Dirty Dix (Hard Love Romance #1)

by Monica James

  Madison tenses up beside me, and I would be telling this tramp to back the fuck off if I could speak, but I can’t. A sense of dread passes over me as I replay the last five seconds over and over in my head. There must be tons of Juliet’s living in New York, I reason with myself. This is pure coincidence.

  “I thought you said your stepsister’s name was Beth?” I quickly ask Madison, ignoring Mona’s chuckles.

  “Um, it’s just my nickname for her,” she replies, nervously tugging at her diamond earring. “My silly quirk strikes again,” she adds, attempting to make a joke.

  “So her name is Juliet?” I press, not in any mood to laugh.

  “Yes,” Madison replies, puzzled.

  This is just a coincidence. This is just a coincidence, I repeat to myself, as there is no way I could be that unlucky. I mean, what are the odds? Slim to none, I affirm. It’s pure coincidence that Juliet lives in the same apartment complex as Madison. Just like it’s pure coincidence that Madison’s stepsister, Juliet, is a spoiled little bitch.

  But just to be sure, I ask, “What is Sebastian’s surname?”

  Madison scrunches up her nose, confused. “It’s—” but she’s cut off by the lights dimming and an emcee addressing the room.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Would you please put your hands together for the bride- and groom-to-be.”

  The room erupts in claps and whistles, but Madison and I are at a standoff, she not understanding my sudden interest in her stepsister. I try my best to smile, but as I frantically turn to look at the happy couple making their grand entrance, Madison answers my question.

  “It’s Harte,” she whispers into my ear, while my entire world crumbles around me.

  34

  Sleeping with the Enemy

  DIXON

  As I watch Juliet Harte being led into the room by her fiancé, Dylan Roberts, there are two things I am certain of. Number one: Karma is one messed-up, sadistic bitch, and number two: I was sleeping with the enemy.

  There are so many emotions running through me right now, but all I can do is clap and pretend I have no idea who Juliet is, and what Dylan is. I can feel Madison’s insightful eyes watching me closely, but like the true bastard that I am, my pokerface slips into place, and I remain impassive, giving nothing away.

  “Do you know her?” she asks loudly to be heard over the crowd.

  This is the moment of truth. I could tell Madison that Juliet was the woman I chose over her. I could also tell her what we had was shallow, hollow, and purely based on sex, unlike what I have with her. The truth would hopefully absolve me of my sins, because she’s the one I want to be with. Juliet was a mistake. One I am now paying dearly for.

  Or, I could lie.

  “No,” I reply, shaking my head. “I’ve never seen her before in my life.”

  Madison’s eyes narrow, and for a second, I think I’ve been caught out. But when Madison smiles and says, “I didn’t think you did. I know you’re a better judge of character than that,” I know I’m off the hook.

  But why do I still feel like utter shit?

  Before I have time to question my morals, Juliet and Dylan take to the stage, Dylan accepting the microphone off the emcee. Madison’s tiny frame begins trembling beside me, and I wrap my arm around her waist, drawing her into my side.

  I watch with distaste as Juliet canoodles into Dylan. “Hi everyone,” Dylan says, addressing the room with a carefree smile. “On behalf of my beautiful fiancée and I, I would like to thank each and every one of you for attending this special occasion. As you know, we’re here to celebrate our engagement,” he says, while the crowd claps and cheers. “But tonight, we’re also celebrating another milestone.”

  Madison’s tremors continue, and I hug her closer into my side, never wanting to let her go.

  “I’ll let my bride-to-be be the bearer of the good news,” Dylan says, passing the microphone to Juliet.

  Juliet beams, and I have never seen her so…happy. Never once did she smile at me the way she’s smiling at Dylan, not that I care. But I guess this just brings home the fact she was using me as much as I was using her. I suddenly feel so dirty, and my filth is polluting the innocent girl beside me.

  Juliet happily accepts the microphone, basking in the limelight and loving the attention. Her eyes casually scan the crowd, and just when things couldn’t possibly get any worse, Juliet’s eyes land on me. I remain expressionless, refusing to give anything away, as I know this is too important to her, and she’ll let nothing stand in the way of her happily ever after.

