Bowles, Jan - In Debt to the Dom [Guilty Pleasures 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (12 page)

Maddie placed a hand on Keaton’s arm. “It’s no use. She’s as high as a kite. We won’t get any sense from her until she comes down. I’ve seen it all before, time and time again. What is it this time, Simone, cocaine?”

“Why, do you want some?” Simone threw her head back and laughed hysterically. “Of course you don’t. You’re far too prim and proper for that.”

“Just sit over there.” Maddie was fast losing patience.

“You don’t tell me what to do, bitch.”

“I just have. Now sit down.” Maddie slapped Simone’s face again, then pushed her onto the couch. She lifted her sister’s arm and peeled back the sleeve of her dress. The tell-tale red marks on her forearm were not unexpected. “Back on the heroin, I see, Simone.”

“None of your fucking business.” Simone wrenched her hand away.

“You made it my business by involving me, but just for the record, Simone, when we’re done here, you and I are no longer sisters.”

“Suits me. Now leave me alone, bitch.” With that, she curled on the sofa and closed her eyes.

Keaton touched Maddie’s arm, and she turned to look at him. Did she see compassion in his eyes? Or distaste that she had such an obnoxious sibling? “How long has she been like this?”

“On and off for about eight years. The trouble with Simone is she’s like all heroin addicts—very selfish. The family has tried to help her, but she just throws it all back in our faces. I can barely stand to be in the same room as the unrepentant bitch.”

“So what do we do now?”

“We have to find all the drugs and hide them from her. When she starts coming down and needing another fix, that’s when we can negotiate. She’ll be far more likely to tell us where the money is then. She won’t have such a smart mouth in a few hours time. She’ll be begging for my forgiveness.”

* * * *

Keaton was amazed at how many different places Simone had hidden the drugs. He was also surprised at just how Maddie knew precisely where to look. Shoes and the toilet cistern were obvious places, but who would have thought of looking in a can of deodorant? Maddie had immediately homed in on it and unscrewed the false bottom, revealing the narcotics inside.

When they were finally convinced they’d looked everywhere, they took a hard-earned break.

As he handed Maddie a coffee, he glanced at the woman sleeping fitfully on the sofa opposite them. Simone was a lot taller than her sister, but she had the same beautiful cloud of blonde curls that he’d always admired in Maddie. They might appear very similar on the surface, but he knew where Simone carried a swinging brick for a heart, Maddie was the real McCoy, warm and generous and totally genuine. He wondered how two sisters could be so different from one another. What Maddie had put up with from Simone over the years made him feel immensely proud of her.

“She’s bled you dry, hasn’t she?” he stated, as they sipped at their much needed coffee.

“I tried to help. I even paid for her to go into rehab, but this is the last straw, the one that breaks the camel’s back. I can’t do any more.” She shook her head and he was convinced she was about to cry. He touched her hand and squeezed it. Then she took a deep breath and obviously pulled herself together. She smiled at him. “No, I’m fine. I realize I have to live my life now. I can’t live hers. I should have washed my hands of her years ago and saved myself a whole lot of trouble and heartache.”

“Look, Maddie. I have a friend who runs a rehabilitation clinic for drug addicts in Switzerland. He may be able to help. Would you like me to give him a call?”

“Switzerland? That sounds very expensive, Keaton.”

“It is.”

“Oh, no, I can’t get into any more debt.”

He clasped her hand in his and massaged her fingers with his own. “If we manage to recover most of the money from your sister, then we’ll both be better off. You and I know we can’t leave her here.”

“Maybe, oh, I don’t know.”

“Then call it conscience money.”

“Conscience money?” A puzzled look creased her face as she stared at him.

“Perhaps, something good will come from all this heartache. It would make me feel better, too.”

“Feeling guilty?”

He touched a finger to her lips. “Now that would be telling.” He regretted the situation they found themselves in, but not the shared intimacy that they’d enjoyed together.

A faint blush tinged her cheeks, and she lowered her lashes briefly. When she stared back, she smiled coyly. “I don’t regret the sex either, and if we weren’t here, I’m sure I would enjoy whatever you had in store for—”

“Maddie what have you done with my gear? You fucking bitch. I need a fucking fix, like, right now.”

Keaton turned to see her sister loom over them. Before he could react, she lunged at Maddie, sending her sprawling across the floor. A tangle of arms and legs wrestled on the pale cream carpet. They both grabbed each other’s hair, yanking it mercilessly.

“Get off me, you cow!” Maddie shouted.

“Not until you give me back my stash.”

Keaton reached down and pulled them apart. Simone seemed determined to keep fighting, and he warned her, “You better calm down, lady, and think twice because, believe me, I’m,” he held up his finger and thumb a fraction apart in front of her face, “this close to calling in the cops.”

“You don’t scare me, Mr. Big Business Man.”

“You’re not above the law, lady.” He shook his head. “Uh-uh. I’ve already been in touch with the authorities. Extradition back to the U.S. would not take long for a serious case of blackmail. You’re looking at a ten-year sentence. Minimum. By the time you get out of jail, your looks will be gone, and nobody will want to photograph you ever again. Your days as a supermodel will be over.” He saw that the idea of losing the one thing she’d always relied on scared her, and he decided to push home the advantage. “’Course, all these drugs will age you faster than a plum at a prune factory. Two years tops, and you can say goodbye to your good looks, anyway.”

