by Lane Hart
“Yes, sir,” they both answer.
“Come on. Let’s get you upstairs, so I can make you some coffee,” I tell her, gesturing for her to go up the stairs to the first floor.
As soon as her foot touches the step, the flood light comes on and the door opens on the deck, making her freeze.
“It’s just Conrad, my brother,” I assure her from two steps behind her. “He either heard us or got a notification from the security cameras that there was motion out here.”
Sure enough, Conrad opens the door and steps out.
Madison still hasn’t moved as she stares at him before saying, “Jeez, there are two of you.”
“Go on up so I can put your shit down,” I tell her, which finally gets her moving. “And by the way, most women who see us both usually say, “Oh, wow, there are two of you!” I tell her, using a falsetto.
“What’s going on?” Conrad asks from the door.
“He sounds like you too,” Madison mutters, and then we’re finally on the wooden landing. She hesitates before closing the distance to the door.
“Madison, meet my twin, Conrad. Conrad, this is Madison Monroe, our future mayor.”
She finally walks over, holding out her hand to him like a good little politician.
“You’re joking,” Conrad says as he shakes her hand briefly before dropping it.
“Nope,” I answer.
“So, I was right?” he asks with a grin, making me roll my eyes. Now I understand why Madison was so put out with me saying ‘I told you so’ to her.
“Yes, you were right. Two men were hiding in her townhouse and attacked her at knife point.”
“Fuck!” Conrad responds, the smile wiped off his face when he looks at her face and then mine again. “Are you okay?” he asks her.
“Yes,” Madison answers simply.
“It was a close call,” I tell him.
“What happened to…” he starts, and I know exactly what he’s asking.
“The men ran out the back of the townhouse. The prospects chased them, but they got away. They’re in the driveway now.”
“Jesus,” Conrad says. “I knew Bailey was a heartless dick, but I can’t believe he would stoop so low.”
“Well, he did. Could you get out of the way and let us inside? It’s cold as fuck out here,” I remind him.”
“Oh yeah, sorry,” he says, finally stepping back enough that Madison can get through. Once I’ve got the door with my elbow, he moves out of the way.
“Wow, you two even dress alike,” Madison remarks once she can see Conrad better in the light. “Even the same leather vest.”
“It’s a cut,” we both tell her at the same time.
“What’s a cut?” she asks.
“This,” Conrad says when he grips the sides of the open leather that’s parted over a black long-sleeved Henley.
“Oh, well, it looks like a vest to me,” she says.
Conrad gives me a look that sarcastically says, Isn’t she a sweetheart?
“So, this is the living room,” I tell her since it’s obvious. “The kitchen is right over there. My bedroom is upstairs, and the guest room you’ll be in is right up those stairs and to the right.”
Slipping past her because the luggage isn’t heavy but I’m tired of holding it, I start up the stairs, and she follows me.
“Here we are,” I say after I flip on the light and toss her things down on the bed. The room is empty other than a bed, dresser and one nightstand since it’s the smallest room. “The bathroom is across the hall. Conrad has his own in the upstairs master bedroom, so at least you won’t have to share it. There’s a closet, but it’s not huge,” I tell her when I open the door and show it to her. “Soon this room will be turned into a nursery.”
Madison places her bag on the nightstand and looks at me in confusion before she shakes her head. “Oh, right. Your brother’s baby. I had forgotten about that.”
“I’m guessing Hannah is already asleep next door tonight, but you’ll probably meet her in the morning. If you don’t see her, you’ll definitely hear her.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” I mutter since I don’t think she wants to hear about how they fuck like very loud dogs in heat.
“Do you want to change into something more comfortable and then have some coffee?”
“Sure,” Madison agrees easily, which is not something I expected from her.
“I’ll be downstairs if you need anything,” I reply before I leave her, shutting the door behind me to give her some privacy.
Conrad is sitting at the dining table drinking a glass of water when I come back down. His face says exactly what he’s about to ask. “You brought her here?”
“Where else was I supposed to take her?” I ask him quietly.
“Anywhere but here, Cannon! If two men attacked her tonight, then I don’t want this shit anywhere near Hannah!”
“She’ll be safe here. The prospects will keep an eye out for any trouble. Bailey wouldn’t expect us to bring her here. What was I supposed to do? Drop her off at a hotel? Sleep on the floor outside?”
He rubs his eyes and grumbles, “This is getting more complicated than I expected.”
“No shit! I didn’t sign up to be a twenty-four-hour babysitter.” As soon as I say the words, I wince, and Conrad looks up at me with a glare. “You know what I mean. She’s a grown woman. A stubborn-ass grown woman, and the election is still five weeks away. A baby is different. Somebody has to be responsible for it. I’m not sure how I ended up responsible for her is all I’m saying.”
“I’m surprised you aren’t a little bit happier about this,” Conrad says.
“What do you mean?” I ask as I go to the Keurig machine and start it up, pulling out the cups I stashed in my hoodie pockets at Madison’s house.
“She’s…very attractive,” Conrad responds. I know that he wanted to say more than attractive but can’t because he’s afraid Hannah would find out and be pissed.
