Yeah, Scott was a smart guy. He could already see where this was going. “For over a fucking year.”
His face constricted in anger as he connected the dots. “That motherfucker.”
I nodded but didn’t say anything else.
We sat with our fury for awhile before he asked, “He wanted you to take out the VP for him so they could move the coke deal through?”
“Yes.”
“And he played on what happened to your cousin and your hatred of paedophiles.” It wasn’t a question; he knew. And it would only increase his hatred of his father once he’d put it all together.
“Yeah, brother.”
“What did you do?” He said this as he motioned for more drinks to be brought to us. Thank fuck we owned this club; we’d need a lot more alcohol to get through this.
“I fucking played right into Marcus’s hands. And, even though I don’t regret what I did, I fucking hate that I walked into his trap.”
“Fuck, J, get to the point. I’m not used to you being so god damned reflective.”
The rage I’d been holding in for a long time reared it’s ugly head and threatened to explode out of me but I kept it in check. Just. Scott hadn’t done anything to deserve it. No, it could fester for awhile longer until I decided to unleash it on the one person who did fucking deserve it. After sculling the drink we’d just had brought over, I gave him what he’d asked for. “I walked into the worst fucking situation you could imagine; something I’ll never wipe from my mind.” My heart was beating wildly in my chest as the sick images flashed through my head. My mouth went dry and I fought the rising bile. “I lost it, brother. I used my bare hands to kill the two assholes in that room and then I found the VP who was the fucking ringleader and I dragged his death out so that he experienced pain like he’d never fucking dreamt of.” I eyed the waitress and lifted my chin at her while holding up two fingers to indicate I needed two drinks. Scott did the same.
He took a moment; letting it sink in. “So, you’re telling me that Marcus knew this was going on but he held off on dealing with it until it suited his fucking purpose? And he used you because he fucking knew you’d do exactly what he wanted due to your cousin being abused as a kid?” His anger was building.
“Yeah brother, that’s what I’m telling you.”
“Fuck.”
I tossed back another drink and leant forward towards him. “I’m also telling you that Marcus took great fucking delight in thanking me for doing it. He’s a sick fuck on top of everything else.” My hard eyes penetrated his. “Now, you tell me just how the fuck I can be with Madison knowing that she would be fucking gutted to know this about her father, and knowing that she doesn’t want secrets between us.” I drank the other drink sitting in front of me.
Scott watched me and shook his head. “Got no fucking idea.”
> “Exactly.”
I stood. It was way past the time to go home. My cock wanted Madison but the rest of me hoped like hell that she was asleep. I didn’t want to confront any of this yet.
As I walked away from Scott, he called out, “What’s Marcus’s agenda?”
I stopped and turned back to him. “Don’t know, brother. But it’s gonna hurt, you can fucking bet on it.”
“Fuck!” Scott roared.
I left him there. Marcus was successfully fucking with all of us but I felt for his kids the most. As much as I felt fucked over by him, they’d had to deal with the discovery that their father was far from the man they thought they loved. And that cut deep; I knew from personal experience. It laid scars on your soul that you never even knew existed; scars that hurt for years to come as you found them.
Chapter 2
Madison
My alarm woke me at seven and when I reached for J, I was disappointed to find his side of the bed empty. An uneasy feeling hit my gut. J loved morning sex but we hadn’t had it for a few weeks now. Add to that the fact we were only having sex every few days now and I was slightly worried. We’d always been a couple who had sex every day, often more than once.
I dragged myself out of bed and went in search of him. He was nowhere to be found. Instead, I found a scribbled note telling me he’d had to go in early to take care of some stuff with Griff. I sat down at the table for a moment, reading his note and trying to process the fact that he hadn’t woken me up to at least say goodbye. Deciding I needed another opinion on this I rang Blake.
“Don’t read too much into it, baby doll. Men aren’t as fucking complicated as women like to make them out to be,” Blake advised me a couple of minutes later.
Sighing, I said, “Really? Because he does my head in some days so if that’s not complicated, I don’t know what is.”
“No, that’s probably just you making shit up in your head.”
If he’d been standing in front of me, I would have smacked him. “You men always stick together!”