The Formidable

7*

Madison was pacing in the kitchen on the phone to Mia's babysitter. She had her thumbnail between her teeth, scraping off the red paint.

"I'm so sorry about this. I'll get home as soon as I can." Jase watched her as he lit a cigarette and poured two shorts at the table. He had given up both drinking and smoking long ago but they could do with something to take the edge off. He didn't think he'd see her again this soon, certainly not under these circumstances. He was experiencing an intense case of Déjà vu.

She hung up and sat down, sliding a cigarette out for herself. Jase handed her the lighter, waiting for her to take a few drags and calm down before he started interrogating her.

"Who's Casper King?" he finally asked. Madison chewed her lip, shaking her head and avoiding eye contact. She ran her tongue across her teeth, something she did when in deep thought. Casper wasn't supposed to have caught up with her this quickly. She was supposed to be safe in London.

"It's my problem," she eventually replied. Jase rolled his eyes but didn't expect anything less. Madison was as proud as ever and it was obvious she wanted no reason to have anything to do with the house, or him, for which he could hardly blame her.

"Right, but it's been brought into this house so now it's my problem too, more so if that was intentional and not a coincidence. You need to tell me exactly who he is and why he's after you." She watched him through her lashes, sitting back, folding her arms. Fate had spoken for her once again. In fact, it had delivered her directly to its doorstep, violently. But she didn't have the answers to his questions.

"I don't know. I've never met him, I've only ever heard his name and as for what he wants with me, your guess is as good as mine." She didn't tell him there were more reasons than he could think of why someone would come looking for her or want to do her harm. Jase was already shaking his head. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and rubbing her cheek with one hand, letting out a deep sigh. "If you don't know who he is either then it could be anything. It might be to do with the house, it might be to do with us. I honestly don't know."

"What could they possibly know about us? We cut ties the day Mitch came round. You haven't been brought up since, not for more than a few seconds at least and not around anyone new. Everyone's been real careful on the topic," he said. "As far as anyone other than me, Sam, Janine, and a handful of others are concerned, you don't even exist anymore." Madison puffed her cheeks out. There had been many nights where she wished that lie were true.

"I don't know what's going on. I thought it would all end that night," she said, defeated. Jase smiled sympathetically and Madison's eyes trailed down to his arms. They were bigger, definitely bigger. He was more of a man now, all muscle, and from what she could, he'd dropped the drugs. There wasn't a washed-out look to his face anymore and the bags that used to adorn his eyes from nights spent wired were gone.

"Come on, you know better than anyone that things like this don't just stop. Shit always comes back to bite you." He huffed and laced his fingers behind his head. "We should have seen something like this coming." There was never any escape, only dealing with things head-on. Madison hummed, looking at the brandy he'd poured her before knocking it back.

"I suppose it's time to put my big girl boots on again then," she said. Jase wore a smile of disbelief as he shook his head, a crease settling between his brows.

"No chance, you've got a kid to look after. You're not doing anything," he said almost finally.

"I can't spend my entire life running, Jase, and I'm certainly not sitting with my tail between my legs. Especially now I've got a daughter to look after. What am I supposed to do? Wait for him to come knocking? He put a call out for me. What good am I to Mia if I'm dragged to a different house next time?"

"And what good are you to her if you're dead or in prison?" he replied. She clenched her jaw. He was right. Jase sighed and sat up a little, kicking himself for what he was about to suggest. "Let me deal with it." Madison's eyes widened.

"No-"

"I know you don't want anything to do with me or with this house but frankly, you don't have many other options now."

"This has nothing to do with you-"

"Boys that work for me were outsourced and if they were outsourced from me for a reason, unfortunately, it might have a lot more to do with me than either of us are willing to admit," he said sternly. They held each other's stares momentarily before Jase looked away. "Besides, if I don't help, what's your next move?" Madison pursed her lips. She didn't want his help but not because of their history. Some things were better left buried. But Jase wouldn't take no for an answer, even if she refused, he'd carry out his own digging. She would rather have some modicum of insight into what digging he did. He turned back to her, tilting his head. There was an unfamiliar look in her eyes, one he'd seen on very few occasions. "You're scared," he concluded. Madison scoffed.

"No shit. It was easy to be reckless when it was my life at stake. Not now Mia's here."

"So let me help." He didn't enjoy the idea of involving himself in this grief but he couldn't let her deal with it alone. As much as he hated it, he would always have the inclination to get her out of trouble if he could. Some good may as well come from all his dodgy dealings. He could use the good karma. She didn't say anything. "Madison, whether you like it or not, I'm involved now-" She pressed her face into her palms.

"I know. I know."

"I'll find out what I can about Caspar. In the meantime, don't talk to anyone about this. We don't know who's working for him which gives him the upper hand, especially if he knows Chris and Paul work for me." He stubbed the cigarette out and Madison looked at him through her fingers before pulling her hands away. There was no use arguing with him, she needed all the help she could get if Caspar had already got this close. She just hoped that being taken to the house was due to a lack of knowledge on his part.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. Jase breathed a small laugh.

"Don't thank me yet. This could get a lot worse before it gets better."