Madison turned toward me. “So I’m a prisoner waiting for your deal.” She turned to Lena. “And your imaginary timeline.”
When we didn’t respond, Madison turned back to me. “I was talking to Olivia—”
My entire body stiffened at my sister’s name. “Why would you do that?”
Madison stood and walked toward me. “Because I’m bored. Because she calls me.”
I shook my head. “Fuck no. I’ve told you my family is—”
Her hands came to my chest. “You’ve said that Olivia is different. She cares about you, Van. You won’t call her so I do.”
My hands gripped her shoulders. “No more.”
“We aren’t really married. You can’t tell me what to do.”
“And even if you were…” Lena said from beyond our bubble as Madison rolled her eyes.
“She invited me down to San Antonio for a while. It will get me out of the house and Logan Butler won’t have any idea where I am.”
The idea of Madison being down there with my family made me physically ill. Olivia was one thing, but my parents and Lip would corrupt her, they’d tell her things, things she didn’t need to know.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Lena said. “I like it better than your idea to get a job here around Chicago.”
“It’s a horrible idea,” I said. “How about going back to taking art classes? You said you would consider that.”
“I need a break,” Madison said. “I’m sick of the tension around here. I’m sick of the talk of the future that will never come.”
“It will come. One day we’ll have it all. I’m going to make it big and when I do, I’ll show you. I’ll name my company after you.”
“I don’t want more. I just want a life.”