Page 80 of Real Forever
Jake hung up the phone and set it down on his desk. Out of habit, he closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath. Scanning his body, it surprised him to find he wasn’t clenching his jaw, and his heart wasn’t racing. In fact, he felt at peace.
33
Madison
Madison’s mindraced all the way to Tammy’s house. It had been impossible to tell who the man was in the pictures they took at the hotel, but now, it was so obviously Dave she couldn’t believe she hadn’t been able to tell before.
Fucking Dave.Of course, it was him. Madison’s stomach swirled with equal parts fury and giddiness. His affair with Tammy was going to be the thing that set Lauren free, and Madison couldn’t wait to see the look on Dave’s smug face when he realized it.
She tore up Tammy’s driveway, skidding to a stop on the gravel. Stomping up to the front door, her heart pounded, and her fists clenched at her sides. She rang the bell and waited. Her heavy breath fogged around her in the chilly air. Eventually, a young woman answered the door.
“Good afternoon. Can I help you?” The girl was neatly dressed in a white polo shirt and black slacks. She smiled politely.
“Yes, I need to speak with Tammy,” Madison replied.
The girl’s practiced smile remained, but she added a slight, evaluating tilt to her head. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but I’m positive she will want to speak to me.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Mrs. Archton isn’t able to see visitors today. If you could please call her office, her assistant will be happy to schedule an appointment for you.”
Madison took her phone out of her pocket, and swiped to a photo of Tammy with her bare leg wrapped around Dave’s waist, Dave’s hand grabbing a handful of her ass. She turned the screen toward the girl and grinned sweetly.
The girl’s eyes shot open. “Umm, one moment. Please wait here,” she mumbled before scurrying off.
Madison let herself into Tammy’s foyer. Muddy snow slopping off her boots on the polished floors as she wandered in, peeking further into the house. The house was disgustingly opulent. Tammy might as well have hung a giant, blinking neon sign reading “I’m rich, bitch.” It would have been more subtle than the over-the-top gold, marble, and glass shrine to wealth Tammy called a home.
Madison glanced up the stairwell toward the sound of raised voices. The girl appeared from behind a door, rushing back down the stairs with her head down.
“Mrs. Archton will be down in just a moment,” she squeaked out before scurrying away.
Madison giggled in anticipation. Weeks of effort were about to pay off, and taking down both Dave and Tammy in one shot was going to be the delicious cherry on top.
The door at the top of the stairs opened again. This time Tammy stepped out in a pair of black leggings (which, Madison noted, weren’t even NorAsana), and a casual tunic length T-shirt. Her hair was up in a frizzy top knot, far from her typical, perfectly coiffed appearance. Tammy descended the stairs, her shoulders back and head high, but her eyes darted back and forth between Madison and the floor.
“I understand you need to speak to me?” Tammy’s voice quivered, betraying her confident words.
“Hi,” Madison reached for Tammy’s hand. “Tammy, I’m so, so glad to meet you, girl. I’ve heard so much about you. The original Boss Babe.”
Tammy took Madison’s hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name?”
“Oh, of course. I’m Madison. Madison Avery. You don’t know me. But I believe you know my brother-in-law, Dave?”
The color drained from Tammy’s face, and Madison savored it like a forkful of decadent cheesecake. She smiled and crossed her arms across her chest, enjoying watching this horrible woman experience a small taste of the misery she’d dished out to so many others.
“What do you want?”
“It’s simple, Tammy. I want you and Dave to give Lauren back every single thing you stole from her.”
Tammy narrowed her eyes.
“Speaking of Dave, I couldn’t help but notice his truck outside. Why don’t you call my crazy brother-in-law down here and the three of us can just hash this all out together?” Madison made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go grab him, hun. I’ll wait right here.”
Tammy was fuming as she turned on her heel to head back up the stairs. In less than a minute, Dave stormed out in front of her and charged down the stairs.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, Madison? How fucking dare you show up here making demands? You’re even more useless than your bitch sister.”
“Missed you too, bro.” Madison gave Dave a saccharine smile.
