But why do I still feel like utter shit?

Before I have time to question my morals, Juliet and Dylan take to the stage, Dylan accepting the microphone off the emcee. Madison’s tiny frame begins trembling beside me, and I wrap my arm around her waist, drawing her into my side.

I watch with distaste as Juliet canoodles into Dylan. “Hi everyone,” Dylan says, addressing the room with a carefree smile. “On behalf of my beautiful fiancée and I, I would like to thank each and every one of you for attending this special occasion. As you know, we’re here to celebrate our engagement,” he says, while the crowd claps and cheers. “But tonight, we’re also celebrating another milestone.”

Madison’s tremors continue, and I hug her closer into my side, never wanting to let her go.

“I’ll let my bride-to-be be the bearer of the good news,” Dylan says, passing the microphone to Juliet.

Juliet beams, and I have never seen her so…happy. Never once did she smile at me the way she’s smiling at Dylan, not that I care. But I guess this just brings home the fact she was using me as much as I was using her. I suddenly feel so dirty, and my filth is polluting the innocent girl beside me.

Juliet happily accepts the microphone, basking in the limelight and loving the attention. Her eyes casually scan the crowd, and just when things couldn’t possibly get any worse, Juliet’s eyes land on me. I remain expressionless, refusing to give anything away, as I know this is too important to her, and she’ll let nothing stand in the way of her happily ever after.

Like the true actress that she is, she raises the microphone to her lips, her eyes never wavering from mine. “I’m pregnant!”

The crowd gasps, but the biggest gasp comes from me when Juliet removes her lace shawl and reveals a small baby bump. Judging from her size, she would be roughly three months. And three months ago, I was fucking her.

Juliet watches my face as the cold, hard truth hits home and she grins, smugly raising both brows.

“This is sick,” Madison spits, twisting out of my embrace.

I panic; afraid she’s seen mine and Juliet’s exchange. “Let’s go,” I say, latching onto her hand and weaving through the crowd to reach the exit.

Thankfully, she doesn’t fight me, and it seems she wants to escape this suffocating environment as much as I do. The moment we reach the door, a sense of relief overwhelms me, and getting away from this toxic situation is all that matters.

As I yank on her hand and pull her out into the foyer, Madison slows down, her heels digging into the plush carpet. “Wait a second,” she says, attempting to catch her breath. “I just need a minute.”

Goddamnit, we don’t have a minute. If I know Juliet, she’ll be out here in seconds, wanting to rub my face in the mess I’ve made.

“You can rest in the car,” I press, lightly pulling her toward the elevators.

When she looks at me, confusion marring her perfect features, I explain, “I hate seeing you this way, Madison. Look at you, you’re shaken up.” And I gesture with my chin to her shaking hands.

She wrings her hands together, and nods. “You’re right. I should find my mom though, and tell her I’m leaving.”

Just as I’m about to refuse, a shiver passes down my spine, and the cause of that shiver is the woman who knows too much.

“Leaving so soon?” Juliet purrs, and I close my eyes, cursing the damn day she walked into my office.

Madison sighs, and I open my eyes, ready to face whatever this whore is about to throw my way.

“Yes,” Madison replies, and I’m proud of her bravery.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” Juliet asks, a wicked smile turning up her lips.

Madison looks up at me, and I nod, silently giving her the courage she needs. “This is my b-boyfriend, Dixon,” she says, while Juliet raises a brow.

I have no doubt she’s mentally calculating how long we’ve been together, and whether Madison was the cause of me ending our fling. The question is, is she going to tell her?

Juliet tilts her head to one side, and as she sizes me up, I realize, my fate is in her hands. I hate that this troublesome little bitch can make or break the best thing that has ever happened to me.

“Boyfriend?” she asks, and I silently plead with her to find whatever compassion she may have, and not ruin my chance at happiness.

“Yes,” Madison replies, looping her arm through mine.

“Isn’t he…” Juliet says, leaving the sentence hanging while I hold my breath.

Madison and I both wait for Juliet to continue, and just when I think she won’t, she concludes, “Too old for you?”

Madison scoffs while I let out the pent-up breath I was holding. If that’s what she wants to pick at, then so be it.

“He’s perfect,” Madison counters, challenging Juliet to argue.

Madison is so far from the truth, it’s not even funny. As touched as I am that she feels the need to defend my honor, I know this conversation must end before Juliet reveals just how imperfect I really am.

“Shall we go?” I ask Madison, needing this nightmare to end.

Thankfully she replies, “Sure,” her eyes never leaving Juliet’s.

“Um, Dixon,” Juliet says, as we turn to leave.

“Yes?” I reply, my back turned to her, trying my best to remain calm.

“Can I have a word with you?” she asks, while Madison spins around to face her.

“Why?” she angrily questions. “You have no business speaking to him.”

“It’s fine, Madison,” I quickly say, slowly turning around and meeting the eyes of Satan herself.

“In private,” Juliet adds with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Absolutely not!” Madison snarls, storming forward, but I latch onto her bicep to stop her rampage. “Dixon?” she says, the horror painting her face as she looks at me over her shoulder.

“It’s fine. Whatever she has to say will never change the way I feel about you. Go downstairs and wait for me, okay? I promise, I won’t be long,” I assure her. “Trust me?”

“Of course I do,” she whispers, and her honesty touches me in a way I never thought possible.

The thought of losing Madison tears a huge, gaping hole in my chest. Juliet now has the power to decide my fate, and I can only hope she shows me some mercy when she makes her decision.

“I’ll wait for you downstairs,” Madison unhappily states, her lower lip trembling.

“Angelo,” I say as she turns to leave.

She spins around to face me, and I can see the hope behind her eyes that I’ve changed my mind. I wish I could, but I can’t. My hands are chained, and Juliet is the holder of the key.

Madison waits for me to say something, anything, but I can’t. There are no words to express how sorry I am. So I let my actions speak for me. In two strides I’m on her, wrapping my arms around her in a near suffocating embrace, and lowering my hungry mouth to hers. She kisses me back with as much enthusiasm, both of us needing to prove a point to Juliet. She may have the upper hand, but what Madison and I have is real, and it’ll take a lot more than a scorned bitch like her to break what we have.

I’m the one to break our kiss, and Madison protests, her plump lower lip dipping into an adorable pout.

“Just giving you a taste of what’s to come,” I whisper, kissing the tip of her nose. “I’ll see you soon.”

Madison nods, her eyes filled with concern, but she turns and leaves me alone with the Antichrist in heels.

“What do you want?” I hiss the moment Madison enters the elevator.

“Is that any way to talk to family?” Juliet sarcastically replies.

“You are not my family,” I sneer, as she doesn’t know the first thing about kin.

“Whatever, I don’t have time for chitchat,” she softly replies, giving a small wave to an elderly couple as they walk past us, appearing unaffected by this fucked-up situation.

“Then get to the point,” I snap, loosening my tie.