I hold her hand firmly in mine as we turn to face her parents. This time, Madeline doesn’t need to deal with them on her own. Though, from the look on her face, she isn’t afraid.
“Mr. Ashcroft,” I say evenly.
Madeline’s dad ignores me, his eyes on his daughter. “You are making a big mistake. Since you’re hellbent on being with him, you can forget about any financial support going forward. The trust, your inheritance. All of it.”
I feel Madeline tense beside me, and I squeeze her hand in response. “With all due respect, do you really think that still works?” I ask. “Your threats?”
His jaw tightens. “You’re enjoying this.”
“No,” I tell him evenly. “I’m pointing out how outdated your leverage is. Madeline doesn’t need your money,” I continue. “She has her own career. Her own life. And no need to worry about money ever again—” I shrug. “She has me.”
His eyes flicker. I’ve called his bluff.
“And before you start planning my brother’s takedown,” I add, voice cool as steel. “You should know there is a video of the speech I made tonight telling the truth about my brother’s past. It’s already circulating. I apologize for beating you to it.”
Madeline’s mother inhales sharply. Her father’s face reddens.
“You think you have more power than I do?” her father asks, voice raising. “People will listen to me.”
“Be my guest,” I say simply. “But I wouldn’t waste your time. You won’t scare me or my brothers. You won’t scare Madeline. And I will not allow you to control her.” Madeline’s fingers tighten around mine. “If you want my advice…put the energy into repairing your relationship with your daughter. That’s the only thing here that actually matters.”
He scoffs, but there’s uncertainty behind it now.
“I would support that,” I add. “I would never stand in the way of her having a healthy relationship with her parents. But I will not accept anyone blackmailing her, threatening her future, or her happiness. Not you two. Not anyone. You hurt her and I will ruin you. When it comes to Madeline, I will battleanyone, and I will win. This ends here,” I finish. “What happens next is entirely up to you.”
I wrap my arm around Madeline’s waist and guide her to the opposite side of the driveway. Behind us, I hear her parents’ footsteps fade away in the opposite direction. Madeline slows after a few steps, then turns in my arms. Her hands slide up the lapels of my jacket, fingers flattening on my chest.
“I’ve never seen anyone talk to my father like that,” she says. “I don’t think anyone has ever stood up to him…or for me.”
I pull her into me as close as I can get her. “Are you mad?”
“At you?”
“Yes…at me?”
“Jesse,” she whispers, eyes wet with unshed tears. “I don’t think you understand…you chose me. Out loud. In front of them. In front of everything I’ve been afraid of my whole life.”
My throat tightens.
“I’ve spent so long shrinking, making myself easier to ignore so things wouldn’t get worse. And you—” she swallows. “You didn’t hesitate. You made me feel like I’m worth standing up for. Like I deserve to be chosen.”
“You are.” I brush my fingers through her hair, my palm settling at the nape of her neck. “Choosing you isn’t some brave thing I did, Mads. It’s the easiest choice I’ve ever made. I’d choose you every time—out loud, in front of anyone, without a second thought.”
I dip my head, brushing my mouth over hers in a slow, deliberate kiss. Against her mouth, I murmur, “I’m not standing up for you because you need me to. I’m doing it because you’re mine and because anyone who gets the privilege of knowing you should know exactly what they’re up against.”
“Jesse, there you go again.”
I feel her shiver against me. “Doing what?”
“Making my heart do things it doesn’t know how to recover from,” she says quietly. “You make it so easy to fall for you.”
A slow smile spreads across my face. “Yeah, gorgeous girl? You’re really falling for me?”
She nods once. “I am, Jesse. I’m falling so hard.”
Smiling against her mouth, I let out a sound of relief, then I pull her into me as close as I can. I squeeze her until her feet are almost off the ground. “I’ve already fallen for you, Mads. So hard. Harder than I planned and faster than I meant to. And hearing you say you’re falling too?” I shake my head, still holding her like I will never be able to let her go. “It’s the best damn feeling in the world.”
“I’m all the way in with you.” I kiss her forehead, the tip of her nose, the side of her mouth. “And for the record,” I add, “I’m not going anywhere.”
