Page 183 of Maddox
“These fuckers branded your mother, Delaney. Still think you’re in love,” he sneers.
Speechless, I shake my head while Mom steps away, her chin wobbling.
Joker didn’t do that, right? He wouldn’t do that.
Fuck, I hope that I’m not wrong.
“Red,” Joker says, and she shakes her head. “Tell me why you have our colors on your fucking body.”
“Ha!” Peter barks while Mom looks over the assembled crowd.
When her gaze stops on me, her eyes flicker before she says, “Ice did this to me after I left.”
My stomach bottoms out at her words and I shiver, taking comfort from Maddox’s warm arms, wrapped around my body.
“Why?” I whisper. Nothing should surprise me by now but branding. Fuck me.
Her lips lift into a humorless smile before she meets Joker’s wide eyes and says, “He punished me when I chose you.”
I can’t define the expression that crosses Joker’s face but my heart falls when he slams his fist against the wall before dropping to his knees.
Clutching his head, he mutters an expletive that’s lost to Peter’s chuckle.
The bitter sound slides down my spine like razors as he rolls his head her way and says, “You said it yourself, Helen. You didn’t want this life for her.”
“You’re right,” she says, stiffening. After throwing her arm into the air, she continues, “I didn’t want my life for her, but this isn’t my life, Peter.”
Her shining eyes meet mine and I feel the first blip of hope that falters under Peter’s vitriol when he says, “You left this shit for a reason. I never thought my little girl would turn out to be a patch whore.”
The cruel words so casually spoken create an uproar when Maddox says, “What the fuck did you just say?”
Although my stomach swirls at Peter’s brutal proclamation, I’m reminded of Maddox saying the same thing not too long ago. This is born out of fear and hurt, and maybe it’s cruel but I understand, I do.
He’s grieving the loss of his only child and as long as he believes it was me who didn’t fulfill my duty in watching Petey, having sex in my room at that, he will never get past his hurt and anger.
Not so Maddox though and maybe it’s because he too remembers uttering the filthy slur, he rushes forward.
Behind me, I hear Romeo mutter, “Fuck.”
Simultaneously, Joker springs forward and I cry out when Peter staggers back, reaching for his gun.
Unfortunately, Maddox follows but when I move to intervene, Romeo picks me up and turns away.
“Let me go!” I cry.
“Nope,” he says, and I flail in his hold until Joker barks, “Enough!”
To my relief, Peter dangles in Joker’s arms, the gun previously in his hand, now resting on the floor.
Dazed, I turn back to Maddox, who shouts, “You piece of fucking shit. Delaney is pure. She’s fucking everything. You want to hurt someone, hurt me!”
“Fuck,” Romeo says, and I slump in his arms.
This will never work. Look what’s already happened?
Maddox almost assaulted a police officer, whom Joker is now restraining. This is so not going to end well.
If Maddox and I continue this charade, what will happen to our families?
