“Maddie?”
Maddie started and looked up. A stocky man with dark blond hair tangled on his head stood in the doorway, giving her a strange look. Maddie realized she had been looking at the screen of her laptop for a while but hadn’t been really seeing anything.
She sat up, her mind taking a moment to figure out who was in the doorway.
“Jeremy.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Maddie managed a bright smile and sat up. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” Jeremy Lyman, president of the Broken Hounds MC, entered the office cautiously. “You don’t look fine.”
Maddie knew she didn’t. Ever since she had found the man she had slept with the night before was the same person who had relentlessly tormented her in high school, she hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything. Maddie felt like she had betrayed herself; it was Drake all over again.
Why did the best sex of her life have to be with the worst person on the planet?
“It’s just been a long day.” She rubbed at her eyes and gave her laptop a scowl. “The numbers are starting to run together.”
Jeremy’s expression was sympathetic. Her older brother was her world, ever since their father had died shortly before Jeremy tried for the presidency. She adored him, and they normally didn’t keep secrets.
If he found out what she had done with Jace, someone he’d had a grudge with for so many years, Maddie didn’t know what Jeremy would do.
“Is the migraine still there?” Jeremy asked, coming around the desk.
It took a moment for Maddie to realize what he meant. She had forgotten about the migraine story. She nodded.
“You could say that. The painkillers aren’t helping much.” She leant back in the chair and sighed as Jeremy went behind her and started massaging her shoulders. “That feels good.”
“God, sis, you’re done up in knots.”
“I know.” Maddie swallowed, hoping Jeremy wouldn’t be able to see through her lies. “I was up most of the night with it.”
She was up most of the night with something, but it wasn’t a migraine. Jace had certainly kept her busy. Now Maddie wished she hadn’t accepted his offer of a drink.
“Well, you have an early night tonight,” Jeremy ordered, “Or you’re going to be struggling.”
Maddie rolled her eyes.
“Yes, Dad. Ouch!” She winced as Jeremy swatted her head. “Don’t do that, Jez!”
“Then don’t be cheeky.”
Jeremy kissed her head and went to sit on the couch. He was one of those people who was more comfortable wearing basketball shorts and t-shirts, looking like he had come off the court or from the gym. Now Maddie realized he was wearing a suit and he looked very uncomfortable in it. His tie was already loose and his top two buttons were undone. She sat up.
“Where have you been, anyway? I haven’t seen you wear a suit in a while.”
“I was talking to Dane Archer.”
Maddie’s was confused. Dane Archer was the president of the Wild Leopards, the motorcycle gang in Casa Abodes in the north of the city. They were currently in talks about territories, something Maddie didn’t pretend to understand, which Jeremy respected. He didn’t give her the details beyond the basics and Maddie didn’t ask questions.
“I didn’t realize you had a meeting with Dane today. I thought you were seeing him next week.”
“I didn’t have a meeting today. He called me this morning and wanted to see me urgently. Emergency meeting, he said.” Jeremy sighed heavily and rubbed his hands over his face. “From the way things are going, we might have things stalling between us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Someone wearing the Broken Hounds emblem argued with one of his people. Choice words were exchanged, and the Broken Hounds guy threatened Dane’s man.” Jeremy grimaced. “Needless to say, Dane’s not happy.”
Maddie wasn’t surprised. Dane wasn’t a genial man – she would describe him as a gruff individual – but he had always been respectful towards her. But he didn’t let respect slide with anyone.
“Why would any one of Broken Hounds go to their place, though?” she asked. “Casa Abodes is north of us and none of us have a reason to go up there.”
“I have no idea, but Dane’s guy is really insistent that it was one of us.” Jeremy grunted. “I think the man was really high or drunk or both when I spoke to him. But if he is telling the truth, we have a fucking idiot in our gang running around trying to ruin what we’re doing with Wild Leopards.”
“Surely Dane knows this was an isolated incident. He knows we aren’t all that stupid.”
“He hopes it is an isolated incident. And so do I.”
That was when something cold went over Maddie. Casa Abodes was in the north of Tucson, right by the highway coming down from Phoenix. Jace had said he had come from Phoenix at some point during the night, that he had left because of a girl who had got too possessive. They had talked about that in between having sex.
What if he had stopped in Casa Abodes before then? It would be just like Jace to get himself into trouble.
“You…” She braced herself, knowing this wasn’t going to be good once Jeremy found out. “You might want to talk to Jace Howard.”
“What?” Jeremy sat up. “Jace Howard? I didn’t know he was back in Tucson.”
“He got back yesterday.” Maddie glanced up at the ceiling. “He’s got a room upstairs.”
Jeremy’s mouth dropped open. Then it closed, and he scowled, narrowing his eyes at his sister.
“How did I not know about this?” he demanded.
“I would’ve thought Schuman would say something. They were in the hall when I saw them earlier.”
“And where is he now?”
“No idea. I got him running errands to keep himself occupied.” Maddie shrugged when Jeremy raised his eyebrows. “I told him, if he is staying here, he has to do as I say and, if he doesn’t like it, he can leave.”
Jeremy smirked.
“Good girl. You would do that.” Then he frowned. “And you think Jace might have been the one to piss this guy off?”
“He came down from Phoenix.” Maddie frowned. “But I’m not sure. He’s not Broken Hounds anymore but I wouldn’t put past him to say otherwise so they couldn’t track him. He did know how to piss people off.”
Maddie knew that more than anyone.
Then she realized that Jeremy was looking at her strangely. Did she give something away just then?
“Jez, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Is there something you’re not telling me, Maddie?”
“What do you mean?”
“You had a look on your face that said you’re holding back. And it’s something to do with Jace Howard.” Jeremy sat forward and frowned. “What is it, Maddie? What aren’t you telling me?”
Maddie had told a half-truth to Jace the night before. She could lie to Jeremy over the phone but not face-to-face. He could spot a lie within minutes of it being said. Telling the president of Broken Hounds a lie didn’t bode well for anyone.
She swallowed hard.
“He used to bully me at school. Psychologically, nothing else. He was the reason I came home in tears.”
Maddie saw when the penny dropped in Jeremy’s mind. His face went from startled to confused and then to anger.
“What?” He stood suddenly with a bellow. “And you never bothered to tell me?”
Maddie flinched. She had seen Jeremy angry but never directed at her. She shrank back in her chair
“I thought I could handle him,” she whimpered. “And you and Dad would’ve said I need to toughen up and deal with him myself.”
“Would I have said that?”
“Yes, and you know it.”
Jeremy looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. He began to pace.
“Where is Howard now?”
“I told you, I don’t know.” Maddie glanced upwards. “But if he’s going to be anywhere, it would be in his room.”
Jeremy growled.
“Right.”
He started towards the door. Maddie stood and hurried after him.
“Where are you going, Jez?”
“I’m going to have a word with Howard. Let him know where we stand.”
Maddie whimpered. She hated Jace but, if Jeremy got his hands on him…
“Don’t worry, Maddie, I’m not going to hurt him.” Jeremy’s expression darkened. “Yet.”
He stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Maddie ran her hands through her hair and tried to calm down. She felt like a complete nervous wreck.
Why did she have such a bad track record with men? Couldn’t she find a nice, decent lawyer for once in her life.
But Maddie knew nice and decent wouldn’t sit with her life at all.