Page 57 of Maddox
On the one hand, he was so sweet and cute but after the best moment of my life, he warned me off and walked away.
Why? Because I’m not MC or he realized he doesn’t like me that way?
I could blame my relationship with Peter, but he didn’t ask me about it untilafterhe turned down my offer to reciprocate.
I am such a fool. I knew that he was out of my league, being older and more sophisticated.
Still, I let myself believe otherwise and told the jerk that I like him. I mean, at least I didn’t saylovebut still, that probably had him running in and of itself.
Gah.
It’s times like these that I miss home the most. Whenever I was confused or hurting, I could turn to my mom, and she would walk me through it.
She was always so calm and thoughtful about it too. Now, I have no one to share my woes with and I feel achingly alone.
When I enter the trailer and Joey’s eyes slide away to the T.V., I’m reminded of what he said the other day and although we’ve been mostly avoiding each other, I can’t help but wonder what he meant.
I saved your ass. How? Was that a slip of the tongue or delusions from a drunk ass idiot?
What did he mean about the Saints?
My mind whirls with the possibilities all night and I don’t get much sleep, which is why I hear him stumble into the bathroom and start the shower around two am.
Once I’m sure the coast is clear, I go back to that damn shoebox and pull it free before opening the lid.
Sure enough, there’s still a gun inside, along with a box of bullets.
Beyond that, I pick up an old billfold and pull out the driver’s license inside.
When a youthful Joey stares back at me, I concede he wasn’t as gross as he is now.
Joseph Michael Hope. Huh?
As far as I know, Joey’s last name is Smith.Mylast name is Smith.
So, who the fuck is Joey Hope?
There’s no cash in his billfold but I do find a picture hidden behind a rewards card in the fold.
It’s Joey with another man who looks enough like him to presume this is his brother. How did I not know he has siblings?
Are they alive?
After taking a picture of the image, I put it back and pull out the last item in the box, a piece of fabric that I turn over in my hand.
It’s a patch containing a series of aces with a skull and a top hat. I’ve seen similar designs, and it doesn’t take long to make the connection.
It’s the same kind of patch worn by Maddox, although clearly a different MC—the Smokin’ Aces.
Why would my dad have an MC patch hidden away in his closet?
When the shower cuts off in the bathroom, I take a photo of the patch on my phone before hastily putting it all back and closing the doors behind me.
Once back in my room, I collapse to the lumpy mattress as the bathroom door opens with a squeak and Joey steps down the hall before he pauses and says, “Delaney?”
Squeezing my eyes closed, I don’t answer, and eventually he walks away.
Maybe it’s not a big deal, except why did he have it hidden away?
