Corruption - Leigh Lennon Page 0,20
before two.
Me: Probably the same time. I have to be home by ten tomorrow. So, if we don’t touch base, I’ll see you in a few days. I’m sure my dad will have me landlocked for now. Come visit me.
She immediately sends me a thumbs-up emoji and then a little smiley face. She knows I hate the thumb so much. I always threaten to break her actual thumb when she sends it.
Scrolling through my texts, I see an unknown number. As I pull it up, my first thought is it must be my new boss. Maybe he’s changing the shift on me. He had said he does a lot of his communication through texts. Fudge cakes, knowing my luck, he’ll want me in at eight a.m. or even earlier.
Unknown number: I hope you know how much you’ve affected me. I’m sitting here, ignoring the world around me, wishing I could give you what you need.
He wants to mess with my day, with a person who will give me something he’s not willing. My eyes turn to the man on the curb, waiting for his car giving me a shrug. I take the time to return this jerk’s message.
Me: All I ever wanted was you. I didn’t expect perfection. But I find it odd that after three months of pursuing you, I can finally find happiness tonight, and you are texting me. You can’t have what you want all the time. You realized I’m off-limits now, and that’s the only reason you finally have the decency to reach out to me.
I receive a return text immediately but delete it before I read it, then block the number. A knock on the passenger window has me turning my attention to the commanding man who wants to cherish me. “You ready?” he mouths, and with a nod, I pocket my phone, prepared to follow this man who wants me. I have to forget about the man who apparently only wants what he can’t have.
Chapter Seven
Maddox
I’m staring at the text I sent Jewel, after her reply.
Me: Precious, believe it or not, I’m trying to be selfless. I want you, and that hasn’t changed since the first time I’ve had you. Then after today, my desire is to sink myself into you whenever I can. But I’m not good for you.
I hold the phone, waiting for a return text, and when one doesn’t come, I place my phone down. I don’t know what I should expect. Her to beg me? Would it change anything?
There’s a knock on my door as the club is a little slow for a Wednesday night, especially at midnight.
I don’t answer because with my security cameras I see who it is. I buzz him in, though with his codes, he can get in if he wants to.
“Yo, Chadwick wants you on the floor.” Anton’s voice carries past the music wafting in from the main club. I don’t respond to Chadwick’s demand. I’ll stay in here all night if I have to. “Oh and Jay has a message he wants me to pass on to you. Apparently, you aren’t talking to him?” It’s a question, and I answer with a slight nod before I take a drink of my Pepsi. I’ve moved past alcohol hours ago because it had not been numbing the pain.
“I heard I wasn’t the only person who missed dinner,” I begin, waiting for the message I know I won’t like from the dungeon master, even if it’s Anton delivering it.
“Yeah, I got an earful from Chad, too. But it couldn’t be helped.”
I continue, attempting to get him to talk about the complication in his life so I can go on living without whatever Jay feels I need to know, which I’m positive has to do with Jewel. “So tell me, asshole,” I begin, “what the hell has you all twisted up?”
His stare doesn’t leave mine. “Yeah, nice try there, talk about being all jumbled up.” He sits down, looking at my Pepsi. “Oh, that reminds me, the message from Jay.” He brings out his phone with a scowl on his face. “Tell Maddox when you see him that Drake Danner has requested the stage tonight with his new possible sub. We didn’t have anything planned so I had to give it to him.” He looks up and then continues without reading. “Jay then goes on to tell me how he would rather have his left nut removed than to deliver this information to you.”
I stay silent, but my