by Stacy Gail
That wiped Mads’s humor out like magic. “That asshole.”
“Right?” Serena nodded, practically bristling with indignation. “Then he said something about how I didn’t know what it was to have family in the hospital, and that I didn’t have any inkling how important family actually is. Apparently if you’re not Italian, you can’t possibly fathom strong family ties.”
Sage snorted. “I take it he’s Italian.”
“If he isn’t, he should be, with that whole dark hair and eyes thing he’s got going on. And with a name like Lorenzo Salvatore, I doubt he’s, like, Norwegian.”
“Uh-huh.” Dumping ice into a blender with a generous amount of silver tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and some agave syrup because she liked her margaritas sweet, Mads turned to the glasses waiting on the counter next to a container of kosher salt and some lime wedges. “I’ll blend that up in a second, after you explain why you’ve invited someone who apparently has a master’s degree in dickery to dinner. Do you want me to poison him?”
“As tempting as that sounds, no. And I swear, I didn’t mean to invite him. It just… happened.”
“Rena, how does a dinner invitation just happen?”
“When he said I don’t know what close family ties are, I told him all about my amazing kid sister who’s also my best friend, and how we have family get-togethers all the time, like tonight. Then he said he’d believe it when he saw it, and like a total dipshit I said great, you’re invited.” Her disgusted expression gave way to a beaming look of hope. “Wait. He’s almost ten minutes late, right? I’ll bet you he isn’t coming. Oh my God, I’m so relieved! He was probably just being his dickish self and messing with me. Let’s go ahead and e—”
The doorbell cut her off.
“Fuuuuuuck.” Serena dropped her head back and howled the word before taking a deep breath and giving Mads a forlorn look. “Maybe it’s not him.”
Sage sighed and headed for the door. “Of course it’s him. It’s gotta be him, because I’m learning fast that neither of you can throw a dinner party without ridiculous fucking drama. Next week, Daniels, it’s just you and me at my place with Chinese takeout, with the doors locked and phones turned off.”
“I have to admit, that’s sounds pretty nice right about now.” Mads grimaced as she watched him head off to answer the door, then slapped a hand over her mouth. “No offense, Rena. You know I love spending time with you.”
“Oh, none taken, because I think it sounds nice, too. I just wish I could be like you and find somebody like Sage, but is that what I do? Of course not. What I find is an obnoxious douche who thinks he knows it all, especially when it comes to what it is to be family. Honestly,” she muttered, shaking her head and looking at Mads in what could only be described as vexed bewilderment. “How in the world did you get to be so lucky? It’s like you found your other half without even trying.”
“My other half?” Her heart ricocheted around in her chest, and she pressed a hand to the disturbance. “We’ve only known each other for a couple weeks. Do you really think Sage is my other half?”
Serena tilted her head as if in thought. “That’s the vibe I’ve been getting from you two right from the first. Am I wrong? I mean, don’t you think Sage is your other half?”
“I don’t know what to think.” A mini flutter of something like panic hit her, and she looked to her sister with a distracted frown. “Remember how I said I wanted to avoid any long-term, messy relationships?”
“Yeah.”
“And that I wouldn’t wish love on my worst enemy, because apparently the person you love could actually become your worst enemy, and I never wanted that?”
“Yeah. So?”
“So.” She took a deep breath. “I’m trying like hell not to fall in love with Sage. But there are times when I think it might be a lost cause.”
“Oh, wow,” her sister whispered, even as the sounds of deep male voices reached their ears. “You’re falling in love with Sage.”
“I didn’t say that. I haven’t fallen.” She heard the freak-out in her tone and took a fortifying breath. “I’m just saying I might be on the verge of losing my balance.”
“Wow,” Serena said again. “That’s big.”
“Not big. Huge. Massive, even. My baby step days seem to be long gone, and it’s freaking me out.”
“It could be just some crazy kind of lust, Mads.”
