by Celya Bowers
Aidan nodded, knowing he was lying. The time he wanted to spend with Madisyn had nothing to do with the charity. “Yes, we need to discuss the grand opening dinner she has to plan.”
“Good.” Mike rose. “We’d better get back or Megan and Madisyn will wonder what happened to us.” He headed for the living room.
Aidan followed Mike silently, mostly thinking about Mike’s pledge to keep Madisyn safe. It made Aidan respect him all the more.
When they entered the room, Madisyn and Megan weren’t there. They had set the table and were eating the meal. He’d bought steaks for him and Madisyn, and chicken for Megan.
“Sorry, we just couldn’t wait any longer.” Madisyn nodded at the vacant place. “Take a seat.”
Mike took the cue like a man. “Well, guys, I’ll see you later. Maddie, see you in the morning.”
Aidan expected her to fight her brother, but Madisyn only nodded. “I need to get to work early. So could you get here about seven?”
Mike nodded and left. Aidan took a seat at the table and placed the cloth napkin in his lap. Madisyn had already prepared his food and poured him a glass of wine. He looked at the rose-colored liquid, but his mind was still on Madisyn.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have any beer,” Madisyn explained. “I usually try to have some when the boys come over but I haven’t had time to go shopping with all that’s happened lately.”
He shook his head. “It’s not that, baby. What changed your mind about getting escorts?”
“The photo. I decided that if Mike thinks it’s an issue, I should just go with it. Darnell is beyond rational thinking right now and I want to stay safe.” She cut her steak and took a bite. “This is really good, Aidan.”
She was trying to change the subject. “Thanks, babe. But I didn’t cook it, I just paid for it.” He glanced at Megan, who was busy eating her grilled chicken leg as if it were the finest cut of meat on the planet.
“Nothing, just as I said before.” Madisyn turned her attention to her niece. “Honey, are you about finished?”
Megan nodded, but kept attacking her food. Apparently she got her healthy appetite from her aunt. She looked at Madisyn with those adorable brown eyes and lifted her small plate to Madisyn. “More?”
“Of course, baby.” Madisyn rose and placed another piece of chicken on her plate. “Here you go.”
Madisyn returned to eating her steak. She glanced at Aidan and his uneaten steak. “You’d better eat that or I will.” She smiled at him as she cut another piece of steak.
He looked at her, knowing she was quite serious. “Okay, I’m eating.” He sliced the meat, then took a bite. Delicious.
His eyes met Madisyn’s. He could really get used to looking at those green eyes across the table.
* * *
Two hours later as Madisyn read her niece the usual bedtime story, her mind wasn’t on the story of the fairy tale prince. It was on the events of the evening. She sat on the edge of her queen-sized bed, which she shared with her niece every Wednesday night. Tonight, Madisyn was glad to have someone share her bed, even if that person was a three-year-old.
She knew Darnell was capable of terrible things and she hoped it didn’t come to that. All of the problems Darnell had were caused by Darnell, she reminded himself. None of it was her fault.
“Night, night, Auntie,” Megan said on a yawn.
Madisyn had been so deep in thought she hadn’t realized she’d stopped reading to Megan or that she was falling asleep. She kissed her niece on her forehead. “Night, baby.” She stood, walked to the large bay window and made sure the locks were secured. She took one more look at her dark backyard before closing the drapes. Then she went downstairs to Aidan.
He was waiting for her on the couch when she returned to the living room. Madisyn inhaled and took a seat beside him. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her.
Aidan’s kisses blocked out all the events of the evening. They snuggled on the couch in each other’s arms with barely air between them. Now this was what all those romance novels were talking about, she thought.
“I know this evening has been a lot for you to take in. How do you feel about it?” he whispered against her swollen lips.
“I don’t know.” Madisyn kissed his thick neck, his cheek, his ears and then finally his mouth.
Aidan put some space between them, so he could have Madisyn’s total attention. “I want to make sure you’re safe. Do you have any concerns?”
