Red Passion

MADISON

Her mouth went dry, and for a second she forgot to breathe. “What?”

“The gym business wasn’t doing as well as it is now, and when your parents found out that your grandparents’ were going to leave all their money to you and your brothers, they tried to get money from ~us~, using Marta.

“So on our last trip to Italy—we were seventeen, almost eighteen; it was the time you stayed back in the States with Liam—we got drunk and—”

“You got ~married~?” Madison demanded.

“No, they had sex,” Levi said, shrugging his shoulders.

“And so he married her? I don’t understand.”

“No. She came here right after my eighteenth birthday and said she was pregnant. And your father convinced me to marry her. That it was my duty,” Ethan explained.

He didn’t look up. He was twisting his fingers nervously, something Madison had never seen.

Levi finished the story for his brother. “But our grandad knew that something was wrong. So he tricked her into taking a blood test, and when he found out that she wasn’t really pregnant, he sued her.

“He eventually managed to get Ethan an annulment, but it took months. Things became very bitter.”

“Is that why they left?” Madison asked, her voice breaking, and Levi gave a terse nod.

“In part.”

~God.~ She knew her parents didn’t care about her, but she had no idea they were fucking mercenaries.

She’d just thought they wanted to open up a restaurant in Italy with Marta. That for some reason, they cared more about her cousin—and themselves—than her.

“But…why are you telling me this ~now~?”

Ethan and Levi exchanged glances with Ezra and Liam. Then Liam said, “Because they’re all coming, and knowing them, it has something to do with money.”

Madison stood up abruptly. “I think I need a drink.”

“What shit timing,” she heard Sam say as she walked toward the kitchen. “I’ll check on her.”

“Hey,” Sam said as Madison opened the fridge, coming up behind her and rubbing her back.

“I’m okay,” Madison said stiffly, grabbing two beers from the fridge. She held one out for Sam.

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Well, of course I’d rather be with the twins on a private island than here listening to this shit…but I’m good,” Madison assured her. “Really. It’s not like I didn’t already know my parents are shitty people.”

She grabbed a bottle opener and pried off the cap. “I just don’t understand how all of that happened and I had no idea. It’s like everything I assumed was true was a lie. I feel like an idiot.”

“You were too young.”

“Yes…I know. And I know my brothers and the twins were just protecting me from the truth. But you know what? Maybe it would have hurt less to know my parents didn’t abandon me because they didn’t love me enough…

“But because they’re ~selfish fucking assholes~!”

She took a huge drink of her beer, then suddenly screamed, “I HATE THEM!”

After a moment of silence, she laughed nervously and shrugged.

“Madison…,” Sam began.

“I know, I know. But now that I’ve let that out, I really do feel okay, I promise. Now I’m just sorry for my brothers and the twins. They had to keep it from me how horrible Nikolaj and Isabel really were.

“And poor Ethan. He was just a kid! How can you be so fucked up to trick someone like that for money?”

Her brothers and the twins suddenly appeared at the kitchen door, looking concerned.

She took a sip of her beer. She should probably still feel angry and disgusted by everything, but at this precise moment, she just felt numb.

“You okay, love?” Levi asked.

“Yes, believe it or not, I am.” She walked toward them. “But I think I need some time alone. Do you guys mind?”

“Of course not,” they said simultaneously.

She wasn’t trying to punish them, but she needed to process this, to figure out how she felt about things. Obviously, she didn’t blame Ethan being tricked into marriage, but there were just ~so many things~ they knew and didn’t tell her.

And the same went for her brothers.

It made her feel…foolish? Less than? Definitely vulnerable somehow.

~And why did it have to be Marta?~

The twins kissed her tenderly before they left, and Sam kissed Ezra and promised to text Madison later.

Before she went upstairs to her room, Liam touched her arm. “We know you need some space. But we’re here if you need us.”

“Yeah, sis,” Ezra said, “we know it’s a lot.”

Liam sighed. “Just please remember, everything we did, we did for you.”

***

After spending the night in her room, alternately tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, and texting with Sam, Madison woke up with a new resolve.

She refused to let her parents take anything more away from her. And she wanted to make sure Ethan knew she wasn’t upset about him and Marta.

