Matthew woke with unbearable chest pain and had no choice but to call Dr. Michaelson. While he was waiting for the doctor to arrive, Matthew sat in his office to try to get some work done. David had secured a deal with a certain congressman who had promised to see things David’s way regarding the upcoming vote on corporate bailouts and pay raises for public servants who didn’t do much for the public. In exchange, the congressman wouldn’t have to worry about exposure to the public, and his wife, of his addiction to and particular fetish with Matthew’s girls. Since this had been taking place in Matthew’s territory, it was up to him to get everything in order and prepare for a meeting with the congressman later in the week. He wasn’t going to let a little bit of chest pain stop him from anything.
When Matthew’s phone rang, he was surprised to hear Jack Lawrence’s voice on the other end. Jack didn’t like Matthew and wouldn’t call if it could be avoided. “You have a problem, Matthew. Mack Finley.”
Matthew had completely forgotten about Finley since his arrest. “What about him?”
“He’s talking about turning state’s evidence. He’s scheduled to talk with the FBI later this week.” To Matthew’s ears, it almost sounded like Jack was laughing. “I’ll also trust you to mention it to David, if and when the time comes that you need to.”
With that, Jack hung up, leaving Matthew to listen to dead air. Matthew had to take care of Finley and he had to do it in a hurry. The pain in his chest started to increase and he sat back in his chair, taking deep breaths, trying to calm down.
“Where the hell is Michaelson?” he said to nobody in particular just as Crescent walked into the office.
Crescent took one look at Matthew and knew something was wrong. “What is it?”
“We have a problem.”
Crescent listened closely as Matthew relayed his conversation with Jack. “I’ll call and get the plane ready. After the doctor clears you for flight, we will leave.”
“Matthew,” Elias approached the underboss and began digging his stethoscope out of his bag, “how long were you having dizziness and pain before you called me?”
“What took you so long?” Matthew asked.
Ignoring the question, Elias gave Matthew a quick examination and packed his instruments back in his bag. He then gave Matthew a stern look. “Are you taking your medication regularly?”
Matthew gave an irritated nod. “Yes.”
“Are you doing your best to keep your stress levels low?”
“Well, I was,” Matthew said with irritation, “but I just got a phone call that wasn’t good news. Don’t look at me like that. Either of you. I’m not too old to forget how to take care of myself. I take my medication and have been trying to keep my blood from boiling. Today just isn’t a good day.”
Crescent turned to the doctor. “Can he fly?”
Dr. Michaelson let out a scoffing laugh. “You’re not serious, are you? No, he can’t fly. Not right now, anyway. I will need to run some tests. I’m not going to let him get on a plane and risk a heart attack or worse.”
Crescent turned to Matthew, who wasn’t doing a very good job at hiding his anger and frustration. “I’ll make sure the problem is taken care of.”
Matthew didn’t have a choice. He would not be going to New Orleans to see Mack Finley, but he trusted Crescent to do what needed to be done.
Dr. Michaelson interrupted Matthew’s thoughts. “If you want to join Mr. Crescent on his errand, you will need to get the tests done right now.”
When Elias discovered that Matthew hadn’t eaten a substantial meal since yesterday morning, he told Matthew that he would be coming back to the office with a tray of food. “If you won’t eat it voluntarily, I’ll force it down your throat.”
With Crescent off arranging the flight and the doctor getting him food, Matthew was enjoying the peace and quiet of a brief babysitting reprieve until he heard the door to the office lobby open and footsteps approaching. He groaned in exasperation.
Madeline leaned against the door, affecting disappointment. “Matthew, you hurt me when you don’t seem happy to see me.”
He had to wonder if his day could get any worse as she floated into his office with a flirtatious, teasing grin on her face. She took a seat in front of his desk, slowly crossed her legs in a skirt that wasn’t too short, but showed a lot of leg, and smiled at him.
A plane ride may not give me a heart attack, he thought, but she might.
They stared at each other in silence for a few moments, the grin never leaving her face, and the scowl never leaving his.
“What do you want, Madeline?”
Her temperament went from flirty to serious, her face hard and determined. “The contract in Atlantic City. My patience has thinned and it’s time we discussed it again. You promised me forty percent and I haven’t heard a word. You stole business from me, Matthew, and I won’t stand for it. You said you would make a phone call. I’m here to make sure that phone call is made.”
Matthew gave her a look of surprise. She had never been demanding like this with him before and he didn’t like it. “You want me to call right now?”
“Yes, because I’m not going anywhere until you do. Besides, you wouldn’t be losing much. Only sixty percent.”
His eyes widened in surprise and he let out a laugh. “Sixty percent? Are you out of your mind? What makes you think I would give you sixty percent?”
She rose from her chair and stood behind him, hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them. Her touch sent electricity through him and he tried to ignore it, yet he didn’t make any move to avoid her touch.
“Oh, Matthew,” she said sweetly. “Why do we do this? Don’t you ever get tired of the cat and mouse game that we play? It’s tiresome, don’t you think? The sexual tension between us is so thick you couldn’t cut it with a chainsaw. But we have done nothing over the years to relieve that tension, instead, we banter back and forth—me making blatant advances on you and you pretending you’re not interested. While I do enjoy the game, I can tell you don’t quite know what to do about it, so I have an alternate offer for you to consider.”
Matthew was having a hard time ignoring her touch, and tried to keep an even voice. “An alternate offer?”
“We each have something the other wants. You call the casino and revise the contract and we will both get what we want. In fact, now that I think about it, sixty percent really isn’t acceptable.” She tightened her grip on his shoulders. “I want the whole thing.”
Matthew shifted in his seat to break Madeline’s touch, and would have jumped out of his chair if he wasn’t currently burdened with sexual desire and a painful ticker in his chest. He turned and stared at her with disbelief. “You are out of your mind! Who in the hell do you think you are?”
Madeline kneeled in front of Matthew, put her hands on his thighs, and slowly moved them up his legs as she spoke, her voice silky. “I think you’ll do it, Matthew. In fact, I know you’ll do it.”
Matthew grabbed Madeline’s wrists and squeezed, forcibly stopping her hands from advancing further up his legs. His desire was gone and he glared at her, his anger reaching its peak as he stood and raised her off the floor. “I don’t want what you have to offer, Madeline.”
“Oh, I think you do.”
Matthew scoffed. “What could you possibly have that I would want?”
“I received an interesting telephone call last night, Matthew.” Madeline leaned in close enough to kiss him, her grin never disappearing. In a satisfied, triumphant tone, she looked him in the eye and told him, “I know where your daughter is.”
***
Outside the door, Dr. Michaelson, carrying Matthew’s tray of food, held his breath and prayed nobody else came in the room.