Maddox P.O.V

"What was that?" Francesca demands, struggling not to raise her voice and draw even more attention to our position. The tiny alcove off the hallway offered little to no privacy and seclusion from the curious gazes of the passerbyers returning to the hotel from a night out. Something neither of us had considered upon leaving the reception hall in a rush. And even now, I could still hear the faint thump of the bass. "We're you seriously about to kiss another woman?!"

I look down, unable to withstand the disappointment and hurt reflected in her eyes.

What could I say?

Denying it would only prolong our already long-overdue breakup. But I couldn't exactly be too forthright either and come across as more of a tool than she probably already considered me.

Shit, this is complicated.

And I only have myself to blame.

I'd fucked up.

Sure, it takes two to tango, but this was my doing.

My fault. I'd gotten swept up in the moment and let my emotions carry me away instead of dealing with my relationship issues. That should've been my priority, but all I'd done was compound the situation further.

"Hello?! Maddox!" Francesca waves a hand in front of my face, breaking my thoughts. "Are you just not going to speak to me?"

"I'm sorry." I finally say.

"You're sorry. That's it. That's all you're going to say when you almost cheated on me in front of your entire fucking family."

"I never meant for this to happen."

"I don't believe you. You invited me here, Maddox. You! No one else. You shouldn't have done that if you were having doubts about us."

"What do you think I planned this?"

"I don't know. Did you? Cause I honestly don't know what to think right now, Maddox."

"Look, I get I betrayed your trust. But you should know me well enough to know I wouldn't intentionally set out to hurt you or anyone. I invited you months ago when we were still..." I lower my voice as someone walks by. "Just fooling around. And I couldn't just suddenly ask you not to come without a reason."

"Maybe you should have."

A beat of silence passes between us.

"Francesca, I know you don't want to hear this right now. But I truly am sorry."

With a roll of her eyes, she scoffs and turns to the side with her arms folded tightly across her chest. "Are you?"

"Yes! It shouldn't have gone down like this. You and I are in a relationship. I should have had the decency to speak with you about how I was feeling. You deserved that much."

"Damn right, I do." She mutters before dropping her hands down by her sides and turning to face me fully. "Then why didn't you?"

"I didn't know how without hurting you. But now...I realize I did that anyway by dragging things out. We only decided to give this relationship a try... what? A few weeks ago?"

Her eyes fall to my chest as she softly says, "Yeah."

"Damn. It felt longer. So much has happened."

"I know." Slowly, she looks back up at me. "Maddox, there's something I need to tell you."

"What?"

"I uh... should've done this a while ago, and maybe because I didn't, I'm partially responsible for things ending up this way."

"Done, what?"

She takes a deep breath. "Break up with you."

"Wait. Hold up. You were going to break up with me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because we were much better off as friends with benefits. Don't get me wrong, the time we spent together was amazing, but we have nothing in common. And you can't tell me you didn't notice."

I lean against the wall, look up at the ceiling, and let out a long and weary breath. "Yeah, I noticed. But I was still willing to give us a try. I just didn't expect...Scarlett."

She nods. "Mm."

"What about you? What made you change your mind and decide to stick around?"

"For the same reason as you. I wanted to give us a fair shot. And now I'm paying dearly for that decision."

"Don't say that."

"Well, I am. I foolishly decided to continue seeing you despite my better judgment and my sister's advice. Stupid."

"Come on. It's not like you knew this would happen, so stop beating yourself up."

"But I did."

"Yeah, okay." I laugh. "What are you psych now? Cause I sure as hell didn't. Professing my love for my best friend while my girlfriend watches isn't my idea of romance."

She cracks a smile. "Mine either. And no, I'm not psych. I just meant I had a feeling you two would fall for each other. Sooner or later."

"A feeling?"

"Yes, I see the way you look at her. The way you look at each other. I always have. And that's another part of the reason I never accepted a position before."

"Why didn't you ever mention it to me?"

"There was no point in telling you before you realized your own feelings. You'd only just deny it."

"Well, there's no denying it now. I'm in love with Scarlett."

"I know." She's smiling, but I can't help but detect a hint of sadness in her voice. "Lucky girl. It must be great having two wonderful men chasing after you."

"There's no one else, just me. That thing with Luciano is over."

"If it's over, why did she invite him to the wedding?"

"What are you talking about? She didn't invite him."

"Are you sure? Cause I saw him in the bar earlier. And figured things must be heating up between them if she asked him to be her guest."

"Yes, I'm sure. After our dinner the other day, he said he was heading home."

"Oh, then why is he here?"

"Fuck if I know. But I'm going to find out."

A deep feeling of dread washes over me as I turn and walk away.

+++++++++

Arriving at Ebony's and Scarlett's suite, I knock on the door. Not long after, Ebony opens the door in a white silk robe that falls midthigh and matching heels with her dreads in a high bun on her head.

"Maddox?" She peeks around the door frame, tightening the belt of her robe. "What are you doing here?"

The candles burning on the coffee table, next to two empty champagne glasses, catch my eye just over her head. Shit, I'd forgotten all about the romantic night she and Chance had planned. That makes three people's nights I'd fucked up in a row. First Francesca's, now theirs.

"I'm uh..." I shift my weight from foot to foot. "Sorry for interrupting, Ebony. But I need to speak with Scarlett."

"You're not interrupting anything. That husband of mine isn't here yet." She rolls her eyes and sighs. "And neither is Scarlett."

"What? Do you know where she is?"

She shakes her head. "The last I left her, she was in the bar."

"Okay. I'll go look for her there." I turn to walk away but stop midway. "If you see her before me, have her call me. No matter how late it is."

"Alright. And if you see Chance, smack him on the back of the head for keeping me waiting. But not too hard. I still plan to make the most of what's left of this night."

I laugh. "Okay, will do."

I go to walk away as my phone rings. I pull it from my pocket and check the caller ID.

"This is him now," I say, accepting the call and bringing the phone to my ear. "Yo, I hope you're calling with some good news."

"I am. It took some digging, but we finally found the connection between Luciano and Dr. Earhart." Chance's voice comes through the line.

"Oh, yeah? What is it?"

"Holly Pickett."

"Who?"

"She was a patient of Dr. Earhart's and just so happens to be Luciano's half-sister."

"Was?"

"Yeah. She committed suicide not long after receiving plastic surgery."

"Oh, man. And let me guess, Luciano blames him for his sister's death."

"Looks like it. We're on the way to his house to arrest him now."

"No, no. You need to turn around now and get to the hotel."

"Why?"

"Because he's here! I'm at Scarlett's room now, and she's not here."

"Fuck!" The siren sounds in the background before he asks, "You don't think she's with him, do you?"

God, I hope not.

"I don't know. Just get here fast!"