Repented

by Sophie Monroe

  "What kind of sick shit are you playing, Damon!" Mike growled. "I paid you off to get rid of you! You're toxic to her. You've always been toxic to her." His hand reared back, and kidney punched him.

  Apparently Mike wasn't as clueless as I originally thought. I wondered what Madison would think if she knew the reason Damon left her alone for months was because of her dad paying him off.

  "The money's gone, Michael." Damon sneered. "Besides, little Madison is the best fuck I've ever had. Now she thinks she can just move on and be with this fucking clown." He jerked his jaw in my direction. "Not going to happen. I'm not done with her."

  I wanted Damon's head on a stake for what he's put Madison through. I despised him for being a low life piece of shit. The blackness of his eyes was giving me the creeps. If he weren't on a bender, I could see him cleaning up decent. Right now, he had dark circles under his eyes. His facial hair was well past a five o'clock shadow, and he just looked menacing. My fists clenched at my sides. I needed to keep myself in check.

  "Besides, she's nothing better than a fucking blow doing whore." Damon spat.

  I saw red. Pushing Mike out of the way, I lunged for his throat. Rearing my hand back, I got a powerful shot in on his jaw. Another to his nose. Another to his ribcage. Then he started struggling and trying to fight back. Drugs have the ability to give you super strength. He was no match for the two of us though. We essentially kicked the shit out of him. Violence didn't solve anything, but it sure as hell made me feel better for the moment.

  I stepped away when he was a heap on the floor telling myself not to go for a final blow. It would have been so easy to end this guy. There was a good chance I was going to live to regret letting him live, but I didn't want to have his blood on my hands. Besides, I wouldn't be able to be with Madison if I went to prison.

  "Stay the fuck away from my daughter," Mike growled giving Damon one final swift kick to the ribs. I heard them crack, as he most likely broke a few.

  My gut knew this wouldn't be the end of it. We got back into the Aston and sped back to Smithville. It was already nearing six-thirty by the time we pulled back into the garage. My knuckles were swollen and bloody. Fist fights were not the smartest move when you made a living using your hands. We parked next to Mary's white Escalade when Mike turned to look at me.

  "There's some things you need to know. They don't leave this car. You understand?" I nodded in agreement. "That piece of shit has nearly killed Madison. He's not a nice person, but he's smart. He's extremely calculating. He's been holding onto all his cards waiting for an opportunity to strike. I wasn't sure he had it in him. About six months ago, I paid him a visit and offered him one-hundred thousand dollars to go away and never look in her direction again. It was my hope that he would relocate. That he would never darken her doorstep again, but I was wrong. Madison went through a period very similar to this not too long ago. She shuts down. She thinks we don't know what's going on, and admittedly sometimes we didn't. She's going to push you away. She's tenacious and stubborn. I'm sorry if I seemed harsh the other night, but this is what we've been dealing with for years. She's lucky to have you, and it's evident that you truly do love her." His face softened. "There's more, but you'll need to hear it from Madison. She needs to be the one. I'm not even sure she knows that I know."

  We made our way into the kitchen where Mary was frantically pacing.

  "Where have you been?" She demanded.

  "We went for a ride. Had to show off my new toy."

  She wasn't buying him downplaying. "In your robe, at five in the morning?"

  Busted. "It's nothing you need to worry about, Darling. There was a situation, but Kevin and I took care of it. Everything is fine. Sorry to have worried you." He walked to where she was standing and kissed her.

  Mary looked like she wanted to ask more questions, but closed her mouth and let it go. I needed to get to Madison. She was coming to stay with me, whether she liked the idea or not. I did not trust that creep. It was only going to be a matter of time before he put his next play into place. With that, I excused myself and told them to have a nice day. Mike scribbled his number down on a piece of scrap paper and handed it to me. He clapped my shoulder and walked me to the door. "Thank you, Son."

  Climbing into my truck, I sped to Madison's. Her 3 Series sat in the driveway. It was still in the exact spot I'd parked it. The bedroom light was still on. Heading up the walkway, I knocked on the door. It was almost seven by now. Desperate, I waited for five minutes before lifting up the planter and grabbing the spare key.

