Beaten and Bruised

Chapter 3: Maddox Jones

           I am a business man, but sometimes I like to have a little fun. It's not always business with me, I just know how to put it to the side for a minute. If you were to ask me though, business comes before everybody. You can't be the boss and have distractions. Being distracted is how you lose everything. 
     I look over to the blonde laying next to me. She was fun, but it's time for her to go now. I picked her up at my club last night. It didn't take much to get her attention, she knew who I was.I loved being in charge. I get out of the bed and throw on my black sweats. I made sure to make as much movement as possible to wake her up.
"Get up" I say in a stern voice.
"Alright, alright" she says as she grabs last nights red dress and heels. I liked the way red looked on a woman.
"I hope to see you at the club again soon" she says trying to flirt.
I wink at her and walk her to door to say my goodbye. I needed to focus today. I had a city to run and it needed me. I may seem like the bad guy at all times, but there's still people who pay me for protection. One thing I will always be is a man of his word. I open the door and see Logan standing there. 
"Good morning Boss" he grins as he watches the blonde walk out of the door and down the hallway. 
"Morning" I say motioning for him to come in. 
"What's on the agenda today?" he asks. I liked how he was always ready to get down to business. 
"I need you to stay on watch tonight" he says.
"Umm, boss?" he says. Again I feel like he is going against my authority. What is with him lately.
"Is that a problem, Logan?" I ask him with a furrowed brow.
"No, but I kind of have a date tonight..." Logan trails off.
"A date? With who?" I challenge.
"That girl from the coffee shop...her name is Riley" he says and I can here the sincerity in his voice.
"Fine. I'll send Dex" I say as I turn around to walk to my room. 
       I didn't like to interfere with my crews personal life. It wasn't fair for me to take those kinds of things away from them. I didn't understand why they needed love, and care. I've never needed it, and I don't plan on needing it anytime soon. My next thought was why Logan would want to go on a date with a simple coffee shop girl. Sure she was cute, but he needs someone who can deal with his lifestyle. Someone tough, and ruthless. Logan always had a little more heart than I did. I'm just a bitter heartless person who cares about no one. So they think. 
    I throw on a suit and make my way back to the living room. I'm ready to roll some heads and collect some debts. This is what I lived for. I see Logan making my normal coffee and making phone calls to my "clients." I can hear him yelling orders at the people on the phone. I knew that Logan would be able to handle my business if anything ever happened to me. We had always talked about this, but I still had my doubts about him running the city. 
"Let's go" I demand as he hands me my coffee. 
"I'm ready" Logan says. 
    We walk out of the elevator and I instantly feel like all eyes are on me. I notice a white Chevy Tahoe parked a couple cars behind my SUV. I grab my gun and make my towards the that shitty Tahoe. I tap on the window and it rolls down instantly.
"So you send your men to spy on me?" the old raspy voice says. It's none other than Elijah Kane. 
"Why the hell are you here, Elijah?" I say angrily. 
"Did you not just hear me? Do you think your clever, Jones? I know your game. I'm coming for your city, and I'm coming for you when the time is right" Elijah smiles menacingly. 
I felt the anger building up in my chest. I wanted this old man dead. I wanted to watch as he took his last breath. If anybody was going to kill him, it was going to me. 
"The day you take over my city will never come. You aren't capable of running a low end drug ring. What makes you could think you could run all of Los Angeles?" I laugh hoping to intimidate him. 
"I've been around a lot longer than you, Maddox. I would sleep with my eyes open if I were you." Elijah says as he rolls the window back up and speeds off. 
"FUCK!" I yell as I kick the door of my SUV. Elijah was one of the people who could infuriate me with just his presence. 
"Are you sure you want Dex to keep watch?" I hear from behind me. 
"I'll be fine. Just get in the car" I say putting my gun away and reaching for the door. 
"Maddox, if anything happens to you your blood is on my hands" Logan says. 
"Maddox?" I say. He only used my name when he was worried. 
"Go on your date, Logan. I'll be fine." I reassure him. 
      Nobody is responsible for my actions. I didn't need Logan to think that I couldn't protect myself. I've been on my own before and I can do it again. I would never question his loyalty I can tell you that. 
"So,what's this Rachel girl really like?" I ask Logan trying to ease the tension. 
