Finding Maddox (The Road to Truth Book 3)

by Quell T Fox

  ​I consider grabbing another beer, but I know that I shouldn’t. I’ve been drinking non-stop since I got home, and it isn’t doing a damn thing. I expected it to make me feel better. I planned to drink myself into a stupor, get wrecked, fuck shit up. Didn’t help. In fact, I barely got a buzz going on at all. I may as well have been drinking water, at least then I’d be hydrated and not worried about waking up with a hangover. Granted, it wouldn’t last long – healing powers and all – but it’s still a pain in the ass.

  Lenny… what the fuck?

  ​I can’t remember the last time Alec was here. It must have been when I first bought the place. When things between him and I weren’t as bad as they are now – or were a week ago. I have to admit that after fighting, I feel better. Okay, maybe he kicked my ass, but I had a lot to drink, so it doesn’t really count. But we needed it, both of us needed to let out all of that built up rage that we’ve had towards one another for so long.

  We were inseparable when we were kids. Ever since the first day I met him – I think we were four, maybe five. It was definitely before school started because I remember how excited I was on that first day of kindergarten to see that he was in my class. And then, just like that, we weren’t. When Lenny came along, things changed. Maybe I went about that wrong, maybe I fucked it all up, but I don’t regret it. Lenny needed me, and I don’t regret my decision for even a second. After that Alec and I were… okay. Then we got better for a bit, then it was bad, then worse, and then it became unbearable to be around him, to look at him. Fuck, even hearing his voice would set me off. How do you go from wanting to be with someone every moment, and then not being able to even look at them?

  ​Him and I were the only two that knew about Charlene coming back. We never told anyone, not even Callan. As much shit as we’ve both gone through, there are some things that even we won’t betray. This being one of them. There is a certain line that we both have too much respect for to cross. No matter how angry and bitter we get. The thought of that day brings back the words Alec said to me right before he fell asleep.

  ​You can’t be mad at him for something like this, if you did something even worse. You need to tell him.

  ​The fucker is right.

  ***

  ​I walk down the same street that I always take to get back home after working at the diner. I walk the same way every single time. I walk past the street that Callan lives on (the fancier part of the neighborhood), past Lenny’s old house and then towards my house. Alec lives further down the road.

  ​Only this time something isn’t right. Something is off. Lights shine through the dirty windows in Lenny’s house, which is most definitely not normal. Did they sell it? Is it a squatter? Homeless person? How did they get the electricity to work?

  ​I sneak around the back of the house and peak into the window. It looks the same as it did the last time I was here – old, ratted and full of dust – which at this point, I think was about a month ago. Maybe longer. The longer Lenny has been with me the less frequent we visit this house. It isn’t good for him to be here. Too many bad memories. I turn to leave but pause, getting that itchy feeling in the back of my neck. I take one last glance into the window.

  And there she is.

  ​Charlene. Fucking, Charlene. What the fuck is she doing back here?

  ​I run. I run faster than I have ever ran before. Out of the yard, past my house and straight to Alec’s. I burst in the door without knocking and head straight to the kitchen at the smell of food. Aaron is sitting at the table with a plate full of spaghetti in front of him, while Alec stands over the kitchen sink washing the soiled dishes.

  ​“Alec,” I pant. “I need you to come with me. Is your mom here?” I look around the kitchen, trying to find his mom.

  ​“She is, but it’s not a good time.” He shakes his head, continuing to wash the dishes. “She’s not having a good day.”

  ​“This is important. Really important.”

  ​“I really ca–“

  ​“Please!” He turns to me, annoyance written all over his face. It changes when he sees the urgency on my own. He places the clean dish in the strainer, turns the water off and dries his hands on the torn dish towel, then hangs it on the handle of the stove.

  ​“Aaron, Alec will be right back, okay buddy? Finish dinner. Mommy is watching TV, okay?”

  ​Aaron nods his head, his face full of sauce. Alec gives me a tight smile and walks to the living room. I can barely make out what he says to his mother, but it’s brief.

