6. John

6

JOHN

Her brother’s a piece of work. He was never around much when Madison was growing up, but that’s not saying much because we didn’t see much of her mom and dad either. Madison spent most of her time at our house.

“I’m begging you, Ethan. You can’t stay here. I don’t know how tomorrow is going to go, and it would be better if you weren’t here.”

Ethan takes a drag off the cigarette in his hand. He doesn’t even look bothered that he dragged his sister all the way here. Surely he knows who Baron is. “You brought the money, right?”

Madison jerks almost as if she’s been smacked or something. She starts to stutter. “I mean yeah, Ethan. I brought my life savings. Twenty thousand dollars.”

He flicks the cigarette on the ground and stomps it with his foot. “Well, we’re good then. We won’t have a problem.”

I’m on high alert and have been since we pulled into the neighborhood. When we got here, Ethan didn’t ask us to come in, and I can’t say I’m unhappy about it. I probably would have had to put my foot down on that. Madison doesn’t belong in a crack house, and I’m pretty sure that’s what this is.

I put my hand on the small of Madison’s back. She leans back into my touch, accepting the comfort I’m trying to offer her. I know this is hard for her to see her brother like this. It’s midday, and he’s already strung out.

Madison snaps her fingers in front of Ethan’s face. “Ethan!! Earth to Ethan. What are you even thinking?” She starts to whisper loudly. “Baron is with the Colombian cartel. What do you think is going to happen? You think I’ll pay him tomorrow and he’s just going to leave you alone?”

“He’ll have most of his money, he won’t—" Ethan starts, and Madison gasps. I put my hands on Madison’s shoulders and pull her against me.

I’m staring over her head at her brother. I’ve tried to stay out of it, but I’m butting in now. “What do you mean he’ll have most of his money? How much do you owe him?”

Ethan won’t look at me. He’s still watching his sister and doesn’t seem bothered in the least. He shrugs his shoulders. “Fifty thousand... but I told him that you would bring him twenty thousand and he said he’d figure out a way to get the rest. See... no big deal. He seemed fine with it.”

I step around Madison, and with her hand in mine, I keep her behind me. I swear if she wasn’t here, I’d give her brother a lesson on being a man. “Ethan, listen to me and listen good. You brought your sister here. You arranged for her to give Baron the money. He plans on getting the rest of the payment from her.”

Ethan finally looks at me, but he doesn’t seem to understand. I grit my teeth. “Not only is Baron into dealing drugs, but also human trafficking.”

I see the understanding in his eyes, but there’s absolutely no remorse, no fear, nothing. He doesn’t care. I step to the side. I hate to do it, but Madison needs to see. Her voice is hurt-filled. “You don’t care, do you, Ethan? You don’t care what happens to me.”

Ethan laughs. “Of course, I do.”

He lifts a shaky hand and lights another cigarette, completely unfazed.

Madison steps toward him, and I go with her. I wish I could say her brother wouldn’t hurt her, but I’m not so sure of that. She goes toe to toe with him. “Ethan, I’m going to take care of this tomorrow and then I’m going back to Whiskey Run. Don’t call me again unless it’s from a treatment facility. I can’t do this anymore. I love you and I’ll always love you, but I can’t...” She breaks off and starts to sob. “I can’t watch you kill yourself.”

I put my arm around her and walk her the few feet to the car. I help her in and shut the door before walking back to Ethan. He must notice the look on my face because for the first time, he seems worried and takes a step back when I stop in front of him.

My voice is low but deadly. He’ll not mistake what I’m telling him. “Okay, look, Ethan. That woman loves you, and she means a lot to me. I’m going to take care of this tomorrow but I promise you she won’t help you again... not unless you’re ready to get help. Because no matter how much she wants to save you... I’m not going to let her keep doing this to herself. I won’t ever stand by and let someone hurt her.” I pause and let the words sink in. “Do you understand me?” I demand.

He nods, but I grab the front of his shirt. “Say it.”

He doesn’t even try to pull away. “I understand.”

