~*~
The weekend seemed to drag on. Madison was stressed and upset, which meant Andrew was also stressed and upset. He had spent the last few days enlightening her on his elaborate theory, which basically stated that Senator Bowers and Nolan were in cahoots with one another. It wasn’t as if Madison didn’t also believe there was something going on, but she was trying to remain positive, which was something that was becoming increasingly more difficult to do.
Their meeting with Elias on Monday afternoon yielded little results. He indicated he had contacted her old agency and that they provided him with their attorney’s numbers. He had left messages for the attorney of record but those calls had not been returned at the time of Madison and Andrew’s meeting with him. By evening, Andrew had started in again with his conspiracy theories related to Nolan and Senator Bowers, much to Madison’s dismay.
“Madison, I think you have to accept the possibility that everyone at that office where you worked is corrupt.”
“Andrew, Grayson was a good man. I don’t believe that.”
“He turned a blind eye to whatever Nolan was doing with Bowers. So he’s either an idiot or he was a part of it.”
Madison stopped stirring the food and turned to him, anger clearly evident. “Or, just maybe he wasn’t aware of what was going on and he found out about it and tried to stop it but was murdered before he could,” she said indignantly.
Andrew arched his brow and then smiled. “There’s that unbridled optimism in full force. I was beginning to wonder where it disappeared to.”
Madison involuntarily smiled. “Oh, screw you, Helios,” she said playfully.
“Promise?” he smirked.
Madison laughed. It was one of the sweetest sounds he ever heard. She had been so melancholy over the weekend. Saddened by the turn of events and less hopeful than her norm. She let out an exaggerated snort and waved her mixing spoon up and down.
“As if I’d ever turn down all of that sexiness,” she said, blowing him an exaggerated kiss.
He laughed as well before turning back to the table where he finished setting it. Madison refused to believe that Grayson was corrupt. If Nolan was doing something behind his back then she would not hold him responsible for that. No, if something illegal was going on she could almost guarantee that Nolan was a part of it and that the Grayson she knew would have tried to stop it. He would never have allowed something like that to go on in his company. He was a good man and that’s what a good man would have done. Madison started plating their dinner when the phone rang.
“I got it, babe,” Madison said before picking up the cordless in the kitchen. “Hello,” Madison answered, not recognizing the number.
“Hello, Madison.”
Madison cringed, hearing the voice on the other end. She wasn’t sure how he had gotten her phone number. The only people from New York that had it were Grayson and Monique. Grayson was dead and she was sure that Monique wouldn’t have given it to him. She leaned against the sink and frowned. Andrew, picking up on her sudden shift in demeanor, watched her for only a moment before walking over there.
“Who is it?” he asked, already on defense.
“Nolan. How did you get this number?” Madison stated, irritated, and noticed Andrew’s entire body tense up.
“I have my ways,” he laughed but before Madison could offer a response he added, “I’m kidding, Madison. It was on Grayson’s rolodex. I just looked you up.”
“So I see you’re making yourself right at home.” Madison’s disgust was evident in her tone.
“It’s my company now. What was Grayson’s is now mine. I would, of course, rather have him still alive, but he’s not, so I’ll do what I need to do.”
“What do you want?”
“I’m aware that you have been subpoenaed.”
“And...”
“Well, I want to visit with you about that.”
“You know damn well I have nothing to do with this. How am I even attached to this nonsense?”
Madison was fuming. He was playing coy when he knew she was not even remotely involved with whatever he was up to. She glanced at Andrew, who had his arms crossed. His muscles were flinching already, ready to attack. His face bore the expression of a violent man. She needed to end this conversation. Elias had told her not to contact anyone to discuss anything specific, but Nolan contacted her so that was different, right?
“Madison, is this Bennett person your attorney?”
“Why?”
