Damien checked his watch as he walked into the private air strip.
He still couldn't believe a week had passed so quickly. It flew by so fast that he barely noticed, and this was because he had spent most of it with his family.
After dinner with his mother the last time, she and his sister Layla had begged and convinced him to stay for a few more days, and he had agreed because he had nothing important to do.
It had been a while since he spent quality time with them, and he didn't regret his decision to stay back one bit.
Frankly speaking, the last week seemed to be the most fun days he'd had in months.
At his large apartment, when he came back from work he would just sit around with nothing to do, but with his family, they had kept him on his toes and busy always and he had enjoyed every moment.
He had felt human again, and even though he returned home few days later he still missed them, cherishing the time they'd spent. Now he vowed he would always make time to go see and spend some days with them. It did him good, with his mother's delicious delicacies being a nice bonus.
Today though, he was finally on his way to London, and since he'd gotten to the air strip on time, he was due to leave in about forty minutes.
Sighing, he took a seat under one of the canopies outside, overlooking his maintenance team doing the finishing touches his jet needed.
For some reason which he just couldn't put a name too, he began to feel very nervous and he began to rub both of his palms together.
This was no time to start having cold feet damn! He was going to that city for answers and that would be it, nothing more nothing less.
Trying to shake off the strange feeling in him, he took a sip of water from the bottle of water nearby and finishing the liquid contents in one gulp, he tossed the bottle into the trash when he was done drinking.
Just as he did, he saw Alvarez walk into the air strip with four other men who Damien assumed were his chosen security men for the trip and as they approached him, they simultaneously greeted him, while he nodded and waved them off.
As they left elsewhere to take their seats and wait for takeoff, Damien turned to face Alvarez.
Smiling widely at the sight of Damien, Alvarez moved forward to give him a hug.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, pulling away to study Damien's face and nodding Damien in turn replied, "Well, I'm a little bit curious. Don't know why."
His statement only made Alvarez smile wider.
"Curiosity is good, and you also have time to study yourself. Whatever you do though... just be careful. Don't do anything reckless, okay? I hope you find every answer you're looking for, and settle all this once and for all, so peace can reign."
Peace? Damien didn't think that word was likely, bearing in mind his situation with the Connors.
He wasn't out for peace with that bastard family that moulded him into this cold man he was today... No! He did want answers yes, but he was not on some peace making mission.
Instead he would get his answers, and exert his revenge and only then would he be calm.
The only person he could make peace with of course was Madison, and at the thought of her Damien's chest tightened.
Saying nothing at first, Damien just sighed and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I hope so to. I promise to come back with all the information I need."
"That is good man! That's the spirit." Alvarez chimed patting him back.
"One thing is for sure though. I won't leave until I have avenged my father's death." Damien didn't want to say this at first, but the pain buried deep in his heart had him uttering the words.
Even after so many years, the wound was still fresh, and the memory was unforgettable.
Alvarez patted his back, "I understand how you feel man, and I sincerely wish you well. I do want peace, but then I'm rooting for you all the way, man. Always, you have my full support."
Damien smiled at him again as they hugged once more. Alvarez asked him about business and his health, asking him to take care of himself when he got to London. Damien only laughed in response and before they finally parted, Alvarez held Damien back.
"One more thing before you go."
"Yes." Damien nodded, waiting for him to speak.
"I know your sole aim of going to London is to avenge your father's death and talk to the Connors, but I want you to talk to Madison as well. Please try at least. Madison is hiding so many things as you know. There are so many secrets she is keeping, some which concerns you as well. I want you to promise you'll talk to her as well. Not just her parents."
Damien didn't respond. He did plan to talk to Madison but somewhere in the back of his mind, he still had a feeling that she would shun him and block him out.
Well he had decided earlier that if that happened, he would just forget about her even if it would hurt so much, and instead carry out his plans with the Connors.
After all, that was the most important thing to him; his revenge, regardless he knew that Alvarez was making sense.
