Chapter 50

Arthur

The boat bumped against the dock, and the captain called out that we'd arrived.

Max's expression shifted then, became almost eerily calm. "I'll handle those people," he said, his tone flat. "Madison and all the others who've been spreading shit about Alice. Once they're dealt with, she can be happy as my girlfriend. No more drama. No more problems."

He turned to walk away, his shoulders rigid with determination.

"Max." I called after him. "You can't stop rumors. They don't work like that. You can't control what people say."

He didn't respond. Didn't even slow down. Just kept walking toward the villa entrance, disappearing inside without a backward glance.

Carter let out a long breath beside me. "Well. That went exactly nowhere."

"He hasn't changed at all," I said quietly, watching the door Max had vanished through. "He's so focused on controlling the external factors that he can't see the real problem is how he treats Alice."

Carter nodded slowly. "So what now?"

"Now we hope Cecilia got through to Alice." I started walking toward the villa. "We still have our backup plan. If Alice wants out, we'll make it happen."

"And if she doesn't?" Carter fell into step beside me. "If she's too scared to leave?"

"Then we keep trying." I glanced at him. "But I have a feeling Ceci won't take no for an answer. Not when it comes to Alice."

Carter's lips twitched into a tired smile. "Yeah. Your girl's pretty fierce when she wants to be."

"That she is."

We reached the entrance and paused. The villa was quiet, everyone still out on their respective activities.

"I'm gonna go find Sophia," Carter said. "Maybe she knows something."

He headed toward the west wing, and I turned toward the east, toward the master suite and—hopefully—Ceci.

God, I couldn't wait to see her. To pull her into my arms and breathe her in and forget about Max and his fucked-up possessiveness for a few hours.

I pushed open the door to our suite, already pulling out my phone to text her.

And stopped dead.

There was a woman on my bed. Wearing a dress that left almost nothing to the imagination, her legs crossed in a way that was clearly meant to be seductive.

It took me a second to place her. Then recognition hit.

Madison Hartley.

"What the fuck are you doing in my room?" My voice was flat, cold.

She smiled, slow and confident, and stood up. "Hello, Arthur. Miss me?"

"No." I didn't move from the doorway. "Get out."

"Oh, come on." She took a step closer, her hips swaying. "Don't be like that. I came all this way to see you."

"I didn't ask you to." I kept my expression neutral, but inside, rage was building. "How did you even get in here?"

"Does it matter?" She was close now, close enough that I could smell her perfume—something heavy and cloying that made my stomach turn. "I'm here now. And I think we both know what you really want."

She reached out, her fingers brushing my chest, and I caught her wrist.

"Don't." My voice was low, dangerous. "Touch me."

Her smile faltered. "Arthur—"

"Get the fuck out." I released her wrist and stepped back, my voice turning to steel. "Now. Before I throw you out myself."

"Why?" Her voice rose, frustration bleeding through. "Because of her? Because of that nobody with no family, no background, no—"

"Careful." I cut her off, my tone dropping to something lethal. "Very careful what you say next."

"She's nothing!" Madison's composure cracked completely, her face twisting with rage. "A cheap little bitch who doesn't belong in your world. I'm the one who—"

"You're the one who broke into my room," I said coldly. "You're the one who can't take a hint. And you're the one who's about to be escorted off this property by security if you don't leave in the next thirty seconds."

"You can't be serious." She stared at me, disbelief and fury warring on her face. "I'm Madison Hartley. My family—"

"Your family has nothing I want." I pulled out my phone. "And neither do you. Cecilia is smart, brave, and worth ten of you on your best day. Now get the fuck out of my room before I call Carter and tell him you've been harassing his guests."

For a moment, I thought she might actually listen. Then her expression shifted into something desperate, almost feral, and she lunged forward.

Her arms wrapped around my neck, her body pressing against mine, and I felt revulsion flood through me.

"Please," she whispered, her breath hot against my ear. "Please, Arthur. I can make you happy. I can—"

I grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back, hard enough that she stumbled.

"Don't ever touch me again." I didn't raise my voice, but the words came out like shards of ice. "You disgust me."

Her face went white, then red, and I saw tears start to form in her eyes. But I didn't care. I just turned and walked toward the door.

"Arthur, wait—"

I didn't wait. Just kept walking, my jaw clenched, fury and disgust churning in my gut.

Behind me, I heard her footsteps, the click of her heels on marble as she chased after me.

"Arthur, please! Just listen to me! I love you! I've always loved you!"

I was halfway down the hallway when I heard another sound—the front door opening.

And then Ceci's voice, bright and warm and so fucking welcome after the nightmare of the last ten minutes.

"Arthur? We're back! You won't believe what—"

She appeared around the corner, Alice beside her, both of them windswept and smiling.

Then she saw Madison.

Her smile died. Her eyes went from me to Madison—disheveled, mascara smudged, dress askew from where I'd pushed her away—and something cold and terrible settled over her face.

"What," Cecilia said, her voice deadly quiet, "the fuck is going on?"