The Cunning (18+)

33

Hot water ran down Jase's body, rinsing the blood from his knuckles, gradually running clear. They were busted from the pick-up after Oliver. Someone that required a bit more encouragement to pay their tab. He turned the shower off and wrapped a towel around his waist, letting his body air dry as he shaved before pulling on a pair of joggers.

Madison was still curled up on the bed, this time on her side. Jase sat on the edge with his back to her, taking his phone from his pocket.

"I've never had this much pain from cramps before," Madison mumbled. Jase messaged Benny to let him know they'd collected all the money.

"We can smoke a joint if you want?" He looked over his shoulder. He'd intended to smoke a joint to unwind from the day's events anyway. She hummed in thought.

"Will it make me feel better?"

Jase shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

Madison rolled onto her back. "Am I going to get an addiction?" she asked.

Jase chuckled, shaking his head as he took a grinder and his weed from the bedside drawer. "You're not going to get addicted from the handful of times you've taken drugs." He pressed two green nuggets onto the spikes of the grinder. Mindlessly, her eyes drifted to his bare upper half. They were close. The lemon shower gel he used lingered on his skin. "Give that a couple of twists," he said, handing her the grinder.

There was something about the way Jase did things, ordinary things, that made him attractive. Janine was right, he was good-looking. She imagined it could be very easy to get wrapped up in him simply by the way he carried himself. It made sense that he worked in this type of business. Madison could envision him charming other girls the way he charmed her.

Jase flicked his lighter, burning away fibres on the ripped card he was using as a roach before taking the grinder back, tapping the contents into the paper. That's when she saw his knuckles.

"Who pissed you off?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" He squinted down at her and she nodded to his hand. "Someone didn't want to pay their tick." He ran his tongue along the sticky line on the paper and folding it over.

"What does that mean?"

Jase tapped the joint down on the desk before taking his lighter apart, poking the contents into the paper cone, and twisting the end. He lit it before answering, swinging his other leg up on the bed, resting back against the headboard, one hand tucked behind his head.

"It's when people get drugs on loan. They still have to pay for them, just at a later date. Sometimes we have people that do their best to avoid paying." He took another drag.

"What do you do?" Madison asked, adjusting herself so she was sitting cross-legged, facing him. Jase slowly exhaled the smoke through a small gap between his lips. Usually, he'd take the opportunity to remind her who she was talking to, however, he didn't want to. She didn't need to know about him threatening to cut Oliver in front of his kid. He couldn't see that working in his favour. The way to keep Madison on a leash was through her heart, that's the vibe she gave off, anyway.

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to," he said, looking away. After another puff, he handed the joint over.

The silence they shared was comfortable. They'd built up a rapport. Of course, that was what Jase had intended, though, he hadn't foreseen himself enjoying her company. Not that he'd ever admit it to anyone. They were still walking a tightrope. Madison handed him back the joint.

"Do you enjoy what you do?" she asked. Jase was staring directly ahead. His vision blurred as he let himself zone out, sinking into the high.

"I feel indifferent to it all." Heeding his previous words about not wanting to know answers, Madison didn't question how someone could be so detached from reality. They finished smoking without speaking another word.

"Is there a drink in here?" she asked, looking around at all the flat surfaces for a loitering glass of water. Jase went to get drinks. Madison waited, pleasantly stoned. Her vision was softer, her bones lighter as the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders. It was easy to see why Jase smoked. He returned with two cold bottles, handing her the fruity drink and keeping the beer for himself.

"How did I get upstairs the first time I smoked?" she asked once he sat back down.

"I carried you."

Madison's head turned to him sharply. Looking unimpressed. "Don't do that."

Jase's face scrunched up in confusion as he took a mouthful of his beer. "Why?"

"I'm heavy."

He scoffed. "Madison, you're about 5'5 and 130 pounds at most. I can bench more than you." They stared at each other.

"Go on then," she said. Jase laughed, raising his bottle to his lips again. There was no hint of a joke on her face.

"What?" he asked, amused.

Madison shrugged. "Bench me if you think you can," she said.

A smile of disbelief stretched across his lips. "I know I can," he corrected.

"I'm not believing it until I see it." Jase laughed as if it were still a joke, but he stopped again when she didn't join in.

"You're being serious?" He knew he shouldn't encourage the banter between them, that he shouldn't go along with her teasing so enthusiastically, but it had been a long day. Laughter was a rare occurrence in the house, for obvious reasons - there was nothing to be happy about. He put his phone down on the nightstand. "Fine."