I toss him from me and turn, seething. I’ve never wanted to punch someone so much in my life. How could he do this to Madison? And it’s not like she can just walk away now. No, Baron will now come to her for payment... and I’m not going to let that happen.

I get into the rental car and pull out of the street. She’s quiet, but at least she’s not crying anymore. Which is good. I can’t handle a crying woman anyway, but Madison crying is a whole new ballgame for me. It makes me want to kill someone.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

She starts to laugh, and I look over at her in shock, which makes her laugh even harder. She’s got a very unique laugh. Jenna always said it was like a hyena, which would always make Madison laugh even harder. I drive back toward the hotel, and when she finally gets her laughing under control, she answers me while looking out the window. “Yeah, I’m okay. I mean, it sounds like my brother brought me here to not only turn over my savings but it sounds like this Baron may want more than just money from me.”

“He won’t get it.” I reach across the console and grab her hand, pulling it to my thigh. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Madison. You have to know that.”

I pull into a Mexican restaurant that I remembered passing earlier. She looks at the sign and then back at me. “Are you hungry?”

“Not really. But we have to eat.”

I don’t even wait for her to agree. I get out and jog around the car to help her out.

We’re seated almost immediately, and our drinks and chips and salsa arrive just as we’re putting our food order in. “Talk to me,” I tell her. She’s so quiet, and that’s not the Madison I know. The Madison I know is fierce, and nothing gets her down.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry, John. I shouldn’t have gotten you involved in this.”

“You didn’t. Remember, you didn’t even tell us what’s going on. I sort of ambushed you.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you did. Can you imagine if I just rolled up there tomorrow and didn’t know all this? So what should I do?”

Surprised by the question, I sit back. I know Madison, and she’s not going to like what I have to say. “You are not going to do anything.”

She puts her hands on the table and looks at me with wide eyes. “I have to... you said it yourself. He’ll kill him.”

I reach across the table and grab both her hands to hold them in mine. “Madison, I can’t force your brother into rehab. I would if I could. But what I can do is protect you. You can’t go tomorrow.”

She stubbornly shakes her head. “I’m going.”

“Madison...”

She pulls her hands back. “No, John, look. I’m going. I’m going to pay him the money, and I’m going to figure out a way to get him the rest. I need you to let me do this.”

I start to laugh because how could I not, which makes her even madder. I stop laughing when the server brings out our food. I take a bite and point at her plate. “Eat up.”

She grabs the fork and pokes at the chicken and vegetables. “I’m doing it.”

I smirk and put a piece of steak in my mouth. “No you’re not.”

“I’m doing it, and it would be a lot easier if you’d just quit being stubborn and give me some tips on what I should do when I get there.”

That makes me stop. I lean forward. “Wait... you think I’d let you go by yourself?”

She puts another forkful in her mouth and nods. “Yeah.”

I just shake my head. “You have no idea, do you?”

She looks at me curiously. “What do you mean?”

How could she not know? Does she really think I’d let her go alone? I know I tried to hide my feelings for her, but fuck, she should at least know I care about her. “Madison, I’ll be going with you tomorrow.”

She does stop eating then. She swallows the food in her mouth and points her fork at me. “Oh no, you are definitely not going with me tomorrow. Jenna would never forgive me if something happened to you. Hell, John, I would never forgive myself. You’re definitely not going.”

Madison is stubborn, and I know that look on her face. There’s no changing her mind on this. It looks like I’ll just have to do things without her knowing about it. “You’d miss me, wouldn’t you? Just say it,” I tell her, switching over to flirting with her—hell, anything to get her mind off tomorrow.

She takes the bait and rolls her eyes. “Whatever. I swear your head is so big.”

I can’t resist. “That’s not the only thing that’s big.”

She just took a drink of water, and she starts to choke, sputtering the liquid all down the front of her. Her eyes are big, shocked that I would say something like that to her. I am too, really. I’ve never allowed myself to talk to her like that, even though any time I’ve been around her lately that’s all that’s been on my mind... straight-up filth.