What Deceit Looks Like | ✓

26: cassidy

Maddox is sitting diagonal from me in an arm chair while I'm on the couch. "I don't want either of us to hold back here. Everything is fair game, but only if we both agree to it," I say firmly.

"I think this is something that we need to do if we want to have a relationship." He nods, clasping his hands in front of him.

It's going to be okay, he knows pretty much everything so there won't be any surprises. I guess he didn't have a chance to ask questions when I told him at the diner in Boston. "I agree. Um, you can go first?" I let out a trembling breath, trying to keep my hands from shaking.

"When did you find out about Paige?" He asks gently.

"Dean and I got into an argument the morning after I stayed here for the first time. I can't remember exactly how it started, but he was afraid that I would hurt you. He said the reason you weren't close is because after Paige disappeared, he wasn't there. He's been trying to figure out a way to make it up to you. I didn't know the full story until you told me."

He looks confused, "He said that?"

I nod, leaning back into the throw pillows on the couch. "Dean wants to fix things between you two."

Maddox looks stunned, "I had no idea."

"No offense, but you don't exactly act rationally when Dean's around."

His cheeks grow pink, "I guess I just never realized."

"What happened between you guys?" I ask carefully, and Maddox hesitates.

"I wasn't in a very good place after Paige disappeared as I'm sure you can imagine. I was constantly calling every favor that my family had in the government trying to convince them that it was worth it to do an emergency recovery. Dean and I had our differences growing up, but we were always there for each other. He dropped off the face of the earth for the first six months, and I tried getting ahold of him every day of the first three. When he finally did come around, Dean tried suggesting that I take a break. That it was hurting me more than it was helping me." He looks down at the ground before admitting the next part, "It was my fault. I snapped saying he had no right to even suggest that. I told Dean that he would never understand the way I was feeling because he could never love someone the way I loved Paige."

Knowing Maddox, I can see him doing everything possible to get her back. None of that surprises me, including the way he reacted to Dean's suggestion. What surprises me is that Dean would even suggest giving up.

"I spent a long time being angry at everyone, but I took it out on Dean. Something I never should have done, but it's too late to change the past." Maddox says, taking a deep breath.

"It's not too late to change the future though," I remind him, and his mouth quirks upwards.

"I think you're right." He agrees, and then there's a moment of silence that falls. "How long were you and Noah together?" Maddox looks uncomfortable asking this question, but he has every right to know.

I try not to let the feeling of uneasiness crawl over me, "He was a regular at the bar I work at. He heard me and Jupiter talking one day about needing some extra hours to pay our rent, and offered me a business proposition. It didn't turn into anything more until I actually starting bringing money back from the cons. He trained me with etiquette lessons, dancing lessons, you name it, I probably did it. We were together almost four years. I moved out a few days before the gala where I met Hayes and Seph. I broke it off officially two weeks later. It was the night he hit me. But, if I'm being honest, Noah and I were over long before I met you. I was just too afraid to leave." It's hard admitting, but the whole point of this is to be honest.