Maddox

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “What did you do now?” Mark asks his brother, his lips twitching.

  He sighs, leaning back against the chair. “I ate the cookies she was making for the day care Sunday goes to. They’re doing this bake sale thing to raise money,” he mumbles. “In my defence, she knew who I was before I moved in. She shouldn’t have left them on the side.”

  I chuckle under my breath. “Pussy whipped.”

  He glares over at me. “Say’s the guy who’s whipped by a girl he isn’t even fucking.”

  “I am not whipped,” I snap.

  Mark and Liam begin to chuckle. “You both are,” Mark states.

  “I am fucking not. She’s a mate. That’s all.”

  “Who you want to be more,” Liam argues.

  My lips twist into a snarl. “No actually. I don’t. Why can’t a man or a woman just be friends?”

  Mark holds his hand up, stopping me. “We aren’t saying they can’t. But, bro, you are fucking gone when it comes to this chick. I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “You aren’t,” I bite out. “She won’t like you.”

  “Everyone likes me,” he declares, smirking.

  I roll my eyes. “Not everyone.”

  “And let’s not forget, we haven’t seen you take a chick home since you met her,” Liam points out.

  I haven’t. But it has nothing to do with Amelia. I just haven’t had the time. “I’m too tired. With the neighbours partying like the world is ending tomorrow each night, I’m exhausted. Our workload has gotten heavier, and I’m trying to keep up. Plus, I’m having to get Asher to sleep each night before I go home to sleep—or lay awake plotting next door’s demise.”

  I don’t have to, but I know he likes to say goodnight before I leave.

  Aiden chuckles. “I nearly believed you for a second there, but then you mentioned Asher and ruined it.”

  I shrug. “He loves me.”

  “Just admit you have a thing for his mum,” Mark orders, dodging my punch when I go for him.

  I groan. “You guys are fuckers. This is why I don’t come out anymore. You’re boring.”

  “Would you have had more fun watching a movie with Amelia and the others?”

  Honestly, yes, I would have. She’s probably bored shitless without me there to keep her entertained. And what will she do if Asher wakes up needing a feed, and they’re in the middle of the movie? I won’t be there to feed him.

  I should have fought harder to stay, but my sister is scary when she gets angry. They all are.

  “Fuck off,” I mutter, answering his question after a moment’s hesitation.

  He laughs, throwing his head back. “I thought you would never settle down.”

  “We aren’t together,” I bite out, wondering how many more times I’ll have to tell them this until they believe it.

  Liam arches an eyebrow. “I hate to tell you this, bro, but you are. You just aren’t getting the benefits of being with someone.”

  I reach for my phone, finally seeing a reply from her.

  Amelia: You do realise women have been multitasking for years now. I am capable of feeding a baby and watching a movie.

  Grunting at her message, I begin to reply.

  Maddox: I thought we were friends? Are you not bored without me?

  “See, whipped,” Mark announces, chuckling.

  “Fuck off,” I mutter, glancing down at her reply.

  Amelia: No. Actually, I’m having a really good time. Are you not having a good time with your cousins?

  Maddox: No. Because I’m hungry and Jim won’t let us bring in our own food anymore. Say’s it’s bad for business.

  Amelia: Will it make you feel better if I save you some food?

  I snort. That’s never going to happen with my family there. Not one of them know what leftovers are.

  Maddox: Are there any leftovers now?

  Amelia: Um…

  Maddox: Exactly.

  Amelia: I think Madison is still hungry. I’ll order extra and save some for you.

  Maddox: Don’t do me any favours.

  Amelia: Are you really that upset about this?

  Maddox: You were my friend first.

  Amelia: So, you don’t want food?

  Maddox: I didn’t say that. Stop twisting my words.

  Amelia: LOL! See you later.

  Maddox: Maybe.

  When she doesn’t reply, I shove the phone in my jacket. When I look up, all three are staring at me.

  “What?” When they all burst out laughing, I grit my teeth, downing the rest of my pint before getting up. “I’m getting a fucking drink.”

