The Legacy series: The Love series, the Wrapped series, and the Burning Souls series.

by Mj Fields

  Brody started to pick up the files, and Emma smiled at him, ���You know, it���s extremely cool Brody.���

  ���My father turned his back on it; my mother wanted nothing to do with it. I never knew nor do I care now. But Bo seems to want it, and I won���t let him have it, the ass,��� Brody smiled.

  ���It would be awesome to give it to Maddox someday,��� Emma smiled.

  ���Alright Em, it���s kind of cool, but I fear it would make London feel, I don���t know,��� Brody looked at Emma.

  Emma smiled, ���I love how thoughtful you are. I love that you love her.���

  ���You love Maddox, Em. It���s the same thing,��� Brody returned the folder to his bag.

  ���I may not be his mother but he has my blood too,��� Emma said softly.

  ���So you would love him less if not for that, Em?��� he scowled and shook his head, ���We both know better, let���s sleep. I love you,��� Brody kissed her.

  * * *

  Harper was getting a drink when she heard Tessa and Collin talking quietly about Maddox Hines and all that he had been through. She stood outside their door, listening quietly. She heard a noise and jumped.

  A hand covered her mouth and pulled her outside, into the cool night air. Harper stomped down on her captor���s foot. He released her, she started to run.

  ���Damn it, stop!��� he hissed.

  ���I���ll kick your ass,��� Harper yelled.

  ���You���ll wake our parents,��� Maddox walked slowly towards her, out of the shadows and into the moonlight.

  ���What the hell was that all about?��� Harper asked angrily and stomped her foot.

  ���Did you want them to discover you lurking outside of their room?��� Maddox asked bluntly, ���Listening in on a private conversation not intended for you?���

  ���What business is it of yours?��� Harper crossed her arms and turned away.

  ���Oh I think you know what business it is of mine I hope you got all the gory details you wanted,��� Maddox snapped.

  ���I wasn���t������ Harper started.

  ���It was none of your bloody business!��� Maddox yelled and walked towards the darkness.

  ���Maddox���please Maddox,��� Harper ran and grabbed his arm, and he pulled it away.

  ���Leave ��� go inside. You and I can act like none of this happened for them, but I don���t need, or want you and your false sympathy. Leave it alone!��� Maddox felt his body begin to shake.

  ���Maddox, I���m so sorry you have been������ Harper began.

  ���Nothing you need to concern yourself with. It���s an ugly world there, little Princess with the private plane and houses scattered across the world. Walk away,��� Maddox insisted.

  ���Excuse me!��� Harper snapped, ���You don���t know me! Princess huh? How about you, rock star���s son? Really screw you!��� Harper stomped off towards the house.

  Maddox took a few minutes to calm himself. He walked in and locked the door behind himself, then walked towards the bathroom. Harper walked out wiping her face and looked up at him.

  ���I didn���t mean to make you cry,��� Maddox said sadly.

  ���Save it, you ass!��� Harper brushed past him and went into her room.

  Maddox laid in bed thinking of how badly he���d screwed up.

  * * *

  ���Good morning Maddox,��� Brody hugged him ���Did you sleep well?���

  Maddox looked around the room and saw Harper scowl at him, ���No.���

  London jumped up off Harper���s lap, and hugged him, ���We���re going to have fun today, and Harper���s going to collect shells with me. You should come.���

  ���No, thank you,��� Maddox smiled at London, ���How did you sleep?���

  ���Good, I want you to come, please,��� London pleaded.

  ���I���ll help you find all the ones you missed with her when you two are finished,��� Maddox hugged her.

  * * *

  Tessa looked at Harper and saw her glare at Maddox, ���Harper would love for you to join them Maddox, wouldn���t you Harper?���

  ���Oh yes, it would bring me such joy,��� Harper flashed an obnoxious smile at Maddox.

  He looked at her and rolled his eyes.

  ���Maddox what���s wrong?��� Emma asked.

  ���Nothing, the world���s perfect. Private planes, beach estates, wonderful new friends like Harper,��� he flashed a smile mimicking Harpers back at her.

  ���Hey, it is perfect, we���re cousins,��� London laughed.

  ���No, we���re NOT,��� Maddox and Harper snapped at the same time.

  London looked hurt, ���But you’re my���Okay I guess not.���

  London walked outside, and Maddox followed her, ���London, come here.���

  She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, ���I thought���I���m sorry. Are you angry at me?���

  ���No, never London! Come here,��� he picked her up and hugged her.

  ���He���s just jealous, London,��� Harpers voice came from behind him, ���He���s jealous that I���ve known you longer. Come on beautiful girl.���

  ���Will you come too?��� London asked Maddox.

  ���I���m going to eat and then I���ll join you,��� Maddox kissed her head and put her down.

  ���Maddox, is everything alright?��� Emma asked when Maddox came back inside.