“We have already retained counsel for the agency and, since you are named in the suit, you are covered as well. It would be better if we didn’t have outside representation. At least that’s what I was told.” Madison started to say something but he began speaking again. “I’m going to do my best to get you out of this but I can’t do that if you don’t work with me. And, well, I need you here to go over everything that you may know.”
“I don’t know anything, Nolan.”
“Well, you may know more than you think.”
“I don’t,” she didn’t mean for the words to come out as a whine but they did.
“I need you here within the next two weeks. Sooner would definitely be better, but I understand if you have to make some arrangements before you can come out.”
Madison sighed, defeated. “Fine, I’ll be there in two weeks.”
“Wonderful,” he replied before hanging up.
Madison disconnected and dropped the phone angrily on the counter. She approached Andrew, who looked like he was about to blow a gasket. She maneuvered her arms under the small space where they crossed. He immediately dropped them as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Madison snuggled as close to him as she possibility could, already dreading the day she had to go back to New York.
10 A Bitter Cold
Madison splashed water on her face and stared at her reflection. She could see her puffy eyes and her flushed skin. She was on edge. Whether that was caused by being in the city again or a byproduct of thinking too much about why she was there, she was unsure. All she knew was that she was distressed and didn’t want to be in New York. The turbulence of the flight had made her queasy, and by the time they made it to baggage claim, she needed the restroom. She eyed her reflection.
“You can do this, Madison!”
She stepped out and immediately saw Andrew waiting for her. He grabbed her hand with purpose as he eyed the swarm of people. Andrew shifted the duffle bag over his shoulder as he drug Madison through the crowed airport. Stepping out of JFK, Andrew immediately lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke into the icy air. The bitter cold of the city caught them off guard. A stark contradiction to the heat they were accustomed to. Letting the cigarette dangle from his lips, he zipped up his favorite leather jacket and flipped the hood up on his hoody. He glanced at Madison as he exhaled once again. She had that look on her face. The one she always got when she was thinking or was frustrated. Her brows furrowed as her eyes looked anywhere but at him.
“Helios, are you sure you want to do this?” Madison asked with hesitation. She finally made eye contact, her worry clearly evident. “We could, you know, just...” she let the word drop.
“Do what, Madison?” Andrew asked angrily as he drew the cigarette to his mouth. Exhaling, he continued, “We can’t leave and there’s no way in hell I’m letting you do this without me.”
Madison sighed, looking to the ground. She was not happy about any of this. She had not wanted to come back to New York, let alone drag Andrew here. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she knew it wouldn’t be good. Between Senator Bowers and Nolan, this would not be easy and could very well turn out extremely bad. Not to mention Kurtis, who she knew would interfere in some way. And if he didn’t, would Andrew seek him out? A part of her felt that Kurtis needed a beat down for what he had done to them, but that wouldn’t solve their problems. If anything, it would make it worse.
Madison looked out, lost in thought. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Andrew with h
er. On the contrary, she couldn’t fathom him not being by her side, but she worried how he would handle New York again. Hell, she wasn’t sure if she could handle it herself. Their time here had been riddled with conflict and despair. Neither had been happy. Her chest tightened as she remembered the emptiness she felt when he left. Andrew grasped her hand tightly, drawing her out of her thoughts.
“Madison,” he said firmly.
She looked into his very determined face. He tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowed solemnly as a crease formed across his forehead. An effect of him trying to control the anger he had been feeling since this trip was announced two weeks ago. He didn’t trust the situation, he didn’t trust Mr. Crawford, and he certainly didn’t trust Senator Bowers. His involvement was Andrews’s biggest concern, especially with their history with his son, Jimmy. He also knew that Kurtis would not let him be here without causing some form of ruckus. Overall, this was a bad situation waiting to get worse.
“Helios,” she finally whispered, her voice cracking with unspoken emotion.
He immediately dropped his cigarette and pulled her into his arms, drawing her lips to his. She melted into him, as she always did. His tongue moved effortlessly inside her mouth as she let out a soft moan. Their undeniable connection never wavered, even in their brief time apart. Andrew was even more determined to settle this. Whatever happened in New York, they would handle together, as they did with everything. She was his life and he would protect her at any cost.