  “I’ll have another,” Mark announces, holding up his half empty glass.

  I ignore him, walking up to the bar and standing next to two chicks who are sitting there. I hold my glass up to Jim and he nods, grabbing a fresh glass from under the bar.

  “I can’t believe he would do this to me,” the girl sniffles next to me. “I thought we were forever.”

  Her friend reaches forward, rubbing her arm. “He’s a loser. You don’t need him in your life.”

  “I know. But how am I supposed to move on?” she whispers.

  I grab my wallet, handing Jim a tenner, when I feel eyes boring into me. The girl with red-rimmed eyes scans me up and down. “Hey, handsome.”

  My eyebrows pull together. She was just crying over her boyfriend. “Hey,” I greet back.

  “What are you up to tonight?” she purrs.

  I give her a side glance, and at a quick note, she is someone I would have normally taken home. Or, well, her home. Boyfriend or no boyfriend issue.

  However, I’m never in the mood for anything if I’m hungry. And right now, I’m fucking starving.

  “Just enjoying a pint, then heading home to put the boy to bed.”

  “The boy?”

  “Asher,” I explain, placing my pint back on the bar. I pull my phone out and go to the pictures, bringing up one of Asher that I took the other night. He’s smiling. Amelia said it was wind, but personally, I think she’s just jealous it was me he smiled at first.

  “Oh my God, he’s so cute.”

  “He is, isn’t he.”

  “I’m sorry for coming onto you. I didn’t know you were married.”

  I draw back. “I’m not.”

  “Oh, with someone then.”

  “I’m not.”

  She shares a look with her friend. “Sorry, I assumed because of the baby—”

  I shrug. “No biggie. Enjoy your night,” I tell them, grabbing my pint.

  Liam gapes openly as I make my way back to our table. “Are you kidding me?”

  “What? I pay you enough to buy your own drinks.”

  “You just turned down a hot chick,” Mark states, shaking his head.

  I glance back towards the bar, forcing a smile when I see them still watching me. “And?”

  “You never turn down a chick.”

  I roll my eyes at Mark. “Yeah, I do, plenty of times.”

  Liam chuckles. “Yeah, okay.”

  I sigh. “This is shit. Can’t we do something?”

  “You want to crash the movie night, don’t you?”

  I pout. “I do.”

  “Let’s go then.”

  I grin, downing most of my pint before dropping it down on the table. It’s the best thing he’s said all night, and I’m not waiting around for the other two to decline.

  *** *** ***

  “Fuck!” Liam breathes out, sitting forward in his seat.

  I glance between the two headrests, mirroring his reaction. “Fuck!”

  Mark quickly puts the car into park, and we all race out to chaos. “Who invited Hayden?”

  “My fucking toe is bigger than your dick,” Hayden screams, being held back by Hope and Madison.

  One of Kayne’s mates grabs his junk. “Want to see?”

  Liam grabs his sister around the waist when she goes for him. “Someone pass me a magnifying glass,” she screams.

 
“What did you say, you little sket,” says a girl with hair dyed different colours, the top a really dark brown.

  Hayden pulls the sleeves of her top up. “Don’t think I won’t take you out either, fried eggs.”

  “Fried eggs?” I ask.

  “Her tits,” Madison answers for me.

  I chuckle under my breath. In all honesty, what did they expect? The girl has no meat on her at all. She’s all bone.

  “Are you fucking high?” the girl asks, scrunching her nose up before turning to her mates. “Can you believe this ugly bitch?”

  “Me, ugly?” Hayden snaps. “Voldemort wants his nose back, you little bitch.”

  “What the fuck is going on?” I ask, stepping up beside a pale Amelia.

  She shakily lifts her head, her mouth opening and closing. “It happened so quick.”

  “What did?” I ask, glancing towards my sister for answers this time.

  “Hayden was getting pissed. You know what she’s like. She went over to ask them to turn the music down, and that girl,” she explains, pointing to a woman slowly being helped off the floor, “started mouthing off. Hayden laid her out and it went from bad to worse.”

