Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Maddox

Fuck, I swore my heart was about to burst out of my chest when that phone rang. The contact,"Princess,"lighting up for the first time. The thought of her being in trouble sent shivers down my spine. If anything happened to her, Iwasn'tsure how I would have handled it.

It had been three long years since she had been back after Roscoe passed away. Every year trying to stay awayhadbeen agony. The only thing that kept me in check was the video feed from outside her apartment. At leastthen,I got a small piece of her. Honestly, Iwasn'tsure Icouldstay away from much longer. Each time I went to do a check on her, it seemed like it wasn't enough, and I risked getting closer. She'd been at a craft fair once looking at earrings, and I was just behind the booth's curtains, which was one step to disaster. I'd been considering popping out and saying it was a coincidence. Instead, I'd paid the guy off and lurked back with my dick hard enough to pound nails, watching as her fingers brushed each set of earrings that she liked.

As I rolled up to the curb,ittook every ounce of strengthI hadto keep the bike steady.Helena Marsh was no longer the girl she was when I joined the Brotherhood. She had grown into the vision I always knew she would be.Her eyes, that familiar shade of blue, locked onto mine, shining withthat same rocky glint that Roscoe had.Damn, she had always had beautiful hair. Tons of it, thick and long, falling over her shoulders and down her back in waves. Not that fake blond either, but the kind that looked like sunshine and honey.

I knewthis wouldhave repercussions with some of the club members, Dimitri in particular.Nothing else couldbe done, andI would never turn her away.For her own good,I should –to keep her away from me, but Iwouldn't.Even Ididn'thave willpower thatstrong. She was here now, and I was keeping her.

Maybe she thought I would, though. I chewed on that for a moment. When I first joined the Brotherhood, I was a dick to her on purpose more than once. She had always beenbeautifulbut way too young. Roscoe knew it and protected her as he should have. Helena was like a baby giraffe on new legs trying out her feminine wiles. I had establishedearlyon that shewouldn'ttryout any of those skills on me. A man could only be tortured so much, after all.

Dressed down in a leather jacket and jeans, this was a stark contrast to the fancy shit she wore atRoscoe'sfuneral.Don'tget me wrong, she looked good then, too, with her golden hair pulled back and pearls at her ears.

I had almost caved when she came out of the bathroom at Roscoe's funeral with it down around her shoulders – actually got my hands into those silken tresses and pulled. Stopping myself had been a miracle. Thank fuckI'dhad the sense to send her away. She'd needed a little more time on her own to grow up. Not to mention, I had enough respect for Roscoe not to fuck his daughter the day we buried him, barely. I'd been hanging on by a thread.

Three years later, she had matured even more, and I felt a surge of pride as I witnessedthe woman she had become. The wind played with her hair, whichconstantlytaunted me as she casually tucked one loose honey strand behind her ear, her gaze unwavering.

"Helena,"I greeted her, my voice rough."It has been a long damn time."

She nodded, acknowledging the silent connection between us. Her eyes were wary, though. That was fair."Yeah, it has. Good to see you, Maddox."Her big blue eyes found mine. I wondered when she was going to tell me what the fuck was so wrong that she was here, ofall places."Could I stay at the club for a few nights?"

"Sure, princess."Ididn'tbother to mention that she would be staying from now on. I had enjoyed watching her from afar, but the thought of her in my bed made my dick twitch. There was no way that I was waiting for Helena Marsh anymore.

Now was not the time for all the questions I had. Helena was back where she belonged, andtime for questions would come later. Looking at her closely, though, I could see shadows in those blue eyes that made me think she was scared. That made me wonder what kind of help she had come to the club for. Not that I gave a fuck. She could have whatever help she needed from me. I would lay the world at her feet if she needed it. She came to me for help, andthat was as good as a surrender.

For years, Ihad kept away from her. When I saw her atRoscoe'sfuneral, she had been away for years.I'dbeen sneaking over to her college in Tempe a couple of times a month to catch a glimpse of her like a crack addict, watching her go to her classes or work her night job as a barista. She had seemed happy.

