The Cunning (18+)

23

"You need to have a word with Madison," Adam said as he practically flew into the kitchen, interrupting Jase mid-poker game. "She's getting too big for her boots." Adam relayed how Madison was having an all too friendly chat with the new girls. Jase grumbled and excused himself. He called her from the living room, taking her out of earshot on the stairs.

"Have I done something wrong?" she asked, feigning confusion.

"What are you playing at?" Jase was annoyed at her but it took more to make him angry.

"What do you mean?" Madison replied.

Jase cocked his head, pointing through the wall to where the girls were. "You were talking to the new girls. You know you're not allowed to, so what are you doing? Right in front of Adam as well. You're not stupid, Madison."

She chewed the inside of her cheek, thinking for a moment. "When Lily came into my room, it was more insulting than anything to have her suggest she was my friend. I figured it would sound better coming from someone in the same shoes as them. You know, telling them how to act. Lily does it for her benefit, I'm doing it for theirs." Jase rolled his eyes, grabbing Madison's wrist and pulling her back down the stairs. He looked into the living room, the girls were sort of smiling at one of the punters talking to them. It wasn't genuine, obviously, but it seemed that whatever Madison had said worked. "They'll be more inclined to listen if they think I'm doing them a favour."

Jase wasn't buying it. "Cut it out. I don't want the other girls trying to follow in your footsteps."

She sucked in her lips, bobbing her head like a disciplined child.

"I won't do it again," she said. Jase wasn't mad. It wasn't like she was conspiring with them, but he had to enforce at least one rule before she really did start taking the piss. And before everyone else started taking notice. Fortunately for her, tonight she'd done their work for them. As far as he was concerned, the less hassle the girls were, the better.

"They won't be here for long." He lowered his voice, "Save yourself the trouble of trying to save everyone else." Satisfied with the conversation's outcome, Jase went to step past her when she placed a hand on his forearm, stopping him. He looked down at her fingers, cold on his warm skin.

"Thank you, by the way," she said.

His brows knitted together. "What for?"

Madison looked to the kitchen door, then back. "For getting that man to leave me alone."

He poked his tongue in his cheek, deciding it was best he didn't reply, slipping away from her and back to the others.

Jase liked Mike about as much as he liked Charlie - he didn't. He didn't like any of the punters. There was a characteristic in people who paid for sex with girls who didn't want it that he wasn't a fan of, regardless of how hypocritical it made him look.

They were dogs. Dogs that reeked of desperation, which he saw as a weakness. He didn't like weak people either. At least he could justify his position because he was making money, and he could hold his hands up to the things he did. They were throwing cash away for thirty minutes of sex. It was rare they even stayed the full half-hour, shamefully picking up their trousers as they left the room, unable to turn back and look the girl in the eyes.

The night went on without another hitch, the crowd thinning by three. Five men sat around playing poker on the table in the kitchen.

"What did Madison have to say earlier?" Sam asked.

Jase slouched to peek at his cards by lifting the corner. Two Aces. The pot was well over £500 now, a stack of tens and twenties in the middle. He slid another twenty in and shook his head, "Nothing, she was letting the girls know how things work here."

"That's what Lily's for," Adam replied, annoyed that, once again, nothing had come of Madison's actions.

Jase shrugged. "I know, but as Madison pointed out, they're more likely to listen when it comes from someone in the same boat, and as much as I hate to agree with her-"

"Do you?" Adam interjected. Jase's brows furrowed, and the game went on hold. An icy tension settled over the players.

"Do I what?" Jase tested, knowing exactly what Adam meant. Adam frowned, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair.

"Hate to agree with her?" he said.

Jase tilted his head in a way that let Adam know that whilst he was invited to speak his mind, it was probably best he didn't. "If you've got something to say, then say it," he dared. Adam looked away, retreating from the argument. He wasn't that brave yet, but Jase could tell he was edging towards it. Jase got it from Adam's point of view, he had every right to be angry with Madison. She was meddling with how things had worked and it seemed he was the only one noticing it. Of course, Adam didn't know the whole story.

"Fold," Sam said, pushing his two cards into the middle of the table.

"Madison has a point," Jase continued, not wanting the boys to think he was covering for her again. Jase was just as suspicious of her when she did anything but he could curb his temper, Adam couldn't. It was likely she was up to something, however, until that something came to light, there were other things that required his attention. "The new girls did as she said. I'm not punishing her when only good comes from her actions." No one said anything, either unbothered by Madison's entire presence or not willing to speak up against him.

Realistically, they all knew she had done them a favour. They were prepping the girls before sending them off to Ramon. He wouldn't appreciate them turning up and causing a disturbance. Madison was cooperating, which was what they had asked her to do. Albeit, in her own way but the outcome was the same.

Adam played his hand, lost, and showed himself out. Tommy and Reece left an hour later, leaving Sam and Jase in the kitchen. The clock ticked over to quarter past four. Sam lit a cigarette, and Jase did the same.

"Do you honestly believe Madison was trying to save us a job by talking to those new girls?" Sam asked. Jase blew smoke up at the ceiling in thought.

"I think that's what she wants it to look like," he replied, tapping ash in the tray as he spoke. "Madison is cunning. I don't trust her, but those girls won't be here long and there's someone in the house at all times now, so I'm not worried about whatever she's up to."

This was a lie.

*

So, I want to know, who is your least favourite character and your favourite character and why? Also, as per, please vote on all the chapters and feel free to spam me with comments, they make all this writing worth it :) And I hope you all have a wonderful day x