Ruin Me (Savage Bosses)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

M adison

“Why are you refusing to come home with me?” My mother stood beside the bed I shared with Kent. “Don’t you know the emotional trauma your father and I have suffered? To think a serial killer is after you because Kent doesn’t know how to channel his grief into healthier endeavors.”

My relationship was no longer a secret from my parents. Even as a fixer, there was no avoiding my mom and dad discovering who my mystery man was. In the hospital, Kent refused to leave my side after our near miss on the railroad tracks, much to my mother’s dismay. As the hospital staff checked me out, they got into a heated argument.

There went any hope of my mom giving Kent a fair shot. We would have to win her over the hard way.

“Mommy, Kent saved my life.”

“Your life wouldn’t have needed saving if he didn’t endanger it to begin with.” She fluffed a pillow that she’d fluffed two times already. “And I’d like to remind you, they haven’t caught that Carol woman, so your life is still in danger.”

“And Kent has already gone overboard to make sure I have protection.” I pointed to the man standing by the door.

Not only had Kent insisted on a bodyguard, but he also hired a company called Connors Elite Security Professionals. They were based in Bourbon, Texas, and they would supply a constant rotation of six guards. I would never be alone and vulnerable to attack again. After Carol, I gladly agreed to my new babysitters. I’d rather be watched and alive than alone and dead.

“Acting after the fact doesn’t soften me up one bit.”

“I love him.” The simple words stopped my mother’s next gripe. “And right now, he isn’t taking what happened well. He came too close to watching me die in front of his eyes, and it brought up a lot of pain from when Oyinlola died. So, I’m not sorry that I won’t be moving back with you.”

Defeated, my mother plopped beside me and took my hand in hers. “You had to use the dead wife card to make me feel like a heel, didn’t you? You are just like your father.”

I shrugged. I’d use whatever weapon I had to make her back off Kent.

“Are you sure it’s love?”

“Ever since high school,” I admitted.

“Well, hell.”

I patted her hand as she came to grips with the news.

“Are you ready for lunch?” Kent entered the room with a food tray. “I had Omar pick up food for everyone from Kori’s Food Truck.” He stared at my mom. “The food is on the dining table if you’re hungry.”

“I’ll take that as my cue to leave you two.”

I swung my feet over the bed. “I could have joined you. The doctor didn’t say I needed bedrest.”

“He didn’t, but I do.” Kent settled the tray on the nightstand, then kissed my forehead. As if he didn’t believe his eyes, his gaze roamed over me until it landed on the bruise on my neck.

I raised my hand to cover the evidence of my attack that Carol left behind.

He grabbed me before I could hide it. “I promise you I’ll make her pay.” He slid behind me and settled me in his arms. “Until then, let me take care of you.” He speared a piece of fried chicken and held the fork to my lips.

I rolled my eyes at his recent clinginess, but inside I loved the attention he lavished on me. After lunch, we remained in each other’s arms, soaking in the reality that we’d both survived something horrific.

As I was about to drift off, my father knocked on the door. “Maddy, there are two detectives here to see you.”

Detective Salinas walked in before Kent or I consented. My new bodyguard blocked him from getting too far into the room.

“Elijah, escort him to the den, please. We’ll be right behind you.” Kent rose and held his hand out to assist me out of bed.

Everyone, including my mother, was inside the den by the time Kent and I entered. The detective was trying to remove everyone, but Nikita Montgomery wasn’t having it.

“As Madison’s legal representation, I’m staying. And don’t for once think I don’t know about your reputation. I’ve worked with Douglas PD long enough to know how you operate with live victims. You waste time trying to blame them before you get to the job of doing your job.”

“Ma’am, I’m here to follow up on your daughter’s statement. I promise, we at the department are doing everything we can to catch Carol. The mayor has also expressed his interest in the progress of this case.” A flush suffused Salinas’ neck. He cleared his throat. “But there is one thing that makes no sense.”

“And what would that be?” I asked, taking a seat beside my mother. Kent sat on my other side and held my hand, much to my father’s chagrin. I sent my dad a conciliatory wink.

“In your statement, you said the car Mr. Luxe found you in didn’t belong to you, and it wasn’t the vehicle you used when you left the office.”

“That’s correct.”

