindsay squinted, still looking over my head. “I know you. Why do you look so familiar...oh my god, you’re him.” Her gaze darted to me and then back to Madden. “Wait, you’re Cinderella?”
I just shook my head at Lindsay. I couldn't do this right now.
“Skylar?” His hoarse voice washed over me and I fought the urge to close my eyes. “Can we talk?” he said.
By now, several more glances slid our way and the whispers grew louder. People were starting to recognize Madden.