"It's Riley and shes great. It took me a few days to get her number but she finally gave in" he says proudly. I would have had her number in a matter of minutes but that's just me I guess. 
"Does she know what you do?" I ask. He knows the rules. 
"No, Boss. I'm not dumb. I know the code" he says back. 
"Good. Where are you going to take her? Just a quick in and out or an actual date?" I joke. Surely he just wanted to sleep with her. 
"Nah. I'm actually going to take her on a date. This one is different. She doesn't put up with shit and she plays hard to get. I like that about her" He says. She sounds like a headache to me but if that's what he wants, whatever. 
      We go through the motions of a normal day. Practice at the gun range, collecting on debts, making plans on terminating the enemy. I had to make my next move with Elijah. I don't know why I let him get to me that bad. His death was the only thing on my mind today. Nobody will ever talk down to me that way again. I watched as my men beat the sense out of all of Elijah's connections. I knew this was going to have consequences but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. 
"Hey Boss, it's about time for me to go" Logan says as I continue to look at the busted eyes and broken jaws in front of me. 
"I'm coming along. I'm ready to go home anyway." I say as I motion for my men to stop. 
"Okay. The car is out front" Logan says walking the other way. 
     I give the bruised up criminal one last hit before I walk out of the door when I hear him threatening me through his broken voice. 
"He is coming for you Maddox. I'd watch your back" he says. I keep walking and think nothing of his empty threat. I was use to this. This was the life I lived and I was okay with having to watch over my shoulder all the time. This time was no different. 
"Let's stop and get a coffee at that shop again. It will give you a chance to see your broad before your date" I wink at Logan.
"She is not a broad boss. I told you she was different" he argues back. All girls were dumb broads to me. This girl couldn't be any different. I met her yesterday and couldn't stand her already. 
"Okay" I say agreeing with him even though I didn't.
        We pull up to that same shop and I see the girl from the window. You know now that I have a better look at her, she had a pretty nice body. Her green eyes played off her jet black hair. I guess she had the beauty but her attitude killed it for me. 
"I'll go in" Logan says. 
"It's fine. I'll go with you" I grin. I can see Logan's face and he is less than amused.
"Okay then" he says jumping out. We walk up o the door and Logan looks tense. I've never seen him so nervous before.  He was always confident, but for some reason this girl had him all twisted. We walk in the door and Riley looks straight at me.
"May I have a large black coffee with sugar and cream please?" I say sarcastically leaning on the counter. 
"Sure" she smirks back. 
"Thank you" I say.
"Do you want your usual, Logan?" She smiles his way. Her smile was actually eye catching. Maybe Logan knew what he was doing with this broad.
"Yes please" he says as he blushes. What kind of man blushes? 
"That will be $3.50" she tells me. 
"What about mine?" Logan asks.
"Yours is on the house today" she says.
"Don't worry love, that is chump change for me. I'll pay for everybody's coffee. Charge me all you want" I say trying to bother her more than she already is bothered.
"Are you always this cocky and arrogant?" she asks.
"No, but for you I can be" I smile. 
I can see her anger bubbling at the seams. It didn't take a lot for her to get flustered. 
"Get out" she yells at me. I grab my coffee and back away with my hands in the air.  
"I'm leaving" I laugh as I walk out the door and back to my car. 
     I waited for Logan. I'm sure he had to calm her down. It was kind of hot how mad she got. A girl with a little rage couldn't be bad. I was starting to get impatient waiting on Logan. I had a long night at the club ahead of me. A few business partners were coming to make an important deal. Logan finally returns with his latte in hand. 
"You know I don't like waiting" I say as I scroll through my phone carelessly. 
"Boss, did you really have to act like that? She almost canceled our date" he says with frustration. 
"Who do you think you're talking to?" I ask. 
"You are my boss Maddox, but I'm also your only friend and right hand man. I know you like being in charge and alone, but I want to find love" he says. 
I sit on his words for a minute. He was right. He is my only friend, and I need him. I Can't control his life. It doesn't work that way. 
"I'm sorry, Logan" I say as he turns around toward the window. 
     The rest of the ride home was silent. Logan must have been pretty upset with me. A guy like him could have any girl he wanted, but he wanted the stubborn brat at the coffee shop. Whatever. It's his life. We pull up to the penthouse and I follow behind Logan. I know I should have apologized better than I had but what am I suppose to say? Being sincere wasn't really my thing. I search for the words to say to Logan, and I give it my best shot. 
