Page 119 of Maddox
This one is younger, although not as young as Maddox, I suspect. He’s hot, tall, and really fucking stern which does nothing for the doom swirling in my belly.
“Well, now it seems you have a problem, darlin’,” the older man says.
“Delaney, you know my pops, Joker. He’s the prez,” Maddox interjects.
“Hello,” I whisper woodenly while Maddox waves toward the man by the wall.
“This is Wolf, the VP.”
Wolf inclines his head but doesn’t speak as Joker says, “Your daddy skipped town?”
Despite his actions, it feels sketchy to talk about Joey especially when I don’t know if these men are just as eager to see him hurt as the others were.
However, Joey isn’t exactly innocent himself and I know I have to confess all after everything Maddox has done for me, but the words stick in my throat.
If what Joey has said is correct, the Aces are more than just the enemy, they’re animals and despite Draven’s involvement, I’ve been consorting with them…sort of.
“I think so. I don’t know but he’s gone,” I finally say and Joker glances at Wolf, sharing a silent message.
When Joker turns back to me, he asks, “You know who your daddy is?”
Shifting, I glance between them, wishing I could see Maddox’s expression but he’s standing behind me by the door.
Slowly, I shake my head before whispering, “No. Just that those other dudes called him Snake.”
When the blood drains from Joker’s face, any kindness, such as it was, fades from his eyes too.
Dread pools in my belly when Wolf stands from the wall, dropping his arms like somehow, I just became a threat.
“Who the fuck is Snake?” Maddox barks.
“Thought the fucker was dead,” Wolf growls.
At the sound, I cringe and splay my hands while Joker runs his hands down his face and says, “He is or was Ice’s right-hand thug.”
“Ice?” I ask, bewildered by the turn of events.
Just a few days ago, my dad was my dad—Joey, and I had never heard of Snake or Ice. Now I’m caught between them and these men who look less than pleased by the revelation.
“Right hand?” Maddox echoes.
Joker’s brows flicker before he rubs the bridge of his nose and says, “His brother. Snake is Ice’s brother.”
Silence ensues and I’m processing what this means when the low hiss of something unidentifiable assaults my ears. My heart jumps into my throat and I slowly turn, confirming that the animalistic sound was coming from Maddox.
For a moment, he looks right through me, but I cover my mouth and stagger back when those dark eyes focus on mine. Gone is the man who held me while I cried and I don’t recognize the version who takes his place, but I see something I never considered as he stands there like a fucking statue…hate.
I can’t draw a full breath, and I claw at my throat while his eyes bore into mine, the irises all but gone as the darkness pulls him under.
“Maddox!” Joker barks behind me and I slide away from the desk to the wall.
Maddox tracks my movements and like the prey I’ve become, all the hair on my nape stands on end when his nostrils flare and he practically sniffs the air.
“Son,” Joker says as a shudder rolls down my spine and I bite back a whimper.
As though the spell is broken, Maddox staggers back before he turns toward the wall, his fist in the air.
Bits of drywall spray the floor as he stares at the hole he just made, his chest heaving. My heart clenches at the sight, especially when he drops his chin to his chest and a shudder runs through his body.