  ​My heart thumps in my chest. I’m worried. So fucking worried. I’ve barely been able to catch my breath, at this point, it’s not just from running.

  ​I walk out of the house quickly, Alec following closely behind.

  ​“What is so important? I can’t be gone long. Mom is not having a good day at all.”

  ​“Charlene.”

  ​“Yeah, what about that money hungry whore?”

  ​“She’s here.” I say, as I continue to walk towards the house Lenny once called home.

  ​“She’s what? You can’t be serious?” He jogs up on the side of me, with a disbelieving look on his face.

  ​“We need to see what she wants. She’s not taking Lenny. I won’t let her.”

  ​“You don’t have much of a say in the matter. He does belong to her.”

  ​“No!” I stop dead in my tracks. “No. I won’t let her take him. She’ll leave him again and he’ll end up dead, or worse. She’d probably sell him or some shit. I’m not allowing it. We need to figure out what she wants and get her out of here. I can’t let Lenny know... and neither will you.” I walk a few feet before realizing that Alec is no longer following me. I turn to face him.

  ​“You’re my best friend, man, and there is a lot I would do for you, but I don’t know about this. That’s her son. Maybe she’s changed?”

  ​“People don’t change!” I yell through gritted teeth. I stalk off, I hear Alec’s booted feet on the pavement as he follows me. “Are you going to help me or not?”

  ​He doesn’t answer, but he follows.

  ​We get to Lenny’s house. The lights are still shining brightly through the windows – I don’t know how the electricity is still on. (Of all the shit going on right now, I’m worried about the electricity?) Good. She’s still here, then. I knock on the door and low and behold, she answers. She opens the door with an innocent smile, like she’s been living here her entire life. Like it’s a normal thing to have neighbors come by and knock on the door. Like she’s welcoming us for some kind of house-warming party. Like she’s not really a piece of shit that left her seven-year old son alone to fend for himself. Yeah, that kind of innocent smile.

  ​She’s tall. Much taller than most woman, I’m not sure exactly how tall but she looks like she could play basketball, she’s just way to skinny. I don’t remember what she looked like before she left, she was never out much, but I don’t think it was this bad. Her skin is pale and pasty, her eyes are sunken into her head. Her hair is matted and frizzy, her lips cracked and dry. She’s a fucking hot mess.

  ​“Hi boys. Michael and Allen, right? You live down the road a little.”

  ​“Close enough.” I shove passed her, and Alec follows… just, in a nicer way.

  ​“Sure, why don’t you come in? I’d offer you some lemonade and cookies, but it seems I don’t have any here. How long have I been gone?” She looks around the room with a lost look in her eye, like she really can’t remember how long it’s been.

  ​“Let’s get to the point. Why are you here, Charlene?” I’m not one to waste time, and I don’t want her to get the wrong idea. This isn’t a neighborly visit.

  ​“I’ve left something behind that I came to gather up.”

  ​“Would that be your child? Because he’s not going with you.” I stand straight up, which isn’t much compared to her, but I won’t back down. This isn’t happening. She can’t be here. She’s going to destroy everything. />
  ​“What do you want, Charlene? Is it money? I’ll get you money.” Alec adds. I have no idea where he would get the money from, but I appreciate him taking my side in the matter.

  ​“I want my son.”

  ​“You didn’t want him a year ago when you left him here to rot and die!” I growl.

  ​“Is it money?” Alec asks more calmly. Her eyes look from him to me, she turns and starts to bite at her thumb nails. Her lips tremble. She doesn’t realize the crocodile tears won’t work on me. They may work on Alec, but not on me.

  ​“You boys don’t understand. You’re too young to understand. I need Leo. I need him or they’re going to kill me!” She stomps her feet like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Classy.

  ​“You don’t even know your own kids name. What the hell is wrong with you?” I shout. I’m angry. I can’t help it. I should calm down, but I can’t. I will not allow her to take him from me.

  ​“How much?”

  ​She’s nervous. Her hands twitching.

  ​“Only 5 grand… but they said if I bring Leo to them it’ll be a fair trade! They know someone that’s been looking for a little boy to adopt...”

