Maddox #2
Eyeing the lump in the bed before me, I step into the room and kick the mattress. He groans, trying to cover his head with the blanket. Rolling my eyes, I kicked it again, “Up. Now. Shower and be downstairs in twenty. You are going to see Dax.”
“No, ‘m not. Sleepy,” he says, sluggishly and tries to snuggle back under his blanket. I rip the blanket from him and toss it across the room.
Shivering as the cool air hits him, he rolls over quickly, glaring at me. “I have to work tonight. Not goin’ anywhere. Can’t make me,” he says through gritted teeth.
“You sound like petulant child. I already talk to boss, you have day off. I can make you and I will. You already got your one. Up! Now. Shower, downstairs in twenty,” I repeat again.
I turn to leave the room when a water bottle whizzes past my head.
Spinning around on my heel I grab the kid roughly by his good leg, dragging him out of the bed and down the hallway.
He puts up a good fight, squirming in my grasp, when he kicks me I bend down, picking him up and throwing him over my shoulder.
Entering the bathroom, I drop him in the bathtub and reach over to turn on the water.
Not waiting for the water to warm, I pull the knob for the shower and roughly shut the shower curtain.
He screeches as cold water hits him and I chuckle at the thuds coming from the shower before wet boxers are dropped outside the tub. ‘Guess I got my point across,’ I think.
“Downstairs, 15 minutes. Don’t make me come in again,” I say as I slam the door shut behind me, eyes rolling to the ceiling, sighing in exasperation.
‘These two are giving me ulcers,’ I think as I move to head downstairs and wait.
Turning towards the stairs, I pause as I notice a boy and girl staring at me, wide-eyed.
Eyeing them up and down, I pinch the bridge of my nose as I reach into my pocket for a fresh toothpick, moving to step around them.
I give them a dead stare and say “Boo,” making my hands appear as claws. I chuckle and continue making my way towards the stairs as they run into another room, screeching.
I’m almost to the stairs when a door opens and Tessa emerges from her room, her dark hair messy from sleep. She glares at me, tying her robe as she barks out, “I know what you’re doin’. If he doesn’t wanna go, why make him?”
Cocking an eyebrow, I smirk as I swirl the toothpick around between my lips, “Stay out of it. Not your concern,”
“He’s my brother! He is my concern,” she snaps, standing toe to toe with me, looking me directly in the eyes.
The bathroom door opens and steam rolls out, breaking the staring contest between us. Kai stands in the doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist, “How about both of ya fuck off!?” he snarls, glaring as he pushes past me, storming into his room and slamming the door behind him.
Glancing at the door still rattling in its frame, I look back to her, “Stay. Out. Of this,” I say pointedly as I move to stand outside of his door.
I listen to the drawers slamming on the other side.
‘Good. He is getting dressed,’ I think as I feel Tess’ glare on my back before she ushers the young ones downstairs.
While I wait, I text Cas to let him know we will be on the road soon so they can get everything set for the boys to have a moment alone to deal with whatever this shit is.
After a few moments, Kai flings the door open, steely gaze aimed at me. “Let’s just fuckin’ go. He hates me and there’s nothing I can do about it. So let’s just get this over with,” he says, storming past me and limping down the stairs.
I follow behind him, pausing as he stops in the kitchen to glare at Tess.
She sighs deeply and presses a to-go cup of coffee in his hand.
He takes it and, without a word, turns to walk toward the front door.
I stay in my place as I watch the entire interaction and he stops, turning around when he realizes that I am not right behind him, “We goin’ or not? ” he asks.
Rolling my eyes, I follow after him, catching up to him on the sidewalk as he opens the door.
I walk around to the driver’s side and we get in the car with no other words spoken.
From the corner of my eye, I see him light a cigarette before taking a sip of coffee, settling it in the cup holder and leaning back into the seat.
His movements seem normal, but then I see it, his shoulders slump and he pulls into himself.
‘He thinks we go so Dax can end it. Glupyy,’ I think, starting the car.
‘Blyad. They kill me. This will be interesting drive.’ I pull off and head for the interstate.
I could let him think himself into despair in silence, and I probably would have if he had not thrown the water bottle. Instead, I decide to make him talk.
“What you think about to happen?” I ask, driving with my knee as I light my own cigarette.
I turn onto the interstate as Kai shakes his head and shrugs, “I don’t know. We’ll probably end things today. I’m not what he thought he was gettin’,” he says with a sigh.
