Chapter Twenty-Two - Chapter Twenty-One
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Chapter Twenty-One
AT THE BAR tonight, I’m becoming a master at hiding my emotions. Tonight, Jarrod’s intense gaze toward me and his flirtatious behavior towards other women are igniting a storm of jealousy and anger inside me. I’m biting my lip to keep from screaming as I’m trying to maintain my composure, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me get upset.
He doesn’t deserve a reaction from me, and I want to scratch his eyes out for hurting me like this.
I’m praying that soon I won’t have to endure this toxic environment. Today marked the beginning of my search for a new job, and I spent hours filling out applications all over town in hopes of escaping the hell that working here had become.
“Madeline?” Sean’s voice broke through my thoughts, offering a momentary reprieve with his kind eyes and warm smile. “Are you okay?”
A warm smile spread across my face as I lean against the bar to talk to him. “Just lost in thought,” I replied. “How about a drink?”
“Just some water and your beautiful smile,” he responded with a wink.
As Sean surveyed the room for any potential trouble, his vigilant eyes showed his innate protective nature. One that I’ve come to recognize and admire. Before I could even offer him water, the sound of breaking glass shattered through the music.
In an instant, Sean is rushing towards an altercation between a husband and wife. The wife had caught her husband in the middle of getting a lap dance from Cherry and unleashed her pent-up pain through tears and screams. The walls of this place absorb scenes like this all too often—where betrayal, heartbreak, and the suffering of women are felt.
And yet, here I am, choosing to stay among these awful men, being part of the problem. A problem I dream of never having.
I’m such a hypocrite.
No, I was one . My eyes are open now.
As the commotion died down, Margie ordered, “Take a break, Madeline,” she said, giving me a chance to escape the room for a moment. Another girl took over behind the bar as I moved toward the break room.
But fate had other plans, surprising me with an unexpected guest. “Madeline Wolfe,” Asher’s voice dripped with malice as he entered the room and closed the door behind him, trapping us in a twisted bubble. “What do you want?” I snapped, feeling a surge of hatred towards him. “Leave me alone and get lost,” I demanded, trying to push past him.
But he grabbed my arm with a painful grip, forcing me to stop. “Not so fast, Madeline. We have unfinished business,” he taunted, relishing in my discomfort. “I never thought I’d find you working here. But you’ve always had a hot body. Why not capitalize?” he sneered.
He pulled me closer, pressing his body against mine with aggressive force. Panic washed over me as I tried to break free from his grip. “Stop this, Asher! Let me go! You’re drunk!” I cried out in desperation, the smell of alcohol on his breath overwhelming.
“You know I’ve never forgiven you for trying to trap me and making me give you up,” he seethed as his hands fumbled with the button on his pants. “I almost hate you for it. You refused to be my side piece, but now you’re working as a fucking stripper? Getting paid to be a whore.”
“You’re delusional!” I hissed, using all my strength to break free and scratching him across the face in the process.
His sneer turned into a snarl of pure hatred as he struck me hard across the face. Before I could even comprehend what was happening, Jarrod burst into the room, furious rage in his eyes. He grabbed Asher by the neck and slammed him against the wall with such force that it felt like the entire room was shaking.
“I’m going to fucking kill you!” Jarrod bellowed as he pummeled Asher’s body with relentless blows. I screamed for help, hoping someone would hear me and come to our rescue.
Snipe and Sean sprinted forward, their faces twisted in a mix of fear and anger as they frantically tried to intervene. They pulled Jarrod away from Asher, who was now battered and bleeding on the ground, moaning in agony.
“Stop, Valley!” Snipe growled urgently, trying to reason with Jarrod before things escalated any further. “Not here and not now . You feel me?” His words fell on deaf ears as Jarrod tried to break free of his grip.
Sean roughly pulled Asher out of the room while Jarrod’s eyes burned with uncontrollable fury.
Through tears of shame and humiliation, my eyes met Jarrod’s, and I saw a glint of tenderness and concern hidden behind his rage. “Did he hurt you?” Margie asked, worry painted on her features as she gently held my face.
