Chapter 2

"I thought we had an agreement." 

Lightly tapping his feet against the floor, Maddox Black felt his patience gradually slip from him. He leaned back in his seat, lazily assessing the situation in front of him. His gaze swept down to his pocket knife, wondering if he should end it all with a swift kill to the man's jugular. 

"Mr Black, it wasn't me. I swear," the man pleaded, still on his knees. He couldn't be more than twenty-six which annoyed Maddox more. 

"Why do you bother denying it when you were caught?" 

"Someone is trying to frame me. I promise you, it wasn't me. I never went back on our agreement." 

"It would be better for you if you confess now, Kingsley." 

"I swear on my life…"

Maddox chuckled. Why would anyone bet on such a feeble thing? "Alright." 

He exchanged a knowing look with Bryan, his bodyguard, and beckoned him with his index finger. Bryan stepped closer with a Galaxy Tab in his hand. Collecting it, Maddox stared at the paused video Bryan copied from the security tapes. He tapped the screen, watching Kingsley sell drugs to a group of girls. 

Turning the screen to face Kingsley as the video replayed, he said, "Do you still deny selling drugs?"

"It was just a little bit of Molly. I wasn't going to sell to them but they saw me with it and begged me to give them." 

"Get rid of him," he told Bryan, growing irritated at the excuses the man kept giving. "I don't want to see him in my club again." 

Bryan walked over to Kingsley and swiftly knocked him out. He carried the unconscious man over his shoulder and walked out of the office. Maddox turned off the device sitting on his lap and dropped it on the desk. The night had barely begun and it was growing exhausting. 

Rising to his full height, he strode across the room to the door. As he pulled it open, the noise and music flooded his ears, filling the formerly silent room. Closing the door behind him, he walked down the grand, decorated empty halls. Maddox took the private elevator down to the ground floor and slowly adjusted to the flickering lights and music. He joined the busyness of the club, walking past the seated gatherings of barely sober guests and the sea of bodies on the dance floor. 

A drunken guy stumbled in his line of sight, slipping on his own two feet. "Oh." 

Maddox quickly caught him by his shirt and steadied him. "Watch where you're going." 

The drunk guy brushed him off, jerking Maddox's hand away. "Whatever, dude," he slurred. 

Moments like this made Maddox question his life choices. He stepped to the side letting the guy hobble away in his drunken haze. He had barely taken a couple of steps when he heard collective gasps behind him. It probably had something to do with that drunken idiot. And he was right. The man had drawn in a crowd as he stood off against a lady he had groped. Exasperated, he moved to call security when she caught his eye. 

His gaze remained on her as the scene unfolded. The brunette with a wolf cut grabbed the drunk by the end and swept him off his feet with a sharp kick to his ankle. His lips twitched and a brow quirked up as she yelled something that drowned out the music. The drunk man cursed and started to rise when the guards arrived and grabbed him by the arms. The crowd that had gathered broke into a small applause and gradually dispersed. 

Maddox made his way to the bar, taking the first empty stool he found. "Old Fashioned," he ordered, letting his gaze trail the gorgeous brunette from earlier. 

She looked around the club, as if searching for someone. Running a hand through her hair, she released a sigh. Maddox shifted his gaze to the bartender who placed his drink on the counter. This was no season to fancy someone or anyone. He grabbed his glass and raised it to his lips, taking a huge sip. 

"One Negroni, please." 

The glass cup hovered above the counter as he dared a glance at the woman beside him. It was her! She glanced behind her once more, eyes searching. Then her gaze fell on him.

He raised his glass in greeting. "Do you always knock out drunk pervert or is it a first?" He asked, wondering if she would reply. 

"Hmm." A smile played on her lips as she eyed him. Nodding at his drunk, she questioned, "Rough night?" 

"Maybe. Work calls for one or two of this."

"I get you. What exactly do you do?" She received her drink from the bartender, taking a sip. 

His eyes followed her tongue that darted out to lick her lips. "Asking me that will definitely ruin the mystery."

She chuckled. "Is that how you get the ladies?"

"Maybe." His thumb grazed the rim of the glass. "I don't think I've seen you around here."

"Work brought me here when I should be snuggling with my cat back home." 

"What do you do?"

"I thought we were keeping that part of ourselves a mystery."

He took in her formal attire of a white shirt and black pants. "Let me guess, a lawyer?"

She gave him a cheeky grin. "I do work with the law. And you? A stripper?"

Maddox did not know whether to be offended or not. Taking her in, he mused, "I do hear I'm incredibly good at taking clothes off." 

"Is that so?" She reached for a handshake. "I'm Charlie and you?" 

He took her hand in his, feeling the coarseness of her fingertips. "Call me Black. Mr Black."

"Are you playing me right now?" 

He leaned closer to her. "No, I promise. I've got a place nearby. Would you like to come over?" 

Her brown eyes gleamed as she nodded. "I'd love to. I don't see why not."