Cannon (Savage Kings MC - South Carolina Book Series 5) by Lane Hart (simple ebook reader txt) 📕

“Good,” she says, and she looks nervous. “The US Attorney also put some agents on me until after the election, which means you’re free from babysitting duty and I can go back to my place.”

“Oh,” I say in surprise. “I’m sure Jake and Lucas will be glad to finally go home.”

“Yes, I’m sure they are.”

So that’s it then? Madison just told me she doesn’t need me hanging around and she won’t be staying with me anymore. It’s a nice way to say that she doesn’t want anything else to do with me. We’re done and over. No more flirting or arguing or making love. It’s what I wanted, right? To avoid getting my heart crushed?

“Guess everything worked out,” I mutter. “And I’m glad that Conrad and I are out in time to vote for you in two weeks.”

“Me too,” she agrees. Then she says softly, “I’ve missed you.”

“Oh yeah?” I say in surprise since that’s the opposite of what she just said. “You didn’t call or come see me.”

“Cannon, I tried,” she says. “There were no visiting hours over the weekend; and since I wasn’t an attorney at your attorney’s firm, they wouldn’t let me in that way either.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you tried,” I say doubtfully. “Looks like you were pretty chummy with Daniel.”

“He’s sort of a friend and was my biggest competition from law school,” she says as she stares down at her fingers clutching the wooden bar between us.

“That all, huh? Just a friend?”

She shakes her head without looking at me. “He asked me out to dinner at The Library restaurant tonight.”

“Fancy,” I say and realize that Madison never let me take her out to dinner. It was always carryout or cooking at the house because she didn’t want to be seen with me. “I’m not surprised. I’m sure the two of you will be happy in your designer suits. I can see the family portrait now, even your babies will be wearing vests and ties.”

“I haven’t said yes yet. I thought I would ask you first, Cannon. Do you want me to tell him no?”

“You can do whatever the fuck you want, Madison. You don’t need my permission.”

I walk away, back to the holding room without another word because I’m too fucking pissed to speak to anyone else.

Hell, I knew this was going to happen – that the two of us would never end up together. How could we ever be a couple if she won’t even eat a meal in public with me? And as much as I hate it, I don’t blame her. I want her to be successful, to achieve all of her career goals.

“What was that about with Madison?” Conrad asks when he joins me in the holding room where I’m sitting on the bench, waiting on him and for the guards to drive us back to the station.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Really? Do I have to remind you what you told me as soon as you were arrested? How you said you were falling in love with her?”

I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t do commitments or ultimatums. I walked away from a woman I knew I loved and could’ve been happy with when Kimberly gave me an ultimatum. I won’t be forced into marriage or even into a secret relationship.”

“I seriously doubt Madison is already talking about marriage,” he says as he stands in front of me. “So, what was her ultimatum?”

“She has a date tonight with that son of a bitch in the suit! She wanted me to tell her not to go, to make a fool of myself when she’s going to choose someone like him over me one day anyway!”

“She wanted you to tell her not to date someone else?” Conrad asks.

“Yes.”

“Bro, come on! She was just giving you a chance to tell her how you feel about her. Maybe she doesn’t want to make a fool of herself by thinking that you, a known playboy and one-night stand king, could only want her. I don’t think she would have asked if she didn’t want you to tell her no.”

“If she didn’t want to go out with him, she could just say no, not put that shit on me!”

“So, you want her to be alone for the rest of her life, just because you’re scared of taking a chance on a relationship again?”

“Yes,” I blurt out and then realize how stupid that is. I can’t have her, but I don’t want anyone else to have her either.

“I bet she’s been working her ass off trying to get Bailey charged and us out of jail and that it’s come before her campaign when she’s less than two weeks away from election day! That’s insane!”

“Maybe she knows the election isn’t a big deal now because Bailey is going to be arrested.”

“She doesn’t know that! And from what little I know about the woman, she wouldn’t just give up on trying to win until it’s over.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Get your head out of your ass, Cannon. Don’t let her slip through your fingers out of fear. At least have the balls to see if you could be happy; because honestly, I don’t see you going back to one-night stands again after Madison. She’s ruined you, in a good way. It’s time to finally man up and tell her how you feel.”

“Well, shit,” I mutter.

“What?” Conrad asks.

“I think you might be right.”

“Hell, I know I am!” he says with a grin.

Several long hours later and, as promised, Conrad and I are both free men. When we get home after the FBI interview at our attorney’s office, I was half expecting Madison to be there. I went up and looked in her room where all her things are still lurking, but she’s not here.

No, tonight, she’s probably with another man.

As soon as I get a quick shower, I debate putting on my normal clothes, jeans, a hoodie and my leather cut, or a suit. But Madison knows what she gets