Beaten and Bruised

Chapter 5: Maddox Jones

     I sit here in this uncomfortable hospital bed and think about every option I have to deal with Logan. He knows the rules and yet he still went against them. I'm angry, but part of me can't punish him, or her for that matter. Logan came for me and she saved my life. I knew she hated me but she chose to cross fire to save me.
"Alright, honey. It's time for you to go now" the nurse says as she hands me my clothes.
"Yeah, yeah" I say taking them from her old hands.
I bend down to slip my pants on and I can feel the shooting pain. I had been in this hospital for a week now and they couldn't help with my pain.
"Need some help?" I hear come from the door. I look up to see the girl who saved me.
"Get out" I say trying to wave her off.
"You don't always have to be so ugly to people" she snaps back. She just doesn't get the hint.
"I'm sure Logan has told you about me, so you know I'm the most dangerous person around Los Angeles" I say.
"You won't hurt me" she challenges.
"Is that what you think? I'm in debt to you because you shot some guy who wasn't important? I laugh.
"I don't know why Logan puts up with you. You walk all over him when hes the reason your even alive right now!" she yells at me. I must be getting under her skin. Shes kind of cute when she gets flustered.
"You are the reason I am alive. One shot from that guy and we would have all been dead. Don't come in here talking about things you have no clue about. You don't belong in this world, and neither does Logan" I say back calmly.
"Logan deserves more" she says.
"That's why hes out. He can't follow my rules, he doesn't get to stay"
"Whatever. You'll die alone, Maddox" she says.
Her words anger me to no end. I attempt to stand up and fall to ground. I try to grab anything that is in my reach. Riley makes her way over to me, but I don't want her help.
"Stop it and just let me help you" she says.
I look up into her emerald green eyes. I know I need to let her help me but my pride is in the way.
"Get out and get the nurse, Riley!" I yell at her.
Instead of doing as I ask she reaches down for my arms and pulls one over her shoulder while lifting me up. This stupid girl just won't leave me alone. I don't like that she doesn't listen. Everyone listens to me.
"If you would just stop being stubborn for one moment in your life, you might get something better out of it" she says and turns away.
"What makes you think your such a saint?" I ask her before she reaches the door.
"I'm not a saint, actually far from it. I saw you were in trouble and helped out" she says.
"You liked it didn't you?" I ask.
"Liked what?" she questions back.
"The bullet going through that mans chest. You enjoyed it" I push. She had no business giving me life advice when she couldn't even take her own.
"Shut up" she demands.
"I'm right and you know it. A cold blooded killer knows another when they see one" I say but this time I'm serious. I think I could use her to my advantage. I could always tell the guys she was a new recruit that Logan had found. This would save me from having to punish Logan.
"I am nothing like you" she bites back.
"How about I offer you a deal? I know you don't want anything to happen to Logan, and I am the only one who has the power to save him" I hope that she agrees because deep down I don't want to lose Logan. He is my right hand man. He has been for years.
"Make a deal with the Devil? Yeah right" she rolls her eyes, but I know she is considering it.
"Fine, I'll just do what I have to do" I say as I finish buttoning my shirt.
"If I do what you want, you won't hurt Logan?" I caught her attention.
"I'll consider not hurting him, but he will not go without consequences. He knows that" I say back to her.
"Okay" she says with no emotion.
"Why are you so worried about a man you just met?" I ask her. She has been one one date, if you would even call that a date.
"It's none of your business" she says with attitude.
"You made it a point to stick your nose in mine, but you aren't going to tell me yours?" I push.
"He could be my way out" she says but she is hesitant. I know she didn't want to open up, especially to a man she hates.
"All the hatred aside...You have your life together. Why do you need a way out?" I ask.
"I'm not going to tell you my life story, but I want out of this city and I want to start living for myself" she says confidently.
"I'll send someone for you in the morning. Be ready by 9 a.m on the dot" I demand. I don't really care to hear about her sob story. What I cared about was keeping Logan in the crew.
"I have a coffee shop to run"
"Well, figure something out. You own it right? Close down for the day" I say. If she wants to make this work she's going to have to make time.
"Fine. I'll be ready" She says as she hangs her head.
After the battle of trying to win Riley over, I had Dex pick me up and take me back to the penthouse. He was no Logan, but he was a close second. When I walked in the door I notice someone had been in my home. It felt violated but not in a bad way. I grab my protection and walk to each room checking it carefully. I come to my bedroom door and push it open with the tip of my gun. I see Logan fluffing my pillows.
"What are you doing in here?" I ask not walking any closer to him.
"Elaine called in sick and the penthouse was a wreck. I figured you would want to come home to a clean house" he says.
"I don't need you to clean my house" I say and stare back at him. I can feel all my anger towards him rushing through me. Most people who betray me get killed, but that was the thing. Logan was not just anybody. He is my best friend. My brother.
"Logan, we have a lot to talk about" I say to him as I sit on the black comforter. This is so much better than that hospital bed.
"I know, boss" he says as he takes a seat beside me.
"Your girl came by earlier"
"Riley?" he asks.
"Yeah, Riley. Fiery little thing she is" I joke with Logan, but he doesn't seem to think its funny.
"Please just stay away from Riley. She isn't part of all of this, this is my fault, Maddox" he pleads.
"Stop begging. You look pathetic. I'm not going to hurt her, Logan. She will be joining us" I say.
"No" he argues back.
