The Cunning

62

Madison's eyes were swollen and puffy from crying. Jase was getting dressed in front of the wardrobe. He looked over when he heard her wake.

"There's a showing tonight. Make yourself presentable," he ordered stiffly. She sat up, feeling half the size she was and devoid of energy. Last night, all she had been able to do was cry until she was dry heaving like the night she was taken. The world around her had crumbled again and this time, there was no getting out.

Her only plan had failed and, as a consequence, she was no longer on Jase's good side. Her protection was gone and there was no sign that her dad had managed to track down her whereabouts. Her ribcage constricted as the gravity of her new situation sunk in. All she could muster in response to Jase was a slight nod before he left the room, not bothering to lock the door.

*

Janine stepped into the hallway a few hours later, the same time as Madison. The noise from downstairs was uncomfortably familiar to the pair of them.

"You're an idiot for what you tried to do, you know that right?" Janine said, folding her arms. Madison nodded, looking at the floor. She'd beaten herself up enough about it already, she didn't need to get it from Janine as well. "He could have killed you, Madison. Look at Annabelle, he could have killed any of us. He still might."

"I know," Madison replied, her voice weak from the sobbing. Janine sighed, letting her arms drop. Sam had filled her in about Madison trying to one-up Jase. Janine had known she was up to something but she thought it was nothing more than an intense case of Stockholm Syndrome.

Madison playing with fire could have ended badly for everyone in the house. Men's egos were delicate things, and if one happened to get bruised by a house girl, everyone would pay the price.

"I warned you at least twice that he couldn't be trusted, and you thought you were smarter than him. This is his livelihood, Madison; this is what he does for a living. How could you be so dumb? How could you think you were ahead of him-?"

"I know," Madison repeated, louder this time. They stood in silence for a moment before Janine sighed. There was no point rubbing salt in the wound. Madison was visibly upset that her efforts had led her nowhere. And it wasn't as though Janine had laid it on thick that Madison shouldn't be conspiring, she had all but openly encouraged her. Jase's quick change had put the fear of God in both of them, however. Tails well and truly returned between legs.

"If I were you, I'd lay low for a while, at least until he calms down. It's your safest bet." This time, Madison listened.

They went downstairs, joining everyone else. Even in jeans and a long sleeve top she felt naked, knowing if someone tried their luck tonight, Jase wouldn't be stepping foot in to rescue her. She was on her own this time.

The usual drinks were set out on the side in the kitchen. Jase was nowhere to be seen.

"Smile, Madison," Adam said, teasing her as he walked past. Word had already made its way round about Jase's rapid one-eighty on her. She forced a smile, knowing better than to defy him. Jase may be pissed at her, but it took much less for Adam's blood to boil.

For the first half of the evening, she resided in the corner of the kitchen, sipping slowly from the fruity drink she didn't particularly want. Now and then, men would stare and talk about her openly. The things they would do to her given half the chance, what they'd pay. Of course it was common knowledge that she was off the market so these men were only vocalising fantasies. But Madison couldn't shake the awareness that to someone, soon, they might not be just fantasies.

She didn't have it in her to feel revolted, or to mouth off or defend her body, screaming at the top of her lungs that it was hers and hers alone because what was the point? She felt like a shell of the person she had been. The fight had gone, a persistent flame of spunk finally snuffed out. It would be easier to do as Janine had instructed, keep her head down. Don't draw any attention to herself, don't give Jase more reasons to be angry at her.

*

"Is Madison down here yet?" Jase asked when Adam walked into the living room, sitting on the coffee table and taking his cocaine out of his back pocket.

"She's in the kitchen," he replied.

"Doing what?"

Adam shrugged, shaking the baggy until all the fine white powder had collected at the bottom. "Just standing in the corner." Jase nodded slowly. He had half expected to have to go upstairs and drag her down, but she was cooperating. She was giving up. He relaxed. At least there was one good thing to come out of all of this.

It wouldn't be long now.

It was sad, truth be told. Watching the flames die in her eyes. It was probably her most redeeming quality, that kick, that fire. He would be lying if he denied any sort of attraction due to how stubborn she'd been. It was disappointing that he had to put a stop to it.

But work was work. He wouldn't waste too much time thinking about the potential Madison had. He certainly wouldn't let the substances coursing through his veins sway his judgement.

The moments they had shared in the early hours of the mornings were gone, he'd let her be a distraction, and that was on him. A lesson was to be learned for both of them.