  ���Yes, I apologize,��� Maddox sat and ate.

  * * *

  After breakfast everyone sat around the outdoor table talking.

  ���Hey Maddox, would you like to take Lexington for a walk?��� Brody asked.

  ���Sure Dad,��� Maddox smiled at him.

  The adults watched as Maddox held both of Lexington���s hands as she walked down into the sand. Lexington began to cry, and he picked her up and kissed her gently and calmed her down.

  ���Don���t like the sand?��� Maddox chuckled, and she laughed at him.

  ���I���ll tell you a secret Lexi, I���ve never touched it before now, so we���ll just take our time and get used to it, alright?��� Maddox sat with her on his lap. He scooped up the sand in his hand and held it for her to play with.

  ���See it���s not so dreadful,��� Maddox smiled.

  * * *

  ���What���s up with Maddox and Harper?��� Tessa looked at Emma and Brody.

  ���I don���t know, but I apologize for his behavior,��� Brody said sincerely.

  ���It wasn���t just him,��� Collin laughed.

  ���I think they���ll be fine, just let them work it out. We���re a family, they need to deal with it,��� Tessa laughed.

  ���Alright, let’s get down to business,��� Collin directed the group���s attention back to the task at hand, ���Where are we with the charges against you for your staff���s death? Have they dropped the charges?���

  ���The police seem to be easing off a bit. Then we had the attempted break in and then the explosion. I���m hoping they���re looking into other suspects,��� Brody looked at Emma and closed his eyes briefly.

  Emma smiled softly at him, ���We���ll get through it.���

  ���I know Em,��� Brody took her hand and kissed it softly, ���I know.���

  ���
��We have people trying to figure out where James is. He���s the man that helped you find Elizabeth. He���s extremely sly, but within a few more days we should have it figured out,��� Collin said reassuringly, ���We need to make sure your home is still secure, it seems to be the only place you’re truly safe.���

  ���I agree,��� Brody looked up at him and his eyes narrowed.

  ���Elizabeth���s services have been put on hold?��� Collin asked.

  ���How did you know that?��� Emma asked.

  ���Oh, he knows everything,��� Tessa giggled.

  ���Your ex-wife, are her whereabouts being tracked still?��� Collin asked Brody.

  Brody looked uncomfortably at Emma, ���Yes.���

  ���Emma, didn���t know we were considering her?��� Collin asked.

  ���We haven���t had a lot of time������ Brody answered.

  ���Make time,��� Collin looked at Brody for a moment longer than normal, ���Emma she may be involved with this, she and Elizabeth were both connected to Troy through conversations. Are the police aware of that?��� Collin said, referring to Emma���s ex-husband who was killed in a car accident.

  ���No, I don���t trust the police,��� Brody sneered.

  ���It doesn���t matter, documentation of any tips you give them will be useful at trial,��� Collin looked up again. ���Brody don���t trust anyone but do share information. Who the hell knows ��� they may end up being helpful.���

  ���Alright,��� Brody conceded.

  * * *

  ���Maddox!��� London yelled as she pounced in the sand next to him.

  ���London!��� Maddox yelled back. He grabbed her with one arm, pulling her onto his other knee, ���Our sister���s not all that fond of sand, she literally freaked out,��� he gasped dramatically and tickled London until she laughed so hard she had tears running down her face.

  Maddox heard someone laugh behind him and turned quickly and saw Harper standing there with a bucket in her hand.

  ���Do you want to show your brother the shells?��� Harper asked sitting on her knees next to him.

  ���Sure ��� check it out we have tons,��� London smiled proudly.

  ���Amazing London, they���re beautiful,��� he glanced up at Harper for a moment too long, and he felt his face flush.

  ���They are. Maddox, what���s your favorite color?��� Harper glanced down at him briefly.

  ���Blue,��� he said softly, ���I had never thought about it before but I love the color of the ocean. It���s beautiful, and calming as if its depth could swallow up the world and leave nothing ugly behind and still bring peace to all that stand in its glory.���

  ���Like my eyes?��� London beamed.

  Maddox looked up at Harper and back down at London, ���Exactly like your eyes, London.���

  ���I have the same color eyes as Harper���s,��� London smiled.

  ���I hadn���t noticed,��� Maddox said softly.

  ���Well look at them and tell me if you agree,��� London insisted.

  Maddox swallowed and looked at Harper. She was flushed and her eyes widened, ���Yes London, they���re almost exactly like Harper���s.���

  London giggled and stood up, ���Let me see if Lexi will let me walk her.���

  London and Lexi walked back and forth in front of Harper and Maddox they sat quietly for a few moments.

  ���Hey Maddox,��� Harper whispered.

  ���Yes?��� he said looking down.