  Unlocking the door, I slid the key into my pocket and made my way toward her bedroom. I called out to her, but there was no answer. Panic began rising. What if she had a relapse? Worse, what if Damon got to her? Preparing for the worse, I hurried to her room. She was nowhere to be found. My heart dropped. I checked Bri's room. Empty. The house wasn't big. I went back and checked the kitchen and living room. Frantic, I checked the bathroom. The shower curtain was closed; I slid it open. She was in the tub sleeping. Her lips were blue.

  Reaching my arms out, I grabbed her out of the tub and pulled her to my chest. I curled up on the floor with her, wrapping her in a towel. She had to have been sitting in there for a long time. Her skin was pruned and her teeth were chattering.

  "Madison, look at me." When she didn't, I moved her face to look at mine.

  Never in my life had I been more terrified than that moment before I found her. It was hard to imagine a life without her in it. She filled a void in my life that no one else could. Finally, she started crying. I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. She had to have lost at least ten pounds this week. She was beginning to lose that light. I knew it because it was the same light that went out when Bryn left me standing at the Ritz Carlton. It was scary, and I just wanted to hold her. I wanted that light back in her eyes. The sparkle. The megawatt smile of the happy girl I met. No matter how hard it was, I was going to get it back.

  Climbing under the blankets, I pulled her to me. I moved her wet hair off her face and cradled in the crook of her neck. Sliding my hand into her small one, I did my best to comfort her. Her hand squeezed mine as tears started to fall. She was finally showing some emotion. I've found that once you break you can finally start putting the pieces back together.

  "Mads, I see chinks in your armor. As much as you want to keep me out, I know you want to let me in. That split second falter in your facade every time you see my face. Maybe us meeting was the right place at the wrong time, but I don't believe that and I know you don't either." I took her chin and lifted her face to meet my eyes. "I miss your touch. Your smile. I miss you. I need you, princess. I'm walking around missing my other half. It's been too many days. Whatever this is and no matter what else gets thrown at us, we'll get through it as long as we're together. I'm miserable, Mads. I hate going through my days without you. It's so much worse knowing that you're hurting. Please, let me help you." I begged.

  "I understand if you hate me. Or if I've brought too much drama into your life. That was never my intention. Ever since we met, you're always taking up space in my mind. Like, you've taken up residence and as much as I want you to vacate, part of me wants you to stay. I need you to stay, but you can't." Her chest started heaving with sobs. "He told me he'd kill you."

  Shaking my head, I held her close. "You stupid girl," I muttered. "I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself and I'm not scared of him. If anything, he should be terrified of me. No one hurts anyone I love. I need you to come stay with me, Mads. I can't leave you here anymore. I've been worried sick. I'm not sleeping or eating either. I drove by every time we'd break just to make sure you were okay and nothing looked out of place. I can handle anything but losing you, I promise. Just stop shutting me out thinking you're saving me from something. You're hurting me by doing that."

  She nodded. I felt guilty for having thoughts of commanding her body, but it had been too long without that feeling. It would need to wait. Besides, this was the
scene of the crime. I wouldn't blame her for wanting to refrain from sex for a while. It was an invasion of privacy. Forcing myself to move, I packed her a bag so we could get out of here. We both needed sleep.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  WALK ME DOWN THE MIDDLE

  AUSTIN

  It was another restless night here in the Parker guesthouse. I felt horrible for Kevin and even worse for Madison. I don't even know who thinks to do twisted shit like that. After debating calling Bri and telling her, I decided to wait until she got back. She had a lot of her own stuff going on and needed to go wrap up the last of her things in Michigan. Not knowing what else to do to help, I called my brother Andy. He was a cop and previous Special Ops. I needed him to do a little digging. I told him what little we knew and hoped for the best.

  My email pinged, and it was from him.

  Dude,

  This guy looks shady as fuck. I pulled what I could. I was able to find some bank statements, pulled his credit and criminal history and arrest records. Hope this helps.

