Chapter 4 MADELINE

"Are you okay? You've been spaced out all day."

It's getting late and all I could think about all day was my son. My baby boy. I know I don't have a lot of cash right now but I can't just not think of spoiling him, especially after my mess. I had promised him before that I wouldn't drink anymore after the last incident and yet...

Yet, I woke up to him making his own breakfast while I was spaced out drunk in the living room. He noticed the beer bottles, I know, but typical Lucas, he'll never say anything. Didn't wish me a good day or acknowledge my kisses. Nothing. All I could sense from the other end of the bond was disappointment and hurt.

I hurt my little boy.

"Madeline."

"Yes, yes," I sigh as I clench the sink in front of me. I'm done with the dishes now, thankfully I didn't break anything else. I wipe my hand on the dishcloth. "I'm sorry. Lucas is mad at me and... And he's not like other kids so it's hard figuring out what I can do to cheer him up."

Gustavo grunts. He's the only one around now, especially since I was sentenced to the kitchen after almost breaking every plate I was supposed to serve out. "It's getting late, you should probably clock out now."

In other words, go be with your son. I've got this.

I can't help the smile that comes to my face as I almost rush to hug him before the door to the kitchen bursts open and Alfred walks in looking pissed as hell. Fuck. I can see Blake and Linc behind him, their faces apologetic because they had promised to keep him away from me all day.

"You, Madeline Finch, will be the last to leave today," He says this like he's upset but I can see the glint in his eyes. He's excited by the mere thought of it.

I shake my head, trying to ignore the way my heart is already beginning to race. "I... I can't. I promised my son I'll be back early, his babysitter isn't available on Saturdays. And the curfew-"

"Would you rather I take out all of the mess you made from your paycheck?"

A sharp pain rips through my chest at the mere thought that I'm sure I'm having a heart attack. He can't mean that. The money is already too meagre to deduct anything else. I can tell that the guys are ready to step in, Gustavo especially- But I don't want to be treated like fragile glass anymore. "Okay. Alright. I'll... I'll stay."

Gustavo spares me a look but I ignore him. Sam Alfred doesn't even try to hide his grin at my misfortune as he saunters away. As soon as he's gone, the boys hurry in. "We'd stay-"

"No." I make my voice firm. "Please. Just... Don't," I flash them a smile. "I'm okay."

They don't believe me but they don't push it. Good, I don't want to talk on it either.

****************

As I mop the floors when everyone's gone and we're close, all I think of is Lucas. I can feel through our bond that he's safe but I'm too far away to know his emotions. I can't imagine how it feels to have a mother like me, a mother that can only afford to worry about her child and nothing else.

I try to finish the rest of my chores as soon as possible and when I'm done, I'm sweaty and breathless. I head to Alfred's office, not bothering to knock as I walk to him and say, "I'm done. Can I get my pay now, please?"

Like he's been waiting for me all day, I find him resting on his table with his legs crossed and a grin on his face as he says, "Always in a rush to see that parasite of yours. Relax," As he says this, I feel myself stiffen but I don't bother to call him out for it as I watch him head towards his safe.

He hides as he inputs his password though I already know it before he takes out a large wad of money- Too large for it to be mine. He turns around after closing it and raises it in the air. "A thousand dollars. Cash."

He slams it on the table and folds his arms, staring at me like I'm a piece of meat he's drooling over. "I'll give all of this to you if you let me watch you fuck yourself."

My eyes drift to the money, my chest rising and falling. That's a lot of money. I could take it now and it'd solve almost all of my problems but... But what stops him from demanding more? What happens next? "No-"

The word barely leaves my lips before he strikes me hard on the face. I don't even get to react as he pins me to the table, slamming my head on it while he takes off his belt. "You fucking bitch. Do you have any idea how much money I've lost from you today, huh? You think you're better than having sex with me, you useless cunt?!"

The shock from what he does wears off almost instantly as I take the pen I'd been eyeing yesterday from his desk and shove it into his hand.

He shrieks, jerking away from me now. Before I can think twice about what I'm doing, I take the money and shove it into my pocket then run out the diner. My legs are wobbly and my head still feels dizzy but I try to stay as strong as I can.

The second I'm on the sidewalk, I feel him grab my hair from behind and yank me to the ground. I scream but he's instantly on top of me, his hands gripping tightly around my neck as he squeezed hard, hatred and anger in his eyes, "Fucking die, you bitch! You don't deserve to live anyway! You're a waste of space!"

I struggle beneath him, my vision blurring as it becomes harder to breathe. Tears run down my face as I think of Lucas. He's probably waiting for me. He's probably... I feel his worry through our bond now. He knows something is wrong. My poor baby.

I begin to choke, a fogginess spreading through my head as everything begins to darken before I feel him off my body, a rush of oxygen slamming into my chest as I gasp and immediately sit up.

As my vision starts clearing up and I cough, I hear the sound of something snapping and see the flash of someone in front of me but when I open my eyes fully, I'm the only one on the sidewalk, the unknown figure and Alfred gone.

All that's left now is the faint smell of something familiar and a golden card with the word, 'Solis' on it.

What the fuck just happened?