  ​“Adopt? Are you out of your mind? More like a pedophile is looking for his next victim. Over my dead fucking body, Charlene.” I’m in her face…well, as much in her face as I can be. It’s more like in her breasts… I back up, not wanting those milkbags in my face. She’s towering over me, but I don’t back down.

  ​“Do you know where Leo is? Is he staying with you?” Her voice stays calm, and worried.

  ​“Haven’t seen him.” I shrug, and Alec gives me a look. I walk to the window, trying to calm myself down. I place my hands on the windowsill and focus on breathing. Yelling and screaming isn’t going to help. I need a plan. Something to make her leave and Lenny stay.

  “Stay here. We can keep you safe.” Alec adds “Then Lenny can come here and stay with you.”

  ​“Oh, that would be wonderful. I miss him so much. I wish I could stay, but they’d find me. You boys just don’t understand.” She shakes her head and starts to pace the living room. Everything is still here, like a time capsule. I don’t know how this house wasn’t repossessed or torn down. There is no way she owns this piece of shit.

  ​“Take him and run. Go somewhere else, he’s your son. Don’t you want him?” Alec tries pleading with her. Giving her options that would sound good, to someone else. But they won’t work on her.

  ​“Of course I want him, but they will find me.”

  ​“Hide yourself, just go and hide. Take Lenny and go.”

  ​I’ve had enough. I can’t listen to this shit anymore. “NO! She is not taking him away from me. She is not taking him anywhere. You heard what she said. She wants to fucking sell him!” I’m hysterical now. I think I may even be crying, out of anger. That’s all. Angry tears.

  ​Alec grabs me by the arm and pulls me outside. When we get outside, I rip my arm from his grasp and pace. The air has chilled since my walk home from work. It’s starting to get cold, the summer is going to be ending soon.

  ​“He is her child. If she takes him and runs and starts a new life, then there is no reason she can’t have him. Let’s help her, get her better. Lenny needs his mother.” He stands with his arms crossed, his eyes glued to me as I walk back and forth.

  ​“No. All Lenny needs is me. You can leave now. Thanks for your help, friend.” I spit the words at him. Fuck him, fuck everyone. No one understands.

  ​“Maddox–” I push him out of the way as I make my way back towards the house.

  ​“Get the fuck out of here! And you better not speak a word of this to anyone. Especially Lenny. I’ll take care of this issue myself”

  ​“He deserves to know.” I hear the words mumbled as he walks down the walkway and onto the street. To his own family and to his own problems.

  CHAPTER 14

  Callan

  -SATURDAY-

  ​I wake the next morning, feeling better than ever. Friday is asleep peacefully on the side of me. I’m more relaxed than I have ever been before. The sight of her smooth, naked body does things to me – both emotionally and physically. Things that I can’t even begin to try to explain. It’s a bit overwhelming.

  ​I need more of her. I know she’s asleep, but I don’t think she’ll mind… will she?

  ​I bring my lips to her throat, pressing a gentle kiss to her soft skin. She rewards me with a pleasant sigh. I press into her, needing her closer, needing more. I need to be inside of her again. The feeling is… indescribable. So warm, and wet and wonderful.

  ​“Didn’t get enough?” She teases, her voice husky with sleep.

  ​“Never,” I breath into her lips. She rolls to her back and pulls me on top of her. I go, more than willingly. Her legs spread and my hips nestle right between them. I push into her, the head of my cock sliding up her slit and over her clit, the moan that leaves her lips is pure satisfaction. So, I do it again.

  ​It’s amazing how something you’ve never done before, comes so naturally on instinct.

  ​This is something that I could really get used to, and I don’t know how I waited so long for this. Yet, I do. I waited for her. It’s not the sex. It’s her.

  ​I don’t need sex.

  ​I need Friday.

  ​She reaches her hand down between us and grasps my cock. I let out a moan of my own that I just can’t keep in. Everything feels so good. She guides me into her entrance. Once I’m there she reaches her hands around to cup my ass and pulls me into her.