  Damon Charles Thomas, 29 4/11/85

  5'11" Male 170lbs.

  Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown

  Race: Caucasian

  541 Danbury Street, Abel, Ohio

  His charges include burglary, home invasion, fraud, larceny and assault and battery. He's also in about fifty-thousand dollars worth the debt, and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a loan shark or two after him. Given his profile, I'd go under the assumption that he's desperate. Watch your back and I'll keep digging in the meantime.

  Be safe, brotha!

  I quickly forwarded the email to Kevin. He needed to be as informed as possible to keep Madison safe. I had already made plans to grab Bri from the airport and would convince her to stay here until things got straightened out. That was going to be a fucking battle. She was so damn stubborn. There was also no way in hell she was going to be left there alone with a psycho lurking around looking for some type of vengeance, or a way to get even.

  Things with us were still new, but I definitely had feelings for her. We didn't have the instant chemistry that Kevin and Madison had. Ours was more the simmering under the surface kind. It was slowly coming to a boil. She had the Great Wall of China built up around her. Not that I could blame her after what she's been through, but to me she was worth it. We just had a level of understanding that worked. I pulled up a new text to her.

  Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm using my hand, but thinking of you.

  Her response was immediate. Perv.

  You know you like it. And I know she did. We had a strong physical connection. She got a little tipsy when we went snow tubing, and things got freaky.

  I do. I miss you, Austin. Can't wait to see you tomorrow! Maybe you'll give me a mustache ride again. :D

  Fuck. I was hard at the memory. I decided to take part in no shave November. Partly because I always wanted a beard, Chelsea hated them, and because our schedule was so crazy it made getting ready in the morning easier.

  Apparently she dug it. She pretty much told me she'd stop talking to me if I shaved it off. I promised not to; it was easier for me anyway. We were in the little cabin at the lodge, and she came out and told me that we could hookup, but there were going to be no strings attached. She knew my situation and that I wasn't exactly looking to jump into anything serious at the moment either. With that, clothes went flying, and we went at it. Her pussy was grinding on my face as she came, and I loved every second of it.

  Then I realized she said she missed me. It caught me off guard coming from her. I also came to the realization that I missed her too. She was becoming a fun sidekick, and we always laughed and had a good time when we were together.

  Miss you too. I'll be there waiting. Night, beautiful!

  The next morning, well early afternoon, I woke up. All week, we had been working really hard on all things band related. We decided to take the weekend off to recoup. Everyone made plans, and I only had about two hours before I had to be at the airport to pick up Bri. I was looking forward to having her round ass pressed up against me, again. The smell of her hair in my face. The taste of her sweet pussy on my tongue. I wanted to know what it felt like to be buried deep inside her. We had done everything but, and I wanted in. Bad.

  Shaking the dirty, pleasurable thoughts from my mind, I grabbed my keys and headed to my GMC Silverado pick-up. Crossing my fingers, I was hoping there wouldn't be much traffic on the way to the airport. I cranked the stereo and Luke Bryan's Crash My Party came on. Despite my love of all things rock and roll, I was a Texas boy at heart. The song seemed fitting for how I felt about Bri. I would drop everything just to spend a few minutes with her.

  Pulling into the drive thru, I ordered myself a bacon cheeseburger, large fries, and a chocolate shake. Knowing the plane didn't have food, and she got hangry, I got one for her too. It was going to be tempting not to eat it before she did.

  Finally, I made it to the airport, and it was a good thing because her plane was due to land twenty minutes early. Only ten minutes before I got to see her face after missing her all week. I stood by the turnstile waiting for her to come down the escalator. When her face finally came into view, she gave me a small half smile. She had to be one of the most cautious girls I ever met. In a way, it made me even more drawn to her. I wanted to protect her. From others, and herself. I pulled her into a side hug and took her suitcase. Luckily, she didn't have a carry on, so we didn't have to wait around.

  I wasn't looking forward to having to tell her about what went down with Damon while she was gone. There was a good chance she wasn't going to take it well. She felt very protective of Madison, and for good reason.