I whispered, “No, Jarrod arrived just in time,” and at that point I knew what I had to do. The weight of another day trapped within these walls became too heavy to bear. “I’m sorry, Margie, but I have to quit,” I choked out, my emotions raw as I grabbed my bag from the locker and fled outside to my van. Leaning against its cool metal frame for support, I fumbled for my keys and sped out of the parking lot, leaving behind the shattered night.
There was no way I could go home in this condition, so with nowhere else to turn, I found myself standing outside Casimir’s house—exposed and vulnerable in nothing but a small bikini. My heart raced as I rang the doorbell, seeking comfort from a friend. Casimir opened the door, and his eyes took in my broken face—a wounded creature seeking refuge. Without hesitation, he pulls me into an embrace and whispers soothingly, “Oh honey, whatever happened, it will be okay.”
I SHOVED AWAY from Snipe, my breath coming in ragged gasps, heart pounding with the fierce adrenaline of rage. “Go outside and cool off,” Snipe barked, giving me a hard shove. “Then we need to talk about what just happened in here.”
Without a word, I stormed out of the room. I needed to find Madeline, make sure that bastard hadn’t hurt her. Her eyes had looked so damn broken. Bursting through the back door, I caught the tail end of her van speeding out of the parking lot.
“Fuck!” I roared into the night, slamming my fist against the brick wall, pain shooting up my arm. From the moment Asher had swaggered into the club, I’d had my eyes on him. That smug prick was trouble, and I was itching for a reason to toss him out and beat the shit out of him in the parking lot.
Then that guy’s wife stormed in, and all hell broke loose. Even when we dragged them outside, the fight continued. By the time I got back inside, Asher and Madeline were gone, and dread curled in my gut. Seeing him slap her, try to rape her, had flipped a switch in me. I saw his death in vivid detail and was ready to make it happen.
But Snipe was right: not here, not now.
I would finish what I started. When I did, nobody would ever find Asher Collins again. Kezia had threatened Madeline, but could this be tied to her? It couldn’t be, could it?
No, this was just Asher being a massive dick.
The back door creaked open, and Margie stepped out, tears glistening in her eyes. “I’m worried about her. She was so upset.”
“I’ll go check on her. Tell Snipe to check the cameras. It’s all on there,” I said, pushing away from the wall, determination hardening my resolve.
Margie grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly strong. “You listen to me, Valley,” she said, her voice trembling with intensity. “That girl has been hurt enough by men, including you. Don’t you dare add to it!”
I pried her hand off my arm, irritation flaring at the truth in her words. “I’m just going to make sure she got home safe,” I lied, keeping my expression neutral.
She gave me one last tearful glare before retreating inside. I hurried to my bike, the engine roaring to life as I peeled out of the parking lot. Knowing Madeline she wouldn’t go home, so I headed to the dance studio. I’d shadowed her enough to know all her usual places, from work to the grocery store.
But the studio was empty, dark and lifeless. I drove by her apartment again, anxiety clawing at me. She’d been so upset when she stormed out of the club—what if something had happened to her? Texting her was pointless; she wouldn’t respond.
I needed to find her.
My mind raced through the roster of her friends. Then it hit me: That loudmouth Casimir. He was close to Madeline, but where did he live? I shot a text to Hillbilly, who replied with Casimir’s address, no questions asked. I headed there, the engine growling as I turned into a quiet cul-de-sac, killing the motor to drift silently down the street.
Jackpot.
Her van was parked in his driveway, a soft glow emanating from the house. I parked my bike on the curb and crept up to the window, peering inside. Madeline was curled up on the couch, Casimir by her side, comforting her. A sharp pang of jealousy and regret twisted in my chest as I watched them, and I knew it wasn’t just Asher Collins that had made her cry.
I’d been deliberately hurting her, flirting with women at Twisted Heat, trying to get a reaction. The more she ignored me, the more reckless I became, desperate to see some flicker of emotion from her so I’d know she was still mine.
I’d lost my fucking mind, but I couldn’t stop it, and it was what it was.
With a heavy step, I made my way back to my bike, settling onto the seat. I would wait for her to leave and make sure she got home safe. She deserved that much, at least.