"Damien." He heard Alvarez call out and quickly he faced him, "Talk to her, okay? You need to get to the bottom of this... get to know the full story. I'm not asking you two to get back together. I just want you both to be on good terms, just like before. And this will only happen when things are sorted out."
Taking a deep breath, Damien nodded, extending his arm to Alvarez in a handshake. They hugged and faced each other.
"Buena suerte." Alvarez murmured in a small voice, smiling sadly.
Damien's head shot up in surprise. He couldn't remember the last time either of them had said that to each other. It was something they all used to say to each other when they were much younger – Him, Alvarez and Madison.
A lump formed in his throat as he remembered the last time Madison had said that to him.
She had intertwined her fingers in his the day he had to leave town for a few days.
Leaning in, she had whispered in his ears; 'Buena suerte, mi amor' and with a light kiss to his cheek, she had run back to her gated apartment, turning back and waving at him.
Damien felt tears prick the back of his eyes at the memory, and for a split second, he felt the tears about to drop but he held himself back. He needed to be strong now, more than ever.
With one last hug, Damien turned away and started to walk towards his jet, which was ready for takeoff, his eyes still burning.
Before the plane took off, he first called his mother, informing her that he had boarded safely and that they were about to take off.
Shutting his eyes in reverence, she said a short prayer for his safety during the trip and in London, and also for his safe return.
"Take care of yourself, honey." She said as soon as she was done, "Don't forget to eat healthy, and don't forget to call when you feel like talking, alright?"
"Yes, mother. I will, thank you."
"Good boy." She said, making Damien laugh. "And what about the business? I hope it won't be affected by your trip."
"Of course not." Damien responded. "I already placed one of the managers in charge. I trust him and he's very efficient. I will be checking in as well from time to time, with conference calls or meetings. Alvarez will help me oversee some things too."
"Hmm, that's excellent." His mother said, humming in approval and saying lastly, "Okay then, take care of yourself, alright? And good-luck."
Ending the call and turning off his phone, he dropped the cell into the compartment beside him, and then proceeded to look outside the window.
He looked up when an air hostess approached him.
"Good morning, sir. Is there anything you would like before we take off?" She asked, bowing a little, but he just shook his head and waved her off.
He leaned back into the chair, trying to find the perfect position.
Since the seat was comfortable, it didn't take him long to stretch well, and since he felt a bit tired, he decided to take a much needed rest.
All through last night, he had been on call with the manager handing over things relating to his business dealings and so he didn't get much sleep.
As the jet began to ascend into the air, Damien shut his eyes, a yawn slowly escaping his lips as he drifted off to sleep.
.......
Madison pondered on what to do about the letter she had received the whole night, and when morning came she had made up her mind.
She was too nervous to have breakfast, so as soon as she had gotten ready, she headed to the police station nearest to her house.
The letter was safely tucked into her purse as evidence to all what she would tell them, and she also hoped that they would be able to track the car she had seen at the bakery as well.
She couldn't shake the feeling that whoever was in that car was behind all of this, and as she had done her research last night, she realized that the CCTV cameras located on that street would be able to show her exactly what had happened.
And hopefully, who was in the car.
On getting to the station, luckily for her she met the policeman in charge first, and quickly she explained everything that had been happening to her and the type of investigation she would like them to carry out.
She also explained that she had received a threat letter before this, and to corroborate her story, she procured both letters from her purse and handed them to the police man.
She watched as he eyed the threat letters lazily, and when he was done scrutinizing them, he pushed them aside and faced her.
"I've heard your story." He started gruffly and clearing his throat he continued, "You'd have to deposit three hundred pounds though, to enable us to begin the investigation."
"W-what?" Madison exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock, as she staggered a bit, "What do you mean?"
"Madam, you heard me right."
"I-I don't understand. Aren't the police supposed to help citizens for free? Are you not paid by the government to help with issues such as mine? I don't understand—"
Before Madison could complete her sentence, the policeman had burst into boisterous laughter, baring his yellow colored teeth at her, as he began with a sneer, "If you don't have any money, just say so. No need to ask stupid questions."
