Chapter Seven
King
The second I exit the school building I nod in Colt’s direction. This will be his first official task as a patched member of the Obsidian MC. His prospect term was over a few months ago and the vote to patch him in was unanimous.
This morning when Ghost gave him the assignment, I was perfectly content. Colt’s been training with Venom to fight in the Cage for over a year now so I know that he will be able to beat back any potential attackers after Madeline. But, after the realization that I just went through, Colt’s suddenly not enough.
I want the full force of the Obsidian MC out here watching over her while I hunt.
Fuck.
Marching over to Colt’s truck, I wait for him to roll the window down.
“I’ll be back at three,” I tell him. “Don’t take your eyes from that building until I get back.”
“I won’t, King,” he tells me.
“If something happens to her…”
“You won’t get paid,” he smirks. “I know. Go off and do your thing.”
Leaning down, I look the bastard dead in his eyes.
The smell of fear causes my dick to twitch. Sick fucker.
“I don’t give a damn about the money,” I tell him. “If she has so much as a splinter when I return I will take you to my chamber and tie you up with the other men who pissed me the fuck off. Got it?”
Swallowing, he nods.
“Good.”
With nothing left to say I head to my car and pull out my phone.
The doctor, Malachi, his son, and the three men who tormented Sophia, are still prisoners in my torture chamber. They won’t survive much longer, which I’m fine with. I’ve had my fun and have already told Venom that if he wants their last breaths for what they did to his woman then he best get down there quickly.
“Hey, King,” Knox answers. “I was just about to call you.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Your mom called,” he tells me. “She was asking if Ma was busy next week. I guess they have plans for your birthday.”
I couldn’t stop smiling if I wanted to. Ma and my mama have been best friends since I prospected for Obsidian years back. They’re always scheming for new ways to celebrate my birthday when I tell them every year that a family cookout will be just fine.
“Anyway, did you need something?”
“Just wanted to make sure you were connected to the school’s cameras,” I admit.
“Of course,” he replies and I can hear the smile in his voice. He, Bitsy, Sophia, and Blaze have all gotten really close to Madeline this past week. Blaze has been the one staying at the clubhouse to watch over her while I hunt. I won’t let my brothers help with that part. It can get too dangerous if too many people are asking questions.
“I’m looking at her right now,” he tells me. “She’s currently singing and dancing in front of the class and it’s making them all laugh. She really loves those kids, you know. It’s all she’s talked about.”
“I know,” I smile.
I could feel her love for her students and seeing the kindness in her heart broke down the brick wall I had been trying so hard to build. I’ve never in my entire career wanted to break my own rules. I placed them there for a reason. But, I have every plan of making this woman mine. I just need to find out who is threatening her first.
Which is where I’m heading now.
“I have to go, Knox,” I say. “Be good.”
I laugh when he inhales sharply before hanging up the phone. Knox is submissive to his very bone as well as a Little. I’m not a Daddy Dom but we all consider ourselves the boy’s caretaker until he finds his very own. Even then, I highly doubt we’ll stop trying to take care of him.
Shoving thoughts of my family to the back of my mind, I start the car and head to the other side of Harborbrook. With a little hunting, I watched as the mail carrier was bribed with money a couple of days ago to deliver another letter to Madeline’s parents’ home. I followed the man back to some old building where he stayed the rest of the night.
It didn’t take much to put two and two together. I found the one responsible for tormenting Madeline. But I never jump the gun. I don’t protect guilty people and I don’t kill innocent ones. Regardless of the proof, I want a face-to-face with this man before I make a decision. Getting his contact information was a breeze for Knox and he set this meeting up for me.
“Did you bring me my money?” the man in question asks the moment I walk through the door. This building was once a gas station but was closed down when the company went under. Looking around, I see multiple men counting stacks of money while others appear to be bagging drugs.
Not my business.
“I’m not here to give you money, Wesley,” I say. “I’m here to find out why you’re threatening an innocent woman.”
“Innocent?” he hisses. “She is far from innocent. She stole several grands worth of oxy and I haven’t seen the bitch since.”
“If she stole from you then why haven’t you had her dealt with?” I ask out of simple curiosity. “Why are you hiding behind a piece of paper instead of taking care of the situation?”
“Because” he sighs. “Regardless of what type of business I’m in, I’m not a fucking killer. I don’t want to kill the woman. I’m just so damn mad that I let her lead me to believe that she was this innocent woman just looking for something to make her forget life for a while. Then I find out that she snatched up a couple of bundles of unwrapped prepackaged oxy when no one was looking.”
“Why are you so confident Madeline is the one who stole your merch?” I ask, feeling a bit uneasy at the truth I see in the man’s eyes.
“Follow me,” he says, walking away.
Curiosity in overdrive, I follow.
“There isn’t a single inch of this place that’s not constantly being monitored,” he explains. “You can’t even take a piss without being watched.”
We walk into a room with about seven monitors all displaying each room in this building. Even the security room we’re currently standing in.
“Pull up the file regarding Madeline Burton,” he tells the man sitting at the desk.
Each second that passes of the video currently playing pisses me the fuck off.
“Can you send that to me?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, but I want to talk with Madeline,” he tells me. “I want her to look me in the face and dare to lie to me. Fucking bitch.”
