“Oh, here we go again.”
“Seven years, seven fucking years and I still have the same exact story--if you think I’m fucked up, you only have yourself to blame. Instead of protecting me, you did everything you could to avoid me.”
“That’s not true, Ky--”
“It is, Mom, it is true. He did nothing after he found out his best friend abused his son.” Anger shook Kyler’s form before he cut his gaze from Monica’s, dashing out of the dining room, down the hallway, and out of the front doors.
I gripped the arms of my chair to stand and race out after him, when Mom placed a hand on mine. “Let him be, Madison, he needs time.”
“I think I need time too,” I said, barely above a whisper. “If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to skip dinner tonight, my stomach isn’t feeling so well.” I stood, leaving the dining room without another word. I didn't go to Kyler, even though I wanted to, I went back to my bedroom, curled up with my pillow, and cried myself into a dreamless sleep.
I must have only slept for a little while. By the time Mom was back and waking me up with her soothing words, the sun was still bright in the sky. “I brought you some leftovers, honey.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, head still stuffed face first in the pillow.
“I thought maybe we should talk about what Kyler said.”
I didn't have the words, only painful barbs digging into my throat where my vocal cords should be.
“He mentioned Edward’s best friend, Pierce Black…” Her palm rubbed circles on my back, her tone lowered.
A pounding rattled through my head, my veins suddenly drenched with freezing ice as I launched myself off the bed and flung my head into the toilet. I vomited out all the pain, emotion, and uneasy thoughts I’d been having for days.
“Madison, you are so perfect, and you are every part your father’s daughter--you were the apple of Michael’s eye and as much his own as if he’d fathered you himself. You’re not Pierce Black’s daughter; you never were, not for a single instant.”
She held me silently for a while as I came back down from the sick twisting in my stomach. She helped me up off the floor, guiding me back to my bed, before fetching a damp washcloth to wipe my forehead. “You should tell Kyler.”
“What can I say? He won’t want to hear any of it.”
“You tell him that what happened to him is not his fault any more than what happened to you.”
“Or you.” I gulped.
“Exactly, honey. You might be surprised by how much he wants to hear it. You were both a product of your circumstances; it’s what you make of them that counts.”
I nodded, suddenly feeling the tension ease away a little. “I think I’m going to go find him.”
“Good, that’s good.” She smiled softly as we walked down the hallway together.
“I just hope he doesn't slam the door in my face.” I sniffed when I reached the door. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Always, honey.”
I turned and darted across the path to Kyler’s. When I reached his door, I knocked, then glanced down at my feet, shaking my head when I realized I’d been in such a rush to get to him I’d practically run over here in my fuzzy house slippers.
“What?” Kyler swung the door wide, saw it was me, and made to slam it again. I stopped him just in the nick of time by wedging my foot in the door, the heavy wood like a vise against my cheap slippers and the door jamb.
“Ow! Dammit, Kyler Sinclair!”
Chapter 31
“He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” ― Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights
Kyler
There was a nasty looking gash on her foot, with blood pooling out of it in the exact spot that I selfishly allowed the bottom of the door to scrape along her delicate skin. When I saw that cut, I felt my heart sink. I never cared about the kinds of harm I inflicted on people. In reality, that scrape was her own fault. But with Maddy, I never wanted her to feel anything but happiness.
“Jesus, Maddy. I’m so sorry.”
“What’s wrong with you? Can’t you just be normal and not let your emotions control every damn thing you do?”
Her question took me off guard. I tried so hard not to feel, and here she was accusing me of being controlled by emotions. The truth was, she was right. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. Maddy was the key, she came blazing into my life and unwrapped everything, leaving all the debris flying in her wake.
“Are you going to come in or am I to pick you up and throw you over my shoulder?” I opened the door wide, giving her space, avoiding touching her as much as possible. Her eyes burned through me as she walked by, making sure to intentionally bump me. It was infuriating how damn beautiful she was, even all pissed off at me.
“That’s your first aid kit?” she said, looking at the zip lock baggie I pulled out of the cupboard above the sink.
“It gets the job done.” I shrugged, taking her foot in my hand. “You really think these shoes were the most practical to wear?” I pulled the ridiculous slipper off her foot and stared at the violent looking gash.
“They were the first things I saw.”
“I guess it could be worse, you could be wearing one of those nail-heeled type contraptions that Tamlin and the other girls like to wear. But shoes really should be more practical.”
“I thought men liked stiletto heels,” she said,