  ���I���m sorry I heard all of that last night. I shouldn���t have listened. I���ll never tell anyone. I���m not a princess������ Harper stopped and took a breath.

  ���No one should know that such ugliness happens in this world,��� he whispered.

  ���I���d have to disagree,��� Harper said softly.

  ���I���m sure you would������ Maddox started to stand and she grabbed his hand.

  ���Wait! Maddox without sorrow, there wouldn���t be people who, like me, that you think are so privileged, who understand,��� Harper rolled her eyes, and Maddox began to pull his hand away, ���Please give me two minutes Maddox. I don���t want you to dislike me.���

  ���You seem to be trying to make it so,��� he snapped. He looked down at her hand still holding his.

  ���No, sometimes I just don���t come across right, please Maddox. I want you to like me,��� Harper said looking down.

  He sat next to her, and she let out a deep breath.

  ���I may not have lived through what you have, but I see suffering all the time. We travel the world, not to vacation, or sit at a resort getting massages. We help people build villages. This place will be one soon. We teach them how to help themselves and make sure when they need us, we���re available. I don���t want to hurt you, I want to help you Maddox.���

  ���I���m not your project Harper,��� Maddox looked up at her sadly.

  ���I don���t see you as a project Maddox,��� Harper whispered.

  ���How do you see me then, after all that you know how could you possible see me otherwise?��� Maddox pulled his hand away.

  ���My dad was abused Maddox. As a child my Dad was severely abused. I won���t go into detail, but he made a choice to do better for himself and anyone else he could help,��� Harper looked down at the hand that was once in his and rubbed it gently.

  ���I���m truly sorry that he was hurt,��� Maddox looked at her.

  ���He���s an amazing man because of it,��� Harper smiled. ���He made a choice to never do what had been done to him to anyone. You can make that choice, too.���

  Maddox looked at her in shock, ���Is that what this is about? Do you fear for yourself or for your cousins?���

  ���No ��� I see it in your eyes that you would never. Maddox, you���re kind. I know you are, and you have a beautiful soul,��� Harper looked away quickly, ���Sorry.���

  Maddox didn���t respond. He just looked at the water and thought for a while.

  ���Harper, you have nothing to worry about with those two girls. I would die for them, do you understand?���

  ���I know that already,��� Harpers eyes filled with tears, ���I knew that the first time I saw you on the island.���

  Maddox looked at her and closed his eyes, ���Please don���t cry Harper, please.���

  Harper looked at him, and her lip quivered, ���I���m sorry.���

  ���Harper,��� Maddox grabbed her and hugged her.

  After a few minutes, he looked down at her, ���Are you alright now?���

  ���Yes, can we please not argue anymore? I need us to be friends.��� Harper sat back and wiped her eyes.

  ���We can be friends,��� he smiled, ���Just not cousins.���

  ���I���ll take friends,��� she smiled.

  They spent the day playing on the beach and laughing.

  ���Why don���t you guys go for a swim?��� Emma suggested after she laid Lexington down for a nap.

  ���I don���t have swim attire,��� Maddox said and looked away.

  ���My brothers swim attire should be around here somewhere,��� Harper mimicked his heavy British accent, ���Come on ��� it���ll be fun.���

  ���Yeah, it will be fun,��� London laughed.


  Brody looked at Emma, and whispered, ���He doesn���t know how, Em.���

  ���Oh, damn it,��� Emma whispered.

  ���You girls go get changed,��� Brody kissed Emma���s head.

  Maddox watched as they walked away, ���Come with me, Maddox,��� Brody said.

  They walked into his room and grabbed the swim trunks Harper had left.

  ���I don���t like water,��� Maddox said looking away.

  ���I know you don���t know how to swim Maddox. How could you have learned? But I���m going to go out with you������ Brody began.

  ���Not in front of her,��� Maddox gasped.

  Brody looked at him, ���The scars I carry are no different son.���

  ���That���s not it, well that wasn���t what I was thinking at first���But now I truly don���t want to,��� Maddox flopped on his bed.

  ���I���ll go ahead of you. We won���t go over your head. If you feel uncomfortable let me know. Just give it a try that���s all I ask,��� Brody changed and turned around, ���Seriously Maddox this damn thing is like a SPEEDO on me. I���ll look foolish, not you.���

  Maddox sat up and looked at Brody and giggled.

  ���See? With me out there no one will notice. I look like a freak,��� Brody laughed.

  ���You���re right you do,��� Maddox laughed.

  ���Thanks for the encouragement. Go get changed,��� Brody threw a suit at him.

  * * *

  Maddox and Brody walked outside. Brody strutted out, puffing his chest out, ���You must do the beach walk, boy.���

  Maddox laughed, ���No. But do continue you look wonderful.���

  ���You picking on me?��� Brody laughed.

  ���You’re making it quite easy,��� Maddox laughed and looked up.