“I have no idea what I’m feeling. The only thing I do know is that I don’t want it to turn into total shit like it did for Mom and Dad. Oh, and another thing. I have no clue how he feels.”
“Sage hasn’t said anything?”
Mads shook her head. “And I’m scared to ask, because I think I’d die if I’m just some chick he’s banging because he’s bored and doesn’t have anything else going on. Not to mention he’s had such a rough life, he might not even be open to deeper concepts like love and relationships.”
“Whether he’s logically open to it or not is irrelevant, honey. He’s a smart man who knows you are a one-in-a-billion woman, and the way he looks at you makes even my toes curl. If he doesn’t realize you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him, then he’s not worthy of having you. And as for what happened with Mom and Dad…”
“Yeah?”
“The older I get, the more I realize they were a couple of fuckups who seemed to enjoy hurting each other far more than they ever enjoyed loving each other. I hate saying that, because it’s disloyal, but facts are facts. That was just how they were. On the other hand, you’re the kind of person who knows what it is to be hurt by those closest to you, so I know you’d never hurt Sage. I get the same vibe from him.”
The truth of her sister’s words calmed the knots of anxiety that had been quietly tying her up inside for days. “You’ve got a good read on him. Sage knows only too well what it is to be hurt by people who should have loved him.”
“That’s why I’m not worried about you two. You know how to value love. More than anyone, you know it’s a precious treasure that needs to be protected at all costs.” The sound of voices grew louder, and with a grim sigh Serena eyed the blender. “Then there’s me, the woman who’s so stupid she invites a master of dickery to dinner on accident. Better get those margaritas going, Mads. I’m going to need them just to get through the next couple of hours.”
*
It was after midnight when Mads heard the door to her studio open. Glancing back over her shoulder, she smiled as Sage came through, jeans halfway done and shirtless. That made sense, since she was wearing his shirt and nothing else, but since the button-down shirt went almost to her knees, she felt thoroughly covered.
“What are you doing out of bed?” His voice was edged with sleep, and it spawned a deep, warm glow inside. When they’d finally waved their dinner guests goodbye a couple hours ago, Mads had chosen to ignore the dishes to instead reward Sage for being such a wonderful co-host. One thing had led to another, and before she knew it he’d had her up on the kitchen counter, clothes strewn all over the floor while he’d sheathed himself inside her as deep as he could go.
Until tonight, she’d never known so much fun could be had in a kitchen.
Eventually they’d wound up in her bedroom, where he’d finally fallen asleep after he’d made her so crazy she’d literally torn the sheets off one corner of the bed. But even as he’d at last drifted off, she’d still been full of energy. Instead of lying there wired and wanting to touch Sage even while he slept—something she thought was entirely too creepy—she’d quietly headed into her studio to work on a new idea that wouldn’t let her settle.
“Hey.” Tapping her digital sketch tablet with a stylus to save her work, she came to her feet, giving him the smile he so easily inspired in her. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I was. Having you not asleep with me woke me up.” Yawning, he wandered deeper into the room. “Nice couch. Let me guess—it’s older than you?”
She glanced back at the couch she�
��d just left. “I think so. Its springs are shot, the cushions are split, and it still smells like the family dog that crossed the rainbow bridge about five years ago. I adore it.”
“I have an old La-Z-Boy recliner out on the second story balcony at my place, with duct tape all over it to keep the stuffing in. It’s my official thinking spot.”
“That’s what this couch is to me.” She shook her head while he reeled her into his arms. “It’s so weird, all the things we have in common.”
“It’s what makes us work.” He gave her a squeeze before tapping the tablet she still held. “You still working on your art project?”
She shot a look at the easel turned in the direction of the light-giving windows. “No, I’ve got that all wrapped up, and the varnish on it should be dry by the time I turn it in for framing. What I’m working on now is the tattoo of that particular art piece. Once it’s done, I’d like to have you put it on my hip. That is, if you don’t mind working on me.”