He pulled her back in his arms and just held her, rubbing her back. Madisyn heard the rapid beat of his heart. “I’m really concerned for Megan,” she finally said.
“Did he threaten her? Baby, tell me.”
“No,” she said against his chest, “he didn’t threaten her.” It felt wonderful to be held in comfort. The sexual tension was still there, but this was good, too.
“Tell me,” he pleaded. “I have to know. I won’t be able to sleep tonight as it is, but I have to know what we’re up against.”
“You know even in this crisis you still say the right things to me, things that turn me to Jell-o.”
His laugh rumbled in his chest, vibrating against her. “Well, right now you’re saying all the things that turn me on. But this is neither the time nor the place. Tell me what happened.”
“Darnell hasn’t actually threatened Megan, but he knows how much she means to me. I think he wouldn’t be above hurting her to get to me.”
Aidan shook his head. “My God. I’d hope Darnell wouldn’t stoop so low.”
“The last year or so, most of the fights Darnell and I had were over Megan.”
“Please don’t tell me he was jealous of her?”
“Yes, he was. We’d argue over the time I spent with Megan. You see, we’ve been having Wednesday night sleepover for the last two years so Marcus and his wife can have date night. As you know, Megan is a one-child demolition squad. Darnell thought she shouldn’t spend the night with me, ’cause I wouldn’t let him stay when she did.”
“You mean he didn’t try to convince you to let him stay anyway?”
Madisyn laughed, but it wasn’t a happy laugh. It was full of misery. Two years of misery with the wrong man. “Oh, he tried, but that was the one area I wouldn’t bend to his will. He started calling Megan my reason for living. And he was right.”
“Madisyn, Madisyn, Madisyn, why did you let that idiot control you like that?” He kissed away her tears. “You’re a beautiful woman and you deserve a man who appreciates what a great woman you are.”
“Aidan, you’re so good for my ego. Thank you.” She snuggled closer to him. “It’s a good thing Megan is here or I’d show you my appreciation.”
“Time and place, baby. Let’s get Darnell in jail, first. Then we can appreciate each other until we fall asleep.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
CHAPTER 16
“Of all the times for Mike to be on time,” Madisyn grumbled the next morning as she continued getting Megan ready for daycare. Megan was much like her aunt in the fact that she didn’t like getting up any earlier than she had to. She fought Madisyn at every turn, thus delaying getting dressed even further. “Come on, baby, Uncle Mike is already here and you haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Megan yawned. Her little eyes fluttered closed and she flopped back on the bed.
Madisyn sighed. They were so close to being ready. All she had to do was put on Meg’s sandals and they’d be dressed. And now her brother was beating on the front door. She scooped up Meg and the tiny sandals and headed for the living room. She opened the door and greeted her brother. “Hey, I’m glad you’re here. Unfortunately, Rasheeda hasn’t showed up yet.”
Mike entered the house, closed and locked the door. “Yeah, I know, she just called me and asked me to bring Meg home with me. They overslept.” Mike had a sly smile on his face. “You know how it is.”
Madisyn adjusted Meg in her arms. “No, how is it?” She walked to the couch and struggled with Meg to final
ly slide her sandals on her feet. “How about McDonald’s for breakfast? I’m sure Uncle Mike will take you when he drops me off for work.”
Meg nodded. “Yeah!” She clapped her small hands together several times and ran to the front door. “Ready!”
Madisyn laughed. “Not yet. Play with Uncle Mike until I get back.” She went to gather her purse and briefcase. When she returned to the living room, Meg was in Mike’s lap telling him all about her time with Aidan.
“Then Uncle Aidan told me about when he was little like me. He misses his daddy.”
Mike looked up at Madisyn to explain, but she only shook her head and mouthed the word “later” to him. He nodded.
“I bet you miss your daddy, too.” Mike stood with Megan in his arms. “Hey, I hope you still have that spare car seat, ’’cause I came in the SUV.”
