As luck would have it, waiting for me on the other side of the door was a petite woman with curled dirty blonde hair, styled to the tens and dressed to the nines. Her blazer skirt combo was embellished with colored jewels, looking like a somehow okay version of something Delores Umbridge would have worn.
“Hi there,” she said, looking beyond me and seeing my present company before regarding me with a wide smile. “You must be Thayer. I’ve heard so much about you.” She held out her hand for me to shake. “Madison Cross.”
Chapter 29
“Madison!”
Troian pushed me out of the way to get to Madison, wrapping his arms around her as she fell into a fit of giggles and patted him back in earnest. I let them have their moment and made my way back over to Qwill.
“I’m so sorry,” I leaned in and whispered, shaking my head. “I was really looking forward to our evening together.”
“It’s okay.” He whispered back, letting his lips brush against my clothed shoulder as he bent down. “We can make up for lost time later.”
Thoughts of a naked Qwill ran a track through my brain and my dick wanted nothing more than for my brain to meet it at the finish line. But business first, then pleasure.
Madison and Troian walked into the apartment, my brother shutting then door behind him as they both made their way to stand in front of Qwill and I.
“Sorry about just showing up like I own the place.” Madison chuckled to herself.
I snickered at her choice of words. “No, that would be me. I own the whole building.”
The shift in conversation truly felt like it had crafted a draft so cold that I felt like I could see the goosebumps forming on Troian’s bare arms. Qwill looked equally as surprised, but he wasn’t the first to speak. Madison wasn’t sure what the hell to say as she turned to my brother just as his mouth fell open in shock.
“What do you mean, youownthe building?”
“I bought it.” I nodded, smiling wide, looking between the shocked faces of my varying company. “I thought it was time to spend some of the money you gave me while earning myself some passive income.”
“So what, you’re like, alandlordnow?” Troian scoffed in disbelief.
“Good for you, dear.” Madison nodded. “Owning property is the most lucrative decision to make in the long run.”
Troian looked like he was about to have a conniption. Qwill simply smiled and snaked a hand across my back as he rubbed it affectionately.
“I’m proud of you, baby.” Qwill placed a kiss behind my ear and the jolt of praise made a beeline for my cock. There was no way I was going to be able to hide it if I kept thinking about other ways I wanted to be praised by him.
“I’ll regale everyone with my news later,” I promised, looking back at Madison with inquiries burning holes in my retinas. “What was so important that you decided to fly down to Piper?”
“Right, the news.” Madison gave a look to Qwill, a sweet smile staining her lips as she gestured to herself. “Sorry dear, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Madison Cross.”
“Qwill.” He said back with a tight smile, not the usual affection littered in the lines of his lips like they usually were. Given the reputation Madison’s family held, I couldn’t say I blamed him for a less than warm greeting.
She seemed to take note of his cold response, but instead of getting irate at the perceptive rudeness Qwill had given her, shesoftened. Madison walked forward and there was regret embedded in her eyes when she spoke again.
“I don’t blame you for that,” Madison nodded. “My family’s chosen to die on a particularly stupid hill that Orbs are less than humans.” Her sigh was heavy and bridled with brimstone. “It’s fucking ridiculous, obviously, but I want you to know that I don’t share my family’s proclivities for bigotry.”
“More big words.” Qwill said, giving me a knowing smile, but he looked back to Madison and presented his scaled hand. “I appreciate that, Madison. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Thayer’s boyfriend.”
“Nice to meet you as well, Qwill.” Madison beamed back, shaking his hand eagerly before returning her gaze to me. “Love is a beautiful thing.”
Before I could use the moment to propel my unsaid feelings for Qwill, my brother was like an antsy chihuahua needing to release their unshakeable energy. “I’m super happy for my brother and his boyfriend for making things official, but I’ve been an emotional wreck for days waiting to hear back from you so, if you don’t mind.”
Laughter filled the apartment as Madison’s rich and bold hilarity bounced off the walls. It was a pleasant sound, but of course, it paled in comparison to Qwill’s hearty laughter.
Or his moans, for that matter. Which is what I was really wanting to hear reverberate off the walls so we needed to get this show on the road before I told Qwill about the final part of news I had to share about my returning show to Downpour. It was tomorrow after all, and I’d like to let off some steam with my new boyfriend before I had to rehearse for the show tomorrow morning.
“You said Cross,” Qwill’s start of conversation broke through my mental reverie. “I thought you were a member of the Rhodes family?”
“I am,” She reassured him. “I’m just the only one married. Iwas born Madison Rhodes, but I married a wonderful man named Harrison Cross when I graduated from college.” I saw her face sour, more backstory on the back of her tongue that made her features turn to a more somber caricature. But she must have thought better about sharing it, as her demeanor returned to the friendly expression she’d been displaying since she walked through the door. “Anyway, I’m sorry I’ve been so silent on responding to you all.” She regarded each of us individually with a look before settling on Troian. “It’s been hectic as hell back home, especially with Aspen’s arrest.”