Scratching my head as I take another drag off my cigarette, I ask, “Why you think that?”
Kai looks over at me like I am dumb and points down at his knee, “I can’t go to West Point. I can’t get us outta here. I can’t fix anything. So, what do I have to offer him now?” he asks, a baffled look on his face.
I nod, staring out the windshield, watching the traffic as I merge into another lane and ask, “Are there no colleges in Illinois?”
Kai scrunches his face in confusion, “What?”
“I stutter? Or you not understand question?” I ask sarcastically as I take the exit we need and repeat myself, “Are there no colleges in Illinois?”
Kai
‘What the hell? Why is he askin’ that? Of course there are schools here! What is he even gettin’ at?’ I think, taking another sip of coffee.
“You didn’t stutter.” I say, rolling my eyes, stretching my leg out as much as I can in the confines of Zak’s Jeep. Rubbing my sore knee, I continue, “Of course there are schools in Chicago. I just don’t understand why you’re talkin’ ‘bout ‘em.”
I see Zak roll his eyes, his knuckles turning white as he grips the wheel tighter, “Brain must really be hurt from accident, Tupitsa. Pick one and go,” he says, exasperated.
Rolling my eyes at his suggestion, “Like it’s that easy. Where’s the money for college gonna come from? What do I do, work multiple jobs and attend classes full time?” I say, starting to get pissed off again.
Zak shakes his head, “You talk to me.”
“About what?” I ask, looking at my hands in my lap.
“You gotta job and a scholarship in your pocket? You gonna make sure Dax eats and has what he needs in there? I mean how would I do any of it?” I fire off questions, frustrated that he doesn’t understand and struggling to keep an even tone as I speak.
But of course, my voice starts shaking, I hear the crack in my words and know what’s coming.
‘Get it together Kai! You can’t break down now. Not here,’ I think, clenching my fists and digging my nails into my palms.
I feel the car shift and look out the window to find we’re getting off the interstate and think, ‘Well, I can’t hide from it anymore. Time to face Maddox.’
Zak pulls into a parking space and we sit in silence, smoking our final cigarettes before going in. He takes a hit before turning to me and putting his hand on my knee. “Kai, hear him out. We talk more on way home. May have solution. But you? How I put it? Lose chip on shoulder. Ponyatno?”
Taking a deep breath, I relax my shoulders, “Da. I can’t promise anything. But I'll listen,” I say.
I sigh, stepping out of the Jeep, stopping to stretch out my leg before we head in. The September chill in the air makes me shiver slightly.
‘Here we go, for the first time since June, I am gonna lay eyes on Dax.’
Maddox
I pace the back corner of the outdoor visitation area, anxiety flooding my entire body, thinking over everything as I try to calm my nerves.
‘Cas said he was coming. Vanya made sure the area was empty after hearing that Zak had picked Kai up this morning,’ I think.
The only issue? I didn’t know how this would go.
I was minutes away from getting my hands on him for the first time since June and I was a nervous wreck.
‘Come on Mikhailov, play it cool. You’re not desperate, not begging.
You’re just layin’ down the law. Lettin’ him know he doesn’t…
’ Shaking my head, I cut off that train of thought and start running through what I want answers to and what I want to say, when I hear the door open.
My mind goes blank as I look up. There he stands, hands in his pockets, red curls shining like copper in the sunlight and shoulders hunched.
‘Why does he look nervous?’ I wonder as we stare at each other for a minute then I crook my finger at him, signaling for him to come to me.
He stays standing by the door, chewing on his lip and shaking his head no. I clear my throat and point to the space in front of me, crooking my fingers, signaling for him to come to me. Kai shakes his head no, stomps his foot and crosses his arms.
Cocking my eyebrow at his defiance, I point at the space in front of me again. I watch as he eyes the newly developed bicep muscles that even my jumpsuit can’t hide and send him a smirk, tilting my head to the side as I say, “C’mere, Kitten. Don’t make me come getchya.”
“No! Can’t make me,” Kai says in a soft voice.
‘Okay, he wants to be a brat. He knows I can handle that. I got something for this,’ I think as I cross my arms over my chest. My forearms and biceps pop causing him to smile shyly at me.
“Nuh-uh, none a that cute shit. C’mere. Now!” I growl, watching him swallow and stomp his foot again before slowly heading my way. ‘Oh yeah, I got ‘im now.’