"Logan, look....I'm sorry. I shouldn't have antagonized her like that. I didn't realize it mean't that much to you" I say as he pushes the numbers on the elevator wall. 
"It's okay, boss. I just need you to understand that I need my space sometimes. You know I would walk through fire for you, but you can't just sabotage my love life" he says with an irritated tone. 
"I know. No hard feelings?" I ask in the nicest way that I can. 
"None" he says as he shakes my hand and walks into his penthouse. 
          I shake off the weird sentimental shit and go up to my place. I needed to get ready. Business was calling me and I was a little excited to see what kind of trouble I could get into. It was almost like the bad decisions were pulling me in. I was a magnet to sin and I liked the rush. I throw on my best suit and Rolex and head down to my car. I didn't always take my SUV. I had Dex bring the car around. I made sure he knew his orders for the night. I needed him to know there is no room for mistakes tonight.
     I leave the Penthouse building in my Matte grey 1967 Chevy Impala. It was a bad ass car and I had wanted one since I was kid. I made my dreams my reality now. I could have anything I wanted. I pull into the club valet and am greeted by two of my men. They open my door and I walk into my club. The Blood and Bones club was another one of my pride and joys. It hadn't been open long, but it was more of a mirage for the business I dealt. 
"There he is!" I hear yell down at me from the balcony.
"How ya doing Bernie?" I smile at him as I make my way up the steps. 
I wave over the waitress to bring me my usual and stuff a hundred in the top of her dress. I know I'd be seeing her later. 
"So, what kind of deal are you trying to make Jones?" Bernie asks me. I needed him as another front. 
"You know the police are poking around and I need a new store front to move my product" I say leaning in a little closer to the table. 
"You want to use my warehouse? What makes you think they won't come around my place and sniff it out?" he presses. I needed to close this deal. 
"I got your back, Bernie. You know that. You already pay for my protection and I just recruited a new group. They are unknown to the police right now. Your warehouse will be fine" I say giving him a twisted smirk. I knew he wanted to keep on my good side. 
"Alright. You got yourself a deal" he shakes my hand and I down my glass of whiskey. 
"Bring out another round, doll" I wink at the waitress. I lived for this stuff. Closing deals only gave me that much more adrenaline and the whiskey fueled that fire. 
 "GET DOWN AND NOBODY GETS HURT!" I hear from down stairs. I hear the guns popping off and grab the Glock that hung on my hip. 
Bullets were flying and I knew exactly who was to blame. This has to be what Elijah mean't earlier. He was looking for me. Little did he know that he just made a big mistake. I look over the edge of the balcony and shoot the man directly below. I watch as people flee the club. 
"Where are you Maddox Jones?" I hear another one of Elijah's men call out. Almost as if he is trying to toy with me. 
"I'm right here. If you want me come get me" I yell back. I duck behind the table that was tipped over by Bernie. 
"What the hell is going on, Jones?" Bernie says with anger in his face. He must of though this was a set up. 
"Elijah is what's going on" I say back as I pull my phone out to dial Logan. 
I sat listening to the ring and trying and continuing to shoot and duck. He better pick the damn phone up. I wasn't trying to ruin his date but I needed him now. 
"Boss? Are you really calling me right now?" he says. 
"Yeah, and I'm getting shot at! Get here now, Logan!" I yell into the phone and hang up. 
I waited for what seemed like forever. The club was empty now except for the assholes shooting up my club. I knew Logan would bring back up. My clips were empty and resorted o Bernie's gun. He wasn't as good of a shot as me. I'm not even sure why he carried a gun.
"Alright! It's time to clear this club out!" I hear Logan yell from down below.
"About damn time!" I yell running down the steps. My men come in with guns blazing and Logan hands me a new gun. I toss Bernie's back to him. Not like he would be any use. We take turns shooting while watching our backs. A man pops up from behind the bar and I see him pointing toward Logan. I move in front of him and make my shot but he is pulls the trigger just as I move. I feel the sharp pain in my lower abdomen.
"Maddox!" I hear Logan scream. I fall to the ground and I can feel my sense slowly going in and out. I see Logan shoot at the guy at the bar as he makes his way toward me. He falls behind the bar before he can even get the chance to hurt me anymore. The club is now empty. It's silent and all of the chaos subsides. 
