Styx and Stones: A Demented Sons MC Texas Novel

by Kristine Allen

  “Come here. Give your old man a hug,” Dad interrupted, and I was pretty sure it was on purpose. I smiled as I stepped out of my mom’s hold on my face and into my dad’s spread arms.

  “Hey, Dad. How’s retired life treating you?” I spoke into his shoulder.

  His burly arms held me tight as he chuckled. “It’s good. Really good.”

  After thirty-three years in the Air Force, he’d finally retired. Well, sort of. He was still doing consulting work. He’d probably never retire completely.

  “Hey, little sis!” Darla broke in, and I smiled as I disentangled myself from Dad.

  “Darla.” I sighed as I was enveloped in my sister’s perfume cloud and a big hug. Despite her annoying tendencies, I did love her. Except I wondered if she’d ever grow up. Wishful thinking.

  “Well, are we ready to head out?” My dad saved the day. As usual.

  “Yep. Do you want me to take anything?” I asked as I looked at the pile of luggage, wondering if it was all going to fit in my trunk.

  “Here, you can take my carry-on.” My sister rolled her smaller bag over so I could grab the handle.

  Without another word, I turned, and everyone followed me out of the airport and through the parking garage until we made it to my car. I popped the trunk and started to lift my sister’s suitcase, but Dad stopped me.

  “Here, let me put everything in so it all fits. I tried to tell your mother and your sister we didn’t need to bring the kitchen sink. Of course, they didn’t listen.”

  I wasn’t sure how he did it, but he Tetris’d everything in there and closed the trunk. Mom and Darla got in the back seat, and Dad got up front with me.

  “Should we get something to eat on the way or do you have food?” Mom piped in from the back seat as we left the airport.

  “Mom, I have food. But if you’d rather get something, that’s fine.”

  “We’ll get something on the way,” Dad decided. I gave him a side-eye and shook my head. He was always trying to make sure I was okay financially and that I was eating enough. I knew right away that was his way of preventing them from “eating all my food.” Not that they would, but that was my dad.

  It was also Dad’s excuse to get some good Mexican food.

  I barely got a word in during lunch, so I silently ate my food along with about fifty pounds of chips and salsa as I listened to my mom and my sister monopolize the meal. If it was any indication as to what I was in for, I couldn’t wait for the holidays to be over.

  “Gwendolyn! Are you listening? We’ve asked you the same question at least three times,” my mother chastised. My face burned in embarrassment that I’d been caught tuning them out.

  “I’m sorry, what? I was spacing off. I told you I didn’t sleep well. It left me fuzzy.” I gave a false smile.

  My dad watched me with narrowed eyes, and my mom repeated her question. “I asked if you took the turkey out of the freezer to thaw.”

  “Oh. Yeah. I did. I actually bought a fresh turkey, and it’s in the fridge.”

  “Oh good!” My mom was delighted, as I knew she would be when I bought the damn thing. I remembered how she’d bitched about the frozen turkey I’d bought last Christmas. It was the last time I’d been home. Mitch had gone with me.

  I’d thought I was doing something nice by buying the turkey. Stupid me.

  “So you really broke up with Mitch?” My sister seemed bummed that she wouldn’t have my boyfriend to simper over. That had been one of the reasons I hadn’t gone home since last Christmas. She’d fawned all over Mitch to the point of embarrassment.

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad.” She rested her hand on mine in a comforting way. I experienced a slight tinge of regret for being salty about her in my head.

  “He was an asshole anyway,” my dad interjected.

  “Stop it!” My mom got after my dad.

  After a tortuous hour at the restaurant, we finally poured back in the car. The short drive to my apartment was thankfully quiet.

  We lugged all the suitcases inside.

  “This is quaint,” my mom announced as I helped them bring her and Dad’s things to my room.

  Translation: This is small.

  Which she verified with her next comment.

  “The place you had with Mitch was so much bigger.”

  With my back to her, I rolled my eyes. My place was small, but it’s not like it was a shoebox. Ignoring her comment, I gave them the brief tour.

