To Love a Stranger by Adrianne Byrd Read Free Book Online Page A

money?”
    â€œMoooommm.”
    Cecelia straightened in her sharp Armani suit. “Madeline, I’m being serious. I suggest you do the same. We need a good offensive and defense on this one.”
    â€œYou’re into football now?”
    â€œI’m into winning. And you should be, too.” Cecelia stood and picked up the empty liquor bottle from the nightstand before her sharp gaze impaled Madeline. “You didn’t do anything stupid last night, did you?”
    â€œI’m not ready to deal with this.” Turning, Madeline tried to stomp her way to the bathroom, but it was more like a wobbly walk.
    Cecelia marched behind her. “You have to deal with this right now. And frankly, either way you look at it, it’s best to get on this man’s good side,” her mother said.
    â€œEasier said than done.” Madeline piled her hair on the top of her head and clipped it in place. “We weren’t exactly June and Ward Cleaver. Nowhere close. And let’s not forget, he disappeared with his ‘ho’ of the month, Lola.” She squeezed toothpaste onto her brush and began scrubbing like she had a vendetta against plaque.
    â€œOh, God. You’re starting to sound like a broken record. Were you not handsomely rewarded for his ‘little’ indiscretion?”
    Madeline spat out the toothpaste. “Now look who sounds like a broken record,” Madeline said.
    â€œI wouldn’t have to if you’d start paying attention to me. If you wanted loyalty you should have married Christopher. You ignored me and went after the playboy.”
    â€œChristopher—loyal? I should be asking you what you’ve been drinking this morning.”
    â€œFine. At least, he’s more discrete. How’s that?”
    She grudgingly let her mother score a point while she filled her mouth with mouthwash.
    â€œPlus, you made the mistake in thinking you could change Russell Stone.”
    Damn. She’s two for two.
    â€œYou are exactly the kind of woman who gives women in our profession a bad name.”
    â€œMom, I’m in a crisis here,” Madeline said, hoping to cut off the Gold digger’s anthem.
    â€œRight. And I say play it safe. You get more bees with honey.”
    â€œI don’t want anything to do with him,” Madeline said as she headed to the shower.
    â€œIt’s not what you want. It’s about what you need. You need the houses, the cars, the maids—”
    â€œMoooommm.”
    â€œAll right. You need the financial backing for the fashion line. Once that’s launched, and if it’s a success, then you could walk away a rich woman on your own merits. If he’s who he says he is and if you push him toward a divorce, he could have most, if not all, your assets frozen for God knows how long, and then where will you be?”
    The pulsing in Madeline’s head accelerated.
    Sensing victory, Cecelia’s smile bloomed. “Now, why don’t you start from the beginning and tell me about this dead man walking and let your mother help you to get through this and to come out a winner.”

    The phones were ringing off the hook while news vans and helicopters surrounded the Stone estate. So the natural thing for the family to do was to remain walled up in the lavish, two-story mansion. With butlers, maids and cooks, it wasn’t the worst place in the world to be stuck. And yet, Russell felt bad for imprisoning everyone there all the same.
    Christopher stared out his study’s windows toward the iron gate. “You can’t blame them,” he said, turning and crossing the room to the empty chair across from Russell. “You are a big story.”
    â€œI feel more like a freak at the circus.”
    â€œAw.” He waved off his concern. “It won’t last long. Real news has a life expectancy of four to seven days. The tabloids, however, can and will stretch this baby out a good six