Tall, Dark & Lonely
Page 77

“She’s fooled you.” She gave him a look of pity.
“Candy, I can tell you right now without a doubt that Madison was a virgin the first time I took her.”
“Oh, you poor thing. Woman can fake that,” she said softly. He had a feeling she probably knew that from experience.
“Do you remember that doctor’s appointment at the OBGYN?”
“Yes,” she said hesitantly.
“Well, the doctor confirmed it to my face that she was a virgin not that I had any doubts and from the look on your face you really didn’t know she was a virgin, did you?”
“I-”
“So, when you realized your mother was no longer able to give you a free ride you thought I would if you offered yourself. Then you realized your possible meal ticket wasn’t interested and you thought to get rid of what you deemed to be your competition, didn't you?”
“Ephraim, don’t be like that,” she purred.
He stood abruptly. “Did you really think I would throw the woman I love and my unborn baby out on the street based on your word?”
She looked nervous for the first time since their conversation started. “She’s just using you Ephraim,” she argued desperately.
“No, she’s royally pissed at me at the moment and I don’t blame her. I did something stupid without asking her first. Even if she never wants me again I would never touch you.”
“Ephraim?”
“You never deserved her you know. You used her and discarded her and those two great kids. She gave up everything to put food on the table for those kids and you never once thanked her. Now, you repay her kindness by coming in here and trying to throw her in the street? You disgust me.” He turned his back on her to find that Madison had moved from the foyer into the doorway.
“Oh! Madison, we were just talking about you,” Candy said cheerfully, trying to pretend that nothing happened.
“I heard,” Madison said dryly.
Candy’s face dropped. “It’s not what you think. I…I…was just testing him to make sure he was good enough for you.”
“How kind.” Her eyes were locked with Ephraim’s. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Of course.”
“Wait, what about me?”
Madison finally looked at her mother and saw nothing. She was nothing. Finally after all these years she didn’t feel anything when she looked at her mother, not love, pity, or even guilt. Candy’s pull over her was gone.
“What about you?” she asked in a cold voice.
“I have nowhere to go. You’re really not going to throw your mother out on the street, would you? What will your baby think when it finds out you threw its grandmother out or Jill and Joshua?” Candy asked, playing the game she knew worked so well with her.
“You’ve never been a mother to those kids and you certainly aren’t this baby’s grandmother,” Madison said in the same cold voice.
“How could you! I have no money and nowhere to go! Stop being such a selfish little bitch!” Candy snapped with the knowledge that she lost whatever control she had over Madison was gone.
Ephraim put a hand out to stop Madison from doing what he would like to do at that moment. “I’m going to give you five thousand dollars on the agreement that you will leave the state. I am going to go talk to Madison and when I get back you better have made your selection, because this is a one-time deal. I will purchase a one way ticket to the state of your choice. I will give you some money to cover the first two days at a hotel. Once I hear from you I will send a check to you. This will be the last time you bother us. I will never give you another cent so you better make it last until you get a job.”
“You’re giving me five grand?” Candy’s eyes lit up.
He nodded. “It’s your choice, five grand and you leave or nothing and can stick around somewhere else so you can be near your kids. What’s it to be?”
She didn’t even blink. “The five grand!” She clapped her hands together. “This is so exciting!”
Neither one of them was surprised. “Fine. Stay here and I’ll be back when Madison is done talking to me.”
She waved them off. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me.” They weren’t.
Ephraim led Madison into the foyer. “Where do you want to talk?”
“The training room.”
“Okay.” He wasn’t looking forward to this, but it was better to get it over with so he could start groveling and begging her to come back to him. He would, too. He couldn’t live without her and he didn’t give a damn if he made an ass out of himself to prove it.
He punched the code into the alarm pad. At the beep he opened the door and held it open for her. The door shut with a click and a beep behind them before they reached the bottom step.
“So, what did you need to talk-“ She grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the wall as her mouth closed over his.
Chapter 28
Madison trailed kisses down his chin and neck. “Not that I’m complaining, but I thought you wanted to talk.”
“Mmhmm.” She ran her tongue over his flat nipple on her way down his stomach. She nibbled and kissed each rippling muscle.
“I’m really sorry about everything, Madison. I know I should have done it another way and I know you know all the reasons so I’m not going to get into that again. If you could just see it in your heart to forgive me I will spend the rest of eternity making it up to you.”
She laughed against his skin. “What do you call this?”
He sucked in a harsh breath as she unzipped his pants. “I-I don’t know what it is just p-please don’t stop.”
His pants dropped around his ankles followed by his boxers. Madison pulled them off and threw them to the side, leaving him na**d and fully erect. Several drops of excitement oozed from the tip of his erection. Madison looked up and met his eyes as her tongued darted out to lick it up.
A long loud pained moan escaped him. His erection jerked under her touch. She ran her tongue from tip to base and back again, leaving him panting until he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Enough!” he growled as he yanked her off her feet and threw her over his shoulder.
She giggled breathlessly as he carried her farther into the training room. He stormed past the exercise equipment, knives’ table, the guns’ table, and holy weapon’s table until he came to the matted section of the large room.
“Four weeks is too long, baby.” He gently placed her on the mat.
“I agree so don’t piss me off again.” Her voice was low and urgent as she ran her hands over his chest and arms. He stripped off all her clothes. She was still sitting up when he dropped his head between her legs and ran his tongue between her slit.
She slowly leaned back until she was resting on her elbows. Her legs were bent at the knee and spread wide for him. Ephraim lapped the sweet nectar between her lips like a man dying of thirst.
Madison moaned as she rocked her h*ps against his mouth. Ephraim slid his tongue inside her core while his thumb took over rubbing her swollen nub. “Ephraim…oh Ephraim!” she screamed as cl**ax took over her. Her h*ps rose off the mat, riding his mouth to the end.