  “There isn’t any music playing,” I point out.

  Hope grimaces. “Hayden tore it from the plug socket when the woman—Cassie, I think they called her—started yelling abuse at Amelia.”

  My entire body tenses. “What?”

  She nods as I pull Amelia into my arms. “She was accusing her of starting a petition. Apparently, they were told someone was starting one and she thinks it was Amelia.”

  Blood rushes to my ears, and I step away from Amelia. “I don’t fucking think so.”

  “Don’t,” Amelia panics. “It will just make it worse.”

  “Leaving it will make it worse. They’ll fuck with you, and I’m not having that.”

  “Maddox,” she whispers.

  I give my sister a pointed look before crossing the road to Cassie’s. Her son stands from his chair, narrowing his gaze on me. “Get your fucking family off our property.”

  “No,” I tell him. “Get your mum out here.”

  “Your family started this.”

  I step forward, grinding my teeth so hard they ache. “Get your fucking mother.”

  “What do you want?” Cassie snarls, stepping outside a moment later.

  “None of you touch Amelia. None of you. One thing happens to her, her kids, house, or car, and I will personally make your life a living hell.”

  “She’s trying to get us kicked fucking out,” she snaps.

  I cross my arms over my chest, leaning in a little. “No. I am. And half this goddamn neighbourhood is too. We’re sick of the music, sick of the noise from you lot practising for X-Factor. We’re sick of the shit.”

  She narrows her gaze on me. “I have kids. Where will we live?”

  “Hopefully in the middle of fucking nowhere so you don’t disturb the peace,” I snap. “And your kids are old enough to look after themselves.”

  “I have young teenagers,” she barks.

  I glance around, searching for them. I know she has a lot of kids, but I haven’t seen any of them other than Kayne. “And you live like this?”

  “Are you saying I’m a bad mum?” she screams, storming down the steps. I don’t budge, but luckily, her son intervenes, pushing her back. “Mum.”

  “I ain’t scared of them,” she yells.

  I feel my family step up behind me. “It’s done. You play that music tonight and I’m done being nice. I didn’t want to give a bad impression on my other neighbours, and honestly, until now I’ve not cared to overstep, but all bets are off.”

  “You threatening us?” Kayne asks, his nostrils flaring. When I catch his gaze going to the bat lying against the wall of the house, I narrow my gaze on him.

  “I wouldn’t even think it,” I warn him.

  “Yeah, he’s got a mean left hook,” Liam calls out.

  “Let me fucking at ‘em,” Hayden screams.

  “You want to play your music? Carry on. But expect repercussions.”

  “We ‘ent scared of you,” Cassie yells. “My son and his mates will have you.”

  I wave over my shoulder as I head across the road, the others following me. She doesn’t scare me. None of them do. The only reason I haven’t acted until now is because they weren’t important to me. Annoying? Yes. But other than that, they weren’t worth it.

  Now, all bets are off.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  MADDOX

  Amelia is clutching the baby monitor to her chest as I stomp over to them. She looks a little shell-shocked, her gaze darting around as if she’s trying to absorb everything that just happened. I feel bad, but she’s taking it better than I expected. I would have thought she would freak out over the violence, but apart from looking a little stunned, she seems to be taking it in her stride.

  Still, she shouldn’t have witnessed that at all, and they shouldn’t have been giving her grief over the petition, especially since it was posted anonymously.

  I clench my fists. “Are you okay?” I ask, my eyes crinkling into slits.

  She nods mutely, and it’s Madison who speaks up. “You need to do something about them.”

  I jerk my head into a nod. “I will.”

  “Fucking scrubber,” Hayden spits out. A car pulls up, and when she turns, her lips tighten, and she groans. “Who called Clay?”

  Charlotte raises her hand. “I thought he could come and stop you from being arrested.”

  She forces her expression to stay neutral. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “You knocked the woman out. You said you weren’t going to get into trouble again.”