“Get a damn room, I swear, people are so rude,” they heard someone state as they walked passed them.
Andrew leaned his forehead to hers. “Let’s get to the hotel.”
“Okay,” Madison nodded.
Madison gripped the back of his jacket as they walked, not wanting to lose him in the crowd. Andrew repositioned the duffle bag and gripped the handle of the rolling suitcase in his hand. He maneuvered them to a line of taxis, quickly giving a dirty look to the business men talking on their phones. They slunk back from his frightful glare while Andrew positioned him and Madison ahead of them. He caught Madison’s expression out of the corner of his eye, but he didn’t falter. His lip twitched as the cab driver with an Indian accent asked him where they wanted to go. He wanted to say home, but he didn’t.
“Paramount Hotel on 46th Street.”
The man nodded and reached for their bags. Andrew didn’t give them up. Instead, he lifted the suitcase and placed it in the trunk and then dropped the duffle bag in as well. Madison was already in the taxi. She felt him sit down next to her and wrap his arm around her shoulder. She immediately leaned into him, wanting his strength, needing it. She wasn’t sure how to feel, but the overarching theme over the past few weeks had been fear. She closed her eyes as she tried not to catastrophize the situation.
“First time in New York?” the cab driver asked.
“No!” Andrew replied coldly.
The driver nodded and said nothing else. Andrew scanned the environment out the window as the taxi whipped in and out of airport traffic. He hated this, all of it. New York. Nolan Crawford. Senator Bowers. He hated that Mr. Bennett wasn’t here and that Madison was planning on meeting with Nolan and the lawyers in the morning. The last two weeks had been difficult. He and Madison never fought, but they sure did argue, a lot, about this situation. She was naïve in her belief that she wasn’t being set up. Something wasn’t right, but he didn’t want to fight with her any longer, so he kept his mouth shut and his mind alert. His long fingers reached up to twist into her hair. He would keep an objective eye on everything.
“Fifty two dollars.”
Andrew glanced around and realized that they were already there. He had lost track of time as he thought about what would be happening. He reached into his wallet and pulled out his cash as the driver exited the vehicle, popping the trunk at the same time.
“Come on, Madison.”
It felt weird being in New York, let alone Times Square. It was already busy and loud. She blew out a breath as Andrew helped her out of the car. He stepped away from her to get the bags and hand the driver his cash while Madison eyed the tall building. They had selected the Paramount because it was nice, in a decent area, and close to all forms of transportation, which meant they didn’t need to rent a car.
“Madison.”
Madison smiled as he threw the duffle bag strap across his shoulder and pulled up the handle on the rolling suitcase. Madison held on to his outstretched hand as they stepped inside the posh establishment. Madison always liked the Paramount. It was one of those old New York hotels that had been around since the twenties. It had undergone a couple of refurbishments, the last one about fifteen years before.
“Madison, take a seat, baby. I’m going to go check us in.”
Madison nodded and sat down on the large oblong leather couch. She watched him walk towards the front desk. She knew how important things like this were for him. Granted, she made a lot more money than he did, but he insisted on paying for so much. She smiled when she thought about them deciding on the bills and whether they should have a joint account or not. They finally agreed to have individual accounts and then a joint account where each would contribute half of their salary which went towards the bills. At first, he didn’t like that plan because that meant Madison was contributing more, but after careful discussion, and a few sexual favors for added measure, he was agreeable. Being that he was so concerned with equity, not wanting Madison to pay his way, they had agreed that she would cover their airfare and he would cover the hotel.