Madison's face reddened in surprise.
She immediately started to feel uncomfortable when the policeman licked his teeth, leering at her and staring at her chest.
She felt a rush of disgust climb her skin as he continued to stare intently at her, and before she knew what was happening, he had reached towards her and slapped the side of her ass, with his burly hand squeezing at her thighs, much to the amusement and chagrin of the other policemen in the building.
"Since you don't have any money to spare and you're quite pretty, how about you bend that thick ass over and let me fuck you in my office for a change. I might investigate you first, before doing any other one. What do you think?" He asked with a smirk, licking his bottom lip as he stared at her appreciatively and Madison felt a budding nausea on her throat.
Madison had never felt so much anger in her life also, and gripping his hand which was still on her waist, she pulled it off and flung it away.
Her chest heaved in anger as she stared at him in disgust. "How dare you?" She yelled, spitting at his feet as she cursed him.
"You are a disgrace to this job. All of you! And you know what? You can all go to hell!" She didn't wait for them to say another thing, and even though it hurt she just grabbed the things she had come with, and swinging around she began to walk out of the station.
As she neared the door, she heard the policemen laugh, while the vile one said to her, "It's your loss, bitch. And for the record, we're not the ones receiving threat letters. I would gladly watch and see who dies first in this town. I'd watch my back if I were you, sweetheart. Anyways my offer is still open for whenever you have a change of heart."
Madison froze in her tracks at his words, pain and anger tearing through her chest.
For a brief second she feared that she would fall down and disgrace herself in front of the leech looking men, but she took a hold of herself, and with her head held high, she stormed out of the station, the laughter of the men resounding behind her.
She felt the lump in her throat dissolve and she walked a short distance from the station.
A sob escaped her throat and Madison could feel her chest burn. Tears had already begun to pool in her eyes, and for the first time in her life, she hated how this sexual harassment hurt her.
In a police station, in a room full of men. She couldn't hold it back anymore as she broke down sobbing.
In a normal situation, she would have reported this same event at another police station, but what was she to do when she had been harassed by the same people who were supposed to protect her?
What would she say to his co workers, and besides there was no other police station in this town again, except she took the train to the next city and she just couldn't afford that now.
Madison sobbed so hard that her chest began to feel heavy, and walking slowly, her ears perked up a bit when she heard her phone suddenly began to vibrate in her purse.
Picking it, she saw that it was Alvarez, and she wiped her face and cleared her throat before she picked up.
The last thing she wanted was to make him worry, and she didn't even want to recount that embarrassing experience at all. Not to anyone, and most especially not to him.
"Hello, Alvarez? What a surprise." She managed to say, still dabbing at her eyes to stop the tears.
"Madison. How are you doing? I sent you a message the other day. You never responded."
"Oh...um, I forgot. I'm really sorry about that." She quickly lied.
She didn't want to tell him about the second threat letter or the strange car she had seen that same day, or about what had just happened with the police men. Her days of burdening him were over and she had no wish to continue.
"Maddie? Are you okay?" Alvarez asked, worry thick in his voice, as he added, "You don't sound fine. Are you sure you're okay."
Madison took a few moments to regain her composure, "Yes, I'm okay. How are you? And your wife and kid?"
"Maddie, don't try to change the subject. I know something is wrong. I can hear it in your voice."
Another tear slid down Madison's cheek, and sniffing a little, she wiped her nose and face and pleaded, "I-I don't want to talk about it right now, please. Maybe later?"
Alvarez wasn't satisfied, but grudgingly he accepted but not before promising to bring it up again, and she agreed to say something to him then but not now.
They talked about work for a while and then she informed him that she had some work to do, after which they baded each other goodbye, and Madison hanging up proceeded to hail a taxi.
When she found one, she quickly climbed in, giving the driver directions to her house and sitting stiffly in the back seat.
As the taxi began to move, Madison let her tears fall, as she began to sob quietly.
.......
Thanks for reading. 💕