ChapterEighteen
Maddox
The morning sun beats down on my neck, sweat soaking through my t-shirt as I shovel manure from the stalls.By far the worst part of the job.The rumble of a motorcycle engine cuts through the quiet morning and I straighten up, squinting against the sun as a black Harley tears up our driveway.
My grip on the shovel tightens when I spot Della’s arms wrapped around Shadow’s waist.She’s wearing the same clothes as she did yesterday, and there is an ease between them that makes me clench my jaw.
Shadow kills the engine in front of our house, and I watch as my sister dismounts, laughing at something he says.Then she disappears inside the house, and I make my move.I toss the shovel to the ground, and stalk toward Shadow, my boots crunching on the gravel loud enough to announce my presence.
Shadow turns to me, flipping his sunglasses on top of his head as I come to a stop right in front of him
“You and I need to talk,” I say, cutting straight to the chase.“You want to tell me what the hell you’re doing with my sister?”
Shadow hooks his helmet on the handlebar, clearly in no rush to answer me.When his eyes finally lock with mine, there’s a challenge there that makes me want to put my fist through his face.
“My guess is the same thing you’re doing with my cousin.”He crosses one foot over the other, a smug expression flitting across his face.
The hypocrisy isn’t lost on me.However, I haven’t heard so much as a peep from Amelia since she agreed to me teaching Dylan, which means this bastard is doing fuck of a lot more with my sister than I’m currently doing with his cousin.
“Heard you’re giving Dylan riding lessons.”
“Teaching her kid to ride isn’t the same as bringing my sister home at…” My voice trails and I check my watch.“…ten in the morning wearing yesterday’s clothes.”
He scoffs.“You don’t want to go there with me, Maddox.Della’s a grown woman.”
“That may be so, but she’s been hurt.Badly.She’s just finding her footing again.The last thing she needs is to get mixed up with you.”
“Amelia’s been hurt too, Mad, and I’m not getting on your case, am I?”
Guilt swarms my gut.He’s right, and if he knew that I was the started the downward spiral of all Amelia’s trouble, I’m sure we’d be having a very different conversation.
“I’m not looking to hurt your sister, Mad.Now, I ain’t gonna sit here and have my ass handed to me by you.I respect you, and I respect your sister, but what happens between us is none of your damn business.Just like whatever goes on with you and Amelia isn’t mine.Can you agree with me on that?”
I consider that for a moment.It wouldn’t be good for any of the parties involved if Shadow and I were at odds, and I’m a little late in claiming the role of the protective brother.
“Fine,” I grunt.“But all bets are off if you hurt her.”
“Same goes for you.”Silence falls over us as we call a truce.After another beat, he continues, “For what it’s worth, I think it’s really great of you to be giving Dylan riding lessons.He’s a good kid.His father doesn’t do much with him.Hell, I don’t think he’s ever taught the kid to throw a ball.”
At the mention of Russell, my mind wanders back to the other night, and I recall the annoyed look on Dylan’s face when he emerged from his room and asked Amelia to speak with his dad about not calling him anymore.
It says a lot about a man when his twelve-year-old son wants nothing to do with him.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I meet Shadow’s gaze.“You know he’s still giving them shit after that whole scene he pulled last week at the bar, right?”
Shadow’s brows draw tight and he straightens his shoulders.“What do you mean?”
“I stopped by Amelia’s the other night, and Dylan came out of his room with his phone in his hand, complaining that Russell was calling him.He asked her to tell him to stop.”
“He was spam calling the kid?”
I shrug.“Seemed that way to me.I don’t know if Amelia called him after I left, but I can’t imagine that conversation went well.”
Shadow clenches his jaw and shakes his head.“Fucking guy.He never quits.”
“You might want to check in with Amelia.See how that went for her.If Russell is bothering her or Dylan?—”
He cuts me off.“Isn’t it your job to check in with Amelia about these kind of things?If her ex is giving her shit, you gotta man up and show him she and Dylan are not to be fucked with anymore.”
