Maddox opens a drawer behind his desk and gets out a stack of papers, putting them on the table in front of Penny.
“I need you to go through these and check all the numbers from the last few years.”
“Okay,” she says so quietly, it’s almost inaudible. She clears her throat and when she talks again, it’s loud and clear. “But I want something in return.”
Fuck.
I grind my teeth together in anger. She is going to ask for her debt to be forgiven, I fucking know it. Without debt, I have no real reason to keep her here.
Maddox leans back in his office chair. “Is that so? I don’t think you are in a position to make demands, but out of curiosity, what is it you want?”
“I want a laptop and internet access,” she explains.
“I’ll get you a fucking laptop,” I growl. “Now, run the damn numbers.” I don’t know who is more surprised by my outburst, Maddox, Penny, or myself.
Her shaking hand reaches for the papers, and she looks through them.
“I’ll need some time for these,” she whispers.
“You can take them to Ryder’s room, but they are not leaving the compound–”
Maddox hasn’t finished speaking when I’m on my feet. Gathering the papers, I shove them under my arm and grab Penny to pull her from her seat.
“Anything else?” I growl.
“Come back later, I need to talk to you in private,” he says dismissively.
“Fine.” I nod and drag Penny out of the office and through the bar the same way we came.
Slamming the door shut, I lock us back in my room and throw the stack of papers on the bed.
“What the fuck was that?” I yell at her, making her go pale. Guilt is written all over her face, but not even that is calming me down right now.
“I-I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I just need to fill out some applications–”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I don’t let her finish. “You don’t demand things from Maddox. You don’t demand things from anyone here.”
Fuck. She has no idea what she just did.
“I’m sorry,” she repeats, but her words don’t matter. The damage has been done.
“Start on the papers,” I order and turn away from her.
Leaving the room, I walk back upstairs to talk to Maddox. Before I enter his office, I take a calming breath, as if that would help.
Not knocking this time, I simply walk into his office and take the seat across from him.
“She needs to go. She is nothing but trouble, and she doesn’t know her place.”
“I’m handling it.”
“Fuck you are. You’re not handling shit. She has you wrapped around her little finger, and the guys are taking notice. You need to stop thinking with your dick and start using your brain. You are bound to this club, not to some pussy. Deal with her, or I’ll do it.”
His threat hangs in the air. I want to tell him to fuck off, but the truth is he is right. Whether or not I want to admit it, she has been getting under my skin. Worse than that, she makes me look weak. This has to stop.
I need to end this… and I need to do it before Maddox does.