  Like the true actress that she is, she raises the microphone to her lips, her eyes never wavering from mine. “I’m pregnant!”

  The crowd gasps, but the biggest gasp comes from me when Juliet removes her lace shawl and reveals a small baby bump. Judging from her size, she would be roughly three months. And three months ago, I was fucking her.

  Juliet watches my face as the cold, hard truth hits home and she grins, smugly raising both brows.

  “This is sick,” Madison spits, twisting out of my embrace.

  I panic; afraid she’s seen mine and Juliet’s exchange. “Let’s go,” I say, latching onto her hand and weaving through the crowd to reach the exit.

  Thankfully, she doesn’t fight me, and it seems she wants to escape this suffocating environment as much as I do. The moment we reach the door, a sense of relief overwhelms me, and getting away from this toxic situation is all that matters.

  As I yank on her hand and pull her out into the foyer, Madison slows down, her heels digging into the plush carpet. “Wait a second,” she says, attempting to catch her breath. “I just need a minute.”

  Goddamnit, we don’t have a minute. If I know Juliet, she’ll be out here in seconds, wanting to rub my face in the mess I’ve made.

  “You can rest in the car,” I press, lightly pulling her toward the elevators.

  When she looks at me, confusion marring her perfect features, I explain, “I hate seeing you this way, Madison. Look at you, you’re shaken up.” And I gesture with my chin to her shaking hands.

  She wrings her hands together, and nods. “You’re right. I should find my mom though, and tell her I’m leaving.”

  Just as I’m about to refuse, a shiver passes down my spine, and the cause of that shiver is the woman who knows too much.

  “Leaving so soon?” Juliet purrs, and I close my eyes, cursing the damn day she walked into my office.

  Madison sighs, and I open my eyes, ready to face whatever this whore is about to throw my way.

  “Yes,” Madison replies, and I’m proud of her bravery.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” Juliet asks, a wicked smile turning up her lips.

  Madison looks up at me, and I nod, silently giving her the courage she needs. “This is my b-boyfriend, Dixon,” she says, while Juliet raises a brow.

  I have no doubt she’s mentally calculating how long we’ve been together, and whether Madison was the cause of me ending our fling. The question is, is she going to tell her?

  Juliet tilts her head to one side, and as she sizes me up, I realize, my fate is in her hands. I hate that this troublesome little bitch can make or break the best thing that has ever happened to me.

  “Boyfriend?” she asks, and I silently plead with her to find whatever compassion she may have, and not ruin my chance at happiness.

  “Yes,” Madison replies, looping her arm through mine.

  “Isn’t he…” Juliet says, leaving the sentence hanging while I hold my breath.

  Madison and I both wait for Juliet to continue, and just when I think she won’t, she concludes, “Too old for you?”

  Madison scoffs while I let out the pent-up breath I was holding. If that’s what she wants to pick at, then so be it.

  “He’s perfect,” Madison counters, challenging Juliet to argue.

  Madison is so far from the truth, it’s not even funny. As touched as I am that
she feels the need to defend my honor, I know this conversation must end before Juliet reveals just how imperfect I really am.

  “Shall we go?” I ask Madison, needing this nightmare to end.

  Thankfully she replies, “Sure,” her eyes never leaving Juliet’s.

  “Um, Dixon,” Juliet says, as we turn to leave.

  “Yes?” I reply, my back turned to her, trying my best to remain calm.

  “Can I have a word with you?” she asks, while Madison spins around to face her.

  “Why?” she angrily questions. “You have no business speaking to him.”

  “It’s fine, Madison,” I quickly say, slowly turning around and meeting the eyes of Satan herself.

  “In private,” Juliet adds with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Absolutely not!” Madison snarls, storming forward, but I latch onto her bicep to stop her rampage. “Dixon?” she says, the horror painting her face as she looks at me over her shoulder.