“Yeah, it’s in the garage.” Since she kept her niece often, Madisyn had had the good sense to purchase a car seat. Besides, it was the law.
Mike nodded, heading for the garage, and Madisyn gathered up her niece. When Mike returned they headed to his SUV after he made sure Madisyn’s house was secured.
“So, you hear anything from Darnell?” Mike asked in a low voice, as soon as the DVD started playing a movie for Megan.
Madisyn should have known Mike’s inquisition was coming. “No, not a word.”
Mike navigated onto I-35, heading for downtown Dallas. “Good. So why the face?”
“Megan. I’m worried that Darnell might use Meg to get back at me. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to her and it was my fault.”
Mike darted a glance in her direction. “You think he’d stoop so low as to threaten a little girl? He’s going to an awful lot of trouble trying to get you back. I don’t understand why this time was so different for you.”
“This time is different because I’m tired, Mike. I see you and Angie, Marcus and Rasheeda, and how happy you guys are together. I want that. I don’t want someone who doesn’t appreciate me. I want someone to savor me. To be glad I’m in their life.”
“You think you got that with Aidan?”
Madisyn laughed. “I honestly don’t know. I personally think he’s too good to be true and his real side will come out soon.”
“You think he’s hiding something?”
“Or someone,” Madisyn said honestly. “You just know there’s a baby momma out there waiting to make an appearance. He’s got this squeaky clean image with the press but he might be just another disaster waiting to happen.”
“I know this Darnell stuff has got you all turned around, but I think Aidan is for real. I know men and we don’t go to this much trouble for someone we don’t care about.”
Madisyn wasn’t ready to put her heart on the line so soon after Darnell. “We’ll just have to see what destiny has in store for me. Right now I just want this Darnell mess cleared up and over. I do think we need to keep an extra eye on Meg.”
“Yeah, I agree on that. You know we’re going to have to let the old folks in on what’s happening,” Mike said, referring to their parents. “Mom will be super POed if she finds out from some other source, like Darnell calling and threatening them.”
Madisyn didn’t want to venture down the road of “what if.” It reminded her of Chase and his “let’s cover this from all angles” talk. “Well, Aidan is coming to church Sunday again. That will be the perfect time to let everyone in the family know. I don’t think Darnell will go near the boys since they’re just as big as he is, but you never know,” Madisyn said, thinking about Mike’s teenaged sons.
“No, I can’t see him being stupid enough to approach MJ or Marty, but Darnell isn’t thinking clearly at the moment. I’ll make sure they watch their step.” He parked in front of her office building. “That goes for you, too. You’d better watch out for Keisha. There’s something about her I just don’t like.”
Madisyn unbuckled her seat belt and slid out of the passenger seat. Her brother wasn’t the first person to warn her about Keisha. Maybe it was time to start listening to all those people. “I know. But we’ve been friends forever, and sometimes it’s hard to cut the cord with old friends.”
“And sometimes that cord will hang you. Just think about what I said earlier. I’ll see you this evening.”
Madisyn nodded. She knew her brother was right. It was time to cut her ties to Keisha. But how? It would definitely have to be done delicately. Maybe Chayla would have some answers.
* * *
Sweat dripped down Aidan’s face as he tried to run all his demons away. After such a romantic evening with Madisyn he realized he’d been running from a lot of things. His relationship with her had taken a new turn, a turn he wasn’t quite ready to take, but he was glad it happened. He thought he could care for her from a distance and his heart not get too involved. Last night he’d contemplated staying at Madisyn’s so she could thank him the way she really wanted.
But that would have been a costly pleasure. Not only because her niece was spending the night, but because of his own celebrity. Too many people knew the black Cadillac Escalade and it would have been on the news this morning.
Right now the most important thing to Aidan was to find out where exactly Darnell was hiding and who was hiding him. He’d taken a leave of absence from work and had all but dropped off the surface of the earth. The detective he’d hired had already searched Darnell’s house and had come up empty.