So after eating breakfast and reassuring her brothers that she really was okay, she messaged the twins to pick her up on their lunch break.

Ethan and Levi had already pleased her beyond her wildest dreams, but she wasn’t sure the opposite was true.

But she had a couple of ideas in mind to change that.

“Madison, what are we doing here?” Levi asked as he pulled into the parking lot across from the Red Lips Sex Shop. “I thought you said you wanted to do some shopping.”

“Exactly. Some ~sexy~ shopping.” Her tongue slipped out to lick her ~own~ red lips.

Levi frowned. “Are you sure, love? You just had a rough night. Are you sure you aren’t just trying to avoid dealing with your feelings?”

She huffed. “And would that be so terrible if I was? This is what I’d want to be doing if I hadn’t learned that stuff about my parents, so why should I let them ruin it for me?”

Levi chuckled. “You make an excellent point, ’Flake.”

“What did you have in mind?” Ethan asked from the back seat.

Just the thought of what she had in mind made her wet, and she forced herself to clench her walls hard. The frisson between her legs was already strong.

“’Flake, talk to us,” Levi pressed, resting his hand on her bare thigh. “What did you have in mind?”

He let his fingers creep up her thigh until he reached under her dress.

Ethan traced the round neckline of her dress and let his finger slip underneath to stroke the lace of her bra. “God, you’re already aroused.”

Her nipples were hard against the fabric.

“I thought…it was time for me…to…” Her words died in her mouth as Levi’s finger reached the wetness between her legs. The way his finger rubbed against her panties left her gasping.

“I want to have you both,” she blurted out.

Both of their hands stilled as they registered her words.

“Together?” Ethan asked.

She could feel her cheeks heat up as she nodded. “Yes. I want to feel both you and Levi…inside me.”

Levi swallowed hard as he pulled her panties aside.

“So why are we ~here~?” Ethan asked, nibbling on her neck, leaving wet and sensual kisses all over.

“I guess…so we can buy—” Again her words were swallowed up by her moan as Levi’s finger entered her. She was so wet, he didn’t need to do much to ease inside her.

“Buy what?” he teased, thrusting in and out of her while teasing her clit with his thumb.

The SUV’s dark windows helped to hide them from curious eyes, but still, even the thought of being in a public place had her even more aroused.

“I thought we could…buy something to…” She bit her lip as Ethan pinched her nipples. “To make it easier…”

“Jesus, woman. You’re full of surprises.” Levi inserted one more finger and, still pleasuring her clit as well, added speed to his thrust.

“Where is it that you want us, ’Flake?” Ethan’s teasing, hot breath on her neck brought her closer to the edge. His fingers were torturing her nipples, and she felt her walls clench around Levi’s fingers.

“Both…doors,” she whimpered, biting down on her lip as her orgasm ran through her like a shock of electricity.

“God, you’re sexy, Madison. Do you know that?” Levi leaned in to kiss her, caressing her cheek. “And you have no idea how much I hate to disappoint you, love, but that might need to wait a bit.”

Ethan nodded. “I need to go away for a few days on a trip for your brothers. It has to do with your parents, and Marta, and figuring out what they’re up to.

“Liam doesn’t think they’ll leave Italy before talking to him first, but in case they do show up before I get back, I want you to stay with Levi and your brothers at all times, okay?”

“Uh…okay. I don’t understand why you’re all so worried though. It’s not like they’re coming here to kill me.”

“Madison, ~please~.” Levi’s voice sounded tense too.

She huffed a small sigh. “Fine. When are you leaving, Ethan?” A hitch in her voice betrayed her sadness.

“Tomorrow morning. So, I was wondering, would you like to go out with me tonight?”

“With you as…just us?”

“Yes, love. We told you this would happen eventually,” Levi reminded her. “Also, that means you and I are going to have a couple of days alone.”

“Which I’ll curse your brothers for!” Ethan put in, laughing.

She smiled at him warmly. “Come on, Ethan! I’m sure we can figure out a way to include you. Anyway, of course I want to go out with you.”

“Good. I’ll pick you up at seven. Dress comfortably. But since we’re already here…”

Levi smirked at her and asked, “Shall we go inside?”