Madison surveyed the modern lobby with its low lighting and leather furniture. It struck her as something she might find in a nightclub. She had heard once that they had DJ battles in the lobby, but she found that hard to believe. She was sure that was exaggeration. There were a few people inside, but no one paid her any mind. One man dressed in khakis and a sweatshirt continued to read his newspaper while a businessman scrolled through his phone. There was also a couple sitting close together whispering sweet, or not so sweet, things to one another on the opposite end of the large couch on which Madison was sitting. She turned back to the front desk and could see that Andrew was being handed the room cards. Madison was highly aware of the woman nearby who was eyeing him like a cat in heat.
“Yeah, no way, lady.” Madison involuntarily ran her thumb along her ring. “He’s mine.”
Andrew turned and smiled. The first genuine smile she had seen on him in few weeks. Madison forgot about the woman who had been eyeing Andrew as he strutted towards her. When he got to her he was practically giddy with excitement. He leaned down and kissed her.
“Guess what?”
Madison shrugged. “What?”
“They messed up our reservation and I talked with them about it and we got an upgrade at the same price. They were going to give us a smaller room and give me a refund but I asked for the manager and, bottom line, we got the bigger room,” he said exuberantly.
“Wow, that’s great, baby.”
“I know, so now at least we can be more comfortable.”
“Helios, as long as I can cuddle next to you at night, I would have been content wherever we were.”
He laughed. “Uh, no, your mom’s would NOT have been okay for us.”
Madison laughed loudly and then quickly covered her mouth as a couple of people looked in their direction. She remembered calling her mom last week to tell her they were going to be in New York for about a week. She then offered for Madison to come and stay. She wasn’t thrilled that Andrew would be coming along but had relented and said he could stay as well. Luckily, Andrew had already booked their hotel. They did agree to meet tomorrow for dinner. Andrew and Madison figured they would announce their engagement at that time.
“Oh, hell, that would have been a nightmare.”
“I guess it’s progress that she even invited us to stay with her, well, strike that, she invited you,” he said with a raised brow. “I think she was hoping I would stay in California.
”
“Maybe,” Madison agreed moving close to him. “But she doesn’t dictate our lives now, does she?”
He grinned and shook his head slightly, “No, not all.”
“Let’s go to our room, Helios.”
He nodded and grabbed the duffle bag and suitcase as she bounced up. Madison walked in front of him and turned quickly, grabbing his jacket and pulling him. She needed to forget about all the nonsense that was going to happen tomorrow and focus on tonight. Tonight she wanted to get lost in her fiancé. When they got to the elevators, Madison pressed the button and yanked him to her, kissing him. He pulled away slightly.
“You’re awful feisty all of a sudden.”
“I’m always feisty. I’m from New York!” she said in her best New York accent.
Bringing his lips to hers, he parted his mouth and took her now open mouth in his. His tongue worked inside hers as his lips enveloped hers. Madison whimpered as her arms slung over his shoulders. She reached up on her tip toes and met his kiss with the same level of intensity and passion. She couldn’t breathe as her body ignited in desire. Flushed with want, she wondered if it was possible to reach orgasm simply with a kiss. If it was, then Andrew was certainly on the brink of bringing her to hers. The ding of the elevator’s arrival stopped a kiss that was sure to have continued to unacceptable lengths.
“Let’s get in the room,” he stated heatedly.
“Yes, let’s.”
He smirked as he nudged her towards the open elevator door. Before the door closed, an arm stopped the door and a harried business man stepped inside, quickly pressing a button. He barely acknowledged their presence as he checked his watch anxiously. Once the door opened to his floor, he flew out, leaving Madison and Andrew alone.
“What floor are we on?”
“The 18th,” Andrew replied, watching the numbers light up. 14. 15. 16. 17. “Finally!” he stated as the doors swung wide for them.
Madison followed him down the long hall until they reached Room 1826. Andrew was anxious to get inside. Although he was a bit jet lagged, he wanted Madison. More than he could express. He knew that she was just as unhappy about coming to New York as he was and that maybe what they both needed was to let off a little steam. Madison opened the door and stepped inside, Andrew close behind her.
Helios Renewed (The Helios Chronicles #3) Page 11
