Trust in You

Chapter 62 - Ethan

I study Madeline's expression. She looks okay. I think she really is fine. And Geneva is nowhere to be seen. Guess Madeline handled her well.

We talk to some people, and now I'm ready to go. I want Madeline for myself. I miss to be inside her so goddamn much. 5 days in New York is more than enough. Next time she should come with me, I don't care.

We spot Kate and Derek. Kate looks at us and whispers something to Derek. Both of them excuse themselves and walk towards us.

"Mads, this is my fiancé Derek Adams. Honey, this Madeline Parker, my best friend," Kate says bubbly. She deliberately dismissed me, as always. This is my friendship with Kate. We are comfortable with each other, but it's just not as a couple.

"Since when does my girlfriend become your best friend? Last time I checked, you were her fan. Don't delusional, Kate," I say dryly. Derek chuckles. He knows Kate and I are good friends.

Kate jab her fiancé. "Someone said like that to your fiancé and you laughed?" She fakes her annoyance. Derek kisses her thoroughly that makes me and Madeline to look everywhere else but them.

"Now, you forgive me, princess?" Derek asks Kate while still holding her waist and cheek. Kate nods breathlessly.

I cough. "Excuse me. We are still here."

Both of them burst into laughter. Hmm, I can use Derek's way to soothe my girlfriend if she is mad at me. It works with Kate. Maybe it will work for Madeline, too.

"Sorry, Madeline. Hi, I'm Derek. Thanks for coming to our engagement. We expect you to come to our wedding in March. Okay?"

Madeline looks at me, and I smile. "If you want, we can go to their wedding. Uncle Joe said they will hold the wedding in Maui."

Madeline beams and looks at Derek and Kate. "Sure. We'd love to come."

"Perfect!" Kate squeals happily.

We chat for a while and I tell them we have to go. Kate and Derek walk with us to the ballroom door. "Too bad, Mads. I was a big fan of Madden."

Madeline blushes. I raise an eyebrow at Kate. "What is Madden?"

"The shipper of Madeline and Braden Starck called themselves Madden."

"What?" My eyes widen.

"Yes. Because it either that or Mads Bra, E" Kate says nonchalantly and I'm having an aneurysm.

***

It's good to be back home. By home, I mean sleeping with Madeline in my arms. I check my phone. It's 6 am. Wake up now and we can have sleepy morning sex or later and we can have a quickie in the bathroom?

My phone beeps before I decide what I want for this morning. Hall Media must be send me the picture from yesterday. Kate's engagement was big, so there were a lot of paparazzi waiting outside to take a picture of some famous person. I open it and my eyes widen. It's not from Hall Media, it's from my PR team.

It's Madeline and me. I remember this. After Kate told me about Madden (or was it Mads bra? Damn with that name!) I was a bit jealous. My inner caveman took control. I got in the car from the opposite side of Madeline. When she slid in, I pulled her without waiting for Jack to close the car's door. I kissed her while one of my hands crept inside her dress to her breast and the other one squeezed her ass. Well.. the paparazzi got the pic. It's a fucking perfect picture actually (but if I said this in front of Madeline, she will punch me right in the face, I think). It's written, 'Billionaire Ethan Hall couldn't wait to claim his girlfriend' at the headlines with red circles on my hands.