His brows quirked. “You bet I’ll do it, mainly because I don’t want anyone else touching this sexy-as-fuck body of yours.” He ran his hands over her hips as if already trying to decide the best spot to place her new ink. “Let me see the design.”
“It’s actually the art project I put together for the auction.” Taking his hand, she led him to the easel, pausing long enough to turn on a nearby table lamp. “Remember that day when you saw my dad in the parking lot after he’d left my place? He’d upset me so much that it felt like storm clouds had moved in to block all the light in the world. Then you showed up and chased the clouds away like you were the embodiment of sunshine. That’s when I got the inspiration. I tried to depict that feeling of sunlight defeating darkness, then put the outline of two people about to kiss on top of it. What do you think? If I put together the tattoo transfer, you could do the colorization, right? I know it’s pretty complex, but there’s no one I’d trust more to do it than you.”
“Mads.” It was rare when he used her first name, so much so that it shocked her into snapping her head around to stare up at him. He didn’t seem to notice, as his gaze remained laser-locked on the painting in front of him. “Damn.”
Uh-oh. That didn’t sound good. “Do you not like it?”
“You’re not going to put this up for auction.”
Her stomach sank like a stone. “Oh, no. It’s not good enough. I honestly thought it was some of the best work I’ve ever done, but—”
“No, don’t be ridiculous. It’s amazing. Genius. It’s like you’ve taken everything I’ve ever felt, or will ever fucking feel, especially when it comes to you, and you made a visual of it. It’s us, Skittish. You can’t put us up on the auction block.”
“Oh, wow. Whew. You had me scared there for a second.” Swamped with the relief that her art wasn’t complete hot garbage, it took her a second to latch on to his words. “Wait, what?”
“You can’t just put this out there. It’s ours. That means you’re not going to put this in the House’s auction. Make something else.”
She began to laugh. “Are you kidding? That’s insane.”
“Yeah, well, insane or not, that’s what you’re going to do. This painting doesn’t leave your possession.”
Slowly her humor began to fade. Um, what? “Sage, I don’t have time to create another project, especially now that we’ve lost a week in the schedule. I pushed the envelope for this one project, varnishing it after only nine days of drying time for the acrylics. Luckily, that process turned out okay, but—”
“I’ve got an answer for that. You can do some other, less personal digital piece and print it out—no drawn-out drying time needed. I’ve got a large-format printer at my place, the best money can buy. You can use that to get something cranked out for Payne and Scout. But I’m not going to allow you to display this one out in public.”
“You won’t allow me?” It came out without Mads giving it a thought, but that didn’t matter. Bossy and in command while they were in the bedroom was hotter than anything she’d ever encountered, but bossing her around in day-to-day life was another matter entirely. “I’m going to give you a chance to rephrase that before I let you know just how totally off the mark you are, telling me what I can and can’t do with my art. Ready? Go.”
“I’m not fucking around, Mads,” he said in a hard voice, which made her think he somehow believed she was the one playing games. “I mean it. This painting’s way too goddamn personal to put out there in the world for everyone to gawk at and bid over. For fuck’s sake, it’s us.”
“No one could possibly know that.” An awful chill began to creep into her heart. It chased away the warmth his presence always seemed to give her, and with the beginnings of a scowl she crossed her arms in front of her, trying to stave off the cold. “Look closely at the figures. There are no identifying facial features. There are no features at all. There’s only the sun in a heavenly sky, overtaking a vicious storm, all of which is shown through the outline of two people about to kiss. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want anyone to know that’s you, but fine. Looking at this, no one could possibly identify you as being my inspiration. I didn’t even mention you in the title. This work is called Darkness, Vanquished.”
“I don’t give a fuck what its name is. You’re not putting it up for auction.”
Goddamn it. “You seem to think you can tell me what I can do with my art. I have no clue where you got that idea, but for the record, you can’t. No one decides for me what I should and shouldn’t do when it comes to my art, not even you. Understand?”
