Page 163 of Skin In the Game (The BlackWater)

“Shut up Maddie.” He said and she laughed.

“Seriously Burke. It’s not funny. Give me my phone back.” She replied holding her hand out waiting for him to return it.

“So you can speak to your BlackWater buddies again?” He said with an edge to his voice.

“What?” She said feeling totally confused now.

“I know exactly what’s going on.” He stated.

“Well at least one of us does because I don’t have a clue.” She replied irritated now.

“Nice try. But I’m not an idiot.”

“Burke what the hell are you on about? Why have you got my phone?” She snapped.

Burke grabbed her arm yanking her back into the main bit of the pub and she shouted out before yanking her arm free. The place was suspiciously empty now. All the deadbeats were gone. It was just her, Burke, and the man behind the bar who was watching the two of them like a hawk.

“What the fuck is this?” She said as he nodded to the barman who hit a button for the sliders over the windows and doors to come down.

“Burke…” She began but he smacked her hard around her face nearly sending her flying.

“Shut up Maddie.” He said again as she grabbed her jaw feeling the bruising already.

“Message X, we need an evac now.” Burke said to the bar man.

“Message sent.” The bar man said back and Maddie looked between them.

“Burke what the hell is this?” She asked her heart now racing and realising that whatever the hell was going on she was in deep shit. Seriously deep shit.

“Like you don’t know.” He replied. “You think I’m an idiot, wanting to meet, wanting to go back over the Anderson file? Wanting to know why the details Homewell have don’t match with BlackWater?”

Maddie shook her head looking at him in bewilderment.

“Are you wearing a wire?” He asked.

“For what purpose?” She snapped.

He laughed loudly. “Lift up your top Maddie.”

“Fuck off.” She said.

“Lift up your god damn top or Mark here will rip it off you.” Burke said jerking his head in the direction of the barman who had now walked right around to just metres from where she stood.

“You’re fucking mad.” She snapped.

Burke nodded and Mark moved to grab her.

“Fine alright.” She yelled pulling herself free. “Look.” She said wrenching her tank top up showing she had nothing but a black bra on underneath.

“And the back…” Mark said and she glared at him and turning for them both to see. Mark walked right up to her and yanked the back further up as if to make sure she wasn’t pulling a fast one.

“See, no wire.” She stated before moving away from him and yanking her top back down.

Mark and Burke exchanged a look and she narrowed her eyes.

“You’re in on this aren’t you?” She said to him and he laughed again.

“Well done Maddie, finally catching up.” Burke replied.

“What the fuck? Why would you?” She asked.

He shrugged. “We all have our reasons.”

“But you were my friend.” She stated. He had been her friend, right from the start, right from when she’d relocated to the London office.

“Yeah Maddie and why do you think that was?” He said.

“You bastard. You did it on purpose didn’t you? You singled me out, befriended me, you helped stitch me up.” She stated.

“Finally the penny drops.” He said.

“We have a problem. Can’t get evac for at least thirty mins.” Mark said and Burke looked from Maddie to him then.

“What?” He snapped at him.

“BlackWater are on it too. They’re on their way.” Mark said.

“Fuck off.” He growled. “Tell them we have her. We have the girl.”

“Already done it. They don’t care.” Mark said.

He snarled.

“What’s the matter Burke, your buddies letting you down?” She taunted him before she could stop herself and his eyes snapped onto her.

“Let’s go.” He said to Mark grabbing Maddie and she lashed out fighting him. He smacked her again and she threw a punch, curling her fist as best she could despite the strappings to her fingers and feeling as she made contact with his face. He groaned loudly as Mark grabbed her arms but she threw him off.

And then Burke launched himself at her, flooring her, punching, kicking, slamming his body into her. She fought back but then Mark was on her too and he grabbed her arms again, pinning her down before Burke landed his own punch hard on her nose and she felt the blood pouring, could taste it too.

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