Entangled Heart (Ashby Crime Family)

“Don’t hold back, Madds, seriously.” The woman had no filter, and I found that I didn’t mind as much as I thought I might.

“Well, I find that being honest with yourself makes it really hard for other people to make you feel bad. I’m never surprised and rarely offended.”

She made a good point. “A little, but not how you might think. I’ve seen the damage we caused, and sometimes, no matter how much money you throw at a problem, it doesn’t undo the trauma or that churning sense of injustice that never goes away.”

A long silence followed my little speech, and I felt like a dick, the same idealistic little prick my criminal procedure instructor had accused me of being.

“Wow,” she said finally. “You’ve given it a lot of thought, Jamie, and I think any uncertainty you feel is just nerves. And homesickness.”

I smiled. “And that’s your official diagnosis?”

“Yeah, it is. So buck up, Buttercup, you’re gonna be fine.”

“Thanks, Maddie.” I wasn’t sure why she had so much confidence in me, but it made me feel good that she did.

“Anytime. Now I’ve got to get going. The lines should start ringing any minute now. Later!” A reminder that Maddie worked for a living, handling the phones for Ashby’s escort services. And she was, unfortunately, beholden to them for giving her a job.

Next day, a box of donuts arrived in the mail. All my favorites. I sent her a quick message of thanks.

Jameson: You didn’t have to send these, but my stomach is grateful that you did.

Madison: Excellent. Think of me when you’re running off the extra pounds Donut Boy.

I laughed out loud at yet another nickname. The woman seemed to have a knack for creating them.

Jameson: When my six-pack turns into an eight pack, I’ll be sure to name them Madison and Rae.

Madison: How do you know my middle name?

Jameson: I run background checks on every woman privileged enough to share my bed.

The phone rang within seconds of that message, so I smiled and answered on the first ring. “Calling to deny it?”

Instead of answering she let out a loud, snorting laugh that would have been obnoxious coming from anyone else, but from her I could only join in. “Wasn’t much of a privilege, though, was it?”

Ouch. I didn’t get the feeling that Maddie actually wanted to sleep with me. I clearly hit a nerve by turning her down after the wedding reception. “Maddie,” I began, and she spoke over me.

“It was just so…forgettable. I’ll be sure to spread the word next time someone asks how you are in the sack. Jameson is utterly forgettable. I don’t even remember our night together.”

“You remember winning five hundred bucks, don’t you?”

“That cowboy said it was beginner’s luck!”

I laughed at her quick answer, the same one she’d given two times before rather than give me credit for helping her win. “And my skills had nothing to do with that?”

“No way. Craps requires zero skills, Jameson. Remember those words, huh?”

“Damn, woman, you got a memory like an elephant.” Did she forget anything?

“Thanks. It’s one of my best features, but let’s keep it between us, yeah?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Great. Ava Rose is about two seconds away from a fit so I have to go. Enjoy the donuts. I sent you enough to spread the wealth, remember that.”

I stared at the phone for a second and laughed. “Trying to help me make friends, Maddie?”

“No,” she said on an annoyed sigh. “It’s called sabotage, Jamie. Let them gorge on donuts and then you can beat them at PT. Every little bit helps, or some recruit keeps telling me. Later gator!” And then she was gone, just like the whirlwind she was.

Somehow, over the course of my time at the Police Academy, Madison had become not just my closest friend, but also my confidante. She was a good listener and asked great questions, and not just for the sake of filling the silence. She seemed to give a damn, and I still hadn’t figured out what I’d done to deserve a friend like her, but I planned to savor it and treat it like it was precious to me.

As soon as I graduated the Academy, at the top of my class.

“Yo, Ellison! You gonna daydream about that mystery girl or you ready for PT?” Mark Robbins, my suitemate and friend stood in the doorway with his arms folded and a knowing smile stretched across his face.

Shit. I glanced at my watch and realized I had just fifteen minutes to change and get down to the field. “Two minutes. I’ll be ready in two minutes. Have a donut while you wait.” I smiled at the way he quickly made his way to the box, knowing Maddie would get a kick out of me sharing.

“Mystery girl?”

“Not a mystery,” I reminded him and stepped inside the bathroom to change into our required physical training uniform. “She’s a friend. Nothing else.” Madison wasn’t the only one who constantly thought about that night, or the consequences of my rejection, which was at first an uncomfortable boner and then a damn fun night.