When she had run into me that day of the funeral, I had almost taken her then but felt like an asshole for even thinking about it when she was crying all those pretty tears. Now I tried to ignore the inconvenient fact that my dick was suddenly hard as a rock against my zipper as I brushed her hair back from her face.

I had only had one occasion to touch her, and I forced myself not to linger like I would have liked. Now, therewould be nothing to stop me from pursuing her. Decency, maybe, but Iwasn'tsure I had any of that left.

She smelled like coconut, a distraction Ididn'tneed. As she nestled behind me, her tits pressing against my back, I forced myself to focus on the road in front of us.

"Are you alright, princess?"I grunted out. Her head nodded against myt-shirt,her hands clenched against my belly. I would have liked to move thema little lower, but I quickly reminded myself who she was.Thiswas Helena, damn it, not some club bunny that I could just fuck in the club and toss over to the side. Helenaalwayshad forever stamped on her. Roscoe ensured everyone knew it, too; the brothers were given the talk from the beginning. Helenawas madefor picket fences, babies, and rings. She was not put on earth to be some damn club whore. That was okay with me. Helena Marsh was my forever; it was time for her to know it.

My bike enginegrowled, roaring as I twisted the throttle and pulled away from the station.The ride remained silent, the only sounds being the rush of wind and the hum of the motorcycle. Helena was no stranger to riding. Witha firm grip on my waist, shebalanced like a pro. She felt good behind me—which wasn't surprising like she belonged there.

When we reached the outskirts of town, I guided the bike through the old, familiarroute that led down the backroad to theclub'scompound. The Iron Brotherhood was well-established and preferred their main clubhouseto beaway from town. We owned a few of the businesses in town, but the main living quarters were on the outskirts, where the brothers couldhave a bit ofquiet.We had our main area and bar that we called the Open Road. That was the primary entertainment area and clubhouse where members could congregate even if they didn't live onsite. There was a kitchen, and meals were provided daily, although if members came for food, they were expected to sign up for kitchen duties. I couldn'tsay the town hadn't appreciated that the roar of the motorcycles was away from them, too, not that wehadn'tbrought them enough business to compensate for it, though.

As we dismounted, club members glanced my way, their expressions shifting as they recognized Helena. I led her through the compound, avoiding unnecessary attention as much as possible, although Iwasn'tsure why. That was a lie I was telling myself, though; I wanted to keep her to myself.

The clubhouse door swung open, and we entered the dimly lit interior. The airwas thick with the scent of leather and cigar smoke. Most of the stares were friendly, but Ihadn'tmissed Dimitri in the back corner, whosat up at his table and shoved the club bunny off his lap. Even when I agreed to pick her up, I knewhewould be an issue. Dimitri had a history with the Marshes that went way back.

"Helena, is that you?"Whitney'sbooming voice echoed over the music as he emerged from behind the bar.

Helena'sface broke into a smile."Whitney,"she laughed as she threw her arms open wide. Hedidn'thesitate to scoop her up. Helena was tiny on a good day, just over five feet five, soakingwet. I realizedsuddenlyIdidn'tget ahugor that kind of greeting.

Whitney'sface softened. He gave her another squeeze."Ah, kiddo. I missed you. Let me look at how beautiful you are.You'vegrown up. Amber is going to be so excited thatyou'reback. Well,I'llbe damned. All grown up and back in thelion'sden. What brought you here, sweetheart?"

Helena'seyes flickered with emotions, and she glanced briefly at me before answering."I need a place to stay for a few days, Whitney. Things got a little complicated. I need a place for a bit."

Whitney nodded knowingly, his gaze shifting between us."Complicated, eh?"He slapped me on the back with a knowing grin."Maddox, my man, seems likeyou'vegot some explaining to do."

"Not like that old timer,"Helena laughed easily, and Icouldn'thelp but beslightlyinsulted. What did she mean, not like that? It would be just likethat, and I wouldmake sure ofit.

I shot him a warning glance, and he chuckled, returning to his post behind the bar. Helena looked around, taking in the familiar surroundings of the clubhouse, breathing deeply. Although, if I were her, Iwouldn'tbreathe in too much. Alcohol, smoke, and the occasional funk of the clubweren'texactly the best smells. I supposedto Helenait was the smell of home. The low hum of conversation and the pounding music pulsed in the background.

