My dinner rose in my throat.
The Hausses lived in a giant house in Bethesda, and Stella and I had spent the night room hopping, enjoying the different music and entertainment options in each space. While Stella left to find us fresh drinks, I’d wandered into the room next to the one we’d been in and found myself facing my worst, watery nightmare. Madeline had cornered me before I could leave, and here we were.
“Oh, I know Alex very well,” Madeline said, and I knew, with a sickening drop in my stomach, that she was one of the “certain women” he’d been involved with. Were they still involved? Was she the one he’d almost gone on a date with before I ambushed him for movie night?
Jealousy gnawed at me, almost overpowering my nausea from the chlorine.
“What I don’t get is why he would be interested in you. ” She flicked her gaze over me. “I doubt you can keep up with his tastes in the bedroom.”
Despite myself, curiosity reared its ugly head. What tastes? “You’d be surprised,” I bluffed, hoping she’d reveal more information.
My mind flashed back to my sex dream starring Alex, and my heart raced.
Madeline smirked. “Please. You look like the type who expects tender kisses and sweet nothings in bed. But as you probably know—” Her smirk turned vicious. “Alex doesn’t do either of those things. It’s well known amongst a certain segment of D.C.’s female population. No kissing, no face-to-face contact during sex.” She lowered her head so she could whisper in my ear. “But he will take you from behind. Choke and fuck you till you see stars. Call you the filthiest names and treat you like a slut.” She straightened, her eyes gleaming with triumph at my scarlet face. “Some women like that. You…” She looked me over again with a laugh. “Go back to your bake sales, honey. You’re way out of your league.”
My body throbbed at her words, both out of anger at her condescension and stunning arousal at the picture she’d painted.
We were attracting attention. Other partygoers gathered around us, hungry for drama. A few even had their phones out, recording. I guessed Madeline was the draw, because I wasn’t well-known enough to be that interesting.
“Maybe,” I said, matching the blonde’s honey-laced poison. “He just doesn’t like looking at you during sex. Because he’s never had that problem with me.”
Lies. But she didn’t need to know that.
I kept my head above the fray best I can, but I could play dirty when the situation called for it.
Madeline’s smile disappeared. “He’ll be sick of you in a week. There’s only so much sugar a man like Alex can take before he gets a stomachache.”
“And there’s only so much bitterness he can take before he kicks it to the curb.” I raised my eyebrows. “But you already know that, don’t you?” I wasn’t sure where my sass came from, since I wasn’t a sassy person, but Madeline brought out all my claws.
I hated being the type of girl who fought with other girls over a guy, but she’d attacked me first. I wouldn’t stand here and let her walk all over me.
Madeline’s creamy skin flushed with anger. “Are you calling me bitter?”
Walk away, my better angels encouraged me. I almost did, until I pictured Madeline and Alex together, and the words fell out of my mouth. “Yes, and? What are you going to do about it?”
Childish. So freakin’ childish. But the taunt was out there, and I couldn’t—
My mind blanked when my body pitched backward and hit the pool with a splash.
She’d pushed me. Into the pool.
The pool.
Ohgodohgodohgod.
Grotesque, echoing laughter broke out, but it sounded dim compared to the roaring in my ears. Shock and panic suffused me, freezing my limbs, and all I could do was stare at Madeline’s twisted smirk until my face sank beneath the water.
I’m going to die.
18
Alex
“Where is she?” I grasped Madeline by the throat, resisting the urge to squeeze until I wiped the smug look off her face.
I’d never raised a hand to a woman outside the bedroom—and then only if they consented—but I was this close to losing my shit.
After I saw the video of Madeline pushing Ava into the pool, which I recognized from my previous visits to the Hauss mansion, I broke every speed limit to get here. By the time I arrived, the party had ended and only a few stragglers remained. I found Madeline laughing with her cronies in the kitchen, but it had only taken a glare from me for her to excuse herself and follow me into the hall.
“Why don’t you tighten your hold a little?” she purred. “You know you want to.”
“I’m not here to play games.” I was holding onto my patience by a thread. “Answer my question, or Hauss Industries is over.”
“You don’t have that kind of power.”
“Don’t underestimate me, sweetheart.” It wasn’t an endearment. “Just because we’ve fucked a few times doesn’t mean you know what—or who—I have in my back pocket. So unless you want to explain to dear old Dad why regulators are breathing down his neck and his precious company stock is tanking, I suggest you answer me. Now.”
Madeline’s lips compressed into a thin line. “Her friend pulled her out of the pool, and they left,” she said, sullen. “How was I supposed to know she can’t swim?”
My grip tightened, and my lips curled into a sneer when I saw the resulting flare of desire in her eyes. “Pray she’s all right, or the downfall of Hauss Industries will be the least of your worries,” I said softly. “Do not contact or come near her or me again. Understand?”
Madeline lifted her chin in defiance.
“Do. You. Understand.” I pressed my thumb into the soft flesh of her neck—not enough to injure, but enough to make her flinch.
“Yes,” she choked out, resentment coating her voice.
“Good.” I released her and walked away, keeping my steps calm when all I wanted was to race to Ava’s house and check if she was okay. She hadn’t answered any of my calls and texts, and while I understood why, it still made me nervous.
“Is she really worth it?” Madeline called after me.
I didn’t bother answering her.
Yes.
When I reached my car, I floored the gas and nearly mowed over a group of drunk frat boys. My grip strangled the steering wheel as I imagined how Ava must have felt when she fell into the pool—or how she must feel right now.
A mixture of worry and anger coiled in my stomach. Fuck what I told Madeline earlier. She’d put a huge target on her family’s back, and I wouldn’t rest until Hauss Industries was no more than a footnote in corporate history.
I pulled up to Ava’s house in time to see Stella exiting. I cut the engine and made it to the front door in half a dozen long strides.
“How is she?” I demanded.
Worry etched itself on Stella’s face. “She could be worse, given the circumstances. I was getting us drinks when she went into the pool room…” She gnawed on her bottom lip. “Anyway, I found her when that woman pushed her into the pool. I got her out before she passed out or anything like that, but she’s pretty shaken. Jules isn’t home yet, and I wanted to stay with her, but she said she’s going to sleep and insisted I leave.” Stella’s brows knit together. “You should check on her. Just in case.”
That was a big ask coming from Stella, who liked me the least out of Ava’s friends, and it said a lot about Ava’s current state.
“I’ll take it from here.” I brushed past her into the living room.
“How did you find out what happened so fast?” Stella called after me.