Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2017 20:06:32 GMT -5
San Diego, California
Tuesday
Tuesday
There was a muffled echo down the long hall as Madison beat on the door of the hotel room with the side of her fist. It was enough to make her wrist ache, but the racing of her heart and adrenaline still coursing in her veins put all thoughts of giving a shit in the rear view mirror. It was half a minute—or maybe it was three seconds—that she waited before “knocking” on the door again. The knuckles of both hands ached from the clenching of her fists.
She was about to knock again when the door finally swung inward. As soon as it did she lunged inside. The sound of her open hand connecting with the side of one Logan’s face cut through the silence in the room like a whip. “Who the fuck do you think you are?!” she practically screamed.
Logan's hand immediately rubbed the cheek that was slapped with force. He exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself as his eyes closed and opened again, staring at Madison. “I'm Logan Traeger… don't tell me you forgot my name already.”
The snarky response did nothing to quell the rage that had been burning inside since Asylum. “How dare you!” she shouted again. “You just fucking leave, you walk away and disappear, and then you have the fucking nerve to show up in So-Cal the moment I get here.”
Logan’s furrowed brow following a scoff was enough to express how ridiculous she sounded to him. “As if you have no idea why I left. I believe I made myself clear beforehand, and as far as So Cal goes, I'm free to roam wherever I feel pulled to. You don't lay claim to one company or another. There's room for both of us.”
“Really, Logan?” Madison stepped forward again, fingers curling back into fists. “That’s the best you've got? You were ‘pulled’ here? I’m supposed to believe that bullshit after all this time?”
“Considering I'm sitting in the crowd and a vignette begins to play for your arrival… yes. Perhaps it's just fate playing out.” Logan shrugged, examining her closed fists. “Might want to be careful with those. We both know I won't hit you back, but I will make sure you can't move.”
“Yeah, that's always you, isn't it? Big, bad Logan throws his size around to get what he wants. Nothing’s changed there.” She tried, unsuccessfully, to open her hands. The moment she did, however, her eyes fell upon the briefcase sitting on the table behind him. The very same one that Trixie had kept from her at Asylum.
“It’s not just size, it's skill and intelligence. Like something as simple as using the item you take from others to make sure you walk away with it.” Logan looked to briefcase and then to her. “I know you think all I do is steal your thunder, but my real hope is that you stop blaming me for simply doing what's needed.”
“You don't make a very good case when you quite literally stole what you knew I wanted. And you hit that blonde Barbie in the face to get it. That’s something I would do, not you. You just wanted to make sure I couldn't have it, and you could hold it over me, like you always have.”
“Typical, not to see the big picture. You know, for a second I didn't know if you even wanted to acknowledge me. Figured the briefcase would be a good gauge. Now, there's nothing saying you can't steal it from me.” Logan offered a challenging smile. This cat and mouse game between the two of them had been a constant in their lives.
She took another step forward, stopping just short of taking another swing at him. “Of course I didn't want to acknowledge you! I didn't want you to be in my goddamn life anymore, and you didn't want to be there!” She shook with the effort of keeping herself in check. “But you couldn't just let me have that! You had to force my hand, had to know that I knew you were there. You wanted to make sure I knew you could still have what I wanted without having to do a fucking thing for it!”
He extended his arm to ensure she didn't step any closer, also doubling as a way to deflect any surprise shots. “You weren't my problem, Maddie. Not the reason I left. Now can you just calm down?” Logan lowered his arm as a sign of faith, but maintained the distance. “And who wouldn't want a briefcase for a title shot, when it's so easy to obtain?”
“Stop fucking lying to me!” she screamed, prompting a grumble from the next room over. “Admit it! You only stole it to make sure I couldn't have it.”
Logan shook his head slowly. “No, I took it because it was an opportunity for more.”
“More for you!” she shot back. “Like you don't have enough already! What the fuck more does your Mr. Perfect life need?!”
“Perfect life?” Logan scoffed before shaking his head and walking toward the hotel window. “It hasn't been perfect. I've fought for everything I have, everything I've ever wanted. I had to become a man at a young age because the old man found more fun elsewhere. I teach because I was never taught. Tell me, what's so perfect about being the one who had to claw every inch? I didn't grow up like you did. Sad thing is, I only prove to myself, I don't look for validation from others like you do.”
“Well why don't you blame you whore mother for how you grew up?” It was the one wound she knew she could always throw salt in.
Logan slowly rubbed the back of his head and laughed in a frustration. This was always a topic of anger for him. “Could say the same for that dickhead father of yours… you know, the one you try to appease and kiss up to, only to be traded in for his own fun wherever he sees more important.”
He almost got her to take that bait. Almost. “Is that why you're slumming it with your ex prostitute? Does she remind you of your mommy? You think you're going to get to play Richard Gere to her Pretty Woman?”
Now extremely heated, Logan stepped right into Maddie’s face, pointing his finger and speaking behind gritted teeth. “You keep her name, face, and anything else out of your thoughts or fucking mouth.” Gazing fiercely, he no longer cared about giving her the upper hand in making him mad.
“Oooh,” she goaded, stepping practically right into his chest. “Is that a sore spot? Do you actually feel something for the bitch?”
“She's not a bitch… and yeah, I do. It's not so much a sore spot as it is a provocation. Don't step over that line.” Logan lowered his voice by the time he reached the end of his warning, choosing to remain where he was standing.
“What’s the matter?” she cooed, dripping with false concern. “Are you mad because I know more about the woman you’ve been fucking than you do? Or… are you worried something might happen to her?”
“Neither, because nothing will happen to her. And I know what I know, that's good enough for me. Just learn to stop running your mouth about things you aren't involved in.” His eyebrows raised this time.
“Or what?”
“Or I'll give you even more reasons to be jealous and bitter of everything I get involved in. I'll stop you at every turn.”
“Bullshit, Logan.” she snapped, still standing as close to him as humanly possible, refusing to let him gain an inch. “You don’t have it in you. You’re a fucking coward. You run away. That’s what you do.”
“I never run. I create distance to better myself. I keep away from toxicity.” Logan stood his ground in the square off, not allowing her to gain either.
“Is that what you call it so you can sleep at night next to your freaky little fuckbunny?”
“That's the last goddamn time. Get out!” Logan pointed toward the door.
“No! Not until I get what I came for!”
“I'll give you what you need, an exit… now go!”
Instead of responding, she simply folded her arms across her chest, daring him to do something.
“Have it your way.” He quickly picked her up and threw her on his shoulder, carrying her to the door.
“Get your fucking hands off of me!” she screamed, intentionally making as much noise as possible.
“Stay out of my room and I will.” Logan opened the door and placed her on the other side, blocking reentry.
“Just remember, you fucking started this game,” she hissed. “I’m not stupid, and your bullshit isn’t fooling me. I know why you’re here, and I know what you’re trying to do. You’ve got no one but yourself to blame when it backfires on you.” For a second, she almost considered pushing her way back in. “You can keep the fucking case. Sometime, someone who wants it gonna come along, and they’re going to beat the shit out of you to get it. I hope your cheap trick enjoys cleaning up the mess they leave you in.”
“Fuck you, Maddie. Go turn one of your own and think of a new career. You know nothing of why I am here. But you'll see soon.” Logan mockingly waved and smiled as he slammed the door in her face.