  Walking through the automatic doors, a blast of cold air hit us. Winter was here with a vengeance, and we were expecting snow overnight tonight. As we made our way across the parking lot where my truck was parked, I watched as her brown hair flew around in the wind. Much to her utter annoyance, as she kept trying to control it. She huffed and puffed the entire three minute walk. I opened the passenger door for her and tossed her carry on in the back seat. A few flakes started to fall, as I climbed into the driver's side.

  "You are my favorite human!" She squealed, noting the burger sitting on the console. "I'm starving."

  She unwrapped the burger, and I watched as she raised it to her plump lips and took a bite. Watching her eat made me stir in my pants. I didn't go the skinny bitch route. I liked girls with curves, and that liked to eat. My phone rang and came up on the dash. It was Chelsea for the fifth time today. Bri rolled her eyes.

  Marrying Chelsea seemed like a good idea at the time. She was an awesome girl when we met and then one day out of nowhere she changed. She became cold, resentful and crazy. She wanted me to take over my Dad's handyman business and give up music because she thought I was away too much. It wasn't an overnight choice to pursue music, but I loved the band, and we were like brothers. I couldn't bail on them, and it's what I wanted. It's all I dreamed about. I wanted her to stick it out with me, to see that it was all going to be worth it. Instead, she snapped. She started with doing little things and acting out. Eventually, they grew more serious and concerning. First she OD'd, then she drove into a loading dock forcing me to pull her out of the car thinking she was dead. Something I'm still haunted by. When I finally made the decision to leave, it was the hardest thing ever. It was like I was admitting failure. No one in my family had ever got a divorce. I remembered having to pull my dad aside and tell him everything. For months prior, I had been hiding everything not wanting anyone to worry. He told me I needed to do whatever was going to make me happy. He was also thankful that we didn't bring a baby into the mess.

  Ever since I left, she had constantly been calling trying to get me to work things out. When I left, I made a conscious decision that I was done. There was no making it better. She was usually drunk when she called, reaffirming my decision. Now that I had Bri to hang out with, I was even less interested. We were just in the beginning stages of
getting to know each other, but we have evident chemistry. It was certainly something we could build off of.

  I could tell that Bri wanted to say something, but she was biting her tongue and filling her mouth with fries. She wasn't exactly free of demons either. Between her ex and taking care of her Gramps, she had her fair share of baggage.

  She turned to look at me out of the corner of her eye, "I need a hug that turns into sex."

  Did she really just say that? Yes! I mentally cheered. Doing my best not to look like a complete asshole, I kept my eyes on the road and tried to play it cool. "I'm willing to risk the cooties if you are."

  She took a sip of her shake and rolled her eyes. "It's just sex for now, Austin."

  I nodded in acknowledgment. My foot pushed a little harder on the accelerator. Part of me knew I should tell her about what happened with Damon beforehand, but I didn't want to ruin what could be my one chance. There was no way I was risking an unexpected visit, or having her kick me out.

  I blew past her exit on the highway. "Where are we going?" She asked, confused.

  "To my place. It's just easier, and my bed is so much nicer. No offense." I laughed, as she chucked a fry at my head.

  She let out a deep sigh. "You're a pain in my ass."

  I laughed. "Yeah, well you're a handful. We're even."

  "Hey, I know I'm a handful, that's what you have two hands for."

  "Touché. As soon as we're inside, I plan on having my two hands all over you."

  She chewed on her bottom lip. As if she were pondering something. I suddenly wondered if she was going to change her mind.

  "Austin, are we crazy? We make zero sense."

  Sting. I clutched the steering wheel and sucked in a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess most people would see us not being a match. What does it really matter? We have chemistry, Bri. We've had it since day one. I don't expect anything from you, except to be my friend and vice versa. If at any point in time one of us wants more we'll cross that bridge. Stop over thinking and analyzing every little minute detail and just go with the flow. As much as I want your pussy soaking my throbbing magnificence, I'm cool with waiting too. But, I'd be lying if I didn't say I've been dreaming about it almost every night." I turned to her with a smirk. "No pressure."