“Give me a few days,” I say. “If everything turns out the way I’m thinking, you’ll be able to contact her anytime you damn well wish.”
I hand the man a piece of paper with Knox’s secure email and leave. When I get to my car, I pull out my phone and hit dial. Madeline won’t be off work for a few more hours. That gives me plenty of time to figure this shit out.
“Yeah,” Colt answers.
“Bring Madeline to the clubhouse as soon as she’s off work,” I demand.
“Sure thing,” he says.
Hanging up, I search for Steel’s name.
“Brother,” he answers.
“I have someone sending Knox a video,” I tell him. “I’m not completely confident how he’s going to take what he sees. I won’t be there for another hour.”
“I’ve got him,” he responds. “Something I should know?”
“You’ll see when you watch the video,” I growl. “Tell Knox that I want to know if the video is a fake or if it’s been tampered with.”
“You got it, brother. See you in a bit.”
I break every speed limit to reach the club in record time. I need Knox to tell me that what I saw was faked.
***Maddy***
When I walked out of the building I thought for sure that King was going to be there to pick me up. Instead, Colt tells me that he’s been instructed to take me back to the clubhouse. I don’t mind, Colt isn’t a bad person.
I just thought that there was something new going on between me and King. But it was probably just my overactive imagination. I kick my butt with the reminder that I’m freaking fat and he’s not interested in someone who can’t even cross their legs because of the extra squish on her thighs and stomach.
“Hey guys,” I smile when I walk into the clubhouse.
I’m greeted with pissed-off glares from multiple men.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“That’s exactly what we want to know,” Ghost growls. “Come into the meeting room, Madeline. We have something to discuss?”
Fear slams into my body as I follow. Did they find something? Are my parents okay?
“Sit down,” King orders angrily. “I have one question for you Madeline and I want the fucking truth.”
I’ve been nothing but truthful to the jerk, but I nod.
“Did you steal something from Wesley?”
“Who is Wesley?” I ask, confused. “No, I didn’t steal anything from anyone, King. I’ve told you this half a dozen times.”
King simply stares into my eyes. It feels as if he’s tearing my mind apart layer by layer. The tears fill my eyes at the look of anger in his.
“Knox,” he says, looking away.
I look over at Knox and he looks so sad.
What the hell is going on?
A video appears on the wall-mounted tv and my eyes are drawn to a man facing the camera who appears to be talking to someone off-screen. There’s no sound but I can tell it’s some security feed.
The man smiles at the unknown person before turning and walking out of view. Seconds later, a new person appears, and horror like I’ve never known before courses its way through my body. I watch as this person looks around nervously before opening her purse, grabbing something from the table, and tossing in inside. It doesn’t take more than a few seconds, but that’s not what has me so scared.
It’s me. That’s my face. That’s my body.
What the hell?
The first man reappears and smiles down at me.
No, not me. That’s not me.
He leans in and kisses her before she turns and leaves.
“Explain,” King demands.
“I can’t,” I say, tears flowing down my face. “That’s not me, King. I’ve never seen that man or been in that building in my entire life.”
“I’m looking at the fucking proof, Madeline,” he fumes. “I told you from the beginning that I will accept nothing but honesty from you.”
“I am being honest,” I cry. “I have been. That video has been tampered with. I’ve never stolen something and I don’t know that man.”
“That man’s name is Wesley,” Steel says, glowering in my direction. “He claims you stole thousands of dollars’ worth of oxy from his warehouse and never contacted him again.”
“But I didn’t, Steel,” I shout. “I didn’t. I don’t know what’s going on. That video isn’t real.”
“It is,” Knox says softly, his own tears flowing down his face. “I’ve been through it with a fine-toothed comb, Maddy. Nothing in this video has been messed with. Nothing has been altered, or spliced, or added, or taken away. It’s completely legit.”
“I didn’t, Knox,” I whisper. “That’s not me. I don’t even know what oxy is.”
He doesn’t respond but simply lowers his head.
“I bet you’ve had a nice laugh, haven’t you,” King says. “Were you so desperate for attention that you lied about why he was after you just so you could get someone to feel sorry for you? What’s wrong, Madeline, no one wants to come near that fat fucking body of yours so you hope to gain some sympathy for some sort of emotional contact? You’re not worthy of anyone’s sympathy. No one would want to touch your nasty ass when it reeks of lies.”
My eyes widen at the cruelty of his words.
“Your shit is packed,” he growls. “There’s a taxi waiting outside. Get the fuck away from me and my family. You’re lucky I don’t shoot you between the eyes for bringing your shit into our lives. The only reason I’m not is because it would break Knox’s heart. Get the fuck out.”
I look around the table for some sort of support but find none. Everyone is looking at me with contempt, apart from Knox, who is still looking down at the table.
I stand and make my way to the door. When I open it, Sophia and Bitsy are standing there crying. I try to smile at them, but I just can’t muster up the strength. I look back at King once more and give him my final words.
“That wasn’t me,” I whisper.
With nothing left to say, I grab my bags, leave the building, and head towards the waiting taxi. I somehow managed to tell the driver my address before closing my eyes with the onslaught of not only the images on the video but the harsh cruelty at the words of the man that I thought I could one day love.