Page 111 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

“It’s not what you think.” Maddie said quickly.

“Go on then, tell me how the fuck you can even justify it.” Richard snarled.

“I can’t. I can’t tell you. Just please trust me that this is not what it seems.” Maddie said feeling herself getting more and more annoyed.

“Fucking hell. I thought you were different. I thought you had some brains.” He muttered.

“He’s blackmailing me.” Maddie said before she could stop herself. It felt like the words echoed around the room. Hanging around it like a bad smell.

“What?”

“He’s blackmailing me.” Maddie said quieter. Fuck it felt worse saying it out loud.

“How?” Richard asked.

“It’s complicated.”

“Something you’ve done? Something illegal?” Richard asked.

“No. It’s not me. He’s using Cole. He’s threatening too…” She trailed off. “I can’t fight him because if I do he won’t go for me. He’ll go after Cole and I can’t let that happen.”

“Fucking hell Maddie.” Richard said.

“I don’t know what to do.” Maddie admitted.

“What does he want?” Richard asked.

Maddie shrugged. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense. I’ve only met him once. But he’s definitely after something.”

“Have you told Cole?”

“No. How can I? How can I explain it to him?”

“He might be able to help.”

“No Richard. I have to deal with this by myself. Just promise me you won’t say anything. You won’t do anything.”

“Fine.” Richard muttered.

“How did you find out anyway?” Maddie asked.

“Kelsey. She said something about you two starting to build some sort of father daughter relationship.”

“She must have got that from him. Not me. I’m not forming anything. I’m doing what I have to and that’s it.”

“He’s a fucking prick.” Richard said.

“Yeah you can say that again.” Maddie muttered as she went to the fridge, pulled an opened bottle of white out and half downed a glass of it before shutting the fridge door.

Her eyes widened as she realised Cole was there. In the kitchen. Fuck, she thought, because she didn’t know how much he’d heard. How long he’d been there for.

“I have to go. Say hi to the kids for me.” Maddie said hanging up.

Cole was giving her a funny look and it was making her so nervous.

“How was the trip?” He asked.

“Pretty much a waste of time.” She said. “I doubt we’ll get anything from it.

“Who was that on the phone?”

“Richard.” She said wanting to say something, to try and fill out the silence but everything felt like a lie. A mistruth.

“I’m going to jump in the shower.” She said and he nodded watching her go, frowning.

As soon as she left he picked up her phone. She’d left it on the side and he was more than tempted to unlock it and go through her messages but he didn’t. He’d already heard enough, lurking by the front door. He knew she was being blackmailed. He just didn’t know the details.

He put her phone back down and pulled his own out of his pocket texting Brandon.

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