Corruption - Leigh Lennon Page 0,15
and a person I’d willingly die for, is invasive as hell. And I’m not sure what he’s most concerned about, something that could affect his club or the fact I’m drowning my sorrows in the best scotch we own.
“Nope, just something personal he thought I should know.” This will get his hackles up more, causing him more curiosity.
“You and Jay best friends now, Mad dog?” I spin my entire body toward him at his childhood name for me, and I give him a weak grin. “What the hell has you looking like your money has been frozen by the federal government?”
It’s a fair question. If anyone is worried about returning to the poverty my life had been as a child, it’s me. I have my assets invested in many areas and check my portfolio often. I’m the most bargain friendly of my friends and don’t take chances on frivolities. I have nice things, don’t get me wrong, but where Cord and Greer have Lamborghinis, I’m fine with the modest price of my Camaro. I’ve set my mother up for life, and she’ll never need to wait on others to support herself. My sister, Calla, has been given the best education afforded her. With her love for learning and her drive, she’s carved out a wonderful life for her and her daughter as an expert in British Literature at the university in Seattle.
“I’m fine. I’m just thinking about what you and Cord have. It looks good on you, though it’s not in my future.”
He grabs my bottle of scotch, giving himself a generous serving. “What do Cord and I have that you don’t?” He empties the liquid in one swig and continues with another large portion.
“Your gals. They’re your everything. Fuck, it looks like Jared, the horny manwhore, seems to have found someone, too.”
He takes a swig this time, placing his drink next to mine. “And if Jared and I can do commitment with being the most commitment-phobia type of men you know, then why can’t you, Maddox?”
I give him a wide-eyed stare because he knows the answer. “Oh, fuck, man. She was over ten years ago. She fucked you up, no doubt, but are you going to let that bitch win? If I can have a forever, so can you.”
I pick up my drink, swirling around the ice and the little bit of alcohol I have left, ignoring his words, but he’s not done. “Is this what Jay was up here talking to you about? Or why you aren’t on the floor as often as you were three months ago?”
I’m staring at my drink and decide to drain the glass. I grab the bottle of scotch, and Chadwick pulls it from my grasp. “Fuck, man, that’s enough for now. If you want to simply get drunk, at least do it on the cheap stuff,” he adds with a little chortle accompanying his dickheaded-ness.
“Just answer me this, if she invokes this—I’ve lost all my money and best friends attitude in you, then why aren’t you fighting for her?”
I pull the bottle from Chadwick, pouring it before he can grab it back. “Because I’m not the man she needs.”
He fills his tumbler again, grabbing my bicep as this move has me looking directly at him. “But she still wants your dick-like ass, still the same?”
I shrug. “She doesn’t know what’s best for her,” I reply, draining the glass again. This time, Chadwick moves the bottle of scotch to the other side of the bar.
“And you do? Fuck, I made so many mistakes with my kitten. I never heard her out, never really listened to what she wanted. And, fuck, I thank my lucky stars every fucking day that she came back to me. Why don’t you listen to her, find out what this girl wants? Hell, if Eve can look past my asshole-ish ways, then anyone can look past your prick-like ways.”
“I’ve let her go,” I announce when Chadwick pours some cheap ass excuse for scotch in my tumbler, grabbing my bicep again.
“Then go fucking get her back.” With his words, he takes my tumbler from me. Now he has my attention, and I’m pissed as fuck. “Listen, I’ve known about this girl since the beginning. Just because I’m halfway across the country doesn’t mean for one second that I’m out of the loop. She’s had you tied in knots since your first night together. I get it about being hurt again, but fuck, man, if I didn’t have Eve, I’d be