“Why are you asking her this? You found her car abandoned at a salvage yard about to be compacted.” Kent’s fingers tightened around mine until I rubbed soothing circles around his knuckles.

“The issue is Carol’s weight. From her license, we know she’s 110 pounds. Do you see our dilemma?” Salinas eyed me as if not coming out and saying the difference between her weight and mine was more respectful than his innuendo-laden voice.

“How shitty can you be at your job?” Kent’s outburst brought everyone’s attention to him. “Carol obviously has an accomplice. If you recall, Omar saw a man standing over Elsie. Whoever he is must have helped her transfer Madison to the other car.”

“Have you tried reaching out to her boyfriend?” I asked.

“The problem is, no one who knows her has ever heard of a boyfriend. Right now, she’s in hiding and we have no clues about who was working with her. So far, we’ve sent her photo to all the local and national news stations, but no one has called in with information.”

“You should talk to the head of my human resources department. Deke was her date for a charity ball I attended,” Kent said.

“I’ll have my partner check him out. In the meantime, Carol’s partner remains a mystery. With Ms. Montgomery being the only witness to identify her, you’re in more danger than you were before.”

Kent folded me into his arms. “Don’t fear, little bunny. I won’t let anyone get close enough to hurt you ever again.”

Although the threat of Carol and her mysterious accomplice loomed above us, I took comfort in Kent’s conviction. He’d risked his life to save me. He wasn’t going anywhere, and I was damn sure going to stay by his side.

The name on my caller ID an hour later put my vow to the test.

Kent glanced at me, a question in his gaze.

I waved him off and took my phone to the study before the person at the other end disconnected. I sat on the floor, hugging my legs to my chest before taking a deep breath and pushing the green phone icon.

“Hey, Ife,” I injected as much enthusiasm in my voice to cover the guilt eating me alive.

“Don’t ‘Hey, Ife,’ me. How could you not tell me someone attacked you? Instead of hearing from you, I read about the danger you were in from an online Douglas Times article. I thought we were friends.”

The hurt in Ife’s voice doubled the weight of my guilt.

“Ife, things have been pretty hectic. I just didn’t have a chance. You know I would have called.” The lie slipped smoothly from my lips.

As a crisis manager, I was a professional liar; I was damn good at my job. But with Ife, I only ever lied to her about one subject. Her father. Since my attack had everything to do with her father, I had to keep the details vague.

“You promise?” She asked, amid shuffling sounds in the background.

“Of course… Ife, what’s all that noise?”

She paused, long enough to make me suspicious. “Noise? I don’t hear anything.”

“Ha! Don’t try me. You know I know when you’re lying better than anybody.”

“There’s no… fine, I’m packing.”

Panic and terror filled my veins. I swallowed twice before I managed a moderate tone. “Oh? Where are you going?”

“I’m coming to see you, silly. Someone attacked you,” her voice wobbled and she sniffed. “And if not for me, you would be safe in your apartment in D.C.”

“Ife, you are not at fault for other people’s actions. There’s no need for you to come running over here to look after me. Mom and Dad have me covered.” So did your dad, but I wasn’t going to say that.

Ife puffed out a disappointed breath. “Yeah, I forgot you finally have your mom and dad with you. How does it feel living under their roof again?”

“I don’t know, Mom and Dad have rolled out the red carpet and being here feels a little surreal. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but their constant need to pamper me makes me kind of want to be a kid again.” I forced a giggle.

“I totally get that. Dad can’t spoil me enough whenever I visit.”

“True, but be honest, everyone caters to you. Your Insta is full of Ekele doing everything for you. He even took you to Nigeria to meet your mother’s side of the family and introduce you to his.”

“He did do that.”

Her trip to her mother’s homeland was nine months ago and she was excited upon her return. Up to six months ago she raved about Ekele’s consideration and romantic gestures, but the lack of enthusiasm in her voice today warned me things weren’t going well.

“Did something happen between you two?”

“I didn’t call to talk about me.” She injected fresh energy into her voice. “I need proof of life to reassure myself you aren’t being held captive somewhere.”

“Girl, please. If I were, would we be having this conversation right now?”

“What if you’re an AI voice meant to deceive me?”

