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“I don’t. That doesn’t give you the right to butt in every time someone with a dick talks to me. It makes you look like a possessive, jealous asshole.” Frowning at the loud group doing the keg stands, I shoved away from the counter, headed for the stairs in the middle of the living room.
Maddox kept pace with me, even when two drunk girls wiped out in front of him. He stepped around the giggling pile of limbs, following me up to the second floor. It wasn’t much quieter up there. I took a right at the top of the stairs and headed for Maddox’s bedroom. If we were going to argue, I wanted to be alone.
“Maybe I am a possessive, jealous asshole.” With a shrug, Maddox closed the bedroom door behind us, causing the party noise to become muffled. “Maybe I don’t care. I’m always going to protect you, Vixen. Especially from garbage like Lawson and his friends.”
The silly nickname he’d given me due to my sly theft skills usually made me soften. It did now as well. Steeling my features into a hard frown, I refused to show it.
“I don’t always need your protection, Mads. Especially from someone like Graham and Zach. You’re seeking opportunities to claim me as yours in front of everyone, and I’m over it.” I crossed my arms over my chest, wishing I wore more than a simple black bikini.
We didn’t always argue, although we did our share of bickering. Truth be told, Maddox was one of my favorite people in the world. It would take something huge to change that. We were both headstrong types that often butted heads. Wolfe and Ace were usually there to intervene and keep it from escalating. But they couldn’t always be there to keep the peace.
“You are mine though,” Maddox said, unfazed by my temper. “They all need to know it.”
The emotions that rose up at his words were conflicting, tearing me in two. Part of me enjoyed his territorial claim, wanting to belong to him in every way. Another part of me wanted to knock his fucking block off for having the audacity to say this shit and believe it.
“Not only yours,” I replied coolly, daring him to argue.
His large bedroom felt stupidly huge, making me feel small. The Hale house was far larger than the one I’d grown up in. The king size bed only took up one corner of the room. Even still, it seemed to taunt me.
“Not only mine,” Maddox agreed with a single nod. “You’re ours, Maven, and you know it. Don’t pretend it’s not what you want. Any number of people out there would gladly trade places with both of us. So let’s stop with the arguing and celebrate our win tonight. As we should.”
A hand went to his face as he touched the bruise beneath one eye. His nose had swollen as well. The sight of his marked up face did something to me. It sent a rush of heat between my legs, making me ache for his fingers and tongue. And more. I wanted all of him. There was nothing hotter than watching my guys kick some ass.
My hands went to the string tying my bikini top in place. I picked the knot apart, letting the top fall to the floor. The smolder in his stare kicked up several notches as he watched me tug my bottoms down. I kicked them in Maddox’s direction, smiling when he caught them in one hand and raised a brow, silently asking for clarity.
“If I’m yours, then come and take me.” The bold invitation was accompanied by a bent finger beckoning him forward. “Just remember, Maddox. You’re mine too.”
Dropping my bottoms, Maddox strode across the room toward me, not needing any further prodding. He pulled his shirt off over his head, throwing it on the floor. Catching me in both arms, he kissed me hard, steering me over to the bed.
Pulling me down with him, he murmured, “I’ve always been yours, Maven. That will never change.”
CHAPTER FIVE
MAVEN
SEVEN YEARS AGO
No day would ever be a good day for a funeral. There was something about a rainy day that made the whole ordeal bleaker. Standing between Wolfe and Maddox, I held tight to the former while the latter shoved both hands in his pockets, gazing angrily into his father’s grave.
There were many ways a man like Aaron Hale could have died. He headed up the second largest syndicate in the city. The one man to make the Archer Syndicate look over their shoulders. One might expect them to have been the culprit, but it was a steady diet of heavy alcohol and cigarettes that put Mr. Hale in an early grave. His addiction to the bottle was no secret. Despite ongoing health issues over the past few years, he’d refused to give up his precious vice. And it killed him.
Much to my dismay, it was an addiction his son seemed to share. In the years since graduating high school and taking a full time role with his father’s syndicate, Maddox had been drinking more frequently. Even now I could smell the whiskey emanating from him. I worried that the pressures of taking over as head of the syndicate would send him down the same path. It was a worry I knew Wolfe shared.
The service was over. The turnout had been large. As people made their way from the cemetery, they paused to give their condolences to the Hale brothers.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie. He was a good man, and there is so much of him in you. I hope you find comfort in that.” My mom pulled Maddox into a motherly bear hug, holding him tight.
My dad patted his shoulder and added, “I’m always here for you, son. Both of you. Come to me if you need anything at all.”
They turned to Wolfe next, giving him the same hug and shoulder pats along with warm words and well wishes. I stood quietly while the procession of people passed. If Wolfe hadn’t been gripping my hand so tight I’d have stepped back to wait out of the way with Ace and Ruthless.
Next to me Maddox grew restless. Despite being close to his father, he was mad as hell that the man had let himself die on the family like this. Especially since his mother left when he was fifteen, having had enough of her husband’s dangerous ways. Maddox had so much pain to work through regarding his father. They had loved one another but hadn’t always seen eye to eye, especially when it came to making important decisions for the syndicate.
The drive back to the Hale house was especially quiet. The large stone wall that surrounded the property usually created a sense of comfort and protection. Today it felt ominous and cold.
We were greeted by several of the Hale organization members. People of all kinds who for one reason or another had devoted themselves to a life of shady activity. I’m sure none of us had started out with that plan in mind.
My parents hadn’t planned to bring me into this world, but trouble found me the night I was with Wolfe and Ace when we were jumped by a few of the Archer’s goons. They’d been sent to rough up Wolfe as a message to Mr. Hale. Because my father taught me to fight, I was able to help fend off the attack. We’d only been teenagers then. My involvement had snowballed from there. I had blood on my hands now. We all did.