“So?”
“So, I would’ve thought that you would love having her here and in your bed.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I say with my back still to him, waiting for the machine to warm up.
“Is she seeing someone?” he asks, and my shoulders instantly tighten since I haven’t even asked her.
“I don’t know, but I don’t think so.”
“Then what’s stopping you from sleeping with her?”
“She’s made it clear she’s not interested. Besides, she’s going to be here for weeks.”
“Yeah, and?”
“And I don’t want anything more than a night with her.”
“So, since you can’t have just one night, you refuse to do her for thirty or so of them in a row?”
“Exactly,” I agree. The light on the coffee machine turns green, so I put the cup in it and grab a coffee mug from the cabinet to get it started. “But that doesn’t matter. Did you miss the part where I said she’s not interested? She’s focused on the campaign. Oh, and now probably terrified of not living until the election.”
“Still, if she’s a straight, single woman, then she has to be a little bit interested.”
I turn around to face Conrad again and tell him, “I would say thanks for the compliment if you didn’t look just like me, making it a rather conceited remark.”
“We may look alike, but I’m not the one who is a pro at using one-liners to get women to drop their panties.”
“That is true,” I agree with a grin.
“You don’t think you can get her to drop hers?” Conrad asks.
“Maybe. If I put in a little more effort. It’s just not worth it, though.” I eye my brother curiously. “You’ve never talked to me much about sleeping with women before now. What gives?”
He shrugs. “You obviously want her and feel protective of her. Seems like a waste for you to have to abstain for the next month.”
“Abstain? Who said anything about fucking absta
ining?”
“It’s going to be hard to juggle your day and night bodyguarding duty with her living here and find willing one-night stands at the same time.”
“Goddammit!” I mutter, because he’s right. I won’t be bringing back any women. Hell, I won’t have time to even look for any women to bring home.
“What’s wrong now?” Madison asks as she comes down the steps. She’s changed out of her leggings and sweater into pajamas – long-sleeve satin ones with a folded-down collar that are a pale purple and hugging all of her curves in all the right places. “Well?” she asks again when she’s standing next to the kitchen island and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Nothing’s wrong. At least nothing else,” Conrad answers when he gets up from his seat. “Cannon just knows I’m right again, and he hates it.” He gives me a slap on the back as if to say, I told you so again, and then he’s heading for the stairs. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” she replies kindly to him. I start to ask why she’s not grumpy at him when she says, “I like him.”
“Well, too bad since he’s head over heels in love with his pregnant girlfriend,” I remind her.
Madison lowers her crossed arms to wave a hand in the air. “Not like that. He just seems…decent.”
“And I don’t?” I ask her.
She opens her mouth to say something and then sniffs the air loudly. “Is that…”
“Cinnabon coffee?” I finish for her when I lift the mug from the coffee maker and take it to her. “Yep.”
“How…” she trails off when she wraps her hands around the mug and takes a deep sniff. Again, it’s like the tension in her body drains away, all because the brown liquid works some sort of magic on her.
“I stole some of the K-cups from your stash.”
Madison eyes me over her mug as she takes a sip as if she doesn’t believe it’s the same flavor she’s used to. “Thank you,” she says quietly as if she doesn’t like saying the two words. Or maybe she’s saying them in reference to more than the coffee. Who the fuck would know with her.
And since I don’t want her to think I went out of my way to make her comfortable, I tell her, “It’s no biggie. I just wanted to see for myself what the fuss was about since you had enough to feed the world.”
She eyes me with a look of disbelief. “Want to taste it?”
“No, thanks,” I respond since I wouldn’t put it past her to throw the hot liquid on me before letting me take a sip from the same mug she’s drinking out of.
“You sure?” she asks again.
“Why are you acting like you trust me all of a sudden?” I question her.
She shrugs and takes a seat in the chair at the table that Conrad just vacated. “I trust your brother…”
“What the fuck?” The words explode out of my mouth before I can even consider them.
“His reaction to what happened tonight was genuine surprise.”
“Of course it was,” I mutter. “I expected Bailey to come after you, but what they did still shocked the shit out of me.”
“So, you and the Savage Kings will try and keep me safe from Bailey if I don’t drop out of the election?”
“Yeah, we will. And if I find out who they are, I’ll kill them.” After my comment, I realize that she said the word ‘if’ like she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t drop out.
“Kill them?” Madison says when she sits the coffee mug down on the table, her eyes wide in horror. “Just like that, you would…kill them?”
“You think that was the first time those men have used violence against women?” I ask her, and she lowers her eyes.
“No, probably not. They weren’t exactly…squeamish about hurting me.”
“Then they don’t deserve to live. And you are not dropping out of the race,” I tell her.
Her tongue wets her lips as if to soak up every drop of her coffee, and then she says, “Earlier tonight, I was ready to call it quits. I would’ve done what they wanted and not thought twice about it to make them stop…”
“They won’t touch you again,” I promise her.
“If you say so,” Madison replies as if she doesn’t believe me.
Which is fine. I haven’t earned her trust yet. But I do intend to keep my promise.