I guided Helena to a quieter corner, away from prying eyes and curious ears."Look, Helena,you'rewelcome here, butyouwant to tell mewhat'sgoing on?"

She gave me aslightshrug, but her eyes betrayed a storm of emotions."I never thoughtI'dcome back here, Maddox. But Ididn'tknow where else to go."She chewed a nail briefly, her eyes unfocused, andI feltwrongfor pushing her.

Something had happened for her to call and have just a single bag of shit. I couldn't guesswhat had happened.I'dthink shewas caught upwith some douchebag, but she rarely dated, and she never brought men home to the apartment.

"Things got out of control at work,"she started, then hesitated.Mygut clenched with the broad implications behind the statement."I found something out about what they were doing – or at least whatsome of them were involvedin any way."That sick sense in my gut turned into a knot. Whatever this was that she was talking about was going to bebad. Her bright green nails rubbed a water droplet on the tabletop, mesmerizingme."I'mjust going to need some advice from you. Ididn'tknow where else to go,"she finally confessed.

Thisissue with her company caught me entirely by surprise. I had checked outhercompany before, andit seemed legit, butto behonest. The cursory check of the employee roster here and there had seemed sufficient. Installing the camera near her outside door alcove was a step too far, but it gave me just enough of a hit each day to keep me from going after her. My initial check of the company had been brief when she started working there. The whole thing looked legitimate, but perhaps that was how itwas meantto look.I'mafraid to ask what she found.Helena knew what her father and the clubwereinvolved in, soif sheran,it must not be good.

"You did the right thing, coming here for help,"I said. "You don't have to explain everything right now. Theclub'sgot your back. Whatever help you need is yours."I found that I never meant anything more. Now, things were different, and Helenawas grown. Shewasn'toff limits to me.Thishadn'tbeen howI'dimagined things, but if Helena needed help,I would be the one to provide it. I would give her everything she needed and everything she never knew she wanted.

She reached a hand over, and her small one clasped mine on the table, thosetinygreen nails winking at me."Thank you, Maddox,"she bit her lip uncertainly. I was disturbed to see her eyes fill with tears.

"Princess,"I started, squeezing her hand lightly. It was alarming that I felt this surge of emotion. The club had plenty of people rivetedto the spectaclewewere creating, including Dimitri, whowas burning holes in her jacket.

"Let's have that drink first. Then we'll talk?" She swallowed back tears and forced a smile. "It's been kind of a crazy day." She gave me a crooked smile.

"Anything you want."How could I say no? She looked exhausted. Making idle conversationwasn'tdifficult. Then, I would put her into her room and tuck her in. Finally, Helena Marsh was back, and I could watch her close up.

As we talked, other MC members approached, welcoming Helena back. News traveled fast in a close-knit community like ours, and her return was thebuzz of the clubhouse. That meant hugs and pats on the back. I frowned.

"Prez,"Whitney signaled to me from behind the bar, and I excused myself momentarily to join him, letting her enjoy her talk with Amber. "Maddox, what's going on with her? I thought she was all settled there."Worry showed on his face in the sharp lines that bracketed his mouth as he watched the pretty blonde.

I ran a hand through my hair, sighing."I thought so too, Whitney. But I'll figure it out and see what's up.She'srunning from something.We'lldeal with the rest as it comes,"Isoothed. Whitney gave a reluctant nod, but his eyes were on Helena and her shadowed eyes.

"It is good to see her. God, it seemed just like yesterday that Roscoe was carting her around with a bow taped to her head and a little patch sewed to her onesie,"he said with a chuckle."Look at her now. What a beauty."

"Yeah, she is something,"I acknowledged.

"Surprised that you're welcoming her back. Didn't think you thought much of her."

"Pulling no punches, old man. Fuck."I'dbe pissed off, but Ididn'tmiss the wicked humor in his eyes. He knew I hadanunhealthy obsession with Helena thatI'dalways kept close to my vest."I'mnot sure even she knew ifshe'dbe welcome, butI'mglad she went with her instincts and made the call."

"You'vegot your work cut out for you, my friend. Not only with her but with some of the members. A fewdon'tlook happy to see a Marsh back here after."

