LOGIN••~~MADDISON~~••The building was too quiet.Ever since Corian bought the whole damn place for me, it felt strange not hearing Jake next door sawing again, or Martha slinging pans as she cooked for her four kids, or Sam moaning endlessly with her sex obsessed boyfriend.It was just quiet.And aside from the fact that I hated that he was stealing my independence… etching himself into different parts of my life… I had to admit I appreciated the silence. The music, the stillness, the mood… painting had never felt better.It drowned out everything.Ms. Blake and her words… I needed to come up with half my tuition or I am gone for good. Sure, I had the store now, but no money to fill it up, much less sell anything.And then there was Chad… suddenly acting like he was my parachute.Damn. He was so creepy today.Even I had never seen that side to him before.He was so dreadful of Corian.I wondered what he’d do if he knew just how far I had gone with his father. I h
••~~ MADDISON~~••"You think he’s helping you because of your talent?” Chad continued, lowering his voice. “You think he believes in you? He doesn’t. He’s only doing this because of me.”“You think he knows about… us?” My heart raced with the thought.Corian hated talking about his family, but if he’d found out Chad and I were a thing, he would’ve raised hell. I could already picture that calm, lethal stare he gave when Chad almost hugged me.He certainly won’t be renewing our contract.Chad scoffed. “Well my father and I aren't close and I am not going to tell my dad you are my girlfriend… it’ll only make him spite me even more.”I almost laughed. “I am not your girlfriend anymore, Chad.”He was so wrong, so far off it was ridiculous.“And spiteful just isn’t a word I would use to describe your father,” I said.He’s much too advanced for that. And whatever this was between us… it wasn’t about Chad.“Fine.” He leaned forward. “Then tell me… how did you two meet?”I
••~~MADDISON~~••“Look at you getting all pink over him…” Sydney teased, eyes glinting like she’d just caught me red-handed.“I am not. I am not getting pink over him,” I said quickly, shrugging like it would somehow make me less obvious. My face was definitely red as a tomato right now. “It’s the temperature in here.”Sydney gave this slow, mocking nod. “Of course it is.”We both cracked up, laughter echoing through Dad’s empty studio… the only thing keeping the air from feeling too weird after that call. She knew me too well, and I hated it. The more I denied, the more she read me like a children’s book.I’d just hung up on Corian Van Halen… billionaire, problem, itch, whatever you want to call him… and already my brain was doing laps, trying to forget how deep his voice had sounded when he said my name and how dark his eyes must have gone when I called him an “itch”.Ausley walked in then, all clean suit and calm tone, clearing the last of the white roses fr
••~~MADDISON~~••“Look at you getting all pink over him…” Sydney teased, eyes glinting like she’d just caught me red-handed.“I am not. I am not getting pink over him,” I said quickly, shrugging like it would somehow make me less obvious. My face was definitely red as a tomato right now. “It’s the temperature in here.”Sydney gave this slow, mocking nod. “Of course it is.”We both cracked up, laughter echoing through Dad’s empty studio… the only thing keeping the air from feeling too weird after that call. She knew me too well, and I hated it. The more I denied, the more she read me like a children’s book.I’d just hung up on Corian Van Halen… billionaire, problem, itch, whatever you want to call him… and already my brain was doing laps, trying to forget how deep his voice had sounded when he said my name and how dark his eyes must have gone when I called him an “itch”.Ausley walked in then, all clean suit and calm tone, clearing the last of the white roses fr
••~~CORIAN~~••I stifled a groan, signaling Rocky to gag the bastard before moving a few steps away from the interrogation chair. The man was wrecked… slumped, leaking blood like a broken tap.I scratched at my beard, watching the crimson drip hit the concrete.“Sorting security distress.”Rocky shot me a look… that you really just said that while she’s on the phone? look. I didn’t entertain it.“Look at you sharing information… that wasn’t so hard, was it?” she said, smug as hell.“Oh, you’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”She snickered soft. “Maybe a little.”“Well enjoy it while it lasts… Tiger.”A pause. Then her tone softened, “Thank you, Mr. Van Halen, for sorting my housing issues and also for acquiring my Dad’s studio… although, if you’re going to send men to work, I’d appreciate the heads up…”Of course she was going to fight me.That pouty smart mouth of hers… I could see it even with my eyes closed.The things I wanted to do with that mouth weren’t
••~~CORIAN~~••“You should have talked to me…. Now look… you invited Trojan.” Rocky, bounding off the hostage, said as he caught me at the door.He shook his head and spat. His hands were still wet from working the baldie over. He leaned on the light stand, breathing hard.“Please please I swear… I don’t know shit.” The bald man who was tied screeched as I approached him in the abandoned warehouse.He screamed until his throat was raw. He twisted in the ropes and pulled at the gag. Blood ran from his lip and mixed with sweat. His eyes kept finding mine and sliding away.Rocky had been on him. The gashes on the man’s face said it plain. But if Rocky hadn’t pulled the truth out yet, then Rocky hadn’t been merciless enough.I inched closer as his terrified screams filled the room. He cried like a terrified little baby because he knew damn well who I was.Sure, the Pit was down… but everyone knew Trojan… I was fucking merciless. I leaned down, inhaling the stench







