Page 23 of Ruin Me
“I guess that’s what I’m saying.”
I strode to her and took her shoulders in my hands until she found the courage to look at me. “I’ll try to give you what you need, but only if you promise to tell me to stop when you’ve had enough. The damage I could have done today… I don’t want tothink about how bad it could have been. That’s another reason I need the day with you.” I pulled her toward the couch and lay our bodies on the soft cushions.
Madison willingly came into my arms and I breathed my first free breath in days as her body sank into mine. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
I kissed the hair on top of her head, reveling in the soft curls. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”
For hours we didn’t move except to talk. I satisfied my curiosity about her meteoric rise as the owner of such a successful crisis management company. In listening to her impassioned speech about her company and employees, Hayden Mills’ question popped into my head. Now that I wanted to be ready for her, I couldn’t imagine her leaving in a month.
“You’ve come a long way at a young age. Do you have plans to expand your operation?”
“I hadn’t thought about it. People come to me, but I’ve had a few clients recently that have required extensive travel. Having satellite offices in strategic cities might be my next option.”
Her vague response left an emptiness inside me, but now wasn’t the time to rush into anything. We had to get to know each other, though I was certain I would only grow to admire Madison more than I did.
When her stomach grumbled, I ordered food, as the house hadn’t been stocked in months. Even as we ate, I couldn’t stomach too much distance between us and sat beside her, our legs pressed against each other.
As we packed away the containers, my phone rang. Omar’s name on the screen prompted me to respond. Although I was taking the day off, I didn’t have the luxury to ignore Omar’s calls. He knew to disturb me for emergencies only when I played hooky.
“Kent?” he asked before I said a word. His frantic voice and the sirens in the background put me on alert.
Madison paused. A concerning frown pulled at her lips.
I motioned her over. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Elsie. God!” The typically even-tempered Omar had disappeared. His distraught response alarmed me.
“What happened to Elsie?” I put the call on speakerphone.
Madison gripped my arm and sat down heavily beside me.
“Someone attacked her. We’re on the way to Douglas General in an ambulance right now, but I think you should meet us there.”
Voices calling out dosages and statuses sounded in the background as EMTs worked on Elsie.
“Madison and I’ll be there soon. Did you call the police?”
“Not yet.” Omar’s shuddered breath shook me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” Madison pulled out her phone to place the call.
“Omar, hang in there.”
The ride to the hospital was fraught with worry and tension. Although I tried not to think about it, I wondered if the person murdering my past dates was at fault. The police had heard nothing new and had found no new bodies. Was Elsie a victim of the person targeting me?
We pulled into the parking area and rushed to the emergency room. Omar spotted us before we spotted him. He appeared aged and haggard compared to when I saw him yesterday.
“She’s still in surgery but should be in intensive care soon. They won’t tell me much else because I’m not family,” he said.
“Tell us what happened. I’ll need to contact Elsie’s parents, her agency, her?—”
“Madison, take a breath.” I glanced around the crowded waiting room. “Let’s find a quiet place to talk.”
“The cafeteria’s pretty empty. Follow me.” Omar sped through the halls until we reached the dining area.
From the sparsely populated tables, we’d missed the lunch rush. After choosing a table away from everyone else, Omar spoke.
“Elsie and I were supposed to go on a lunch date. She told me to pick her up in her building’s garage. When I pulled up, I saw a man standing over someone on the ground. All I could see were her crumpled legs.”