Page 69 of Real Forever
He kissed her forehead as he tugged her T-shirt up over her head. He tossed it on the ground before unzipping her jeans and sliding them down her legs. Madison stepped out of them, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. Jake pressed soft kisses on her shoulders before unclipping her bra and slipping the straps down her arms. He hung the bra on a hook on the back of the door and knelt in front of her. Wrapping his arms around her hips, he pressed the side of his head into her stomach, holding her tightly for a moment, feeling her soft belly shudder as she cried. He grazed his fingertips under the sides of her underwear and pulled them down her legs.
After guiding Madison into the shower, Jake undressed and stepped into the shower behind her. She turned to face him, tears still falling from her glassy eyes.
“It’s okay,” he repeated, cupping her face in his hands. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
He combed his fingers through her hair under the running water. Finding her shampoo, he squeezed a dollop into his hand.
“Turn around,” he whispered. Madison did as he asked, and he moved his hands to her scalp, gently massaging the shampoo through her hair. He could hear Madison crying harder, but he didn’t speak. He continued to care for her. First washing, then conditioning her hair, then lathering her sponge and delicately washing her body. As he worked, and the hot water beat down on her, Madison’s cries began to dissolve.
* * *
They wereboth wrapped in towels, laying on their backs in Madison’s bed, holding hands and staring at the ceiling, when Madison whispered, “Jake, we have to use those pictures. Lauren has to get away from Dave and she can’t do it without money.”
Jake rolled on to his side to face her.Fuck. She’s right. But if she gets caught, I’ll lose everything.“Madison, I know Lauren is struggling right now. I get it. But we have to figure out a different way. If we get caught trying to blackmail someone, I’ll lose everything.”
“Everything?” Madison snapped.
Jake winced. “No. Sorry. Not everything.” He took her hand. “But I would lose my business, my career, everything I’ve worked for. And we could both end up with a criminal record and fines, or a lawsuit, or even prison, Madison. We can’t risk it. It’s going to be easy for them to figure out you and I were together at the Rosemont. I paid for the room on my credit card. Tons of people saw us together.”
Madison sat up. “Are you fucking serious right now?”
“Madison…”
“No, Jake,” Madison held up her hand. “Are you actually fucking serious right now? Lauren begged and pleaded with NorAsana for whatever scraps they’d throw her in the refund claim, I sold my truck—”
Jake interrupted. “You sold your truck?”
Madison continued. “But it isn’t enough. Dave is going to crush her in a divorce unless Lauren can afford to set her and Maisie up properly and hire a decent lawyer. I can’t believe you could see this tonight and not want to help her.”
“Of course I want to help, Madison. I’d do whatever I could to help you, Lauren, or Maisie. But this is an insane idea.”
“Insane?” Madison was stunned. “I’m insane? I’m insane because I want to help the only family I have? What about you, Jake? You’re the fucking pinnacle of mental health, right? You do everything your parents tell you to and have no say in your own goddamn life, but I’m the insane one?”
Jake sat up on the bed, eye to eye with Madison.
“You know I didn’t mean you’re insane. It’s just such a risky plan, Madison.”
Madison stood up and shouted, “Sometimes in life you have to take a fucking risk for the people you love, Jake!”
She’s right. I know she’s right.
You know damn well you’re too chicken shit to take a risk like that. And it’s why no one is ever going to love you, Jake.
She lowered her voice and continued. “If you care about me at all Jake, you will tell me to do this.”
Jake dropped his head. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
Madison opened the bedroom door. “I want you to leave. Now. There’s no reason to drag this shit out to January first.”
There it is. She finally realized how worthless you are.
I had no choice. What else could I do?
Jake stood up and walked out the door. As he passed Madison, her eyes welled with tears. “I trusted you, Jake. I believed in you and in us and now here I am. Alone, at two in the morning, crying over a broken heart. Big fucking surprise.”
The tears streaming down her face felt like a hot blade twisting in Jake’s stomach.
“Don’t text me. Don’t call me.”
