Guarded: Sequal to Broken

Twenty

Maddie's POV

"I feel like I'm going to be sick." I whisper, leaning into Sam's side.

"Trust me, the feeling is mutual, sis. Very mutual." Sam breathes out, his eyes darting around the small court room. 

"I don't know if I'm strong enough to look him in the eye again after nine years."

"Maddog, you are strong enough to do anything you choose to. I know that for a fact." Sam smiles small, patting my knee.

"No pressure." I try to laugh.

"Not a bit." Sam nods, his eyes glancing up as someone moves in front of them.

"Good morning, Madison." Howard smiles.

"Howard. How are things looking this morning? The same?" I ask quickly.

"Unfortunately so. The third party has arrived and they have asked to speak to you and, um, and Calum. But I see he isn't with you?"

"It will just be me in this case." I nod, swallowing the emotion of that sentence.

"I can come with you, Mads, if you want." Sam offers quickly.

"Thank you, but I'll be okay. It should just take a minute." I smile, sliding past Sam and following Howard out of the court room and into a small conference room where four people sit waiting.

Without introductions I know who the two ladies watching me intently are, and part of my mind barely believing they are here. I had met the blonde, briefly a few years back, but it hadn't been a great interaction... the other has my eyes, the same eyes I got from my hero...

"Claire? Alice?" I ask to confirm my suspicions, getting nods from both women.

"And this is their lawyer David Robinson." Howard adds, introducing the other man in the room.

"David, ladies, this is Madison Taylor. Now, Andrea would you mind bringing our cases together to an understanding of what the state is going to do today, and also what we can do to help each other?"

"Of course. Please sit, ladies. I take it we are not waiting for Mr. Hood?" Andrea's eyes fall to me.

"He is no longer part of the case or a lot of things for that matter." I bite my lip to stop it from trembling as I answer.

"Very well, is his statement still available for use in our case?"

"Yes. I spoke with him yesterday evening. Despite the personal rift he is still willing to testify if need be in Madison's case defences. His statements are still valid." Howard answers.

"Okay then, so today the state is going to reach a settlement with Mr. Madsen and his lawyers. A political push in the state judicial branch to help addicts get their lives out of jail and back on track is leading to his case being accepted by the state. Meaning they will agree to release him later this afternoon on the pretense that he lives a sober life and has changed his ways. Thanks to Madison's status in the pop culture world, this case could turn the people for or against the law and the state seems to think it will bring people to accept the new proposition for reintroducing sobered addicts to society."

I sit back in my seat, curling my arms around my chest tightly, what I would give to have Calum's warm hand rubbing my knee as I fights off the looming panic attack.

"Our biggest issue is the safety of Madison and her family. Mr. Madsen knows where her grandparents home is in Spokane, as well as an idea of her homes location in LA."

"How vague of an idea?" I ask, picking at the skin around my nails.

"He knows you own an apartment in Studio City, and have been renting it out since moving to Calum's home in the same area. He knows too much."