The Formidable

33

"What's funny?" Mia asked, looking up from her toys when Madison laughed at her phone. It was one of those general phrases she asked whenever she saw someone laugh because when Mia laughed on her own, Madison asked the same thing.

"Your daddy will never learn," Madison replied, texting Jase back a simple okay to his message about Kieran coming over to 'keep an eye' on them. She knew if Jase was genuinely concerned he would have Madison and Mia taken back to the house or he would bring the phone to the apartment. Instead, he had sent her Kieran.

Of all people, Kieran was no use if whoever Jase was worried about decided to show up. He wasn't cut from the same cloth as Sam and Jase, or even her. It didn't take a genius to work out Kieran was the last resort because Jase and Sam were busy doing something else.

As amusing as she found Jase's attempt to cover his tracks, she didn't have time to laugh for long. She didn't know what they were really up to and she didn't appreciate being kept in the dark about her own business.

She tucked Mia into bed, giving her milk and a kiss on her forehead then went into Jase's room. If Madison knew Jase, and she did rather well, there would be a gun somewhere within reach. It was surprisingly easier to find than expected, locating it in the first drawer in his bedside drawers. They would be having a conversation about how accessible it was, regardless of the fact the magazine was set beside the Glock, but that could wait.

There were three knocks on the front door. She tucked the gun in the back of her jeans, lifting her top up over it.

"Hey, you alright?" Kieran smiled nervously. She concealed her laughter at how obviously uncomfortable he was, wondering if he'd rehearsed his greeting in the car. It wouldn't take her long to grind the truth out of him.

"Not bad. You want a coffee?" she asked, walking into the kitchen. Kieran took his jacket off, laying it over one of the stools at the breakfast bar.

"Please. One sugar," he replied. She turned the coffee machine on and let it dribble into one of the glass mugs, her back to Kieran.

"So, what's happened?" she asked, unscrewing the sugar jar.

"I thought Jase texted you?" he said. This time, she allowed herself to smile as he couldn't see her face.

"He did, but it wasn't really clear," she replied, spooning the sugar into the mug once the coffee machine clunked to a halt. She took the milk from the fridge and shook the bottle at him in question, he nodded. Then he cleared his throat, preparing to lie through his teeth.

"They got a call. They knew Jase's name, and yours. He wanted me to come round and sit here with you to make sure you were safe," he said. Madison's brows furrowed. Now it was her time to lie, and she'd played the part longer than Kieran. She had the experience of feigning dumbness in the house, lying to Kieran was a breeze.

"Oh. That's not what he said." She stirred sugar into her own coffee before turning to face him, handing him his mug. He licked his lips. There was a glean to his forehead. Madison was near quivering with amusement.

"Really? What did he say?" Kieran lifted his coffee, though it was too hot to drink. She assumed it was to give himself something to do and a slither of guilt weaved through her. Madison decided against playing games with him. It was unfair when he'd always been the nice guy. Instead, she tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow. Kieran sighed, he knew she was never going to buy the story.

"Where is he, Kieran?"

"Don't make me tell you, he'll kill me-"

"Depending on who was on the other end of that call, he might not get a chance. Did they give you a name?" 

He shook his head, defeated. "No, they just said not to tell you." This time, she looked confused for real.

"They?" she questioned.

"The person on the phone."

Madison crossed her arms. "Then why would you come here?"

He averted his eyes to the hallway, his shoulders rising and dropping in a limp shrug.

"Because I didn't feel comfortable with you being alone, knowing they know your name, and they said not to tell you and then Janine pointed out that it could be a setup, so Jase sent me over."

Madison rolled her eyes, pouring her coffee down the sink as she spoke.

"Trust me, the person he spoke to is no danger to me."

Kieran watched in a state of mild panic as she unhooked her leather jacket from the coat peg next to the front door, pulling it on.

"Where has he gone?" she asked. Kieran shook his head.

"I can't tell you-" She wasn't in the mood to go back and forth, in one smooth motion she had the gun in her hand, pointing at him. Kieran's lips parted in surprise, his eyes growing round.

"Where did they agree to meet?" she demanded calmly.

He shook his head again, pleading with her. "Mads, please. He'll wring my neck."

Madison sighed in frustration.

"Kieran, I won't kill you but I'm more than willing to injure you, answer my question." He stood frozen for a moment, weighing up his options and considering whether or not he should take her seriously. She cocked the gun and aimed at his foot.

"Mayson's car park," he stammered. Madison smiled, flicking the safety on and returning the gun to her waistband.

"Keys," she ordered. He reluctantly handed them over.

"Madison, you can't go there-"

"Do not tell me what I can and can't do," she snapped.

Kieran sighed. "What are you even going to do?" he asked.

"I'm going to make sure Jase isn't about to walk into his own funeral. Stay here, Mia's asleep. If she wakes up give her a bottle of warm milk and she'll go straight back down."

She slipped out the front door in the middle of Kieran's protests of reasons why he couldn't look after a sleeping toddler.