Madison saw Leland King across the room. When everything had come to a climax with the Russians a few months ago, King had written an article and exposed the history between her family and the Russians. The short version was they were responsible for her grandfather’s death and her motivation for becoming a cop. She bobbed her head in King’s direction with her eyes on Troy.
Troy nodded. “Yes, I read his piece on your family.”
“I should have known.”
“You should’ve. What concerns you concerns me.”
That direct statement had her taking notice, and not in a good way. “I don’t need you to watch over me or take care of me.”
“That’s not what I’m—”
“That’s exactly what you’re implying.”
“I just meant— Never mind. You’re only going to hear what you want to, anyway,” he said.
“And what do I want to hear?”
“You don’t think I know you’re looking for a way out of this relationship, Maddy? I know your history.”
“More prying?”
His jaw hinged tighter, and he glanced up at the ceiling. Then he met her eyes again. “You told me about your past. Maybe you’re forgetting that part.”
The adrenaline cooled in her system. “Fine, but—”
“No buts. I’ve got you now, Madison, and unless you really do something to piss me off, we’re a couple.”
“Unless I do something?” She was heating up again.
“Detective Knight.” The new police chief, Andrea Fletcher, was suddenly right next to Madison.
Madison peeled her eyes from Troy. There was such a determination in his aura, a raw maleness that was determined to dominate and conquer. He was the exact type of man she should avoid.
Madison tried to smile at the chief, wondering if the effort was pointless. She always had a hard time conveying emotions she wasn’t feeling.
Fletcher was breathtaking, though. Madison had only seen the new chief in pantsuits, sometimes skirt suits. But the red gown with a sweetheart neckline hugged her slender frame. Her chestnut hair was swirled back into a soft chignon with curly strands left out to frame her face. Her delicate facial features were lightly touched with eye shadow in muted tones and a soft-pink lipstick.
“Good evening, Chief. How are you enjoying the gala?” Madison asked. “That is a beautiful dress.”
“Thank you. It’s going wonderfully so far. I love seeing people come together for a good cause.” As if to emphasize her point, Fletcher scanned the crowd, and then looked back at Madison. “You clean up well yourself, Detective. Doesn’t she, Troy?”
“Yes, and I told her as much,” he said, a slight scowl on his face.
Madison’s eyes widened. She knew Troy had been upset, but he normally put on such a good face when it came to his emotions.
Fletcher smiled and shook her head. “I’ve always had to watch out for him.”
Watch out for him? That was an odd thing to say. How well did they know each other? Troy had said on numerous occasions that tonight would be a good opportunity to get to know the chief…
Then it struck her: those eyes. They were the same green. And the way she spoke to Troy… Those weren’t the words of a police chief to a subordinate. It was the prompting of a… Madison’s heart thumped rapidly. They had different last names, but that meant nothing. Fletcher was married.
“You’re brother and sister?” Madison asked tentatively.
Now Troy smiled. “Yes. I wanted to tell you tonight.”
Fletcher was still grinning, too.
Madison was the only one who wasn’t impressed. He was related to the chief and he hadn’t told her? And now he sprung the news like it was no big deal? If Fletcher hadn’t come over, would he have followed through? When exactly had he planned to tell her? The large room was closing in and her vision blurred.
“Maddy, are you all right?” Fletcher asked.
She felt the chief touch her arm, of Troy’s supportive hand on her shoulder. She glanced from the chief to Troy. “I have to go.”
“But you haven’t eaten,” Troy said.
The master of ceremonies took position behind the microphone. No doubt he was going to tell people to sit as dinner was about to be served.
“I’m not feeling well.” She brushed between brother and sister and headed for the exit. Brother and sister? That changed things. How, she didn’t know yet, but it did.
She passed Cynthia on her way out of the ballroom.
“Maddy, what’s wrong?” she asked.
Madison kept moving. She wasn’t in the mood to discuss this right now. She didn’t even know why this revelation bothered her so much. Maybe because she had trusted the man to be forthcoming, and once again, her faith had been misplaced.
-
Chapter 32
“ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, TROY?” The doting gleam in his older sister’s eyes showed quite often, and now it had turned to one of worry. Andrea had always been protective of him—often to a fault.
“I’m fine.”
“She’ll be back.” She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Her effort to soothe him only fanned the flame of his irritation.
“I’m fine.” His repeated statement was a dismissal, and his sister was astute enough to nod and leave him be. She walked away, and he remained standing there. Alone.
How dare Madison just walk out on him? Maybe he had put too much faith in this relationship. He knew she was ready to run given an iota of motivation. She had literally one foot out the door at all times. It was Lauren, his ex-wife, all over again. Only now he had the gift of hindsight, and he wasn’t going to let a woman strong-arm him again.
But there was something about Madison. Despite her rough exterior and defiant attitude, she needed someone in her life. And he wanted to be that someone. There was no denying that his feelings toward her went a long way back, but the timing had never been right. When he was a married man, it wouldn’t have mattered if Madison had come to him naked. He would have turned her away. He was nothing if not faithful.
