Page 51 of Seduced in Ink

“I’ll fight them off for you.”

“I thought that was my job,” he whispered, liking how she wanted to defend him.

“We can do it for each other. We’re in this together. Friends first, right?”

He nearly tripped over his feet. He looked down at her, swallowing hard. “Friends first, and anything else in between.” He hadn’t meant to say that last part, but realized it was exactly right when she smiled slightly and went up on her tiptoes to kiss his mouth. He leaned into her, not wanting to embarrass her by going any further, but needing her taste.

He was so fucking screwed.

As the night wore on, and everybody did exactly as he had assumed—wanting his money and a piece of him—he was afraid of exactly what would happen to him. To her. To them.

Because nobody really knew him or wanted to talk with him.

No, they wanted his money. They wanted his brother’s money. And they wanted to get to know his family because of their name and nothing else.

They wanted a piece of him when all Aaron wanted was Madison.

That scared him more than anything. Because this was all fake. It wasn’t true.

If he didn’t start reminding himself of that, both he and Madison would get hurt in the end. And he was terrified that he would be the one shattered after she walked away.

He honestly didn’t know who he would be once that happened.

Chapter 12

“Seriously, you would think she would learn what kind of Botox she needs after all these years. I mean, you can’t just pick the cheapest kind and expect your brows to stay in place.”

Madison sipped her martini and slowly moved away from the conversation, not knowing what she was supposed to say to either help or give an opinion. She had a few friends back in college who now used Botox, and she was perfectly fine with doing whatever you wanted with your body as long as you were happy.

Maybe Madison would try it one day, though she would have to do more research into what was good and not. However, the idea that these women were complaining about someone else’s Botox and putting them down wasn’t something she was in the mood for.

She really wanted to be home, hanging out with her friends. Honestly, she just wanted to be with Aaron.

That should probably scare her.

It truly did because she and Aaron weren’t real. And if she didn’t stop to remind herself of that every ten minutes or so, she would likely end up broken.

So, all she had to do was remember that it was fake. They would walk away as friends even though they slept together and enjoyed each other’s company. Somehow, they would do it. If that was even possible.

“I cannot believe she didn’t get that tummy tuck,” another woman sniped. Madison took another sip of her martini and moved across the room and away from her mother and her gossiping friends.

“Seriously, who does he think he is being with a womananda man? I don’t understand how Maeve can have that type of person in her family.”

Madison nearly tripped over her feet at the conversation and turned to the three women in the corner, clearly talking about Lincoln. Lincoln, Ethan, and Holland. Three of the most generous souls Madison had ever known. Wonderful people who loved her and loved each other. Fuck these women. She was going to tell them as much.

“Excuse me?” Madison asked, her voice calm. She was on martini number two. That was probably why she was speaking up. But that’s why she was here, right? To show the world and her mother that she had a spine. So, here she was, using it.

“Oh, darling. You’re here. That’s such a nice...dress.”

Madison heard the pause in front of the worddress, but she didn’t really care. She thought she looked great, and the little red number had made Aaron’s eyes go dark when she left the room. Everyone else could go fuck themselves for all she cared.

Madison was so tired of this. Why was she here again? She wasn’t supporting her father. He didn’t need her here. Her mother just wanted to parade Aaron in front of her peers. Either that or somehow convince Madison to fall for Guy. But, no, she was falling for Aaron.

She blinked and pushed those thoughts from her mind. No, no, no. She could not fall for Aaron Montgomery. She could be fake with Aaron, but she could not fall for him. She needed to protect her heart somehow, even though it didn’t quite feel possible.

“We were just talking about your lovely cousin. It doesn’t seem that he’s here.”

“I’m glad,” Madison said.