He stopped the treadmill as the idea popped into his head. Megan needed security. He picked up his phone and dialed Chase.
He picked up on the first ring. “Why can’t I have a client who doesn’t wake up until ten or eleven in the morning? You do realize it’s barely eight,” he groaned as he came fully awake. “Man, one of these times, I’m going to not answer the phone.”
Aidan laughed, knowing his friend was always grumpy in the mornings. “Chase, I need some security for Megan.”
“Who’s Megan? And why the security? What happened to Madisyn?”
“Nothing happened to Madisyn. Megan is her three-year-old niece. Darnell may turn his anger toward her in order to get to Madisyn. I want a security guard for her.”
“Whoa, Aidan, you’re overstepping the bounds of a boyfriend, friend with benefits, or whatever you are to Madisyn. This is going to take some delicate handling. You should discuss this with Megan’s parents first.”
Aidan filled his friend in on the latest news and the schedule he and Madisyn’s brothers had come up with to drive her to and from work. Chase shook his head with disbelief. “I’m glad you guys are together on this.”
“Madisyn doesn’t want anything to happen to Megan.”
Chase snorted. “And that’s why we’re having this conversation? I think you need a ghost.”
“I need a what?” Aidan sat down on his weight bench. Chase wasn’t making any sense. So he knew this was going to be heavy. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking a form of security so secret that the protectee doesn’t know he’s there. If you hire a traditional security guard or bodyguard, for that matter, everyone is going to start acting differently and alerting Darnell. We know there’s a leak and someone is feeding Darnell information. This way we could find out who.”
“So this person wouldn’t be known to anyone in Madisyn’s family? How’s he or she going to protect her if she’s not inside the house? What happens if Darnell gets inside?”
“It won’t happen,” Chase said confidently.
“How can you assure me of that?”
“Have I ever led you down the wrong path?”
“No, man, you have never led me wrong. This ghost stuff is new to me. I mean, how will I know they’re doing their job?”
Chase chuckled. “I guess you’re just going to have to trust that I know what I’m talking about. I’ve used this company a few times over the years. They’re always on the money and no one ever knows.”
“How?”
“Remember about
two years ago when that girl tried to blackmail you, saying that she was pregnant with your baby?”
Aidan had almost forgotten about Michelle, his last slip in judgment. “Vividly.”
“She was trying to extort money from you, saying she needed it for an abortion,” Chase supplied. “Then she suddenly stopped harassing you.”
“Yeah, she said it was a mistake.”
“It was a mistake, all right. I had a ghost following her and got the information I needed. She was pregnant, but it wasn’t your baby.”
Aidan was stunned. Chase to the rescue again. “Man. I had no idea. I don’t pay you enough.”
“Sure you do. This makes up for all the other times when your life is sooo boring. I’ll get working on security for both Madisyn and Megan and will let you know.”
Aidan knew both Madisyn and Megan would be in good hands. “I still have the detective searching for Darnell. He’s taking an extended leave from his job, so he’s not there or at his condo. I’m looking into some of his lady friends.”
“He’s slick, Aidan. You need to be careful, too. I’m surprised he hasn’t outted you to the press. That would help his cause.”
Aidan knew why Darnell hadn’t run to the media. He couldn’t take the chance of his bosses realizing that he was not with Madisyn. “It’s probably just a man thang.”
CHAPTER 17
Thursday evening, Madisyn just wanted some alone time. With Mike playing chauffeur she didn’t have the option of solitude on the drive to and from work. Usually, she’d spend Thursday evenings reading or preparing for her Sunday school class, but instead she was waiting for the changing of the guard.
Mike sat on the couch as Madisyn prepared for Aidan’s visit. Supposedly, they were going to go over the budget for Mature Alliance and discuss plans for the grand opening. She didn’t even have luxury of going shopping for dinner. Aidan had promised to pick something up for them. She sighed, just wishing this whole mess with Darnell was already over. Madisyn wanted her life back.