"I'm going to get you out of here, boss. Just hold on" Logan says with panic in his voice. I feel my eyes shut and just rest. 
      I wake up in a hospital bed. I try to sit up but feel the shooting pain and fall back into the bed. The last thing I remember is a shooting at my club. This was the downside of being a mob boss. I may be an asshole, but I still would stand in front of a firing gun for my men. This would make the second time taking a bullet for Logan, but it was worth it. He saved me when I needed saving. He answered that phone on his "important" date even though it was important to him. He still pulled up for me.
"Easy there, Boss" Logan says walking in with a cup of black coffee. I notice the cup is from that same shitty coffee shop. Her coffee was good, but not the best. 
"Just give me the coffee" I roll my eyes. I felt anger in the moment. I wasn't mad at Logan, I was mad at Elijah and myself. How could I have let him pull this. I was always ahead of the game. 
"Doc says you're going to be fine..." Logan trails off. 
"Good" I say being short with him. 
"What's with you?" he asks me. 
"Nothing. I'm mad at myself. I'm mad Elijah. There are so many things, Logan" I say trying not to rip his head off. 
"There was nothing you could have done. They were going to attack either way" he says trying to calm my anger down. 
"I don't want a talk about it. I want you to get everybody ready because I'm starting a war over this" I demand. I will end Elijah. 
"It's already taken care f. I called everyone and put them on high alert. I have Dex set up outside of the penthouse" he says confidently. 
"I knew I made you my right hand for a reason" I smile as I take a sip of the steaming hot liquid. 
"How was your date?" I ask him trying to switch over from this shitty conversation.
"Umm, about that..." he says as if he is hiding something from me. 
"What? She wouldn't give in or what?" I tease. 
"Not exactly...We should probably talk about it when you get better" he tries to put it off. 
"Tell me. Now" I bark at him. He knows better. As he starts to open his mouth I see that bratty coffee shop girl walk in the door.
"Are you ready to go?" she says as she comes to his side and grabs his hand.
"Yeah. Give me just a minute. I'll meet you out in the car" he tells her and she walks right back out of the room. 
"What the fuck is she doing here, Logan?" I ask and I feel my anger building back up. 
"I couldn't just leave her at the movies. I had to get to you before something bad happened and I told her to stay in the car when I ran in for you. She doesn't listen very well..." he says beating around the bush. 
"Just spit it out!" I yell at him. 
"She walked in right after you were shot..." he say with regret. He knew the code and he knew the punishment.  
"Did she see you kill anyone?" I ask. The more that he told me the more pissed off I was. 
"Not exactly...She was the one to shoot the guy who shot you" he says. 
         I didn't know what to think when I heard the words fall from his mouth. Why was she even there and how was she not freaking out. She didn't seem like the type to shoot anyone. Most people let their emotions get in the way. I look back up at Logan and I honestly have no words to say. I was angry with him for letting  her see our world. How was I suppose to know she wasn't going to tell anyone? Yeah, she had just killed a man, but her ass wasn't on the line. 
"You know we are being watched. What are you going to do if she opens her mouth?" I ask trying to contain my rage. 
"She won't. I promise" he says. 
"Get out of here. You know what happens with breaking the code, Logan" I say. 
"I know..." he says as he hangs his head and walks out of the door. 
     My hospital stay was miserable. I was so pissed and I had no idea what my next move was going to be. I was going to be out for a few months at least. I couldn't just sit here in this hospital. I had an empire to run and it could all be easily taken away from me. All because Logan had bring some bimbo along. I was appreciative for her saving my ass but she was still a problem. If Logan hadn't of been distracted by her I would have been protected. I look over at one of my men standing at the door watching over me. I had many enemies and couldn't take the chance of being protected. 
     Being alone in that hospital gave me a lot of time to think. Images flashed through my head of when I was a kid laying hospital beds. I could only think about lying to the nurses that I had fallen down stairs when in reality I was getting the shit kicked out of me by my dad. I was worthless and he let me know that ever since. No wonder I'm such a monster. My demented mind was miserable. I couldn't lay in this bed for one more minute. My head was letting me see the real person I was. Just a messed up kid who grew up to be an even more messed up adult. I needed to be saved, but at what cost? Who or what was willing to save a broken person like me?