Chapter 52

Marshall POV

"So, this woman you're seeing, it's the one that bullies you right?"

"She doesn't bully me"

Fifty sits back and grins.

"Okay maybe a little, it's the one that I met back before I overdosed"

"THAT'S the one?" He tilted his head "Man no wonder she bullies your ass, you deserve it, you were pretty shitty to her unnecessarily, in a very Marshall way, I just wish you had of let me call her and explain why you acted like you did"

I grunt in reply as I kick my feet up on the coffee table.

Everyone knows my history with Leila except me.

"Man don't bitch out on me now, I know it's frustrating, but let bygones be bygones"

"Yeah kinda just keep having fragments pop up, I don't understand why I would just dispose of someone like that"

"Technically you didn't just dispose of her, you had your reasons, but unfortunately the drugs and paranoia got the better of you and you were going down, you knew it and still had enough humanity to not want to take someone down with you, but instead of talking it out, you ended it on a bad note, leaving everything unfinished and a sour taste in her mouth, of course someones gonna get hurt on that kind situation man, where there's a flame, someones bound to get burned"

There was an honesty about Fifty that no one could be mad at, he was a smart man and always managed to somehow make my actions make sense, the only other person that could do that was Proof.

It's no wonder Fifty was my best friend, he could read me like a book.

I exhaled and sat in silence for a moment, he was absolutely right, I may not be able to do anything about the past but I was certainly in control of my future actions.

There was a sudden knock at my hotel door, which I found odd as Fifty and I had only just gotten back late from going out and getting dinner together.

Fifty confused, I got up and went to answer it.

Opening the door I find Madison Standing there.

With the upcoming tour, Paul had talked me into hiring another assistant to juggle Monica's upcoming workload.

I had come to New York to shoot a few birds with one stone, signing contracts, jumping on some long-overdue features and of course prepping with Marc in person for my tour.

Which is why Madison was here, learning the ropes.

"Hi Marshall"

"Um... Hi"

"Just came past to check to see if you needed anything before I called it a night..."

"Oh, no thanks, Fif and I just got back from dinner, I'm all good thanks" I said awkwardly.

"You don't need anything at all?" She said standing there, I suddenly felt uncomfortable, I hated repeating myself and most importantly I was uncomfortable around new people I hadn't worked with.

She had been on the roster a few weeks now but she was just one of that very forceful kind of personality.

She looked behind me and then back at me.

"Nah, like I said, I'm good"

"Ok great" She smiled "Ill see you in the morning, goodnight"

I nodded and closed the door turning to come face to face with Fifty.

"Talk about service"

"It's my new assistant, she's very thorough"

"Monica would have just told you to get whatever yourself" Fifty Chuckled.

"Believe it or not, I prefer that, I prefer to have my shit taken care of and left alone, you know me, especially when it's someone new that I don't know"

"Sure, but I'm sure they check these people out, Pauls pretty good at keeping your business private"

"Yeah I guess"

Fifty pats me on the shoulder and stands "You're too paranoid for your own good sometimes Em"

"Yeah whatever man" I roll my eyes as I stand and follow him to the door before dapping him and then closing it behind him.

I walk back over to the couch sitting down, my mind full of the usual stresses of an upcoming tour... And Leila.

Pulling my phone out and hovered over her name.

I wasn't sure if she understood how busy I had been but the gut feeling I got was probably a no.

My communication skills sucked, even for my age, I know better with women.

But hers sucked too if I was honest, and like every woman I've ever met, she still expected men to have ESP to an extent.

Checking the time I decided why no go I e better and face time her, I mean shit that's gotta mean something right? I barely even know how to check my fucking emails on my iPad, at least I've been down with the face time.

Probably because most women are willing to get naked, so it seemed like something that I benefitted from learning to use.

Fucking Leila sure liked to b able to use that against me.

I shook my head and hit the button, shortly after her face filled the screen with a raised eyebrow.

"Miss me already superman?"

"You have it in one..." I say as I lay my head back on the couch "Sorry I haven't texted much, been flat out and shit, then met up with Fifty, he just left"

"Did you have a romantic dinner? Should I be concerned that he's getting a share of the romantic dinners?" She laughed playfully.

"Bros before hoes baby, you know how it is"

Leila snorts "Oh, by the way, I got the Goat, cute"

"You don't gotta call me cute, know you already got me, baby"

I could imagine her perfectly in my head before it even happened, she was sitting back rolling her eyes, a smirk creeping across her lips.

"What you doin' now? Been doin' much?"

"Not really" She sighs with a nonchalant shrug "Just work, you know"

I hadn't noticed her stoic expression when I first called but now, the short answers and disinterest on her face started to ring alarms in my head.

"Oh yeah? Break anyone's bank tonight?"

"You know me, they all get what they deserve in the end"

I wasn't sure if I was just reading the situation wrong because I was good at that but something was off.

All the insecurities crept up on me slowly as I tried to ignore the fact that Leila was constantly surrounded by men in her career, usually wining, dining and touching her.

I mean who couldn't help but not think about it.

So I did what I did best.

I slipped on my petty crown and tried to provoke a reaction.

"Hey baby, I'm gonna head off to bed, Madison is coming by tomorrow, gotta get somethin' to eat before I catch the flight back home in the morning"

I set the bait.

An expression crossed her face as she frowned before she went back to being stoic.

"Me too, I've got lunch set with a target we're hoping to catch tomorrow" she fluttered her lashes and a mocking smirk sat on her lips "Goodnight Superman, I'll see you soon"

A wave of jealousy spread across my chest "Goodnight Lala"

Hanging up just in time to batter down the rage that rose that normally came hand in hand with the jealousy.

What the fuck.

It's her job.

But she's acting weird as fuck.

Don't mean shit, calm the fuck down Marshall.

I stood throwing my phone on the bed watching as it bounced off and landed on the plush rug.