His strong brows came down into a scowl so fierce it probably would have scared Godzilla. “What I understand is that you’re fighting me over something that’s straight-up wrong, and it’s starting to piss me off. This isn’t just about art, it’s about us, Do as I say, and don’t say another word about it.”
He had to be kidding. “I’m going to say plenty about this, even if it means I have to repeat myself in order for you to hear me. When it comes to my art, no one tells me what to do. Anyone who tries to do that crosses a seriously bad line with me, and that’s something I don’t forget.”
“So you’re not going to do as I say?”
She lifted her chin. “Absolutely not.”
“If that’s the way you want it, fine. I’m out.”
Ice filled her veins. “What?”
“You heard me.” Looking like he’d just taken a bite out of something bitter, he straightened away from her. “I need my shirt back. I’m not about to step foot outside half-dressed just so I can freeze my ass off.”
The coldness doubled, then trebled. “You’re leaving? It’s after midnight.” Please don’t leave, please don’t leave, please don’t leave…
“Who cares what time it is? I’m not hanging around here when you obviously don’t give a shit about what I want. I’m out, so give me my fucking shirt.”
“Fine.” Reeling with horror at how quickly her world had turned upside down—all the while wondering if this was how her parents had gone from lovers to enemies seemingly overnight—her hands went to the shirt’s buttons. When her shaking fingers couldn’t handle the task of loosening them, she yanked the shirt over her head and tossed it to him, leaving her naked and exposed in more ways than one. “If you’re going to leave me over this, then fine. But you don’t have to,” she added before she could stop herself, and the desperation in her tone made her eyes sting with tears of dismay. God, she was pathetic. “You don’t have to go.”
“Yeah, I do.” He didn’t look at her as he shouldered into his shirt and headed out, clearly more than eager to get the hell out of there and away from her as she stood there, naked and alone.
Chapter Fourteen
Mondays were never the happiest day of the week, but as far as Mads was concerned, this particular Monday was the absolute worst. It took most of her energy to drag herself out of bed, and she even gave serious consideration to calling in sick. The only thing that stopped her was the dogge
d, stiff-necked pride that had carried her through most of her life. She wasn’t going to let Sage know he’d crippled her any more than she’d allowed her father’s relentless “teasing” to stop her from creating.
But, damn, putting one foot in front of the other took just about every ounce of energy she had.
Maybe if she’d managed to get some sleep she wouldn’t feel more dead than alive, she thought, hanging up her coat before dragging herself upstairs to clock in. But sleep had been impossible after Sage had left. It was as if he’d punched a hole in the fabric of her life. The void where he’d once been sucked out all light and warmth, leaving her world a dark, frozen place. No way was she going to be able to sleep in a world like that.
She’d probably never sleep again.
“Just the person I wanted to see.” Scout appeared at her elbow as Mads was sticking her timecard back in its slot, looking bright-eyed and raring to go. Mads almost hated her. “You’re the last person to arrive for second shift, so that means you missed my last-minute pep talk-slash-instructional speech.”
“I’m not late.” Mads scowled as she gestured at the digital clock next to her. “I literally have one minute before I’m supposed to get to work.”
“I know.” Scout stared at her like she suspected her might be rabid. “You okay? You look… not okay.”
“I’m here. I’m ready to work. That’s all you need to know.”
“Uh-huh.” Eyes narrowed and clearly not believing Mads was anywhere near okay, Scout studied her for a long minute. “Want to go to my office to talk about it?”
Ugh. “Talk about what?”
Scout sighed. “Okay, hard case, have it your way. I’ll just drop what I need to drop on you and get out of your way. Just do me a favor and don’t take your feelings out on any clients today, yeah? Remember, you’re here because House Of Payne recruits only the best, so the best is what’s expected, no matter how shitty you might be feeling.”