Page 27 of Skin In the Game (The BlackWater)

“…left at 26, joined Homewell and was almost immediately posted to Shanghai.” He stopped talking then, reading through and she watched his face. She wasn’t exactly sure what the file said but she knew it would say enough.

“What’s your point Brandon?” She asked and he looked up meeting her hard stare.

“This is how it’s going to work.” He said before closing the file. “Your time at Homewell is over…” Her jaw dropped, she was being fired? He just said he knew it was a stitch up so how could they fire her she thought.

“…From now on you work for me. For BlackWater.”

“What?” She snapped.

“They’ve singled you out and I want to know why. The best thing to do is to keep you close, see if they make any other moves.” He stated.

“What so I’m bait for you now am I?” She retorted.

“No, you’ll be working with us, just like any other Agent. You’re too good for Homewell anyway. You’ll work directly in my team, you’ll report to me. You’ll do what I say.” He replied folding his arms over his chest.

“And if I don’t want too?”

He smirked. “No one says no to BlackWater.”

“Maybe I do.” She snapped getting up. God the man was entitled she thought, he literally thought he could just walk right in there and she would melt under the promise of working for him. For BlackWater.

“Don’t be a fucking idiot Maddie.” He said and she shook her head.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” She replied before storming out of the office and heading back to her own.

Burke looked up seeing her face and frowned.

“What’s happened? You okay?” He asked.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll call you later Burke.” She muttered grabbing her bag and leaving as everyone’s eyes followed her out the door.

She got back on the tube but she didn’t go straight home. She got off at Embankment and walked the last few stops trying to get rid of the rage inside her.

A year ago everything felt so good, so positive, she’d come back, she’d got back in touch with her siblings, she had a new team, a new office, a fresh start but now in the space of barely a few months everything had turned to shit. And someone out there was responsible for it. Brandon had told her that much, that someone had singled her out. She shook her head because, at the crux of it, it didn’t make sense. She wasn’t special, not really, sure she was a good agent, a fucking good agent but she didn’t even work in what was considered the best department, the crème de la crème. So what was it that they’d seen, what was it that had made them pick her?

She sighed walking on as it slowly began to rain. Typical shit, British weather she thought and she hurried back to her apartment before she got soaked.

She turned the corner, flashing the doorcard to open the side entrance and half rushed to the door but stopped suddenly when she saw him there, waiting, umbrella in hand like a bad fucking omen.

“Why are you here?” She asked clenching her fists subconsciously. She was sick of the man keep appearing around her now.

“I want to talk.” He said.

She scowled and then the rain around her got heavier and she was all too aware that the shirt she’d put on that morning was white.

“Fine. You might as well come up.” She said putting in the passcode and holding the door for him. “Besides it’s not like you haven’t been in my apartment already. It’ll make a change to actually be invited.” She added.

Folding down the umbrella, Cole Black followed her inside.

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