Damn it.
And now that he had Madison in his life, he wasn’t willing to let her go. But at what point should he accept that he might be more into this relationship than she was?
He was pathetic, needing a committed relationship the way he did. Hadn’t his failed marriage taught him anything? Happily-ever-after was an illusion, an outcome that existed only in fiction.
And, God, she could be so stubborn. Like tonight. Why did she run off on him like that?
A member of his team waved to him from across the room, and Troy saluted the man nonchalantly as he took a seat at his assigned table. The empty chair beside him was enough to stir his pride. And his anger. He must’ve been crazy to think he even had a chance to make this—whatever this was—work with Madison.
But maybe he should have been more forthright. Of course, maybe this had to do with that dick, McAlexandar, and not with Troy at all. Madison didn’t seem to realize how much he had been keeping tabs on her, but he knew enough. She had suspicions about McAlexandar, and the two of them had battled it out more than once. Troy was also aware that the departmental strain had extended to the sergeant and probably still remained. Both men were old-school, preferring a world where women either stayed at home or answered phones and brought them coffee. Troy had observed Madison fighting the dynamic duo at every turn.
It was why, when his sister had told him she was taking over for McAlexandar, he’d encouraged Andrea. She had always had a mind for business and was a do-gooder. Her new position would allow her to utilize these two natural gifts.
Troy spread his cloth napkin across his lap. His eyes darted around the room. It felt like everyone was watching him, probably wondering where Madison had gone. Maybe some of them thought she had excused herself to use the washroom
, but that summation would evaporate when she never returned. And Troy knew she wasn’t coming back. It had been in the set of her jaw and the fire in her eyes.
But there was no way in hell that he was chasing after her.
Was this what he really wanted? A strong-willed woman who could catch flame without a spark? Or had he provided the flicker that had ignited her anger?
No. He refused to accept that. He was always too eager to make exceptions for the women he fell for. It had been the same with Lauren. He’d loved her from the time he had first heard her laugh and had been faithful to her for the fifteen years of their marriage. He had been oblivious to her infidelities. They did say love was blind.
She was always “going out with the girls.” It wasn’t until she had forgotten their anniversary and gave him the same line that he noticed something was up. Still, he was the mongrel who had believed she loved him. Foolish.
He’d planned to surprise her with flowers and a fancy dinner out, but he was the one who had ended up being surprised. Or shocked was more like it.
The signs had been there all along, but he had refused to see them. How often did a woman need to go out with her friends? It was getting to the point that Lauren was out most nights of the week. Sometimes she’d even go out on Saturday afternoons. But he had accepted her word. He had been busy building his career, and he had actually liked the fact that she was independent and had a life of her own. She’d deserved to be out living while he worked. He just hadn’t been thinking about the kind of living she was doing.
He had shown up at her best friend’s apartment that day and had been told that she hadn’t seen Lauren in months. That should have been his first serious clue, but it didn’t have his gut churning. His training as a cop had gone out the window wherever she was concerned. They were in love…right? Why would Lauren lie to him? Their life together was perfect, was it not? Those were the things he would say to himself to ease the doubt niggling in his belly.
He’d even felt guilty, as if he’d betrayed her, when he’d opted to find Lauren through the GPS on her phone. He hadn’t believed it when he saw it. According to the tracker, she—or at least her phone—had been at his best friend’s house. The rose-colored glasses were taken off then.
A bouquet of red roses had wilted on the passenger seat that night as he drove to confront the two people who had been the closest to him. Sadly, his newfound suspicions had been confirmed. It had marked the end of a marriage and the destruction of a friendship, both beyond reconciliation. To this day, the smell of roses was nauseating to him.
“How’s it going, Troy?” Officer Beck sat down across from him and held up a champagne flute.
“Good.” It was a knee-jerk response. There was no meaning behind it. In fact, everything wasn’t good, certainly not him.
With the recollections of Lauren, that seed of betrayal grew, weighing him down. But it didn’t bring in a wave of nerves or an upset stomach. Instead, his system vibrated with rage, a defense mechanism he must have developed since Lauren.
Madison Knight was a beautiful woman. She was tenacious. His Bulldog. But was she worth chasing after and risking his heart?
Troy lifted his champagne flute, following the lead of the others in the room who were toasting something the master of ceremonies had said. He went through the motions as he dwelled on Madison and the conflict she brewed within him. And he hated that the answers to his questions came so readily. He’d give her space for a few days, but Madison was definitely one in million, clichéd as he knew it sounded.
-
Chapter 33
MADISON WENT HOME FROM THE gala to change, but she had no intention of staying there. She walked Hershey for a few blocks, both to give him the attention he deserved and in an effort to cool her temper. But even moving at a brisk pace wasn’t enough to still the feelings of betrayal churning in her gut. Maybe laying it all bare and exposing oneself wasn’t worth it. No matter what perspective one had on vulnerability, that’s what it was: a weakness.