  ​“Oh, fuck.” The words leave my lips breathlessly.

  ​“You’ve said that a lot. I thought you didn’t swear?” She gives me a teasing smile, and I have no words because she’s right. But this is what she does to me. She brings out things in me that I didn’t think were… me. Her grin widens, so I pull out and thrust back in again. She loses the smile and the look of pleasure takes over her face. I do it again and again and again. Until her nails are scraping down my back. Until she’s moaning my name and coming around me. Her orgasm pulls my own from me. She’s too much, in the best possible way. I drop my head to her forehead. “Friday, you are–”

  ​“Someone finally became a man, I see.” I tense up at the thought of being watched. This isn’t something I planned on experience this soon into the game. Lenny walks over to the bed and lays down on the opposite side. Sprawling out in a position that reminds me of a mermaid.

  ​“Lenny, can you… uh, leave?” I say, dropping my head and avoiding eye contact.

  ​“Well, that’s kind of rude of you.” He sneers, but with a smile on his face that I can see out of the corner of my eye. The pat, pat, pat of his hand on his hip is making me cringe.

  ​“This is just really awkward for me right now. Please understand.”

  ​“Fine, fine. You best get over that awkwardness, though. How do you think Maddox is going to react?” My neck twists to face him, and he waggles his eyebrows at me. He’s right. The last thing on my mind is Maddox. Was the last thing on my mind. I should probably prepare myself for how that is going to go – or just never tell him. Friday lets out a laugh, because similar – to mine – scenarios are probably flying around in her head.

  ​“I’ll make breakfast. Come down when you guys are ready.” His words are sullen, and I feel guilty for pushing him away when I know he needs us. I look at Friday and it seems she is reading my mind, giving me a sad smile in return. He’s already gone, so it’s too late to change my mind, but I’ll do better next time.

  ​“Are you hungry?” I ask, brushing her hair from her face.

  ​She smiles and nods. I press a kiss to her forehead and linger on top of her for only a moment longer before sliding out of her and standing. I pick up my glasses from the nightstand and put them on my face – without my glasses, I can’t function. I lose one sense, and the rest go with them. It’s awful. I walk to my bathroom and I pause in the doorway. When I turn back to
her she is pulling on a pair of panties.

  ​“Care to join me?” She looks up, her face twisted into confusion.

  ​“Are you serious? Join you in the shower?” I laugh a little, because it’s funny how well she knows me.

  ​“Yes. I think it’ll be an interesting experience.” Partly true. The other part is me needing to open up and get over some of my anxieties. To be honest, I’m not at all comfortable with her showering with me, but maybe I’ll feel different after that happens

  ***

  Friday

  ​“Has anyone heard from the guys?” I ask at the exact moment that someone opens the front door. Callan’s eyebrows go up and I stand from the dining room table and head in that direction, eagerly, I may add.

  ​I know this is Callan’s house and really it could be anyone coming in, but I know it’s my guys. I can feel it. I feel them. When I round the corner, I run into something hard. Firm hands grab my shoulders and I look up into golden eyes. Dark purple circles one eye and a cheek. I want to ask what happened, but I don’t bother. I already know. He stares at me intently and I wrap my arms around his waist. His body is hard and warm. He doesn’t hesitate before wrapping his arms around me. He smells like sweat and beer… and for some reason, it’s turning me on. He pulls back, clears his throat and continues into the kitchen without another look. Like nothing at all happened.

  ​I walk up to Maddox next, who isn’t far off, and throw my arms around his neck. I notice that his face is just as perfect as ever, but then I remember that he’s a vampire and if they fought, as I think they did, then Maddox healed himself. Knowing Alec, he’s too proud to let Maddox heal him. Or, Maddox refused. Either is a possibility with these two. My two, brooding hard-asses. As much of an arrogant, non-affectionate asshole Maddox is, I missed him, and I don’t care whether he knows it in this moment or not. In fact, I want him to know. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me up, my feet leaving the ground. My legs go around his hips and he squeezes me tightly. I nestle my head into the crook of his neck, and breath in his matching scent of sweat and beer.