Page 68 of Jack of Hearts
At the door, her best friend paused. “I met him a few years ago,” she said, not looking back as she left.
“How do I not know that?” Madison said, but Lauren disappeared down the hall without answering.
Hemingway rolled over, his body following the slash of sun on the floor that came in from the kitchen window.
Madison eyed the black cat. “Hemingway, you’re the only male I’ll ever say I love you to again. Go ahead. Say you’re honored.”
Hemingway snored on, apparently not impressed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Madison thinks I’ve abandoned her,” Alex said, wearing a path across Nate’s floor. Every day—morning, noon, and night—since he’d walked out, he’d had to stop himself from calling her, telling her that he was the world’s biggest idiot.
“But you haven’t. She’ll know that soon enough.” Nate set his phone on the coffee table. “That was Rothmire. He’s preparing the search warrants on the Alonzos. We should have them by tomorrow afternoon.”
So she’d know the truth then. She still wasn’t going to forgive him. He had to do something. Get out and go somewhere. Anywhere. Ride his bike to hell and back. That would work. As long as there was air he could breathe because there sure as hell wasn’t any in Nate’s damn condo.
“Where you going?” Nate asked.
“Don’t know. Just have to get out of here.”
Court looked up from his laptop. “Want me to come with you? We can get some lunch or something.”
“Some other time.” As much as he loved his brothers, he needed to be miserable alone. In the underground garage, he grabbed his helmet out of the storage bin.
After a long ride up the beach highway, trying to clear his head, he gave up. All he could see was the way Madison’s lips had quivered when he’d walked out on her. Had she cried after he left? Had she convinced herself that she hated him during the following days?
He turned the bike back toward home, but when he reached his building, he rode past, ending up at Ramon’s. The high from catching one of the most wanted men in the world had worn off, paling beside the thought of losing Madison.
The housekeeper let him in, telling him Ramon was in the pool out back. Alex headed that way. He wanted to see the bastard one last time while the dude thought he was on top of the world. Watch him brag about the big deal he’d set up while knowing that the man was going down. The operation shouldn’t have turned personal, but it had. He didn’t really care.
“Mr.Gentry, a moment of your time, please.”
Alex paused at hearing Jose Alonzo’s voice. He stepped inside the man’s office. “Mr.Alonzo.” The man had never given him more than a brief nod before, so this was an interesting turn of events.
“Have a seat.” Alonzo gestured to a chair in front of his desk. He leaned back, steepled his fingers under his chin, and stared at Alex.
If he was supposed to be intimidated, it wasn’t working. Alex stared back, waiting to hear why he’d been summoned.
“Ramon tells me that you are proving to be useful, and for that you have my appreciation.”
“The association is beneficial to my brothers and me,” Alex said.
“Of course, and you have the perfect setup to accommodate our needs. Perhaps at a later date we will discuss how to expand into other areas.”
Alonzo’s gaze flicked to a photo on a nearby shelf, one of Ramon, Angelina, Madison, and him, taken on the beach, probably the one only steps away. “I love my family, Mr.Gentry, and only want what is best for them.” He turned cold eyes back to Alex. “You are not what is best for my niece. There is no insult intended, but you must agree that she deserves better than a part owner of a biker bar, a man who associates with the scum of society.”
Present company excluded, of course.Alex counted to twenty the way Nate had taught him to do when as a boy he couldn’t see past his rage. He badly wanted to ask if the old man thought it was okay for Ramon to assault his cousin, but he bit back the words. By this time tomorrow, the Alonzos would be in handcuffs. He would take his satisfaction from that.
“Madison’s an adult, an intelligent woman. I believe she is capable of deciding who is worthy of her attentions. I will, however, consider your feelings on the matter, sir.”
So Madison hadn’t told anyone they’d broken up? If she’d told her mother, then surely Jose would have been informed. The rage still burned low in his belly, though. If the man was so concerned about his niece, then he should be worried about protecting her from his own son, not Alex.
“I trust you will make the right decision on the matter, Mr.Gentry.” He stood. “I believe you were on your way to see Ramon. Don’t let me keep you.”
Dismissed, Alex gave a curt nod before walking out. Instead of heading for the pool, he turned for the front door. He’d had enough of the Alonzos for one day. Back on his bike, he drove straight to the gym, found a punching bag, and did his best to kill it.
Hours later, Alex sat at the bar in Aces & Eights, spoiling for a fight. “You’d think the room was filled with a bunch of nuns the way they’re all getting along tonight,” he grumbled.
