Page 12 of Defending Madison

What the hell is the little nymph doing in Dallas? I tap the door of the Team Assistant Manager and friend, Kyle Brooks. “You’re bringing on Benny Bennett?”

His eyes read my face. “Who?”

I flick my head to the door. “Bennett.”

Recognition pops on his face. “Oh. Madison Bennett.” He purses his lips. “You know her?”

“Yes. She’s my best friend’s little sister.”

“Small world. Her file looks really clean, I doubt you’ll have any security work to do for her.” I sit down across from his desk as his face morphs into a huge smile. “You like her?”

“What? No!”

Kyle gives me the side-eye. “I think he doth protest too much. Have you two…?”

I throw up my hands. “She’s not my type.” Well, not my type anymore since I fucked it up again with her in Newark a few years ago.

Kyle cocks his head. “I’ve met your type. And yes, she is. She’s exactly your type. Trust me, I’m just as happy if you avoid her. We don’t need any fraternization.”

“Sure.” I pull my large body out of the chair and stand before his desk. “So, her knee is good?”

“You tell me, pal. You’ve got a history with her.”

“No. Her brother and I don’t discuss her.”

He cocks his head. “There’s more to this story, huh?”

“No idea Kyle. I’ll catch you later.” Damn straight there’s more to this story. We had a good thing starting until I ruined it all. Fuck. This is a nightmare.

MADISON

I grab my phone from my purse and turn it on, frantically pushing buttons.

Penny answers and I blurt before she can say ‘hello’. “He’s here.”

“Ooh. I love guessing games. Let me guess… Snoop Dogg?”

I laugh. It’s a desperate, I’ve been lost in the desert and finally rescued kind of laugh. “Ha, ha. Dixon.”

“Dixon… Dixon? Where?”

“In Dallas.”

“Didn’t your brother tell you he was going to be in Dallas?”

“We don’t ever talk about Dixon. It took them months to get their friendship back after we got snowed in together in New Jersey. He’s a forbidden subject.”

Penny clicks her tongue. “Wait. How much does he know about all of it?”

“Who? My brother? Well, I didn’t tell him. I can’t imagine Dixon shared all about our hunting adventure or New Jersey, either.”

“And you haven’t seen him again?”

I blow out my breath. “Not since I spent those four days with him in Newark three years ago, but no. Not lately.”

Penny speaks. “He’s a liar and a cheat. Be grateful you dodged a bullet.”

“Damn straight, I dodged a bullet. Think about the drama if we had continued with it. We had two brief flings, and Newark could have been a happy memory, but when Brian told me Dixon was married, that ruined it.”

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