Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Maddox

The agreement between the two clubs had everyone buzzing with excitement, eager to celebrate the newfound alliance and the promise of an influx of cash.But beneath the surfacewas an undercurrent of tension, a sense of unease lingering in the air.I didn't mistake the danger it brought, but there was no way forward nowbut through.

Hurryingthrough theclub, I made my way through the crowded floor; my priority was to find Helena. She'd been on my mind since I left, andeven through the meeting with Pike, I'd felt my mind wander to thoughts of her. What had she been getting up to while I was gone? Was she alright? Had she found anything in the books? Did she change her nail polish?

I found her in the kitchen with Jillian, leaning over serving platters and fussing. Taking a moment to soak it in, her in my space, home where she belonged.

"Babe, trust me on this. The guyslove the celery sticks." As she spoke to Jillian, Helena leaned over the buffet table, layinga plate of cut-up vegetables near the buffalo wings. She wasn't wrong; we seemed fond of celery around these parts for some reason. The Brotherhood, especially Dimitri, would riot ifitweren'tservedwith their wings.

"That's pretty weird, not going to lie." Jillian laughed as she continued to scoop chips into monster-sized bowls.

Helena's shoulders shook with laughter. "That's the very least of their weirdness, Jillian, honestly. That's pretty normal stuff. I'll bet that Amber still makes her special hot ham and cheese for Christmas that she serves with cranberry jelly."

"She does," I answered as I finally gave in and moved towards her. She'd changed into jeans that looked like she had gotten them from a thrift shop. They had holes in them, were faded, and so baggy that they had to be cinched tight at her tiny waist. Somehow, she still managed to make them look fashionable.A vintage t-shirt was tiedhigh and tight on her waist, high enough to show a thin ribbon of skin. I wasn't sure I liked that with all the Cobra members coming in. Peering ather,I thought I saw – rainbow dinosaurs.

"Are you wearing dinosaur earrings?" I asked, stunned. Where did she find this stuff?

"Hey, Maddox. We're just getting all set up for the party." She gave me a goofy grin and twirled one of her earrings with a fingertip. Dangling from her lobes were indeed tiny dinosaurs. Stegosaur, ifI wasn't mistaken. "Yep, dinosaurs tonight."

"I like them."I was rewardedwith a sparkling grin. To match, itlooked likeher nails were paintedwith little rainbows. Fuck she was crazy as a loon. I loved it.

"Come with me, princess. I need you for a minute."

"Bye,you crazy kids," Jillian called as we exited the kitchen.

I couldn't say I feltterribleleaving Jillian to the setup. Prettysoon, other folks would be by to help out. I needed Helena to myself more than my conscience was nagging me to mind my presidential duties. Tugging Helena towards thebackroom, I shut her into my bedroom and pulled her onto the bed.

"Phew, I just wanted to hold you."Wrapping hertightly, I indulged myself, ignoringthat she probably wanted an explanation.To mysurprise, she didn't seem to need any encouragement. She lay against me, boneless, relaxing into me.

"Good. I'd rather be here than setting up the buffet table anyway," she admitted.

"I have high standards to meet, baby. Set the bar higher," I joked. Her hair was down tonight, and I marveled again at the colors in her long blond waves. Threading my fingers throughthem,I pushed my hands through her hair.

"You know I can see so many shades of color in your hair, princess—thecolorofbrown and gold. But there are so many colors of gold. Sunflowers, daffodils, sunshine, honey, and bees. Some strands are darker like mangos or even light like cream." I rubbed a few strands through my fingers, moving my eyes to her face. Her blue eyeswere stuckto mine.

"What else do you see?"

"Some are dark brown like whiskey or the color of leaves that are just ready to fall.I thought about asking you to color your hair, but Icouldn'tbear it."

"I'd color it if you told me to." Her leg comes up to push over my hips, pulling our bodies closer.

"I know, princess."

"How was your day, Maddox?" She makes it sound like the most normal thing in the world like she was a wife and I'd come home from a desk job.

"It was a good baby. We made progress." I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tugged lightly on one of her rainbow stegosaurus earrings. "The Cobra deal went through, so I'll talk to Pike tonight about outsiders being in town that we'll need to watch out for." I leaned back a little as I watched her. She was a study in contradictions, still so young, but she wasn't na?ve. I thought about what went on today and what I'd learned – how I wanted to share that information with her.

"Pike and I grew up in foster care together," I started. "I've known him for a long time. He'll have my back in this if we need him." I could see that she didn't like it, but she nodded. "We wanted the deal anyway, but that's a definite perk. I also found something else out about Makarovich. He's working outside the parameters of the Bratva. Luckily, we have an inside man with the Volkov Bratva."

"Wait. What?" Helena sat bolt upright, pulling herself from my grasp. "I didn't know that you were in foster care." She looked rumpled and confused.

There wasn't any reason to get into that whole mess of a story, not that I was keeping it from her. I'd tell her all about it someday, but it wasn't pretty—none of it. Towards the end, there were some periods of happiness to be found, and I wouldn't say that I turned out too badly, but it was best not to dwell in the dark hole of my early years.

"I don't like to talk about it," I admitted. That wasn't why I brought it up. It was just how Pike and I met. We were both in the system growing up, and we were at the same school for a while. It makes you automatic allies sometimes. We hung out a lot when we were kids."

The history between Pike and I could fill a book, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go into that. We hadn't been choir boys. "I just wanted you to know that he agreed he'd have my back if I needed help. He'll be there."

"Really? That's a big deal, right?" she said earnestly, wrinkling her nose. Fuck she was adorable.

"Definitely." I yanked her back toward me. "I need a kiss, baby. Pike and his men will be here any minute, andI willneed that mouth on me before we go. I'll die without one more kiss." Pulling herforward,I sealed her mouth against mine, digging a hand into the small of her back and that strip of skin. If I couldn't get inside her tonight, I might go insane. My need for her was itching against my skin, pulling at my gut.