Except perhaps him.
“Landon, what the fuck, man?” I stand in front of Demi, not only blocking her from his view but subjecting myself to the full fury of his narrowed gaze. He’s pissed. He isn’t the only one. “Have you heard of knocking? It’s in the bro-code. Perhaps you should take a look at it.”
“Perhaps you should,” he fires back, his voice unlike anything I’ve heard. “If you know what the fuck it is anymore.” He steps closer to me, his chest thrusting. “Where the fuck have you been, Maddox?” He knows exactly where I’ve been, but he doesn’t give me the chance to answer him. “Saint has been calling nonstop. Caidyn drove out to the cabin. We’ve been trying to reach you for hours, and where do I find you?” He leans to the side so Demi not only hears his reply, she can also spot the disdain in his eyes. “In the last fucking place you should be.”
“That’s enough, Landon. Leave her out of this.”
When Demi tries to walk away, equally horrified and embarrassed she’s the sole focus of Landon’s anger, I snatch up her wrist before she can get two feet away from me. Landon may be my brother, but Demi is my girl. She comes before anyone.
“Apologize to Demi, then tell me what the fuck has you so riled up.”
“Apologize? You want me to apologize?” When I jerk up my chin, his face goes as red as a beetroot. “Apologize for what?” He once again doesn’t wait for me to answer. “Thatnothinghas been the same in our family since Saint let slip neither her nor her friend was on his radar.”
When he nudges his head to Demi partway through his comment, her scoff is quiet, but her swallow is loud enough for two blocks over to hear. “That you’re being led by your dick instead of your head.”
The sex-scented space won’t help my appeal, so I keep my mouth shut.
“That it’syourfault Caidyn’s insurance claim fell through and that he could face prosecution for attempting to defraud an insurance company.”
Air evicts from my lungs in a hurry.
That was a jab below the belt I wasn’t anticipating.
“Or how about the fact you’re not the only Walsh fooling around with a Petretti?” I try to talk, but nothing will come out. “But you wouldn’t know about any of that, would you, Maddox? Because you don’t give a fuck about anyone but her.”
“That’s not true.” Even if he weren’t my brother, he would still have heard the deceit in my voice. It was laced with it. “I can help Caidyn.” I don’t mention it will be with dirty money because that would give Landon more reason to clench his fists. “Saint isn’t a fucking saint. Everyone knows he’s plucked the occasional random out of a crowd.” I take a mental note to apologize to Demi for dissing her friend when I feel the increase of her pulse through our joined hands. “And I’ll talk to Justine.” Landon didn’t straight up mention she is the one messing with a Petretti, but with Demi being the only female Petretti left standing, I put two and two together remarkably quick.
“Words? That’s your solution?” When I nod, Landon tightens his jaw. “You need more than words to deal with vermin. The Petrettis are evil. Their blood is pure poison. The kindest thing anyone could do for mankind is to stop them from procreating—”
“Maddox!” Demi shouts at the same time my fist makes a cracking noise with Landon’s nose. Violence shouldn’t be the solution for anything, but I am as sure as fuck not going to sit by and watch him insult Demi like that, especially on her birthday.
“Go the fuck home, Landon.” When his hands ball up, ready for a fight, I reiterate, “Go.The fuck.Home.”
Landon works his jaw side to side before he spits out, “When your sister ends up in a ditch, and your brothers are in jail, remember this conversation. I’m warning you things are going to end badly. What you choose to do with that informationsolelyfalls on your shoulders.”
26
Demi
I’ve patched up Maddox’s knuckles every fight for the past six weeks. Tonight is the first time I’m clearing smears of his eldest brother’s blood from his hands. He didn’t split Landon’s cheek like my uncle did mine, but he did whack him hard enough to cause blood to dribble from his nose.
I’m not shocked Maddox responded to Landon’s taunt, I just wish it could have been for any other reason. I can change my name, cut my hair, and wear contact lenses, but no matter how much I alter my looks, my DNA will never change. I am a Petretti, there’s no denying that, and if my intuition is anything to go by, Landon’s niece or nephew will be as well. They may not have the title, but they will have the blood.
After locking my eyes with Maddox’s, I blow cool breaths onto the iodine ointment dotted across his knuckles. Usually, when we reach this stage of our exchange, my gentle breaths are soon switched to needy pants. That isn’t happening tonight. Maddox is so deep in thought, he isn’t in the cabin with me. His mind is far from here.
“Why don’t you call Justine? Get her side of the story.” I dump the iodine-soaked cotton balls into the bin at the side of the bathroom before pacing toward the door, eager to give him some privacy to work through his confusion.
I could use a couple of minutes as well.
Unlike many times tonight, Maddox doesn’t halt my retreat by grabbing my wrist. He uses words instead. “Landon didn’t mean what he said.”
“Yeah, he did,” I reply after spinning around to face him. “I just really hope you don’t feel the same way.”
“I don’t.” His tone isn’t close to being confident. “But she’s my sister, Demi. Mybabysister. I can’t let her…”
“End up with a Petretti like you?” I fill in when words elude him.
I silently beg for him to shake his head, so you can picture the devastation on my face when he bobs his chin instead. I understand his objective and comprehend he’s programmed to protect his sister, but not even recalling the world’s best day can harness my disappointment.
