Free Momentary Lapse by Toni J. Strawn Page A

in Wellsford. A stab of guilt had Cole reaching for his phone. Then he stopped himself.
    He could still make it in time. After he’d talked to Madison.
    A band of heat tightened around his balls as he remembered last night. At first, Madison had come across like delicate china. Pretty to look at, but fragile. Breakable. Yet she was unrelenting when it came to her own pleasure; her rapturous gaze as his cock pushed into her, the porcelain perfection of her face flushed with lust, her wild abandon as she’d watched them come together in the mirror… Yeah, she’d known exactly what she wanted last night.
    Him.
    And for once, Cole had forgotten about holding back. He’d given up the reins of control and let down his defenses. Just been himself.
    And that was why he was here, right? Because remembering the proud, passionate woman who’d been in the bedroom last night…well, things didn’t stack up with the Madison who’d blown him off this morning. She’d treated him like he was shit stuck to the bottom of her swanky designer shoes.
    So, after he’d picked up his ego from the floor and finished congratulating himself on his lucky escape from the pampered rich bitch, Cole had stopped short of leaving. Thinking over everything that’d happened, he’d realized the expression on Madison’s face when she’d ordered him to go hadn’t been contempt. It’d been fear.
    No way was he leaving now. Cole had made a few calls and set up in the lobby, telling himself he wanted to make sure Madison was all right. Because the more he thought about it, the more he became convinced something was off-kilter. Nobody visiting their mother for lunch should look like they were about to get teeth extracted with a rusty teaspoon.
    Cole knew what went on behind closed doors of the rich and powerful, and he was worried for her. He’d borne the brunt of it once and his sister would always carry the scars. They’d lured him in with promises of bettering himself, then made him a scape-goat so their names would remain unblemished. Cole had learned nothing came free. When his uncle had called in his marker, he and Thomas had made sure to bury Cole right back in the muck they’d pulled him from.
    And Jess. His chest tightened at the thought of his sister and the price she’d paid. All so Thomas Langford could stay above the fold in the newspaper.
    His glance strayed back to his cousin’s smarmy face and Cole almost missed the swish of the automatic doors opening. Almost. He stiffened at the sound of high heels clicking across the tiles. An indefinable quality in the air changed and the room slowed to stillness.
    Madison. He looked up and she froze mid-step when she saw him sitting there. Breath slammed out of his lungs. Her eyes flared, a range of emotions flashing across her face. Happiness, relief, wariness… Embarrassment. Resignation.
    The world sped up again as Cole jumped to intercept her. Her pace quickened toward the elevators.
    Running from him .
    Fuck. Cole skidded to a halt in front of her as she repeatedly jabbed the call button. He could feel her distress in the wild beat of her heart, her uneven breath.
    â€œWhat happened?” Panic thudded in his own chest now.
    â€œNothing that concerns you.” Madison twisted away, but there was nowhere for her to go. She raised her hands as if trying to create a physical barrier. “Please.”
    It was the crack in her voice that made Cole all the more determined. He rubbed at his hair. She didn’t want anything to do with him—okay, he got that—but he wasn’t leaving until he knew she was okay.
    â€œSomeone’s upset you. Your mother?” he pressed. Captain-fucking-Obvious.
    â€œI-I thought you had a meeting.” A hint of desperation crept into Madison’s voice and her eyes pleaded to be left alone.
    Not likely. The elevator dinged but Cole couldn’t let her go. Not like