I took a sip, watching Helena from across the room."Yeah, but at the end of the day,she belongs here. We stick together no matter what. Roscoe believed thatandso do I."

"You're not wrong, boy-o," Whitney agreed.

AfterRoscoe'sdeath, I had navigated treacherous waters in the club even though he'dbeen clear about his wishes for me to succeed him.I'dbeen his right hand for years, but the title needed tobe earned.

Some of the brothers felt thatI'dcozied up to Roscoe too much, that the club needed a rebranding with his passing, and that the old guard should be revamped.I'dhad to fight hard to rebuild as some left the club, andwe patched in new members.

Dimitri was on that list of brotherswhowerere-patched after Roscoe's death. He'dbeen kickedto the curb years ago, a casualty ofRoscoe'sfickle nature and hot temper. He was one of the members, though, thatI'dwelcomed back. Although, with Helena back, I was a little concerned about his reaction to her presence.

As the hours passed, I caught glimpses of her sharing stories, laughing with old friends, and finally relaxing. Eventually, Whitney handed me a drink and gave me a knowing look.

Watching her golden sparkle across the room with my brothers, Icouldn'thelp but feel the truth and the lie. Whitneywasn'twrong. I had my work cut out for me. Her eyes turned towards me for a moment, andthe punch to the gut I felt was sostrongthat I was glad that I was sitting down. My future was right there, finally in my grasp.

"What'sthe news about the Cobras?"The censure was there inWhitney'svoice as he leaned against the bar.

"Not much,"I bit back.We'restill talking about agreeing—aligning some interests just like we voted on."Dismissing theconversation, I pushed away from the bar and headed back towards the club, away from Whitney's judgment.

Hedisapprovedof our potential arrangement with the rival Cobra MC. The Iron Brotherhood and the Cobras had been competing for territory and business for years. Roscoe had never trusted the leadership or their choices, sogetting the club to the point whereany agreement or alliance might be considered was a rocky road. Whitney was not in favor.

When Pike had approached me a few years back,I'dbeen surprised.He'dbeen wearing a Cobra cut – looking slick. There was no surprise on his face at seeing me or that I was riding for the Brotherhood.He'dknown whereI'dbeen and whoI'dbeen riding with.

Evennow,the fact that hehadn'treached out before that momentdidn'tsit right with me. I reminded myself that Ihadn'tlooked for him either, but thenagain,wasn'tthat what I had been doing whileriding around that year?Looking in corners for my old friend?He'dknown where I was and never knocked until he needed something.

That was old history, though—now, it just made sense for the clubs to align together, like Pike and I did in the old days when we were boys. Of course, that meant that I would need to forgive (or at least forget) what had happened years ago when he deserted me in that dusty parking lot. I honestlywasn'tsure I could do that.

I wished I could sayI'dconfronted him about the incident as a teenager, but I never got up the nerve.Mainly because Ididn'tthinkI'dlike the answer. He never made any reference to what had happened or any apologies for me getting pinched.I'm notgoing to lie – it still burned.

The futuredidn'tcare so much about the past, though.That'swhat I told myself. An agreement between the Cobras and the Brotherhood was beneficial to us both. Pike and I agreed on this. We could have eachother'sbacks like old times, and inbusiness, we could merge some of our interests. It was a good thing.

It's too bad my gut squirmed just thinking about it. As the president of the Iron Brotherhood, it was my duty to ensure that the club's dynamics remained steady, even withtheunexpected arrivalof Helena, which seemed like itwouldbemore complicatedthan ever.Itwasn'tlike I could have turned her away or that I wanted to, forthat matter. Fuck, I was ecstatic that she had finally landed preciselywhere I wanted her to be.

Roscoe was probably rolling over in his grave right now. He had always wanted her away from here and the life. Thought she was too clean to be sullied by the men here, the business, the whoring. Too bad for him that her pathwas alwaysdestined to lead to me.

Heading towards thebooth,Istrodeoff to the side that I favored. That way, Icould see the whole floor, keeping me out of the center of the action. I slid in and tried to let the night unfold, not blinking when Dimitri flopped across from me, angrier than a pissed-on chicken.

