Page 20 of Maddox
Hiding the sliding sensation in my gut with a grin, I back away and wave like an asshole before exiting back outside.
It’s not like we didn’t have other families and even children here before Lilli and her sisters came along.
So, why does my blood run cold whenever she’s around?
Despite the inner strength she’s shown not only by surviving her shitty childhood but Wolf’s stupid ass behavior, Lilli doesn’t belong.
She’s too kind and gentle. She’s too much like…nope, not going there. Mom’s been dead for ten years.
Except…I can’t shake the images that crawl through my brain like a fucking macabre slideshow and it’s all I can do to fight back the bile crawling up my throat.
And when I pass Wolf, who eyes me with a frown, I wave like a moronagainbefore stopping beside Romeo at the barbecue.
Luckily, no one senses my unease but it’s time I set that shit aside because I don’t want to create beef with my brother and in this, I’m happy that Wolf and Lilli finally came to their senses.
Romeo eyes me sideways before handing me a beer. I tip my head in acknowledgement and knock it back in a couple of gulps.
I’m going to need a few of these before I can regain my equilibrium and with a silent sigh, I turn away from the woman who’s turned me into a fucking pussy.
Chapter 5
Maddox
With a dull headache pressing at the back of my skull, I enter church and grab a seat by the door.
Pops stands at the front beside Wolf, who looks particularly grim. I don’t blame him.
We got weird intel last night which left us reeling. Margie, one of the sweet butts, was murdered. Whoever did the cruel deed, dumped her body in the middle of nowhere in Turner Park.
She probably wouldn’t have been found but for a hiker who decided to blaze his own trail through the forest.
Since the news came through, I’ve been searching the internet to find any information. Although we have our own informants within the police department, it will be a while before theyrelease anything to us and reporters seem to know shit before anyone else.
Normally we wouldn't put the brutality nor the lack of respect for a woman past the Smokin’ Aces, our enemy, and a rival MC but this isn’t their M.O.
They ain’t much into hiding their crimes, especially when they’re against the Saints.
This all started with a feud that goes back forty years over territory and shit. The brutal war came to a head when Mom was murdered, and Pops spent years hunting down the assholes who changed the game.
Ice, the Smokin’ Aces MC president, eluded him though and slowly they’ve been ramping up their attacks again.
This included planting a rat amongst our ranks but despite him being neutralized after threatening Lilli and her sisters, I’ve been on edge since.
If it was so easy for Hand to infiltrate and wait years to act on his betrayal, who’s to say there aren’t more. But how do we know without someone making a false move?
We don’t and that shit burns.
As long as those fucks live, our women and children are in danger. Duke’s baby girl, with the cutest chubby cheeks and tiny fingers and toes, is at risk.
Lilli with those wide brown eyes could die.
This I will not tolerate, which is why I approach these meetings with a good dose of caution. I know Pops wants to believe in our brothers and I do too, but the prospects haven’t truly shown their loyalty and it’s a risk.
Whatever, I’ll be waiting and watching because if even one of these assholes steps out of line, I’ll cut the colors from their skin my-fucking-self.
Nothing else matters but my brothers and their families.
“Alright,” Pops says and the voices around the room reduce to a low murmur. “We’ve got ourselves a situation here.”
