Chapter 53

CHAPTER

FIFTY-THREE

Just as Maddie stepped inside the west wing, she looked up and saw . . . Josh walking right toward her.

He wore a bathing suit and had a towel draped over his shoulders.

Her stomach filled with dread. He was the last person she wanted to see.

Josh paused and raised his chin stiffly. "I was hoping to run into you sometime."

"Really? Funny, I was feeling the exact opposite."

A frown flickered across his face. Then he glanced around before lowering his voice. "Listen. Could we talk?"

"I'm not ready."

More annoyance filled his gaze. "The gala is tonight."

"I know. Have you told people we broke up?" Because that was what this boiled down to, wasn't it? How their breakup would look for his career.

Josh shook his head. "I prefer to keep my personal life personal."

"Everyone is going to find out," Maddie told him.

"How are people going to find out?" He narrowed his eyes. "Have you told them?"

"Only a couple of people?—"

"You mean your new little friends?" Derision dripped from his words.

"It doesn't matter who. I have the right to tell people what I'm going through if I want to."

His gaze darkened, and he looked away shaking his head again. "The timing of this couldn't be worse."

Maddie pressed her eyes closed. That was Josh for you. Always thinking of himself and his career and advancement.

The charming person she'd first met had only been an act.

What did relationship experts call it? Love bombing?

Yes, that was what it was.

None of it had been real.

He glanced around again before his gaze stopped at her hand. "I'll need the ring back if you're not going to wear it."

"That might be a little difficult." Maddie's throat tightened.

How was she going to tell him what happened? Would he even believe her given the tension between them?

"Someone stole it," she finally said.

"What?" His voice rose. "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said. Someone took it. I left the ring in my room, and when I came back, it was gone."

His nostrils flared, but he kept his voice low this time. "You sure you just didn't pawn it? I always knew you only liked me for my money."

Fire ignited inside her at his accusation. "You know that's not true. I have never asked for one dime from you."

"No, you were just waiting until the big day, weren't you? It's probably the only reason you agreed to stay together for as long as you did."

"That statement does not even deserve a response." Irritation simmered in her voice. "Just call your insurance company. They'll get it sorted out."

The startled look on his face said it all.

She shook her head. "You didn't take out insurance on a two-carat diamond ring?"

His gaze darkened again. "Why would I? I never expected you to take it off your finger."

Josh was unbelievable. Again, this was going to be her fault in his eyes.

"I need to go." She brushed past him.

He started to call for her, but Maddie raised her hand to cut him off.

He didn't appear to know about Logan yet. But he'd find out soon.

Would he cry for his lost lover?

Maddie didn't know. She didn't know what parts of him were real.

Given everything that had happened, would he be named the new CEO tonight? Would he get everything he wanted despite his bad behavior? Would they delay the ceremony in light of everything that had happened?

She didn't know. Truthfully, she didn't care. She just wanted to go home.

Maddie went back to her room, more cautious now when she stepped inside, than she had been earlier.

But there were no notes under her door.

No scary movies on the TV.

And nothing appeared to be missing.

She should feel relieved, but she didn't.

There was more to come. She was sure of it.

Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen.

It was Brody. Again.

Just as before, she didn't answer.

If Brody had been lying to her about his relationship with Adrienne, then Maddie didn't want anything to do with the man. Besides, she had too many other things on her mind right now to worry about him and how quickly he'd fallen off his pedestal.

Besides, a relationship between them would have never worked. Cutting him off was the best choice.

Instead of talking to him, she called her attorney in New York and talked to him for several minutes.

When Maddie hung up, she jumped on the computer to search flights.

Though Detective Kalani had warned her that she needed to stay in town, he had no legal grounds to keep her unless she was officially charged as a suspect.

For that reason, Maddie was going to buy the earliest plane ticket she could find to get out of here.

She was done with this island. With this retreat. With all these people.

She wanted to get back to New York and start over.

In fact, maybe she wanted to start over somewhere far away from New York. She didn't know. All she knew was that she wanted to get out of this place.

She would let Josh dig his way out of his own mess. She'd let others figure out if Fowler and Bree were corporate spies. She'd let Kalani figure out who might have killed Logan or if Jared's death had anything to do with the company.

But Maddie was done.

Totally and completely done.