  “Gwen, would you run me up to the store? I need to get a few things.” Dad poked his head in the bathroom where I was showing Mom the sink she could put her things on. One thing that was nice was that I had a double sink in the bathroom.

  “Sure, Dad. Give me a minute?”

  “Of course, pumpkin.” My childhood nickname sent a wave of nostalgia through me. Memories of simpler times washed through me.

  “Neil,” my mother chided, “she’s not five anymore.”

  My dad chuckled and went out to the living room.

  “Is there anything you need me to pick up from the store?” I asked my mom.

  “No, dear, thank you.” She kissed my cheek.

  Dad and I left, and we’d made it a block from my house before my dad cornered me.

  “Okay, spit it out. What’s upset you? Do I need to kick anyone’s ass?”

  I laughed at his tactics. “I’m good, really. It’s complicated, that’s all,” I evaded.

  He persevered. “Is this about a boy?”

  I laughed. “A boy? Dad, I’m not in high school,” I joked as I turned the corner after checking traffic. I parked in front of the grocery store and shut the car off.

  “I’m fully aware you’re not in high school anymore. But it doesn’t mean I don’t still worry about you.” Sincerity shone from his weathered blue eyes.

  Unable to keep things in any longer, I released a huff of air. “I was seeing this guy. Things didn’t work out, but I really liked him. He was different than Mitch.”

  “Then why did things end?”

  “It seemed like things were moving too fast, and I got scared.” I left it at that and got out of the car.

  He didn’t push the matter as we entered the store.

  I picked up a few things that I’d forgotten the other day and put them in the basket. Once I had everything, I headed to the registers. I knew what he’d needed to get, but he hadn’t wanted to say it in front of Mom. Sure, she knew he used e-cigs, but she didn’t like it. Me, I was glad he wasn’t still smoking cigarettes. I looked at it as the lesser of two evils.

  Of course, he wouldn’t let me pay for the things in my cart. All I could do was roll my eyes, then thank him. “You didn’t need to, you know.”

  “I know, but I rarely see you anymore, and it’s not like we aren’t paying for enough for your sister. Even though your mother thinks I don’t know.” He gave a wry smile.

  I gave him a peck on the cheek and left it be. “Thanks, Dad.”

  We caught up on the way home.

  Laughing at a story from his military days, I opened the door to my apartment.

  And found myself staring into Styx’s eyes.

  “Foolin’”—Def Leppard

  Since she wouldn’t answer my text messages, I decided to go by her place.

  I’d meant to drop off her gift, beg her to talk to me after her parents left if she couldn’t get away while they were there, and hopefully be able to kiss her. That was if I could convince her to step out of the apartment.

  I was a little pathetic, and I knew it.

  What I hadn’t expected was her sister and mother to be the only ones home. Nor had I expected them to invite me in. I’d sat on the couch making small talk because I was trying my damnedest not to reveal too much to them.

  The apartment door opened, and I instinctively threw my gaze to see who it was. Our eyes clashed the second she opened the door. “Styx,” she whispered.

  “Hi.” I suddenly couldn’t remember what I’d wan
ted to say.

  The heat of her sister’s hand as it landed on my scrub-clad thigh shook me out of my haze. I’d gotten called in for half a shift, and I’d gone to her place as soon as I got off.

  “Gwen, your friend stopped by to bring you a Christmas gift,” her sister announced before I could say anything more. Since I didn’t know if she’d told them about us, I’d simply said she was a friend.

  Face white and eyes wide, she stuttered, “Uh, oh, um, okay, well, uh, thank you?”

  When I stood, her sister’s hand fell off my leg. I thought I heard her make an impatient huff, but to be honest, my attention was on Gwen. So much so that I’d missed the big man standing behind her.

  “Hello, I’m Neil, Gwen’s dad. And you are?” He extended a hand to me, which I shook. His grip was firm, and he stared so deep in my eyes, for a second, I wondered if he was reading my mind.

  “Maddox. Nice to meet you, sir.”

