What Maddox doesn’t know is that I may be leaving in a week, but he’s leaving today.
We walk up the stairs from the basement, through the kitchen. When we get to the living room, all eyes turn to us, but it’s one particular set that focuses on me. A nod of thanks is sent my way. I don’t return it. I’m still not convinced this is the right decision, but something's got to give.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Maddox growls.
“I’m here to get you clean,” he tells him with a look that would intimidate an elephant.
If only Maddox were an elephant. It might be easier if he were. Maddox stalks until he’s standing nose to nose with him. His teeth gritted and bared, spit flying out as he speaks. “You think I’m going anywhere with you? You think you fucking scare me?”
He smirks at Maddox, his eyebrows raised in a challenge. “Want to try me, little brother?”
“You think because of some accident of birth that we’re brothers all of a sudden? Because you’ve supposedly been watching me all this time? Fuck you.”
“I’m not asking Maddox. I’m telling. You will get your shit and come willingly, or I will make you. The choice is yours. I’ve always liked doing things the fun way myself.”
“Why don’t you go back to River City and run your little mafia, Sebastian, because the only way I’m going anywhere with you is in a body bag.”
“If you insist,” Bastian’s voice is low and deadly and faster than a blink, his hand connects with Maddox’s jaw, knocking him out cold. He tosses me a set of brass knuckles as he bends over to check Maddox.
“What the fuck did you do that for?” Dane yells.
Bastian raises a brow and smiles. “It gets results when you’re in a hurry. I’m in a fucking hurry. Get his stuff. I’ll get him in the car.”
“How do you plan on keeping him there once he wakes up?” I ask because he hasn’t been open with details of how he plansto get Maddox clean.
“All I have to do is get him back to River City. Then I can keep him however long it takes. I can control things there that I can’t somewhere else,” he tells us, then turns to me. My eyes narrow. He knows I’m still pissed and not entirely trusting of him right now, but when Maddox let it slip that he learned he and Bastian were brothers, I knew who I had to call. Bastianhas the uncanny ability to remain objective. Or maybe it’s that cold, callous detachment he’s always able tokeep. “Thank you for calling me. I know he hates me right now. I should’ve told him years ago. I should never have let my father—our father convince me otherwise, but what’s done is done. I don’t care if he hates me forever. I won’t watch him die. Not like that.”
“Take care of him or I swear to God I will make you pay, Bastian. Don’t think because you are who you are that you’re untouchable.”
“Never did think that, and I will take care of him. He’s my brother. But, Ryder, I would think twice before threatening me again. I don’t really take threats very well.”
In less than ten minutes, Bastian is gone with Maddox. Taking him home to dry up and get help. I just pray that he doesn’t hate me for it.
Heaven
Break Me Down
Six weeks when held up next to forever is a drop in the bucket. It’s a grain of sand in an hourglass. You can take six weeks out of a year and still have three hundred twenty-three days.
That’s when you’re looking at the grand scheme. Which I have been trying so hard to do. I’ve done everything to keep myself distracted. I’ve tried so hard not to worry, to focus on running the diner and taking care of Matt and Tyler.
The weather has become a bit warmer. The start of baseball season is here, which means Matt is shifting gears once again. The kid never stops. Throughout the school year, he shifts from football to basketball to baseball without a break. I’m not sure how he does it.
He’s doing a lot better too. When Ryder decided he needed therapy to help him past the years of abuse he withstood, I realized that was probably what Matt needed as well. It has helped him so much. I began to see a difference in him almostat once.
It made me wonder if Ryder saw an improvement as quickly.
Nova left a few days after Ryder went after her. I was worried she would press charges or something. She is the type, but so far everything has been quiet. I hate that my sister has whatever issues she does, but I can’t say things haven’t been more peaceful since she’s been gone.
Maddox was still gone. No one has been allowed to talk to him. Dane tried, but his sister told him that Maddox is completely cut off from everyone but his brother and the guys he has helping him watch Maddox. I don’t know what that means, andit’s more than a little worrisome.
It still blows my mind that he has a brother that he’s known and considered a friend for so long but had no idea they were related. Crazier still, that brother is also the cousin of Zoey’s husband. Though I guess Maddox might’ve known that part since he’d developed a relationship with the two of them over the years. All the guys have. When Ryder told me that Dane’s sister married Zoey’s brother, I decided nothing else in this world could shock me.
Tyler has been doing beautifully, but he misses Ryder. The two of them became thick as thieves before Ryder left, and Ryder always included Matt. Watching not only Ryder but the entire band and their wives and girlfriends accept my brother and son made my heart grow two sizes in my chest.
Business at the diner had suddenly boomed. I blamed it on the world finding out about us. Ryder was furious when the media started showing up at my house and at the diner. I really thought he was going to have an aneurysm when pictures of Tyler and I ended up on the cover of the tabloid pages.
I never signed up for that. Never wanted that kind of attention, but I knew all those years ago it came with being part of Ryder’s life. It is so much worse now, but still not as bad as others. Their publicist suggested making an official statement to appease the curiosity and get out in front of the story when he left for rehab. For the most part it seems to have done the trick. Our local police are keeping them away from Tyler’s school, and Ryder hired security for the house. Pictures still get slapped across media outlets thanks to telephoto lenses, but we’re dealing with it. The diner is a place of business though. As long as they aren’t being disruptive or intrusive, then that’s really all I can ask for.