"Its funny that you think you have a say in all of this. Watch who your talking to, Logan"
"You can do whatever you want to me, Maddox. Riley has nothing to do with this, and besides, she saved your life. You and I both know you never hurt or threaten those people" he fights back the pain in his voice. He was scared for some reason.
"You think that I don't know that? She is the one who agreed to all of this. Logan, there is something about her. She wants to forget about something" I try to convince him that Riley has something sinister about her.
"She has nothing to hide. This is just you trying to push everyone around like you always do" he stands up and yells in my face.
I can feel my rage taking over. I stand up and take a step towards Logan. My fists are clenched and I have to think about my next move. I am about to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life but Logan will not talk to me like that. I bring my fist back and swing. My fist makes contact with Logan's face and he takes a swing back. I can feel the sting in my face and its a matterof minutes before we are both throwing punches. I grab Logan by the collar and slam him against the hanging mirror. The glass shatters and Logan grunts.
"Stop, Logan! Stop fighting me!" I scream in his face and I try to hold back the shooting pain from where my bullet wound is. I shouldn't be able to move around like this but my adrenaline is pumping.
     Logan's breath is heavy but my words don't stop him. He takes his hand presses it into my wound.
"Fuck!" I wince in pain and collapse on the floor. I hold my wound and try to fight through the pain but I just can't. Logan finally stops swinging and sits down beside me. He looks over me once to make sure I'm okay.
"She did this to save you" I say trying to speak while gasping for air.
"I don't need saving" he says. I look over at Logan and he looks defeated. One hell of a man torn in two.
"You know you're like a brother to me" I reassure him.
"I know" he says.
"What I am about to say goes nowhere, understood?" Logan gives me a nod.
"I am having a hard time punishing you...I know my code, but you are different. Riley was my way out of doing something I didn't want to do" I admit to my brother sitting beside me.
"Why do you assume Riley is into our kind of business?" he asks me.
"Logan, she wasn't even shaken up over something like that. I remember my first kill. I felt nothing. Most people take those kinds of things personal and get messed up in the head, but she was fine" I explain.
"I just don't understand why she would feel that way. She's not like us man" he tries to argue the undeniable.
"My plan was to tell the rest of the crew that you recruited her, that way no one knew the truth about what really went down" I say.
"I'll talk to her" Logan says as he gets up and helps me off of the floor.
"Don't ruin this, Logan" I say as he walk towards the door.
"I just need time to think, Maddox" the door closes behind him and I sit back on the couch.
Why did he have to go out and meet some dumb broad. I gave him everything he needed in life. Well not everything. He needed more love than just brotherly love. Logan can't just abandon this crew and expect to live happily ever after with her. That is not how we live life around here.
I pick up the after math of our chaos. Shattered glass covered the floor. I try to fight the pain I feel coming from my wound. I realize that I'm just a miserable person. Maybe Jimmy was right.I need to find something to distract me. I hate being in my feelings, I'm not that kind of guy. I finish cleaning up the glass and I hear the door bell. Its late now, nobody should be visiting me. I walk to the door and look out of the peep hole. This girl has got to get a clue. She can't be here right now, Logan would just come back.
"What do you want now?" I say as I pull her into the penthouse and close the door behind her.
"I need to know what I need to do, and what I am getting myself into" she says. I can see the fear in her eyes but I also see determination.
"If Logan sees you here right now, he's going to see red. I told you where you needed to be in the morning" I growl. She already can't take orders.
"I can't sleep until I know what I'min for, Maddox" my name falls from her lips. I hadn't notice how full they were until now. Snap out of it Maddox.
"You need to leave" I say motioning her towards the door again.
"Not until you tell me" she demands.
"I'll tell you, but after that you leave" I say.
"Fine" she makes her way to the couch and sits down as I'm making herself comfortable.
"I need you to get some training in first. You need to work on aiming for your target" I look over at her and see a worried look on her face.
"I already know how to do that" she argues.
"You shot one guy. I need to know that you can do it again with ease" I warn.
She throws her head back and tolls her eyes like a child. I don't know what she thought she had coming but I don't deal with kids.
"Okay, fine" she gives in.
"Now I need you to leave" I motion for her to get up and walk out. 
       I watch as she throws her attitude into full force. She stands up from the couch and makes her way to the door. I follow behind her so I can check through the peep hole for Logan. When I see the hallway is clear I push her out of my front door. The sooner I get rid of her the sooner I can get a jump on tomorrow. Riley was such a distraction for me. I feel like I'm babysitting. If it wasn't for Logan, I wouldn't be in this situation. I need a better distraction. 
I pick up the phone and call the pretty blonde I use as a distraction. 
"Doll, why don't you come keep me company tonight" I don't  bother asking. I know she will show up.
"I'll be there in 20" I can hear the excitement in her voice. 
Messing around with Grace makes me forget about my troubles. Being a mob boss has its downfalls. I always have a price on my head. I'm always dealing with the stress of keeping my men safe. Now I have to deal with Logan and his dumb broad. I crave power way too much, but I love it. I try to pump myself back up and stop overthinking this plan with Logan and Riley. 
     The doorbell rings and I open the door to see the beautiful distraction in front of me. She strolls through the door casually and makes her way to my room. A devious grin is plastered on my face and follow after her. This was the best yet messed up part about being the boss. I didn't love this girl, I only wanted her for the night. She was nothing to me, but she made feel good for a little bit. She numbed my mind from the chaos and let me be a man for just a little while.