He watched Maddie smile as she readjusted her clothing from the scuffle she’d just been in. “I agree, Keaton. I’m five years older than Simone, but I think we look about the same age now.”

“Oh, are you the oldest, Maddie? I had no idea. Looking at your beautiful creamy skin, I would have thought that you were much younger than your sister.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Simone screamed, and he knew they’d hit their mark, as she flounced back onto the sofa once more. Her brows were drawn together and she looked agitated. He knew the cold sweats would soon begin, and then it wouldn’t be long before she told them everything.

He picked up his cell phone and made the call to the clinic in Switzerland.

* * * *

“Please, Maddie, take the pain away. I can’t bear it.” Maddie stroked her hand into her sister’s hair. Even now, she couldn’t stop caring altogether. Simone had the symptoms of withdrawal really bad now, and she leaned over the toilet bowl, retching into it for dear life.

“I can’t help you, not until you help me. You need to go to rehab. This is your last chance, because I wash my hands of you after this. You need to tell me where the money is.”

“Okay, okay, take the fucking money. I’ll even go to rehab. Anything to take away this bone-crushing pain.”

“Good, but I can’t sort this out. Not unless I know where the money is.”

“My purse, my purse. Get me my purse.” Simone sounded desperate now.

Maddie dashed into the living area and glanced at Keaton, half-asleep on the sofa. It had been a long night and they were both exhausted. She nudged him completely awake. “Where’s her purse? Have you seen it? I think she’s about to tell us where the money is.”

“I fucking hope so, because I’ve just about used up this year’s patience in one go.” He rubbed a hand across his eyes and then leaned down the side of the sofa. He produced a black sequined bag. “Is this it?”

Maddie grabbed it and headed back to the bathroom. She handed it to her sister.

“Please, Maddie. I don’t want to die. The stomach cramps are just so bad I think I’m going to die. Please help me.”

Maddie stroked a hand into her sister’s hair; it was soaked through with sweat. She felt compassion for her even though she didn’t want to. “I’m here to help you, Simone, but you have to tell me where the money is.”

Simone’s fingers trembled as she pulled a piece of paper from her purse and handed it to her. Maddie saw it was a receipt.

“What’s this, Simone?”

“The money’s in the hotel safe.”

Maddie took the receipt and shook her head, dumbfounded by what she’d heard. “You left the money in a hotel safe?”

“I needed ready cash, all right?” Her voice sounded strained. “Now tell me where my fucking stash is.” Her hand shook uncontrollably as she wiped it across her mouth. “I wasn’t going to put it into a bank account, you silly fucking, bitch. Dealers don’t accept credit cards. You know nothing about the real world and the people I deal with. I need a fix, Maddie. I hurt all over. Please, please help me.”

“You’ll have to wait a bit longer. I need to know I can trust you.”

“You bitch, I’ve kept my part of the bargain, now just give me my fucking gear.”

“We’ll see.” Maddie knew that very soon someone from the Swiss rehab clinic would be coming to pick her up. This time she hoped the therapy would work, because, like Keaton, she’d used up her entire supply of patience. Only in her case, it wasn’t a year’s supply. It was a lifetime’s worth.

Chapter Thirteen

“Is that the last of it, Keaton?” Maddie asked as she placed the final bundle of money she’d counted, on the bed.

Keaton made a quick calculation. “Four hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars, give or take a few bucks. It’s a good thing we came when we did. Your sister spends money like water.”

“Yes, well, let’s hope she takes rehab seriously this time. There’ll be no more second chances from now on.” Maddie reflected on how anxious her sister had been. She really didn’t like pain and hardship. The clinic had reassured her that they do most of the cold turkey while heavily sedated. In four of five days, they would bring her out of the induced sedation, when most of the pain and tremors would have passed. So much for paying for one’s sins, but if it helped her sister back to a normal purposeful existence, then who was she to judge?

Keaton lay back on the bed and placed his arms behind his head. “As soon as I’ve rested, I need to take a shower and then get this money to a bank. It’s not safe having so much cash lying around.”

With the pile of money between them, she glanced at him. Just wearing a pair of jeans, he looked so sexy and masculine. When he closed his eyes, she let her gaze drift across the hard contours of his chest. The slight smattering of hair caught the light every so often as he breathed.

In a flash, he pulled her down next to him.

“Are you admiring me or the money?” His eyes flew wide open, and she felt her stomach coil in anticipation as his gaze connected with hers.

“I’ve never been this close to half a million dollars before,” she teased. There was no way she would admit that she’d been staring at him.

They rolled on top of the money as he pinned her underneath him. He brushed the hair from her eyes. “Mmm. I think otherwise. You look so fucking sexy laid out on a blanket of money.”

He stared at her for a moment, focusing on her lips, and then her eyes, and back again. He let out a long slow breath and then rolled away.

“Christ, what a fucking mess. I can’t take advantage of you anymore, Maddie. I don’t even want the rest of the money back. In fact, I insist on it.”