Chapter 1: The Escort

Author’s Note: If you’re not ready for a dark, addictive story with layers of tenderness that will leave your jaw on the floor, stop here… or keep reading and risk never putting it down. 🩶🥀🖤🔥

••~~MADDISON~~••

“We have to cut you from the art program, Ms. Summers. You obviously can’t afford it anymore.”

Ms. Blake’s words echoed in my head as I walked out of school. I felt the urge to cry but I had to keep it in.

Getting cut from the Art program is literally the end of my dream.

I swiped back the tears that gathered at the corners of my eyes.

“You’ll find a way, Maddison. You always do.”

But the little courage I had was smashed when I passed by Dad’s studio. A bright red SOLD sign slapped across the window with people inside.

New buyers obviously.

I stood there, numb, staring at the last piece of him I had left. Losing the studio felt like losing Dad all over again.

My chest tightened like my heart was tying a thousand knots in my chest.

I didn’t go inside. I couldn’t. Sarah already warned me… if I missed one more payment, the studio goes on the market. I’ve missed four. I gave it everything. Every dime I had, even my tuition. I poured it all into saving the studio.

And still… I failed.

Everything I tried to hold onto kept slipping through my fingers

I couldn’t watch it.

So I dragged myself home,

“No. No, no, no.” I choked, the word catching in my throat as I stumbled up the steps.

My bags were waiting on the porch.

Pete had changed the locks. No warning. No message. Just dumped everything, like I was nothing. I knew I was four months behind on rent, but still… he didn’t even let me get my sketchbooks.

Where was I supposed to go?

The last thing I wanted to be was the girlfriend who showed up at her boyfriend's door with bags and no place to go.

But I had no choice.

I headed to Chad’s place.

I walked into his apartment. My key still worked.

The TV was on, some horror movie he liked.... but no Chad.

I called out. No answer.

Something felt off.

I climbed the stairs. Then I heard it.

A moan.

A woman’s moan.

My fingers started shaking. I clutched my tote bag tighter.

Another moan.

Louder.

His name. Her voice.

"Chad... oh God, yes... just like that..."

My stomach twisted. My knees buckled. My breath turned jagged.

But I kept walking. I don’t know why. Maybe I hoped I was wrong.

The bedroom door was ajar.

And then..... boom.

There they were.

Naked. Sweaty. Entangled.

Chad. And Willow.

Willow..... the girl who made high school hell for me.

She was on top. His hands on her waist like she was oxygen. His mouth was buried in her neck like he was starving.

My tote dropped to the floor with a loud thud.

They turned.

Guilt slapped Chad’s face. "Maddie....." he scrambled for the pillow to cover his sudden limp erection.

I covered my mouth. I couldn’t breathe.

But Willow? She was all smug and smiles. "Oh look who the cat dragged in," She said, flicking her hair.

I didn’t scream. Just sobbed.

"It’s not what it looks like," Chad said.

"Really? So you’re not screwing my worst enemy?"

He stammered. Willow leaned against him, calm.

"I’m tired of sneaking around. She had to find out eventually."

I turned to Chad, eyes begging for an explanation.

"Really, Chad? This whole time?"

“I’m sorry,”

“No, he’s not,” Willow smirked.

“He told me how boring you are in bed. How every time he touched you, you just… froze.”

“Willow!” Chad snapped but then she spoke again.... because of course she did.

“He said dating you is torture,” she said with a smug shrug. “That you’re frigid and clueless in bed. That you shut down every time he touched you.”

I gasped, voice croaking with tears. “Why would you tell her all that Chad? You know how it makes me feel.”

I stared at him. Begging him to deny it. He didn’t.

Instead, he sighed like he couldn't bear to hold it in anymore. "You're frigid Maddison..... Every time I touched you, you froze. I’m a man. I have needs."

His words gutted me.

It wasn’t my fault. It was Uncle Bernie. Mom’s ex. Julia always picked the worst boyfriends. I could never forget his hands on my body. His awful whispers in my ear. His breath on my skin. All those nights mom wasn't home or too high to notice. I was just a lonely teenager.

And he was supposed to be family

"So now it’s my fault you cheated….. because I am broken?"

He didn’t respond. Not really.

"Wow," I blinked back tears. "I’m having the worst day of my life and I come here for comfort.... and I get this?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "Cut the theatrics, Maddie. Did you really think you were good enough for a golden boy like Chad?"

She rolled out of the bed, wrapped in sheets, stepping closer with that typical mean girl look on her face. Even meaner.

"You’ll never be more than the daughter of an alcoholic single mother with the sex appeal of a frog. Chad needed a real woman. Be grateful I stepped in."

I looked at Chad. He didn’t stop her. He didn’t defend me.

"I love you Maddison," he said, shrugging. "But I’m sorry you’re just not built to please a man."

That shattered me.

It wasn’t just the cheating or that he reduced our entire two-year relationship to sex. It was who he cheated with. The girl who’s made it her mission to ruin me since high school.

The one who mocked my clothes, my art, my body. The one who called me “pathetic Maddie” in the girls' locker room like it was my legal name. He chose her. Out of all the women in the world, he chose the one who made me hate my own reflection.

"You are scum Chad Montgomery! I hate you... I hate you so fucking much!" I screamed, sobs tearing out of me. “And you are an evil witch Willow! You both can go have a blast in hell!”

Then I ran. Didn’t wait for him to chase me. I knew he wouldn’t.

I ran until my lungs burned. Until the cold slapped my face dry. I ended up in an alley, crouched by a dumpster, crying like I was ten again.

Please let this be a nightmare. Let it all disappear.

Then..... my phone buzzed.

I sniffled, reached into my back pocket. Hoped it was Pete. Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe I could stay in my bed tonight and cry myself to sleep. But something else slipped out.

I swiped my screen.

"Madds! There better be a damn earthquake if you’re ignoring my calls!"

Sydney.

Of course.

Barreling through my phone like a human siren.

I tried to speak. Couldn’t. Just the sound of my sobs.

"Madds? Are you crying? What happened? Tell me who to kill..... I’ll bring a bat...." Her panicked voice filled the line.

But I wasn’t listening.

I was staring at the black, gold-trimmed card on the ground. It must have slipped out of my pocket.

The card Mrs. Sinclair gave me. The rich woman from the café where I worked. She always tipped too much. Looked at me too long.

She slipped it to me in a twenty-dollar bill.

I picked it up.

                  BILLIONAIRE CONSORT

'You only need one billionaire to make your dreams come true.'

The words were written in glitters.

I sniffled back tears.

I should have laughed. Ripped the card. Stomped on it.

But tonight, I was broke, heartbroken, humiliated, and tired of being good.

What had goodness ever gotten me?

I am practically homeless, losing Art school. Losing Dad’s studio and I pretty much just lost my boyfriend to my worst enemy.

The world just doesn’t care.

Maybe Maddison Summers was done being the good girl.

Maybe it was time to burn the script.

Julia would say; big girls don’t cry…. They figure shit out.

My hand moved on its own.

"Madds...."

I cut off Sydney. Dialed the number.

Ring.

Ring.

A sharp voice picked up. "Billionaire Consort. Client or Escort?"

Deep breath.

"Escort," I said.