Honey Trap

Twenty Two

Maddox's home felt empty.

I spent most of my time in his home alone. For the first week, he didn't want me to return to work. I needed time to recover, he'd said, and I listened, afraid of the alternative. Although I didn't have much in my apartment with Nikolai, there was a warmth to the apartment that Maddox's home didn't have. It was too empty. I spent much of my time staring at the wall and listening to the clock tick. I had an unnerving feeling that Nikolai—or worse—Alexei, would show up unannounced to make due on all their promises of repercussions.

After the second week, Maddox allowed me to return to work. I wouldn't call it working, really. Most of my and Maddox's time was spent with secretive glances and makeout sessions that cut into his meeting time. I'd heard his advisor lecturing him about the company's loss in revenue since my arrival. Well, his advisor didn't mention me, but I knew the timeline added up. I was impacting Maddox's performance, his company was failing to meet its goals because of my distraction.

Today, however, I didn't have time to worry about that. I'd spent the last three nights losing sleep over what I'd heard, wondering if Maddox would listen to his advisor and cut out all of his distractions. Including me. Today, my worry was distracted by another worry.

Maddox's mother.

Maddox pulled his car into his mother's driveway. I thought that Maddox's home was extravagant and large, but his mothers made him look poor. The driveway to her home was surrounded by metal gates and half a mile long, it led to a home with grand white pillars and a fountain in the center of its cul-de-sac that spewed lavender colored water.

Maddox took the keys from the ignition. "My mother...likes to live in luxury."

I laughed once. "You think?"

He lifted his hands in defense. "Hey, she's not all bad. She has some redeeming qualities."

I rolled my eyes at his half-hearted attempt at easing my nerves. Maddox didn't even like his mother, I knew that to be true from what he'd told me himself. But, she'd heard from Daisy about her son's affair and just had to invite me over for dinner. I knew her type—I'd been raised by her type. That dinner was nothing more than a scare tactic. A warning, if you will, of the power she held over her son and, in turn, me.

Nothing I couldn't handle.

Maybe.

Maddox stepped out of the car and opened my door. He offered me his hand as I climbed out, helping me to my feet and brushing my hair from my eyes. As we reached the steps of his mother's home, she opened the door as if she'd been watching us. She was dressed in a black pantsuit and matching heels, her graying hair pulled back into a tight bun.

She smiled warmly, opening the door wider.

"It's wonderful to see you again," she said to Maddox, who glanced down at me and looked back at his mother.

Maddox nodded, his face stone. "Hello."

His mother eyed me for a moment, a tight smile stretching across her face, collecting wrinkles around her lips and eyes. "And you must be, Isla," she greeted, though she did not offer me the same warmth she had offered Maddox.

"Mrs. Aster," I nodded, reaching out my hand to shake hers. She didn't offer me hers in return.

"Call me Gretchen," she answered, pulling me inside and shutting the door behind me.

I followed her through the house, which was decorated in rich brown and cream colors and then into the kitchen where she set my purse on the counter and turned to me, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms. "So, you're seeing my son?"