"What the fuck is your problem?"I asked, even though I knew the answer as I took him in. Dimitri was a tattooed monster of a biker, perfect for dealing with some of our heavier runs when dealing with weapons buys. I would have loved to have had him in my unit when I was in the service, but he was a perfect Sergeant at Arms for me here in the club.Hewasintelligent, capable, and an excellent fighter.He was loyalto a fault, but he had a temper that was a liability even during the bestoftimes.One morething:he had a small blind spot when it came to the Marshes.

"Why is she back here?"He ground out, his knuckles knocking on the tabletop. Dimitri had always had beef with the Marshes, and it began, and I knew it ended with the stunning blonde that currently held court with the club bunnies, chatting as if it were fucking high tea. Instead of blowing some brother like they were supposed to, they were over there having circle time.

"She'sRoscoe'sdaughter, andsheneeded a place to hang out for a bit,"I tell him likehe'san idiot. The eye roll he delivers tells me that hedoesn'tappreciate my tone."Shewon'tbe here long."I kept it vague and a total lie. Helena would be here as long as I wanted her to be,meaningshewouldn'tbe leaving.

"Be cool, man; itwasn'ther fault,"I added the last part because Icouldn'thelp it. We had hashed this out before, but Ishouldn'thave tacked on that last part. Dimitri only agreed toreturnafter Roscoe died because the Marshes would be gone.

His eyes glinted at me, coal black, his neck tattoos flexing with his throat. "She shouldn'tbe here. Roscoedidn'twant her here, and she never wanted to be part of the life. You know that,"hesnarled, downing his drink and pouring another like itwouldsolve the problem.

"Ido know that. What did you want me to do? Tell her no? Turn her away when she had nowhere else to go?"I asked."Toss her in the streets? I would never do that."

"Yes.That'swhat you should have done. Tell the fucking princess no. That's exactly what she needed to hear."He stabbed his finger in my direction."And prez, it was her fault,"he ground out and tore from the booth with a brutal shove, rocking the table.

"Dimitri,"I called out and then got up to follow.

Forfuck'ssake, I rubbed my hand over my face as he stormed off, pushing chairs as he stomped through the club, drawing everybrother'seye as he did. It was no secret from the club that Dimitri was kicked from the Iron Brotherhood during Roscoe's time for an interaction with Helena when she was just barely a teenager. He earned his way back to the brothers on a road thatwasn'teasy and was only mademore challengingby Roscoe being a total dick. Unnecessarily harder.

I found him leaning against theclub's back wallnear the trash cans, chest heaving. "Youdon'tget the shit I had to do to crawl back into the Brotherhood, man."He ran his hand over his shorn head. "It had been my haven here at the club. She took that from me."

"No, Dimitri, Idon'tknow,"I said carefully."I do know some things, though."I paused and considered my words, hoping to find the right thing to say."Helena was young. She was trying to spread her wings, you know. She never knew what Roscoe did to you.I neverheard about it. She was just a kid.It'snot fair to blame her for that."Dimitri'sjaw flexed, and I could seeI'dsaid the wrong thing again.

"Ididn'tfucking touch her. Roscoe claimed that I was some pervert touching his daughter,"his voice was coloredwith shame as he kicked the trash can nearest, sending it rattling into the alleyway. "He spread rumors around, you know." He looked away. "Almost folded in the towel then and went home, but you know what that would have meant."

"She was just a baby. Iwouldn'thave touched her."His throat flexed. "I couldn't believe it when Roscoe accused me of coming on to her."

Fuck.Thiswas all stuff I knew.I'djust started on the fringes of the Brotherhood a few years after Dimitriwas kicked out, butI'dheard the story. Of course, it was bullshit; everyone knew that Roscoe was over the top when it came to his little girl. You breathed wrong, and youwere done, butthe fact thathe spread the rumors around.Thatkind of thingwas hard to recover from in our circles.

"Iknow itwasn'ther fault,"he admitted."But I still hate her a little. She was just thirteen and had always been talking to me. Just a kid."Kicking the cans again, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stalked into the darkness. That would be an issue if I couldn't get Dimitri on board.