Page 49 of Madden

Maybe you distracted her by making her come and ignored how she felt because all you cared about was one thing.

Fuck. I feel like a prick.

I need to get my shit together if I have any hope of proving to her what we have means more to me than some meaningless fling, like she overheard when we first met.

I’m still finding it hard to lower the wall around me even though I want to trust her and not believe she’ll use me like everyone else I’ve met in this industry.

I respect Tonya because she’s always been up front and honest. We talked in the beginning about her coming to these gigs after she first joined me for an event. This was about putting her name and face out there, and she managed to land some high-fashion modeling campaigns.

It’s an equal give and take. I didn’t have to worry about impressing her, and it didn’t come with the pressure of wanting more.

We both had fun together.

The rest of the award show went off without a hitch. We played our bestselling song, “Left in Ruins,” currently sitting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It felt good to get on stage and play our newer music.

The crowd and the energy from the production behind the televised live show was electric. It’s a rush, one minute coming out on stage. Adrenaline pumps through me from the awards and other performances, only for it to be over after one song.

It hypes me up for when we’ll head out on the road this summer for our sold-out Come Hell or Havoc tour.

We won Best Rock Song for “Kiss Me Crazy,” one of our fan favorites, and Best Rock Album for our debut, Wreak Some Havoc.

It’s like the icing on the fuckin’ cake showing all our hard work over the years has finally paid off.

After the event, we’re back in the SUV again, heading off to an after-party.

In the past, I was one of the first to head out and live it up on nights like this, picking up women and throwing them back into the early morning hours.

We’re in Sin City, for fuck’s sake.

Now, things are completely different. I slip my phone out to see if Brielle has sent me a text, but there’s nothing. My stomach twists and I sag against the wall.

“You good?” Kyla asks, glancing from me down to my phone.

I shove it back in my pocket and nod. “All good.”

“Let me guess, you haven’t heard from her?”

I shrug. “It’s late,” I say, realizing it’s after midnight in New York at this point. “She’s probably in bed now.”

She works in the morning. We’ve both made it clear our jobs are the most important part of our lives, and they will always come first.

She’s still new at Limelight and busting her ass to prove herself. Still, it doesn’t change the fact I wish it was her on my arm tonight, or hell, she sent me a text to congratulate me on my awards.

I check the time on my phone when we make it back to our hotel. I have a few beers in me and took a few celebratory shots too. I’m itching to call Brielle just to hear her voice, even if it’s only for a second.

I hadn’t noticed the email notification from a few hours ago. When I see Brielle’s name, my heart drops, and I click on the email.

From: Brielle Silvers

Date: April 3rd, 2022

To: Madden Cole

Subject: Submission

xo

Attached: A Rebels Havoc Limelight Interview