Page 34 of Skin In the Game (The BlackWater)

“You mean whether I got that someone sticking a shit load of pills down my throat wasn’t a friendly gesture?” She snapped and he shook his head.

“You seriously need to sort your shit out. The stunt you pulled today…”

“How is this my fault?” She snapped.

He laughed. “You were the one that decided not to get in the car, to fuck off with the fairies all day.”

“I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of this.” She said clenching her fists.

“No one gives a damn Maddie. You’re in this whether you like it or not so unless you want to just climb into a body bag and get it over with I’d suggest you start cooperating with us.” Cole stated.

She sighed. A deep sigh. An angry sigh. She wasn’t just mad at him then, she was mad about all of it. At the fact that this had happened to her, at the fact that someone somewhere had chosen her, selected her, at the fact that right now everything was spiralling out of control. She wanted to run she realised, she wanted to really run, to disappear. To become invisible.

“I’m going.” She said moving to pull the drip feed out of her arm and Cole snapped, grabbing her arm and yanking her half across the room dragging the drip stand with him.

“You are going to get in that god damn bed and you are going to stay there.” He said shoving her against it.

“Stop telling me what to do.” She snarled and he shook his head.

“Get in that bed.” He ordered.

She glared at him, then glared at Brandon too because he was just standing there doing nothing. Watching her. She shut her eyes, wanting to hide from both of them. And then she got in, still seething, and she fixed her eyes on them again. On the god damn double act that was Cole and Brandon.

Cole pulled the covers over her. “Better.” He muttered and she narrowed her eyes.

“You can’t stop me from going. As soon as I’m out of this hospital I’m gone.” She said.

“Where are you going to go Maddie huh?” Cole replied and she shook her head slightly. He was so fucking sure of himself wasn’t he?

“Like I’m going to tell you.” She said.

“It doesn’t matter, you can run if you want but they’ll catch you soon enough and then they’ll finish the job.” Cole stated.

“Not if I hide well enough.”

“Don’t be a fucking idiot.” Brandon said and she scowled at him too. “You need to stop running. Stop trying to sort this on your own.”

“Right because you really want to help me?” She snapped back.

“What other option do you have?” Cole said with a smirk that made her want to punch him.

She glared at him but said nothing.

“This is how it’s going to work, when you get out of here there will be agents posted at your door. A car will pick you up each morning and take you back each night. You work for us now. You work for BlackWater got it?” Cole said.

She scowled again.

“I said have you got it?” Cole said louder, more aggressively and she shut her eyes. What choice did she have she thought, these people whoever they were wanted her dead and yes she could run, yes she could hide but for how long? They’d already killed McCullough, they’d already tried to kill her for god’s sake and the worst of it was she didn’t even know who they were, because if she did she’d at least stand a fighting chance. But right now she was a dead man walking, a dead Maddie walking.

“Fine.” She said through gritted teeth.

Brandon nodded once to Cole and then he left them to it. Cole grabbed the chair turning it to face the other one and took his jacket off.

“You are not staying.” Maddie said realising what he was doing.

“Shut up Maddie.” He said before kicking his shoes off, sitting in one chair and resting his feet in the other. She watched him seeing the damn audacity of the man, just lying there like he was entitled too, like he had the right to take her space, take her privacy too. He was on his phone, flicking through, typing something.

She shook her head slightly.

“I swear to god Maddie if you don’t go to sleep…” He began.

“You’ll what?”

“You don’t want to find out.” He said his eyes still fixed on his phone but she knew all his attention was all on her and she huffed before turning her back on him. Fuck Cole Black, she thought. The man was completely insufferable.

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