Chapter 74 Concerned
I'm biting my nails. A habit my mother forced me to leave when I was a child, when I would get nervous before a recital.
I can practically feel T.J.'s gaze on me when we stop at a red light on our way to Uncle's office.
"I know you're looking at me." I turn to him in my seat.
He sighs deeply and drives when the light turns green. "I'm just trying to find out why the hell you're so concerned about if a Cargill is injured. I thought we hated Ben."
"We hate Ben." I confirm. "But maybe Caroline is hurt or something."
"I thought we hated Caroline too." He comments drily.
Shit, I should definitely work on my poker face.
"Well, I don't want to see her hurt or anything." I lie.
If she died, I wouldn't care. Plus, Miguel warned me she might become problematic for me. What hasn't she been planning these last few months?
Luckily, Uncle isn't in a meeting, and we can see him immediately.
He looks at me with narrowed eyes, the suspicion evident when T.J. lets me explain what happened.
"Okay." He simply nods. "I'll see what I can find out."
Is that it? Is that all?
"When will you find out?" I ask desperately.
Fuck, it's urgent. I have to know if Miguel is hurt or not.
"I will call you as soon as I have some information."
I purse my lips, knowing if I say anything else, the suspicion will be even bigger. I'm giving my own game away right now.
"Thanks. Have a nice day."
"Madison, stay." Uncle's voice sounds stern. "T.J., please give us a second."
I already feel like a scolded child when T.J. leaves the office. I can feel my face burning. Maybe my parents should've taught me how to lie a little bit better.
"Is there something you're not telling me?" Uncle raised his eyebrows, a thing he does when he knows you're lying. "I thought you didn't want anything to do with the Cargills."
"Mr. Cargill isn't that bad, right?" I know I'm grabbing at straws now.
"You don't care about him, Madison." Uncle calls my bluff. "This is about Miguel, isn't it?"
I gulp. Is it written all over my face?
"We're friends." I lie again.
"Friends?" The surprise is evident on his face. "Since when?"
Fuck.
I shrug, trying to come off as nonchalant. "Since Ben's shit came to light, he's been texting me, telling me to watch my back."
"Mmm." Uncle murmurs. "Friends."
"Yes, friends." I reiterate. "And I'm really worried that he may be hurt, he's deployed right now."
Uncle is quiet for a little bit, studying me, and I try to stand really still so that he won't figure out my lies.
Because friends certainly don't fuck you in the ass, now so they? Or in the pussy, or in the mouth.
"Take this as a warning, Madison. You're like my daughter, and I would move mountains for you if I could." He says seriously. "I've known Miguel for a few years now, he owns shares in a few of the companies I invest in."
That surprises me, I didn't know that, but that explains what he was doing at his house.
"I like the boy, too. He is a good person, and nothing like the rest of the Cargill assholes." Uncle continues. "But he has some demons, I can see it in his eyes, and that may be something you don't want to be a part of."
I hate that they always think I'm some weak girl who can't hold her own.
"Don't take it the wrong way, please." He must have seen something in my expression. "You kids are the best part of us. We tried really hard not to let the bad things of this world affect you, but I don't think Miguel has had that same kind of protection."
I know Miguel doesn't like Ben, he said Ben always wanted what he has, and he looked hurt by that.
"So just be careful is all I'm saying." Uncle nods. "I don't want to see you getting hurt."
Too late for that. I'm so immersed in Miguel already, he's all I've been thinking of since that night he rescued me.
I don't know what our future holds, and even after everything he told me, it would be extremely dumb to think we could ever be more than just sex. It's something the world wouldn't understand, and that's not the kind of spotlight I want to put my family in.
"Thanks." I gulp, knowing that everything Uncle has said came from a place of love.
"I'm going to make some calls to find out what happened, okay?" He comes over to me and gives me a tight hug. "I'll let you know as soon as I know something."
T.J. takes me home after that, and I try to eat a salad since I ditched lunch, but I push the food around in my plate. There's a knot in my stomach that doesn't want to subside.
I think over what Uncle said. Should I rather end things with Miguel now before it goes sour?
Then I think of his hands on my body, how he's sometimes so rough, I think I wouldn't be able to handle it, but then I cum so hard it feels like the earth is shattering.
I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye to that just yet.
My phone ringing takes me out of my thoughts, and the knot in my stomach tightens when I see it's Uncle calling.
I know something is really wrong before I even answer.
"Yes?" I say, so scared to what he will say.
"Madison." He sighs on my name, and I screw my eyes shut, waiting for the words I don't want to hear. "Miguel has been shot on a mission."
It feels like I'm hearing the words from underwater.
Miguel has been shot.
"Is he.... Is he alive?"
God, please let him be alive.