  He released my hand but continued to study me. I knew he was seeing my tattoos, piercings, and my long hair pulled back for work. Personally, I could’ve cared less if he was judging me, but for Gwen’s sake, I hoped he wasn’t.

  “You should hang out and have dinner with us later,” he said. At Gwen’s expression, I knew she was praying I’d say no, so I shook my head.

  “Yes, you should!” Gwen’s mom beamed at the suggestion.

  “I appreciate the offer, but I have somewhere to be. I only planned on dropping Gwen’s gift off and leaving. Besides, I don’t want to intrude on your family time.” Relief shone from Gwen’s eyes.

  “Nonsense. Any friend of Gwen’s is a friend of the family,” he persisted.

  “Well, thank you. But I really do need to get going.” I made a show of checking my watch.

  “Maybe next time.” Her dad smiled, but I wasn’t so sure it met his eyes.

  I nodded, then turned my attention to Gwen. “Do you have a second? I had a question for you.” Though what I said came out nonchalant, my eyes pleaded with her.

  “Uh, sure.” Her previously pale face blushed red. Quietly, she followed me to the door.

  “Nice to meet you all. Merry Christmas. Enjoy your visit,” I said to her family before I stepped into the breezeway. A chorus of Merry Christmases and farewells followed me out.

  She closed the door behind her, and her hands remained behind her back. “Why did you come here?”

  “This is for you.” I held out the small, professionally wrapped gift. Because I wrapped for shit.

  “Styx, you really shouldn’t have.” Resignation was heavy in her tone. I hated it.

  “Gwen, I don’t know what happened yesterday, but I’m sorry. I was an ass. I’ve felt like shit about it since I left.”

  It was then that she noticed my knuckles.

  “What happened to your hands?” Eyes wide, her jaw dropped.

  “Oh, that? It’s nothing. I was working out, and uh….” I looked away guiltily.

  “Maddox,” she breathed, and my heart did stupid things. That’s when I was sure that I was in trouble. If simply hearing her speak my name in that airy way drove me crazy?

  Yeah.

  I was one hundred and fifty percent fucked.

  Nervously, I cleared my throat.

  “Do you want to open that now?” I questioned as I gestured toward the package she held close to her chest.

  “Can I save it for Christmas?”

  “Of course.” I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, because I really wanted to see her face, but I held it in.

  “Um, I should probably head back in.”

  “Sure. Okay. Um, well, Merry Christmas.”

  Without waiting for her response, I hightailed it back to my truck. Once I was safety ensconced in the warmth of my cab, I laid my head back. For the seven thousandth time, I questioned my sanity and what the hell I was doing.

  For the eighteen thousandth time I told myself I didn’t even really know her.

  For the millionth time, I wanted to kiss her.

  She invaded every moment of my day, every day. She was stuck in my head. Her laughter played on a loop. Images of her body underneath mine hit me at the most inopportune times and found their way into my dreams at night.

  “Fuck!” My forehead dropped to the steering wheel, and I closed my eyes.

  Shoving the need to return to her door down deep, I pulled myself together and backed out of the parking spot.

  My phone rang. It was Lock.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey, Styx. Raiven wanted to know if you were still coming for dinner tonight.”

  “Yeah. I just need to run home to shower and change. You sure she doesn’t need me to bring her anything?”

  “Hell yeah, I’m sure. Get your ass over here before the game starts.”

  “Roger that. Be there shortly.”

  We ended the call, and I turned on my playlist. A good head banging, screaming list of rock was what the doctor ordered to get my head clear.

  Straight Wicked roared through the cab of my truck with a badass guitar riff by Aiden Westbrook and Zane Rutledge. The club was all going to their concert in San Antonio in January. I wondered if Gwen would like to go.

  There I went again. What the fuck was wrong with me that every thought led to her?

  So I wouldn’t piss Raiven off, I hurried through my shower and pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a black henley. No one wanted to piss off Lock’s ol’ lady. She could be sweet as hell, but piss her off and one look would singe you. It made me grin, because I loved the hell outta both of them and their cute kids.