  “You were humming Eye of the Tiger. You know that’s my fighting song,” Hayden argues.

  Charlotte throws her hands up. “It’s a habit now when you go off on one.”

  “But did you really have to call Clayton?”

  Her bottom lip trembles. “I didn’t want you to get arrested.”

  “Thank you, Charlotte.”

  Charlotte visibly relaxes. “You’re welcome.” She takes in a breath before facing Amelia. “Thank you for the invite. I’m going to head home, but I hope we get to do it again some time.”

  Amelia nods. “Of course.”

  Hayden steps forward. “I’m getting a lift with Charlotte, but hopefully I’ll see you again soon.”

  “Any time,” Amelia answers.

  They pass Clayton as they leave. “What did you do?” Clayton asks.

  Hayden stomps her foot, crossing her arms over her chest. “Why do you assume it was me?”

  He arches an eyebrow, his lips twitching. “Hayden.”

  She rolls her eyes, snorting. “Whatever. They deserved it.”

  “I bet.”

  She takes his hand, turning to the rest of us. “Catch you guys later,” she tells us before her gaze meets mine. “You need to talk to my dad.”

  I groan because she’s right. If anyone can get rid of the family, it’s him. “I’ll talk to my dad first.”

  She nods and leaves, Clayton close behind her. When it’s just us, I stand next to Amelia, pointing to Mark. “These are my cousins, Liam, Mark and Aiden.”

  She waves, smiling. “Hey. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “Because he doesn’t shut up, right?” Mark states.

  She chuckles, shaking her head. “He does love the sound of his own voice.”

  “Dude,” Aiden calls out, chuckling. “She has you there.”

  “Fuck off,” I bite out.

  When Asher’s cry comes through the baby monitor, Amelia holds it up, grimacing. “I’d best go. It was nice meeting you all.”

  “I’ll come and grab my bag in a sec,” Hope announces, smiling as Amelia leaves.

  As soon as she’s through the door, she glares at me, poking me in the shoulder. “If you hurt her, I will cut your dick off.”

  The guys wince, stepping away fro
m her. I hold my hands up, stepping back. “What are you talking about?”

  “She doesn’t deserve to be played.”

  “What are you on about?” I ask, utterly at a loss.

  “I know you’ve been spending a lot of time here, and you were messaging her tonight.”

  “And?”

  She sighs, throwing her hands up. “It’s clear you like her. How could you not. She’s amazing. But she doesn’t deserve to be hurt, and I sense she’s been through enough.”

  “Hope—”

  “No, Maddox. The longest relationship you’ve had was with that footlong hot dog.”

  I grin, licking my lips. “That was a good hot dog. It couldn’t be rushed.”

  She points at me sharply, groaning. “That right there. She doesn’t need this. I love you, but you can be a bit self-centred.”

  “I take offence to that,” I tell her, arching my eyebrow. “And as much as I appreciate you looking out for her, I swear to you, nothing is going on between us. We are friends. And as her friend, I only have her best interests at heart.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You’d better, because your neighbours will be the least of your worries.”

  She heads up to the house, and I slowly turn to the guys, my eyes widening. “Is it me or are they getting meaner?”

  Liam nods. “Hayden threatened to poison my food the other day, all because I took the last piece of bacon.”

  Mark grunts. “I accidently spilt a beer over Ciara’s white coat the other week when she was visiting Faith and Lily. I thought she was going to stab me right there.”

  Aiden makes a noise at the back of his throat. “Faith set her dog on me. Chased me down the street.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I ordered food while I was at hers because Bailey doesn’t want me eating so much crap. I was starving and rushed to the kitchen to dig in.”

  I smirk. “You told the delivery guy Beau was paying, didn’t you?”

  He chuckles. “Yeah. In my defence, I forgot my wallet. I had time to grab the rest of the bag before she set Roxie on me.”

  “I’m gonna go head in, but thanks for coming back with me,” I tell them.

  “Yeah, I’m hungry now that I’ve mentioned food,” Aiden answers.

  “Me too,” Liam mutters.