"You look lovely sweetheart." I'm fixing my hair in the mirror by the foyer waiting for mum and dad to be ready. Mum's come out in a black long sleeved dress, like mine it's quite low in the front.
"Thanks Mum, you look nice." I say whilst trying to get my hair to fall into line. I've got one curl that just doesn't want to stay pinned back. I decided on a loose up do for tonight, and it would look great if it cooperated with me.
"Come here let me fix that." Mum comes up behind me and pins the stray curl into place. It stays put, finally. Dad exits the from his study and overlooks the two of us.
"Ready?" He asks heading straight for the elevator not waiting for us to answer.
We ride down to the garage and find Taylor waiting for us in the SUV, strange we normally have a limo for events. Dad helps me and mum in and we set off.
"Where is the event being held tonight?" I ask.
"The convention center, Charles Williamson is holding it." I don't know who Charles Williamson is but the last name rings a bell. We arrive at the event and Taylor lets us out. "We'll only be a couple of hours Taylor, nothing too late." Dad says to him, it is a Sunday night after all.
We walk in and I head off to find Bennett, I see Theo and Kat so I'm assuming he must be here. I find him, talking at the bar with a blonde in a black dress. As I get closer I realize it's Caroline.
"Bennett would you just listen to me for a second." She's pleads with him, Bennett doesn't give her a chance to continue.
"No Caroline I won't, I don't want to hear what you have to say. I don't care what it is you have to say I don't want to hear it." He seems angry, if she's put him in a bad mood for the rest of the night she'll regret it. I decide to make my presence known. I walk over to them and Bennett pulls me to his side as soon as he sees me. Caroline ignores me altogether.
"Bennett please, this is important I need to talk to you." Bennett flat out ignores her turning his attention to me.
"Hey baby, you look wonderful." He says kissing my cheek.
"Hi, thanks you don't look to bad yourself." He chuckles at this but our moment is short lived. Caroline has now tried to grab Bennett's arm to get his attention.
"Caroline this is a social event. If you don't mind I'd like to keep it light. Now unless you've got anything social to say to me and Madison I suggest you speak to me only in business hours about things that are business related." With that he grabs my hand pulling me to the dance floor.
"What was that about?" I ask once he's pulled me into his arms, we're swaying softly to the music.
"Nothing that you need to worry your pretty head over, she thinks she's got a crisis." I look at him confused and he sighs, "it's not a crisis her dad just won't give her what she wants." He says, his hearts not in the conversation and I can tell he wants to drop the subject.
"Why's she here anyway?" I ask, I know she's big in Seattle but I don't know if I can handle her being at every event.
"Her dad, it's his event." Charles Williamson, Caroline Williamson. Of course how was I so stupid. "Look Madz, don't worry about her. She's just being Caroline, ignore her and she'll eventually go away." I nod at this, I can ignore her.
Our night passes slowly, we eat dinner and Caroline continues to glare at us from her table. It goes on until halfway through our main when my dad points it out.
"What did you do to receive glares from the blonde Madison?" He asks, he almost sounds amused.
"Madison didn't do anything, she's just a jealous girl who needs to move on." I'm surprised that Bennett has answered for me. His response catches Theo's attention though.
"Who are we talking about?" He asks scanning the room.
"Caroline, two tables away, black dress, blonde hair." Bennett says, the whole table looks over to her.
"Oh Booty Call Caroline? What's got her panties in a twist?" I choke on my beef, did he just call her what I think he did.
"That's the one, she can't get over the fact that I've moved on." Bennett says, his eyes not leaving his chicken.
We continue to eat, the men talk business as usual, I keep quiet. My mood was already sour from today's events now to find out that Caroline has a nickname that implies something else I'm down right grumpy. Bennett notices as our dessert plates are cleared.
"Madison, come dance with me." His tone is stern and the look on his face is daring me to try and fight him on this. I thankfully know better. I get up and let him lead me out to where other couples have started to dance. "Are you going to continue to sulk all night?" He asks taking me in his arms and starting to dance with me.
"I'm not sulking." From the tone of my voice he should be able to tell I'm not sulking, I'm down right pissed off.
"Yes you are Madison and you need to get over it. If you're going to continue to act like a two year old I'll take you home." This catches my attention.
"Is that a promise Bennett?" What I'd really like is to take all my anger and frustration out on him.
He pulls me in closer to him and leans in close to my ear, his breath tickling me as he whispers, "if I take you home now, you'll be sleeping alone and with a very sore backside." His voice grows deeper with the last part of his sentence. I gasp out of shock, is he threatening to spank me? Deciding not to find out I plaster the best smile I can on my face and look up at him. He smirks back at me and winks.
We continue dancing till about ten thirty when my dad signals Bennett that we're leaving. He walks me over to where our families have gathered. Bennett pulls me into his arms kissing my hair.
"Night baby, I'll come by tomorrow and we can have lunch."
"Sounds good to me." I say smiling to him. I lean up for a quick peck. "I love you."
"I love you to baby, sweet dreams."
With that we head out to the SUV, Taylor patiently waiting for us. The drive back to Escala is quick, before I know it we're in the elevator headed up to our floor. The elevator dings and I walk out, not bothering to wait for mum and dad. I head through the foyer and into the great room. I stop and survey my surroundings, vases are broken and shattered all over the floor, paintings hang crooked on the walls, the whole place is trashed. One thing does catch my attention in particular, Ryan, he's laid face down on the floor, in a pool of blood. Before I know it my dads grabbed me and pulled me back to the foyer. I'm in shock, tears start to run down my face and I'm crying uncontrollably. Dad pulls me to him, mum strokes my hair. We stand for a minute and then I feel dad move around me.
"Bennett it's Christian, bring Theodore you need to come get Madison now." I register the voice but not what it's saying. Bennett's coming, maybe? I just want to get out of here. What feels like hours pass, the elevator dings and I feel dads body turn.
"What happened?" It's Theo's voice, that means Bennett's here. Two arms wrap around my waist and pull me away from my dad, I'm turned and my face is pressed into a chest. I inhale and smell Bennett, the strong, comforting smell of Bennett. I relax in his arms.
"Mr Grey, the apartments been searched, you're good to head in." I hear Taylor's voice.
"Sawyer take Madison and the boys upstairs, Taylor come with me and Ana to our room." I hear movement and Bennett starts to walk to the great room. "Get her a bag, at least enough clothes for a couple of days, she's not staying here until we know what happened." Bennett then scoops me into his arms and is carrying me upstairs. We head to my room, Sawyer enters first to check it's clear and then we walk in. Bennett puts me down by the closet and I shakily walk in, I grab two pencil skirts, two shirts, a jacket and a pair of heels for work. A pair of sweats and some underwear. We're in my room not five minutes when we hear gunshots come from downstairs. Before anyone can stop me I'm out, racing down the hall to the staircase. I fly down the stairs to find Taylor stood over a man dressed in all black, mum and dad enter from the hallway carrying a bag each. Dad takes one look at me on the stairs and loses it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? You hear gun shots so you run towards the danger! Why didn't you stop her? What if that was Taylor laying on the ground?" He's furious, not just with me but Sawyer to.
"I panicked, it's not his fault. Dad what is going on?" The tears are back, I feel Bennett behind me, he pushes me down the last two steps and leads me to the lounge. Theo heads back upstairs and returns with my packed bag.
"Do you want us to stay?" He asks dad, we're now all seated on the lounge.
"Yes, the police will want a statement from you." Dad says running his hand through his hair. We sit and wait for the police and paramedic's. They asks us silly questions and then we leave. Mum and dad have headed to a hotel, Bennett and Theo are taking me to their place.