And tomorrow, I plan to pay the former police chief a visit.
Chapter Thirteen
Madison
The guest bed in Cannon and Conrad’s house is comfortable enough. The sheets and comforter are warm and cozy. I should feel safe knowing that there are at least four men in or around the house who are armed. I saw Cannon’s gun when he came in with it and heard him tell the prospects to try and shoot the men who had attacked me. There’s no doubt in my mind that Conrad also keeps a gun at the ready.
And yet, four men with at least four guns doesn’t seem like enough after what happened earlier tonight.
Cannon is probably right. Those men have probably done much more than threaten other women. And dammit, I’m still terrified of them coming for me here.
I don’t sleep a wink as I toss and turn. Eventually, when my phone says five a.m., I get up and take my suit for the day and my toiletries into the bathroom in the hall, locking the door behind me to shower and get ready for another day.
Once I’m clean and dressed, I look at myself in the mirror, and there’s only a hint of bags under my eyes from the lack of sleep. Not that I really care. No one but my small staff will see me today, along with Cannon and the prospects.
Then, an idea suddenly hits me, and it’s like I’m filled up with hope again.
I can’t push aside and forget what happened last night. And since the police never showed up, there won’t be any justice for the two men’s violent behavior. But that doesn’t mean I should keep quiet about it.
For some reason, the first person I want to tell my idea to is Cannon, not my campaign manager, which is ridiculous.
Even still, I head down the dark stairs with my cell phone in my hand like a lifeline, intending to make some coffee and check emails while I wait for the biker to wake up.
When I see the glow from the refrigerator light illuminating the top of golden hair, my heart starts to race, thinking that maybe he’s already up too and couldn’t sleep. But then the person stands up and I realize it’s a woman’s ponytail and not Cannon.
When I remember that she’s pregnant, I flip on the kitchen light, so she won’t think I’m sneaking up on her. Still, that startles her, and she turns to look at me with a big, green pickle in her fist.
“Shit!” she gasps as she blinks her eyes at the sudden light and then at me. “Who are you?”
“I’m Madison,” I respond. “Madison Monroe. Sorry if I frightened you. I didn’t think anyone else would be awake.”
“You must be one of Cannon’s girls. I’m Hannah, Conrad’s girlfriend,” she says as she eyes me up and down before taking a chomp out of the pickle. “Mmm. So good. Why can’t pregnant women crave chocolate instead of these damn things?”
“No clue. And no, I’m not one of Cannon’s girls. He brought me here to keep me safe.”
“Oh, right! You’re the one running against my father.”
“That’s right,” I agree. “Lucky me.”
“I’m sorry. Did something happen last night, or is this all a preventative measure?”
“Oh, something happened. Two men were waiting for me when I got home. They held me at knife point and tore my shirt open as they told me to drop out of the race by today or they would come back and kill me.”
“Jesus Christ!” she says. “What are you going to do?”
“I thought about dropping out. I hate it, but I did,” I admit to her. “But instead of being terrified, I think I’m going to use this against him.”
“You should. Call him out. No one ever does,” Hannah says before she bites into her pickle again. “I would offer you one of these, but I’m guessing I’m the only person who eats them for breakfast.”
“I think
I’ll just make a cup of coffee,” I tell her as I go over to the Keurig machine and find a row of five cups of my Cinnabon flavored coffee lined up in front of it. It was really sweet of Cannon to grab them. I should’ve shoved some in a bag before we left my place, but I wasn’t thinking about comfort food or beverage at that moment in time. In fact, I can’t believe he was. It’s a much-needed comfort for me.
“Everything okay? I would offer to help, but I don’t know how to work that thing yet. I’m not a coffee drinker,” Hannah says.
“Oh, no. I’m fine,” I respond. “Could you tell me where the coffee mugs are kept?”
“Cabinet right above your head,” she says.
“Great, thanks.”
“I’m not sure if you’ll find any K-cups, though. If the guys drink it, I think they use the old-school coffee maker with grounds.”
“Oh, it’s fine. Cannon grabbed some from my place.”
I get the cup made and then take a seat at the table with Hannah, who has finished her pickle and washed her hands since she apparently hates the smell of them and just likes the taste.
“Since you’re not dropping out of the race for mayor, I hope you’ll tell me if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“You could go vote on Tuesday, March third,” I say with a smile.
“Done. I’ll be in line when the doors open,” she promises. “No one wants my father to lose as much as I do.”
“Cannon told me about how Conrad got into a fist fight with Bailey, and then Bailey had all of the Savage Kings businesses shut down.”
Hannah nods. “It’s all so messed up.”
“That reminds me – I should talk to him about the explanations they gave to shut them down. Maybe I can help get them overturned or take them to court.”
“You’re an attorney?” Hannah asks.
“I am. Haven’t had much practice other than a few internships, but I’m licensed in North and South Carolina.”
“Wow. That’s impressive. I can already tell you’re a helluva lot smarter than my asshole father.”
“Thanks,” I reply with a smile.
“Use that brain of yours against him. He’ll try to strong-arm everyone into getting out of his way or voting for him. I’m sure you can find a more decent way to win.”