  “It’s fine. Whatever she has to say will never change the way I feel about you. Go downstairs and wait for me, okay? I promise, I won’t be long,” I assure her. “Trust me?”

  “Of course I do,” she whispers, and her honesty touches me in a way I never thought possible.

  The thought of losing Madison tears a huge, gaping hole in my chest. Juliet now has the power to decide my fate, and I can only hope she shows me some mercy when she makes her decision.

  “I’ll wait for you downstairs,” Madison unhappily states, her lower lip trembling.

  “Angelo,” I say as she turns to leave.

  She spins around to face me, and I can see the hope behind her eyes that I’ve changed my mind. I wish I could, but I can’t. My hands are chained, and Juliet is the holder of the key.

  Madison waits for me to say something, anything, but I can’t. There are no words to express how sorry I am. So I let my actions speak for me. In two strides I’m on her, wrapping my arms around her in a near suffocating embrace, and lowering my hungry mouth to hers. She kisses me back with as much enthusiasm, both of us needing to prove a point to Juliet. She may have the upper hand, but what Madison and I have is real, and it’ll take a lot more than a scorned bitch like her to break what we have.

  I’m the one to break our kiss, and Madison protests, her plump lower lip dipping into an adorable pout.

  “Just giving you a taste of what’s to come,” I whisper, kissing the tip of her nose. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Madison nods, her eyes filled with concern, but she turns and leaves me alone with the Antichrist in heels.

  “What do you want?” I hiss the moment Madison enters the elevator.

  “Is that any way to talk to family?” Juliet sarcastically replies.

  “You are not my family,” I sneer, as she doesn’t know the first thing about kin.

  “Whatever, I don’t have time for chitchat,” she softly replies, giving a small wave to an elderly couple as they walk past us, appearing unaffected by this fucked-up situation.

  “Then get to the point,” I snap, loosening my tie.

  “Ooh, you were always so demanding,” she says, a wicked smile passing over her sinful lips. “I’m sure you remember. Or does your memory need refreshing?”

  She runs a fingernail down my shoulder, while I swat her hand away, not caring if anyone sees me. “Do not touch me. You want to talk, then talk. I’m running out of time and patience.”

  “You better be nice to me, Dixon. I mean, we share a secret that only you and I know about.” She cups her belly.

  “That baby is not mine,” I whisper, my eyes dropping to her bump in disgust.

  “How do you know? Do you need reminding of all the dirty, disgusting ways you fucked me without protection?” she whispers, stepping close, while I take a step back. “Maybe if you hadn’t been so mean to me when I saw you last, this wouldn’t be so awkward. I can’t believe that she was your sleepover buddy. How sad for you.”

  “What do you want?” I repeat, not in the mood for games.

  “I won’t tell anyone about us,” she says, which surprises me.

  “What’s the catch?” I ask, knowing someone like Juliet doesn’t do anything unless it benefits her.

  “No catch, but I may just call in a favor every now and then.”

  “What kind of favor?” I ask, clenching my jaw, unsure where this conversation is going.

  “I really liked you, Dixon, and what we had was…fun.”

  “No fucking way,” I spit out, disgusted. “I will never touch you ever again. Blackmail me all you want, but I will never, ever, cheat on Madison, you hear me?”

  “We’ll see,” Juliet chirps. Her confidence, which I once found alluring, is now turning my stomach.

  “Why?” I question, stepping forward. “You’re getting married, for Pete’s sake. Go fuck your husband and leave me the hell alone.”

  “I love Dylan, I really do, but he’s in love with someone else. He always has been, and I need to change that,” she confesses, and my mouth drops open in shock.

  He’s in love with her?

  “You’re sick,” I sneer, repulsed I voluntarily stuck my dick in this woman.

  “Oh, I know, Dr. Mathews. Remember where we met? I asked for your help, and you helped me by fucking me in every unimaginable way possible. And I liked it.”

  I lower my eyes, disgusted in myself for ever consorting with this sick, twisted woman.