“Ife—”

“Maybe I do need to fly over?—”

“Okay, okay.” I rush over to the sliding glass door in the study because I wasn’t sure if Ife knew the penthouse’s design. When she switched the call to video, I accepted and made sure the camera pointed away from the building.

“You aren’t at home?” Ife pushed her long hair from her face as she peered through her glasses toward the room’s backdrop.

Thinking quickly, I made up an excuse. “No, Mom and Dad treated me to a spa day and a night at your dad’s hotel.” I crossed my fingers and hoped she didn’t compare the small bit of skyline with one of the views from her father’s hotel.

She eyed me up and down, and her smile fell. She pointed toward my neck. “She did that to you?”

I raised my hand to cover the bruise.

“There’s no sense in hiding it now. I’ve seen it. And covering it up pretty much confirms she did it.” Ife nibbled her lip. “Are there any leads?”

“Not yet, and honestly, I don’t have too much faith in the police. I think they want to believe your father’s capable of murder.”

Ife’s brow wrinkled. “Does this mean you’re coming back home and handing off Dad to another company?”

Even if I weren’t in love with the man, I wouldn’t abandon a client in need. Not to mention D.C. felt less and less like home the longer I stayed in Douglas. I was falling in love with my hometown again, and would have serious qualms about leaving when I settled everything.

I think Kent has strong opinions on where you lay your head after everything is said and done.

I shook my head, not needing Kent and his intentions to confuse me while I had Ife on the phone scrutinizing everything about me.

“I thought you knew me better. Even if he weren’t related to you, I wouldn’t leave your dad in the lurch. I believe in him and if I can make those asshole detectives eat shit, I’m going to.” I grinned until the frown lines cleared from Ife’s face.

“You’re right. And I can’t thank you enough for being in my dad’s corner. He’s got a lot of business acquaintances, but I never trust if they’re there for him out of a genuine sense of loyalty or they’re looking to use him to enrich themselves.”

“I get that. His circle is no more or less superficial than the ones in D.C.”

“Which is why you don’t see me rubbing shoulders with this heauxs.”

“Ife, stop lying. All Ekele does is court that circle, and I’ve seen you by his side for many of those hoity-toity events.”

“That’s different, and how did we get off the subject of you again?”

“You have main character syndrome and can’t help yourself?” I smirked into the phone.

Ife rolled her eyes, and the second of darkness I thought I saw overcome her features as she spoke about D.C. disappeared. “If you don’t want me to visit, the least I can do is send you a care package. What do you want?”

I sighed. “Have I told you, you are the bestest friend in the world?”

“I mean, there’s no maximum of times you can tell me.”

“Of course there isn’t.” I snapped my fingers. “How about I send you all the Douglas stuff we used to binge during our sleepovers? I’ll even add a few adult goodies to the box.”

“You are speaking my language.”

“Does this mean you believe I’m who I say I am and not an AI version of me?”

Ife closed in on the screen, in and out a few times with her eyebrow raised as if attempting to analyze every pixel on her phone. She eventually settled with the phone at a regular distance from her face. “Honestly, as long as I get my care package, I’d accept Mads.AI as my next best friend.”

“That’s cold.”

“You know I’m spoiled. If I’m not going to get it from you, I’ll?—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Her airy energy shifted. “But seriously, Mads, you know I’ll be there for you in an instant if you need me.”

“Same here bestie.”

We hung up, and my shoulders slumped. Keeping up the lighthearted act was more taxing than I expected because it was Ife on the other end of my conversation.

I strolled into the study to find Kent waiting on me. “You heard?”

“Not everything, but I can guess you didn’t tell her about us.”

I shook my head.

“We have to tell her, eventually.” Kent pulled me into his arms.

As his heat permeated through me, I realized I’d been shivering from being outside.

“I know.” I pulled my head back to stare into his concerned face. “But can we deal with one crisis before tackling another?”

Because no matter how many reassurances Kent gave, I didn’t want to lose Ife. She was more than my best friend. She was there to help me pick up the pieces of my life even when she didn’t know her father had broken me. She was my hand when mine were tied, my voice when I couldn’t speak, and my favorite sweater when nothing but harsh wind cut through me.

And as I greedily soaked up Kent’s affection, I remained more gluttonous. Because even as I knew my relationship with her father would destroy everything, I would hold off losing her until I had no other choice.