Chapter 8
8
BLAKE
I can tell Madison is panicking, so I lock the office door and pull her into my arms. Fuck Chrissy and her childish games. She could have come to me directly, and I would’ve dealt with this without my little girl getting worried and upset.
I know Madison’s family is important to her, despite the shitty expectations they have of her and the way her mother judges her for everything. But she’ll hate being the cause of a scandal that could harm her parents and their careers.
I won’t let that happen .
“Don’t worry, little one,” I soothe, running my hands over her dark, silky hair.
“No,” she contests, pushing away from me. I want to cling to her and keep her in my arms, but I give her space and let her step back. “We can’t keep doing this. It’s too complicated.”
“What are you saying?”
“Your job, my family… There’s just too much at stake here. Maybe we should end things now so no one gets hurt.”
“Fuck that,” I protest without hesitation. “Absolutely not.” This relationship might be new, but my feelings for Madison are already so strong. I won’t give her up.
“It’s not that easy, Blake. She won’t just go away.”
“I agree, but I think I have someone who can help us. He’s an old friend from college and this is exactly the type of stuff he lives for. Can you just give me a couple of days?”
“How can he help us?” She sounds skeptical, but at least she’s willing to hear me out.
“If Chrissy knows our secrets, then we need to dig into hers. Maybe we can find something that’ll make her back off.”
Madison appears uncertain, so I take two steps to close the distance she’s put between us. Holding her hands in mine, I stare into her eyes. The captivating hazel orbs hold so much emotion: fear, anxiety, sadness…
“Just give me a few days,” I plead. “I’ve known Maverick for years. He moved out west to Nevada and joined a motorcycle club, but he’s one of the best guys I know. I’ll call him today and see if he can work some magic for us. We just need a little time. Please?”
She nods, despite the reluctance evident on her face. I can see the wheels turning in her head. She’s worried and I hate it. I can’t lose her because some self-centered, entitled bitch is jealous of my little one and angry with me for refusing to fuck her. I won’t have a petty, vindictive, spoiled brat ruin my relationship with Madison. I never should’ve underestimated Chrissy. It’s a mistake I won’t make twice and I’ll fix this no matter what I have to do.
I send Madison to her next class, promising again that everything will be all right. Then, I pull my cell phone from my pocket and call up Maverick. We’ve stayed in touch, but I haven’t seen him since he left Chicago. Back then, he was Justin and my college roommate for four years. But something happened and he left the city. I don’t think he’s ever been back either. I just know he goes by Maverick now. He’s a Satan’s Disciple, their club hacker, and not a man to be fucked with. I’m just hoping my old friend can help me out. He’s never let me down before and I doubt he ever will.
The phone rings until I think his voicemail might pick up. But finally, I hear a familiar deep voice on the other end of the line. “Blake Alexander. Now, what the fuck do you want?”
I grin, knowing he’s just busting my balls like he always does. Some things never change. “Well, fuck you too, you grouchy bastard.”
He laughs at my retort. “It’s been a while, man. How’s the teaching gig?”
“That’s actually why I’m calling. I need a favor.” No need to beat around the bush when dealing with such a volatile woman.
“Is that right? Tell me what you need and I’ll see what I can do.”
Maverick listens intently as I explain my situation, not commenting or replying as I relay the facts. If he has an opinion about me fucking one of my students, he doesn’t share it. I’m sure that it’s nothing compared to the shit he has going on with the Disciples.
“So, you want me to find out all the dirt on some rich college bitch and her family. Is that it?” he confirms as I hear the clickety-clack of his fingers typing away on his computer keyboard in the background.
“That’s it. There’s no way this girl is clean. I’d bet my trust fund on it.”
“Oh, there’s always dirt. Everyone has their skeletons in the closet. Just give me a couple of days. I’m working on something big for the club, but I’ll make time for this.”
“You’ve always had my back, man. I appreciate it.”
“You’ve always had mine. I’ll be in touch.” He disconnects the call without another word, and I release a long sigh.
Dragging a hand down my face, I contemplate how far I’m willing to go to be with Madison. I’m in love with her, and a few weeks ago, that would have been terrifying. I never wanted to let anyone get that close to me again, not like I’d let Sarah.
But then, Madison came into my life and made me feel things I didn’t think were possible. Feel more than I’ve ever felt with anyone, including that lying, betraying ex-fiancée of mine. I won’t give that up. I won’t give her up. Not without a fight. When she suggested that we end things, my heart stopped beating. I don’t want to think about how it would feel if she actually broke off our relationship.
I spend the next two days trying to focus on my job and the upcoming midterms. Then spend my evenings at home with Madison. She still sleeps in my bed every night, but things don’t feel normal between us. There’s an underlying tension now, and everything is up in the air, neither of us knowing where we stand or what will happen.
I hate it, and I can’t take much more of this.
I sense her pulling away, preparing herself for the worst possible scenario. Doesn’t she know that I’ll do everything I have to do to fix this? I won’t let anyone or anything take her away from me. I just need her to trust me and trust that, as her Daddy, I’ll always take care of her. Whatever she needs, whatever she wants, I’ll make sure she has it. And that includes handling Chrissy or anyone else who tries to come between us.
After almost forty-eight stressful hours, Maverick finally gets back to me and shares what he’s discovered. It’s better than I thought it would be and I can’t wait to tell Madison. I decide to cook her a nice meal, grilling some steaks and asparagus with bearnaise. This should ease her worries and I have no doubt my plan will turn the tables on that bitch Chrissy.