  “What we had was consensual. Why are you making it out to be more than what it really was? It was sex, Juliet. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

  “You’re right, and I was happy to let things be. But the fact you chose that sniveling little bitch over me hurts. I’m always second best. I’m never good enough for anyone, and I’m sick of being runner-up. I’m especially sick of being runner-up to her,” she spits, angered.

  The conversation we had in my office all those months ago comes flooding back. It was right before we started doing whatever the hell we did for those two and a half months. Juliet confessed she was never good enough for anyone, and I now know that anyone was Dylan.

  Juliet’s smug voice snaps me out of my thoughts. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll keep my fiancé away from your little girlfriend, and you make sure to keep her far away from him, and everyone is happy.”

  “What are you talking about?” I snarl, as Madison told me that she hasn’t seen Dylan for over a year.

  “Oh, didn’t you hear? Dylan is moving in with me,” she explains, while I’m about to be sick.

  That parasitic motherfucker living in the same apartment complex as Madison will undo whatever progress she’s made. The fact she might bump into him will no doubt scare the living hell out of her. Not to mention the fear he might break into her room, just like he did when they were kids, will send her crazy. She’ll be reliving her childhood all over again, and in the end, it’ll kill her.

  Juliet sees my resolve slipping and smirks. “All you have to do is make yourself available to me when I need you, and we can continue playing happy families.”

  “Why are you doing this?” I ask, although I know why. It’s the reason why she came to see me in the first place. This is about power and control.

  And as if on cue, she replies, “Because I can. I told you you’d be back, and begging for a second chance. Although, to be fair, I never thought you’d be groveling, instead of begging.”

  My face contorts in rage, and she laughs.

  “You really didn’t think it would be that easy to get rid of me, did you? You’re my bitch now,” she concludes, discreetly reaching forward and grabbing my balls.

  “This is blackmail,” I wheeze, my nuts held prisoner in Juliet’s grip.

  “Karma’s a bitch, Dr. Mathews.”

  “I’ll tell Madison everything,” I threaten, as I am no one’s bitch.

  I will protect Madison at whatever cost. Hell, she can move in with me.

  “Go ahead,” Juliet says with a careless shrug. “I�
�m sure the medical board would love to hear all about how you fucked a patient.”

  My face whitens, and Juliet’s mouth widens in surprise. “Ooh, so I’m not the first? Goddamn, you’re a bad, bad boy, Dr. Mathews. I’m sure little Miss Goody Two Shoes would love to hear all about your unethical practices.”

  Juliet has me by the balls, literally, and I have no way out of this. Even if I tell Madison the truth, that doesn’t stop Juliet from ratting me out to the board if I don’t do what she wants. She’s a scorned woman out for revenge, and I have no one to blame but myself.

  “Fine,” I snarl, taking a step back, my balls protesting with the movement. “You win.”

  Juliet gasps, stunned I would cause myself more pain, but the physical pain pales in comparison to what this deal is doing to my humanity. “But just so we’re clear, I’m no one’s bitch. You just signed a deal with the devil, sweetheart,” I sneer, getting into her face, not caring who’s watching. “You better buckle up, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

  Juliet’s face pales, and I know the hatred I feel for her is radiating out of every pore in my body. But I will do whatever it takes to protect Madison, even sell my own soul for her freedom.

  “I’ll see you around,” I sneer, inches from her face, while she takes a step back.

  I grin because she has no idea who she’s messing with.

  She quickly recovers when the elderly couple returns, eyeing us suspiciously. “I’ll be in touch,” she whispers.

  “Can’t wait,” I snicker.

  “If you have any pride, you’ll leave with your head held high,” she smartly says, repeating my parting words to her.

  “Fuck you.”

  “Oh, I plan to,” she replies arrogantly.

  She throws me a wink over her shoulder, before casually sauntering off like she didn’t just blackmail me into being her lapdog.

  I need to get out of here, as I’m seconds away from losing my shit, and before I do anything rash I need to think. I charge toward the staircase, needing the physical burn of twenty-two flights of stairs to assure me that I’m still human.