I sense an imposing body near me, and I twist around so fast, I can sense the stupidly huge smile on my face at what Drake has told me. What he wants and how he will care for me.
When I expect the beautiful brown eyes of the man I’d just spent a half hour with, I’m staring into a different set of eyes—deep blue. I’m in front of the man who’s willingly giving me up. Before Maddox Sobota can ruin this for me, I rotate my body toward the door, grabbing my bag, purse, and keys, then walk straight out of the club and out of his life.
Chapter Five
Maddox
Unlike the other Dungeon Elite bars, this is mainly one level, except for the upstairs loft set aside for Chadwick and some of the other owners who live in other parts of the world. I have a small apartment here, too, but need a separation from my work life and personal life.
I choose to head upstairs to the small bar that is stocked for all of us when we’re together. Pulling out the good stuff, the best fucking stuff I have, I sit in the peace and quiet, drowning my sorrows in my scotch.
Scrolling through my phone, I have her cell number programmed, and I don’t know why. I’d never planned on calling her, but knowing it’s in my phone gives me a level of control because I can call if I ever want.
The wood floors throughout the club are great, especially when I’m trying to ward off company. I’m not fast enough, though, because Jay catches me before I can get away from him in my private apartment.
“Maddox, do you have a second?” His hands are in his pockets, and his tone is the universal I’m going to hit you with bad news sort of pitch.
I don’t verbally answer him, drowning my sorrows in my scotch, but with a quick nod, he has my answer. “I got off the phone with Drake Danner. He wants to make sure I have a contract ready for him and Ms. Atkins. I mean, he’s thinking it will take a couple of dates, but…”
I slam the glass down. “Why are you telling me this? I let her go. It’s what’s best for the both of us. Fuck, her dad is blackmailing her. She doesn’t need another asshole to run her life. And Mr. Danner is looking for a partner. And, yeah, like the sick fuck I am, I watched them together. He could be what she needs. I’m not. Don’t you get that?”
I’ve never talked to Jay this long concerning personal matters. Personnel matters, yes. Business all the time, but I’ve barely given my friends this much of me before.
I can’t ignore the invading footsteps about to interrupt our conversation, which I want ended. Jay gives me one last stare down, not finished with this intervention yet. “I get it, but I thought you needed to know all the facts. It’s not too late.”
He leaves before I can tell him what he can truly do with all this information he thinks I need as he passes Chadwick at the top of the stairs. “Is that club business? What information did he think you needed?”
This man, one of my best friends 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 a miserable man, chasing my next high. Eve is my high—the only thing that makes sense in my fucked-up brain. Maybe your girl is it for you.”