Page 36 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

“Yours.” He said with a grin and she half choked on her wine.

“What?” She gasped.

“Consider it a gift.” He said.

“I don’t need gifts Cole.” She stated both feeling annoyed and ungrateful all in one hit.

“Are you so feral you don’t even have presents on your birthday?” He asked and he saw her eyes flash momentarily in the same way they used to when she was cornered.

“How…?”

“Did you think I didn’t know? Did you think I’d ignore it?” He asked.

“Cole I don’t need presents.” She stated again.

“I don’t care what you think you need or don’t need. The car is yours. It’s a gift.” He stated.

She shook her head. This was Cole Black all over she thought, so generous and yet so damn controlling at the same time. She knew he hated the Landy, hated the unreliability of it, hated the slowness of it. It was like some archaic dinosaur that he just didn’t get despite her attempts to convert him and now here he was, having his way again, expecting her just to comply.

“I have a vehicle. A perfectly good vehicle. A damn good vehicle. A vehicle that can take me places most other vehicles wouldn’t make it across.”

“I’m not denying that but your car doesn’t have airbags, or power steering, and it’s spent the last six months leaking oil across my drive.” He said and she sniggered then.

It was true, the damn Landy had leaked but that was part of them. When they didn’t leak oil it was because they’d run out of oil.

“I’m not selling it. I’m not getting rid of it.” She stated and he walked up to her, taking the glass from her hand and putting it on the side before making her face him fully.

“Is it really the car or is that you don’t want to admit it’s your birthday?” He asked and she felt herself wince.

“How do you always do this?” She half whispered as he smirked.

“I know you Maddie, better than you know yourself.” He stated.

She snorted in response but he only held her tighter.

“Keep your old one if you want, but day to day you drive the Range Rover. It’s faster, safer, and if shit ever hits the fan it will save your life more times than that old Defender will.” He said and she rolled her eyes knowing that he was right but not liking it all the same.

“Fine.” She muttered, feeling like an ungrateful child who didn’t want to admit defeat even when she was staring right into the face of it.

“Good girl.” He replied before lifting her chin and kissing her hard.

Maddie laybeside Cole along the couch. Her hand was on his chest, drawing circles along his top and he smiled watching her as his hand stroked her hair. She was almost domesticated now, he thought, his wildcat, his feral animal, she was almost tamed.

“You do know I wasn’t concerned right? About Kelsey?” Maddie said and Cole nodded.

“That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to show you anyway.” He said and she sighed.

“I trust you Cole.” She said quietly and he smiled.

“I should think so. You let me tie you up and spank you at every opportunity.” He stated and she rolled her eyes.

“You know what I meant.” She said and he laughed before his face suddenly turned serious like he was thinking about something.

“I think you need to talk to your dad.” He said after a few moments and she clenched her fists.

“Not a chance.”

She’d been ignoring his calls for months now. She’d blocked his phone number, changed hers, and he’d even had the audacity to try to contact her at work.

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