  Even though it was colder than a witch’s tit outside, I towel dried my hair and slipped on a pair of boots. Grabbing my keys and a six-pack of beer, I was out the door.

  “Sonuvabitch!” I exclaimed when I saw the flat tire on my truck. I’d left my bike at the shop for the guys to do an oil change or I would’ve left the truck for later. Instead, I cussed every time I banged my beat-up knuckles and got the tire changed. The flat got tossed in the bed for me to take care of later.

  The thing was, I didn’t like what I’d seen when I’d removed it. Using the voice option, I called Check.

  “Hey bro, what’s up?”

  “I need a favor.”

  “Anything. What do you need?”

  I explained what I needed, and he assured me he could help me out.

  Because I was rushing to get there after being delayed, I wasn’t surprised to see a cop flip on his lights and pull out. Didn’t mean I was happy about it.

  “Goddammit. I gotta go. Getting pulled over.”

  “Oooo, sucks to be you,” he laughed.

  “Yeah, thanks. Later.”

  I was even less happy when I saw who it was. Officer Douche-Warren.

  “Mr. Wright. We need to quit meeting like this.” His mild expression didn’t fool me.

  “Hmm,” I said.

  That time he gave me a ticket.

  For five fucking miles over the limit.

  “The speed limit back there was forty-five, so you were greater than ten percent over.” He handed me my portion of the ticket.

  “Thanks,” I snidely replied.

  “Have a nice day, and keep that speed down.” The grin on his face pissed me off.

  Ignoring him, I finished my trip to Lock’s.

  “Lucy, I’m home!” I shouted in my best Desi impersonation as I let myself into their house.

  A squeal warned me that Raiven was about to tackle me. I spun her around as she barreled into me with a big hug. She was smiling from ear to ear when I set her down.

  “You’re just like that little hellion daughter of yours. You know that, right? And you’re lucky you didn’t make me drop my beer.” I chuckled as I set her down.

  “I’m so glad you decided to come over. Lock’s been having withdrawals from you.” Her red lips tipped as she propped her hands on her hips.

  “Yeah, I know, I’ve been a little busy.”

  “He said you’ve been
spending a lot of time with that girl you brought to Sunday dinner.” A single dark brow rose as she waited impatiently for the scoop.

  “Uh, not that much time.” My face heated, and I shrugged.

  “Unka Styx! You’s having supper at our house!” The interruption of the little tornado otherwise known as Presley was a welcome one. She’d grown so much in the short time that she’d been here, it was amazing.

  “Hey, munchkin! How’s my girl?” I crouched down to her level, and she threw her arms around me, much like her mother had.

  “I’s on bacation from schools!” She looked up into my face with a huge smile.

  “Wow! I see you got your Christmas tree up too. You ready for Santa?”

  “Uh-huh!” She nodded excitedly.

  “Hey, bro. How was work this morning?” Lock asked as he came into the room.

  I shrugged. “Eh, same old, same old.” After shoving my hands in my pockets, I glanced at Raiven, then back to Lock. “It’s been a shit day. You got a minute?”

  “Sure.” He kissed his wife, and I heard him whisper in her ear, “Be back in a minute.” Then he teasingly bit her neck, causing her to squeal.

  Watching their interaction, I realized I wanted that. Even though I had fought it and nearly isolated myself after Grace, I wanted a fucking happily ever after. I wanted kids and a woman waiting at home for me after a long day.

  What nearly bowled me over was that I wanted it with Gwen.

  More than anything.

  “Gunny made it home safe?”

  “Yeah. He went to take care of some stuff, but he plans to be back in time to spend Christmas with Mom and Dad. I have a feeling he’ll be staying this time.” A small smile curled his lips.

  “That would be awesome. He talked to Smoke?”

  “Yeah. He said he needed to think about it, but I hope he goes through with it. Especially now that Mom and Dad have moved down. Come on, let’s go out back.” Lock tipped his head toward the back door as he grabbed a couple of beers. Taking a sip of the one he handed to me, I followed him into the backyard. He tossed some wood in his chimenea and started the fire. “Can you grab a couple of chairs?”