Chapter 51

Cecilia

My brain couldn't process what I was seeing.

Arthur stood in the hallway, his jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jumping. And Madison Hartley—Madison fucking Hartley—was stumbling after him in a red dress that looked like it had been painted on, her mascara streaked down her face, her hair a mess.

She looked like she'd just been...

No.

"What," I heard myself say, my voice coming out cold and flat, "the fuck is going on?"

Arthur's eyes snapped to mine, and I saw something like relief flood his face. He crossed the distance between us in three strides, his hand reaching for mine.

"Ceci—"

"Don't." I pulled back, my gaze sliding past him to Madison, who had frozen in the hallway, her chest heaving. "Not until someone explains why she's here."

"I was just leaving," Madison said, her voice shaking with what sounded like rage or tears or both. "Arthur was just—"

"Arthur was just throwing you out," he said flatly, his hand finding mine again and gripping it tight. "She broke into our room. I found her on our bed."

The words hit me like a physical blow. I stared at him, searching his face for any sign of a lie, but all I saw was fury and disgust and something that looked almost like fear.

"She broke in," I repeated slowly.

"Yes." His other hand came up to cup my face. "I swear to god, Ceci, I didn't know she was here. I didn't invite her. I walked in and she was just—there. And I told her to get out. I told her—"

"He shoved me," Madison interrupted, her voice rising. "He grabbed me and shoved me and—"

"Because you threw yourself at me," Arthur snapped, not taking his eyes off mine. "After I told you to leave. After I told you I wanted nothing to do with you."

I looked at Madison again, really looked at her. Her dress was askew, one strap sliding off her shoulder. Her lipstick was smudged. But her eyes—her eyes were burning with something that looked like desperation.

And suddenly, I understood.

I turned slowly, my gaze landing on Sophia, who was standing a few feet behind me and Alice, her face pale and her hands twisted together.

"You," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "You told her where we were."

Sophia's eyes widened. "Cecilia, I—"

I took a step toward her, and she stumbled back. "You told her which room was Arthur's. Didn't you?"

"I didn't—I mean, I—" Sophia's voice broke. "She asked, and I—I couldn't—"

"You couldn't say no," I finished, my voice flat. "Because Madison's your best friend. Because you'd do anything to make her happy. Even if it meant betraying everyone else."

Sophia's face crumpled, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I didn't want to! I swear, I didn't want to, but she—she reminded me of—"

"Of what?" I demanded. "Of how she saved you in college? How she's the only friend you've ever had? Is that what she said?"

Sophia just stood there, shaking.

Behind me, I heard footsteps, and then Carter's voice, sharp with confusion. "What the hell is going on out here?"

He appeared at the top of the stairs, Max right behind him.

Carter's gaze landed on Madison, then flicked to Sophia. "Soph? What—"

"I'm sorry," Sophia whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm so sorry, Carter. I didn't—I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't want—"

"You invited her?" Carter's voice was incredulous. "After everything that happened at the mall? After I specifically said—"

"I didn't invite her!" Sophia's voice rose, desperate. "She was already here! She just—she asked for the address, and I—I couldn't say no. I couldn't."

Carter stared at her like he didn't recognize her. "You couldn't say no," he repeated slowly. "To Madison. But you could lie to me."

Sophia let out a choked sob, her legs seeming to give out. She sank down onto the floor, her hands covering her face. "I didn't want to," she kept saying, over and over. "I didn't want to. I didn't want to."

Alice, who'd been silent this whole time, suddenly stepped forward.

Her face was pale but her eyes were blazing. "You're pathetic," she said, her voice shaking with fury. "Both of you. Madison, you're so desperate for Arthur that you'd break into his room like some kind of—of stalker. And Sophia, you're so spineless that you'd betray your own fiancé just to keep your psycho friend happy."

Madison's head snapped toward Alice, her expression twisting into something ugly. "Oh, that's rich," she spat. "Coming from Max's little pet. Tell me, Alice, does he keep you on a leash? Or do you just roll over whenever he tells you to?"

Alice went rigid, her face draining of color.

And then Max moved.

He crossed the hallway in two strides and slapped Madison across the face, the crack of his palm against her cheek echoing through the space.

Madison stumbled, her hand flying to her face, and then she fell—hard—landing on her ass.

"Don't you ever," Max said, his voice shaking with rage, "talk about her like that again."

For a moment, no one moved. No one even breathed.

Then Max turned toward Alice, his expression shifting from fury to something almost desperate. "Alice," he said softly, reaching for her. "Baby, come here. Let me—"

"No!" Alice jerked back, her whole body trembling. She pressed herself against me, her hands clutching at my arm. "Don't—don't touch me."

Max froze, his hand still outstretched. "Alice, please. I was just—I was protecting you. I—"

"I don't want your protection!" Alice's voice cracked. "I don't want any of this!"

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. She was shaking so hard I could feel it, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. "It's okay," I murmured into her hair. "I've got you. You're safe."

Max looked like someone had just gutted him. He stood there, his hand still raised, staring at Alice like he couldn't understand what was happening.

I looked down at Madison, still sprawled on the floor. "You know what's funny?" I said, my voice cutting through the silence. "You came all this way. You broke into our room. You threw yourself at Arthur. And for what? He doesn't want you, Madison. He never did. And he never will."

Madison's face twisted, and she scrambled to her feet, her eyes blazing with humiliation and rage. "You think you're so special?" she hissed. "You think just because you spread your legs for him, that makes you better than me?"

"No," I said calmly. "I think I'm better than you because I'm not a desperate, pathetic stalker who can't take no for an answer."

Madison let out a scream of pure rage and lunged at me.

I saw it coming—saw the moment her control snapped—but before I could move, Alice shoved herself in front of me.

"Don't you dare!" Alice screamed, and then she was on Madison, her fists flying.

They collided in a tangle of limbs and fury, and I heard Arthur shout my name, felt his hand grab my arm to pull me back.

But it was too late.

Alice and Madison were fighting—really fighting, clawing and hitting and screaming at each other—and they were too close to the stairs.

"Stop!" Carter yelled, lunging forward. "Stop, both of you—"

But they didn't stop. They were locked together, stumbling backward, and I saw the moment Alice's foot caught on the edge of the top step.

She went down.

And Madison, still gripping her arm, went with her.

They tumbled down the stairs in a horrible, sickening cascade of limbs and screams and the sharp crack of bone against marble.