After chatting with Juliet, Mila decided she would go to the fundraiser ball her mother desperately wanted her to attend for some reason.
But she wouldn’t tell Jackson she was going. He’d probably know if he went, but she had no intention of announcing their semi-relationship to anyone at this point. Especially after seeing Maddox again, she was less certain she should stay with Jackson.
At the fundraiser held in a ballroom at a luxury hotel, Mila mingled with her mother and friends, and she found herself searching the faces in the crowd and she knew it wasn’t for Jackson. She couldn’t seem to work up the nerve to ask Juliet if Maddox would be there. For all Mila knew, he was in another part of the world already.
After straying a little from the throng of people, Mila finally spotted Maddox–with Jackson of all people. Neither of them could see her and she snuck behind them near a marble column and got as close as she dared to try and hear what they were talking about.
“So, I have a question for you,” Maddox said to Jackson, “did you send your ex-fiancée those photos?”
Jackson laughed. “You think I would do that?”
“Yeah, I do.” Maddox sipped his drink casually as if the answer didn’t bother him. It made her bristle watching how relaxed he appeared. “If you weren’t involved directly, you took advantage of the situation.”
What she could see of Jackson’s face hardened. His stance tensed and the easygoing guy she was used to vanished.
“You’re in business, same as the rest of us,” Maddox added. “And even though there was nothing fancy or original about the photos, I will give you points for removing more than one obstacle in your path at once.”
Jackson leaned toward Maddox. “Do you believe I’ll give her up because you throw some worn-out business tactics at me? This is why Mila belongs with me.”
“Because you think she won’t know what you’re doing?” Maddox scoffed. “I have news for you. Mila won’t be some passive wife who ignores what you’re up to. And she will find out.”
“I doubt that.” Jackson’s lips curved up. “She had no idea I had a fiancée and I doubt she would have known for a long time if you hadn’t told her. I can keep her happy and occupied.”
Mila’s stomach twisted up at his words. She felt stupid for letting him blind her like that. But also furious that Jackson assumed he could keep her in the dark when it suited him. And would that include when it suited him to see another woman behind her back eventually?
Mila almost jumped as Maddox grabbed Jackson’s collar and yanked him closer. “If you betray Mila,” he hissed, “I will go after everything you have.”
“And hurt Mila in the process?” Jackson smirked as Maddox loosened his grip. “I guess the indomitable Maddox Cross does have a weakness. I’ll have to keep that in my back pocket for the future.”
Mila could practically feel Maddox seething with anger.
“And if you have any ideas about trying to win her back,” Jackson went on, “I have her safely stowed away waiting for me. I’ll give her what she wants.” He smacked Maddox on the arm. “You can just go back to hunting your next target.”
Mila practically shook with anger. Before she could rethink it, she marched out from her hiding spot and over to Jackson and threw the rest of her champagne in his face. He stared back in alarm. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his cool demeanor vanishing. Never mind the champagne dripping down his face.
Mila set her hands on her hips and glowered at him as other guests peeked over to see what was going on.
“My mother wanted me to come,” she told him. “I guess with that babyface of yours, it’s easier to trick people into trusting you. But you’re a complete fraud.” Her eyes swept over him derisively. “I was going to end it soon anyway, but you’ve just convinced me to speed up the process. We’re done. I was never certain about you. But now I am. And I’m certain I don’t need to see you again.”
Jackson wiped a hand down his face and shook off the champagne droplets before meeting her eyes. “You never seem to understand where you belong in the hierarchy. Don’t make a fool of yourself, Mila.”
Mila squinted up at him. “The hierarchy isn’t in stone. It’s more…penciled in. And I’m not the one who looks like a fool.”
His jaw clenched and after glowering at Maddox, Jackson stormed away. People he passed pretended not to notice, but she was sure everyone there would know about it soon enough.
Mila spun around to face Maddox. He betrayed shock as she took her cocktail napkin and dabbed at the champagne that had flown onto him.
“I was supposed to dance with you and tell you I love you under the moonlight,” he blurted out.
Mila blinked back at him. “What?” That didn’t sound like anything Maddox would come up with on his own.
After letting out an exhale, Maddox grabbed her hand and led her to the dancefloor past a hundred curious sets of eyes. But Mila ignored them like he did.
He took her straight to the middle of the floor and swung her in close, locking his arm around her.
Mila swallowed and said into his ear, “I didn’t cheat on you.” She knew they probably had a large audience now, but she didn’t care. What mattered was that Maddox wasn’t rejecting her and she wouldn’t waste the opportunity.
“I know.” He held her tighter. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you before.”
She pulled back enough to look into his eyes. “Do you mean that?”
He half smiled and caressed her cheek. “You have no idea. I don’t usually have regrets. But I’ve regretted leaving you every day.” They stopped moving. “Marry me,” he whispered fervently.
Mila smiled as tears pricked the back of her eyes. “With all my heart,” she whispered back.
Maddox wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Mila pressed her cheek to his shoulder and closed her eyes as they swayed back and forth. She would hold onto this moment–and Maddox–as long as she could.