Maddox (Obsessed Alpha 5)

Chapter 1

Maddox

“Sir, your tux is prepared for tonight as well as your favorite shoes. The catering company has arrived and is setting up the tables in the main hall. Will there be anything else you need?” It’s New Year’s Eve, and I’m hosting a party for some business associates, public officials and their dates. I don’t do it often, but when you have deals to make and zoning issues, sometimes you have to throw a party. Thankfully, I hire people for it all.

“No. Thank you, Morris.” He’s my personal assistant who has been with me the past six years and is so damn invaluable.

Standing up and adjusting my suit jacket, I head down the hall to check the setup and meet with the party planner, Debra Armstrong. She’s the one I’ve worked with over the past decade and remains one of the few that I find qualified for the task. She’s dedicated, efficient, and, most of all, she’s professional. Never once have I gotten the vibe that she wanted more than a business relationship. That can’t be said for a lot of women I’ve come across. I never mix business with pleasure so it’s nice when I don’t have to end a working partnership.

I enter the large ballroom and find them throwing linen clothes over the cocktail tables that are strategically placed. The party doesn’t start for another seven hours, but they like to prepare in advance just in case something goes wrong.

The sound of my Bolvaint leather shoes hitting the newly polished floors causes her to turn around. “Ah, Mr. Devlin. It’s a pleasure to see you here.” She approaches with a grand smile on her face. She’s a tall, slender woman in her late forties with over twenty years of experience.

“I came to inspect the setup.”

We shake hands, and then she adds, “I expect no less.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Some people get bent out of shape if you question their abilities, but I wouldn’t be where I am if I left everything up to good faith. No smart businessman would just take someone’s word without proof of their success.

We walk side by side, surveying the tables. “Despite your disposition, you’re one of my easiest clients to please.”

“Well, you do things right the first time.” Everyone knows that my time is money, and I hate to be bothered with anything frivolous.

“Guests are expected to arrive around nine, and I have a dozen servers for the night.”

“Have they all been screened? Background check and all?”

She nods, but I sense a slight irritation in her posture. “Of course. I sent you their photos and names to your email this morning.” Strangely, it appears she’s trying to excuse herself.

“Thank you.”

“Excuse me, but I have somewhere I need to be. I’ll only be gone for the next three hours. The staff will be ready before I return.”

“Great.” I hate that she has to leave because I don’t trust strangers in my home. I’ll call security and have them keep an eye on them. Something seems to be going on with her. Why is she in a rush to leave? I wonder if she’s doing more than one event for tonight. As long as things run smoothly, I don’t care what she does.

I walk around the room, continuing my perusal of all the centerpieces for each table for another couple of minutes before heading to my office. I’m just about to sit down when Morris knocks on the door.

“Enter,” I bite out.

He dips his head in and says, “Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s a car pulling down the main road. It stopped just outside the front gate cameras.”

“How long has it been there?”

“About two minutes.”

“Okay.” I opened the security panel to the set of screens. I don’t see Debra’s car in front of the estate, so I move to the camera that shows the car sitting on my private road.

“Have you run the plates?” I ask, trying to zoom in to the number, reading it clearly, so I know my men have done their jobs or it’ll be their heads.

“Yes, sir. They belong to Rudy Jones.”

Instantly, I’m annoyed. What could that fuck be doing just outside my property? Unless he has my money, there’s nothing I want with him. “What the hell is that piece of shit doing here?” He’s lucky that I’ve gone semi-legit since I opened my first legal business, or I’d treat him like I did to those who crossed me before. A bullet to the head and a body completely dissolved. It’s been a long time, but I might just scratch that itch.

“I don’t know, but ah, he’s getting out.” He moved to the back door, opening it for someone. A pair of legs come out first, and the world slows to a stop as I wait patiently for the rest of her to appear, and then there she is, making me lightheaded.