Troy hadn’t called her, and she hadn’t expected him to. His temper ran as deep as hers did, if not deeper. She had seen it directed elsewhere and didn’t relish the thought of it coming her way. But what did he think would happen? Announcing that the police chief was his sister wasn’t a small thing. Potentially, it was loaded. Any future accreditations would be rumored as being the result of her sleeping with Fletcher’s brother. And the last thing Madison wanted was to stand on anyone’s shoulders. Really, how could Troy figure this news hadn’t been worth sharing from the start of their relationship? He could have told her the night Fletcher’s position was announced. They’d gone out for dinner afterward, and there had been plenty of time.
She dropped Hershey back at home with plans to go into the station. If she wasn’t at the gala, she might as well do some good elsewhere.
IT HAD BEEN HARD TO leave with Hershey giving her those puppy eyes, but it was for the greater good. He was the dog of a cop. He had to know there were going to be sacrifices involved. Then again, maybe she was giving the canine too much credit.
The hallways of the station were almost barren with most of the brotherhood at the gala. There was only a minimal staff on tonight, making it the perfect night to rob a bank.
She typed Angels Incorporated into her system. Seeing as it was an incorporated company, her database should list the president’s and directors’ information. It should also have a brief description as to what sort of business they conducted.
Scrolling down, she noted there were only two names. The president was Mario Cohen and the director was Ken Shelton. She pulled their backgrounds and noticed that Mario Cohen’s address matched that of the company. She grabbed a pen and then searched for a piece of paper.
Her desk was cluttered, overflowing with case files and things she intended to tidy up—not that Terry would believe it. She glanced over at his desk. It was pristine. Not one thing out of place.
She found a sheet and pulled it from her tray. She wrote their names on the back.
Next, she looked at the business information: ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. To describe that as vague would be generous. It could mean any number of things, from movies to novels and anything between.
What would Zoe Bell offer the entertainment industry?
Her stomach sank with the answer. Zoe was young and beautiful. She never told Elias what her employer did for work. She had disclosed that she was a manager and that corresponded with her credit report. But there were at least two reasons for not telling Elias. One, Zoe may have been ashamed of her position, or two, she was hiding it for some reason. It was even possible the motives blended.
Looking closer at the report on the corporation, Angels Incorporated was the parent company of a local strip club. And it wasn’t just any club. It was one located in a dangerous part of the city. A quick look into the establishment showed its mailing address matched that of Angels Incorporated despite a different physical location. The reason for that wasn’t clear.
But what all this equated to was that Zoe Bell may not have been the sweet girl her family thought she was. Sure, Zoe could have been the club’s manager, but most likely, Zoe was a stripper.
-
Chapter 34
MADISON RANG THE DOORBELL AND waited, the smell of barbecuing meat wafting through the neighborhood. She wasn’t sure if it was coming from Terry’s backyard or someone else’s, but someone somewhere was having a late dinner.
Terry answered the door. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the gala?”
“I was and now I’m not. Listen, we have to check out Angels Incorporated.”
“Maddy—” Terry glanced over his shoulder back into his house “—it’s nine o’clock at night. We were going there first thing tomorrow.”
“Change of plans.”
“Why would they be open now? And didn’t you say they
worked out of a house?”
“I said the address was residential.” She wasn’t going to tell him she’d already went by there and no one was home. She continued. “But there’s a lot more to this. Angels Incorporated is the parent company of Club 69. That’s the strip club on Industrial Plaza Road.”
“I know what 69 is.”
“Club 69.” She shook her head. “Never mind, I’m not even touching that.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Get your head out of the gutter, Maddy.”
“Me? You’re the one who abbreviated the name.”
“If I were referring to that, I would have said sixty-niner. I also know what that—”
She snapped her fingers. “Terry, listen.”
He sighed. “What, Maddy? What do you want?”
“After what happened with the Russians, you made me promise never to jeopardize my life again. You also told me to get you to come along if I was going to do something I considered even a little risky. And if you know of the club, then you know it’s a rough crowd.”
Terry took a deep breath and glanced back into his house again, then to Madison. “What about the big Troy Matthews?”
She was starting to feel silly for having come here. What was she thinking? Annabelle was due at any moment. Terry and his wife had enough stress in their lives. “Never mind, Terry. I can go alone.”
“You have a fight?”
“What?”
“You and Troy?”
She had interrupted his evening so she’d give him an answer, but she wasn’t going to get into any detail. She certainly wasn’t going to mention his relation to the police chief. “He’s still at the gala.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Don’t mess this up, Maddy.”
“Excuse me?” She crossed her arms over her chest. She should have known he’d take Troy’s side.
“I’ll come with you. Just give me a minute.” Terry left the door open and went inside.
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