Precarious Possessions (Maxwell Investigations) (26 page)

Alex shook his head and held her closer to him. “I’ll get
her out,” he said quietly. When Tina frowned at him, he nearly closed in on
himself. “I’ll get her out,” he repeated.

There was something more going on here, but Tina didn’t want
to push. Not when the young man barely knew her. She stood by ready to help him
as he fought his way to his feet. Tina silently watched as he slowly walked
towards the exit. There was no doubt in her mind that he learned that sheer
stubbornness from Madison. She took a slow breath and ran her fingers through
her hair. As she looked around she spotted something that would make the Council
throw a fit. Tina reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She would
make her report and take a page from Madison’s book.

If they tried to come after any of her family, there would
simply be pure hell to pay.

Claudia slowly woke up to the feeling of a gentle hand
caressing her hair. She looked up into Alex’s concerned face and gave him a
weak smile. “Madison stopped him?” she croaked. Both she and Alex grimaced at
the sound of her voice. When he only nodded, Claudia realized how closed off
his expression was. She also realized she was in her room at Crispin and
Dylan’s estate. “They wouldn’t let us go home?” she asked playfully.

Alex folded his arms over his chest. “I wanted to make sure someone
was here to look after you,” he answered. When she started to sit up he walked
over to the window. “I can’t.”

“I’m fine. You don’t need to look after me,” Claudia
replied. She looked at his posture and felt a cold dread settle in her heart.
“If this is about what happened, I don’t blame you.”

He looked at her with dark eyes. “It was my fault. I
couldn’t stop him from killing Luna. And then he turned and used that same sick
shit on me. You got pulled into it because of me.” Alex mused as he leaned against
the window sill. “Maybe you were right. Maybe we never should have started
this.”

Claudia closed her eyes to the tears that were filling them.
“I was stupid,” she said softly. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me.”

“I’m some catch,” he snorted. “I nearly got us both killed.”
Alex kept his head lowered as he wiped at his face. “I called Donald. He’s
getting my things from the apartment. When I leave here, you won’t have to see
me again.”

Claudia raised wide eyes to him. “Alex, don’t do this,” she
pleaded. “I don’t blame you.” He started to shake his head when she slowly
approached him. “Cord was sick. He was the one that made us join in his orgy.
It’s no more your fault than it is mine.”

Alex finally looked at her. Claudia paused when she saw the
tears spilling from his eyes. “I enjoyed it, Claudia. I fucked you like a
whore, I fucked other women in front of you, and I enjoyed it.” He ran his
hands through his hair and tried to stop shaking. “I was fucked by other guys,
and I liked it. What’s that say about me?”

There was nothing she could say to him. Claudia’s legs gave
out as she fell to her knees. “I still love you,” she whispered.

He went to her side and knelt in front of her. “You deserve
better than me,” he said before wrapping his arms around her. Alex helped her
to her feet and allowed her to pull his face close for a desperate kiss. His
heart broke as he felt her love for him in her kiss. This woman would have done
anything for him. He couldn’t keep her close as he tried to get his head straight.
It wouldn’t even be fair to ask her to wait for him to. This was something he
would have to do on his own.

Alex gently pulled away from Claudia’s kiss and sat her on
her bed. They were both crying. “For what it’s worth, I still love you too.” As
her eyes flew to his, Alex kissed her forehead and stood. “But it doesn’t
change anything,” he said before going to the door.

Claudia doubled over as a sob escaped her. Never in her life
had anything hurt as much as this. “Alex, don’t do this. Please, I’m begging
you.”

He almost went to her side, but images of what happened
flashed in his mind every time he closed his eyes. “I can’t stay, Claudia. I’m
sorry.”

She looked at him with bloodshot green eyes. “I can’t
forgive this,” she said shaking her head. “If you leave, you’re dead to me.”
Claudia closed her eyes and covered her ears when he reached for the doorknob.
“I never want to see you again,” she whispered as Alex slowly left her room.
When she heard the soft click of the door, Claudia could only do one thing.

She held her pillow close and cried.

* * *
* *

A few hours later, Alex slowly made his way to Madison’s
hospital room. He shouldn’t have been surprised when he saw Kayin sleeping next
to his mother and Aiden asleep on one of the other chairs. “I thought she was
alone. I’ll leave,” he said quickly.

Troy shook his head.
“No, stay.”
When Alex paused, he gestured to Madison. “You’re her son. She’d want you here
too.” He tried to give the younger man a smile but failed. Troy then leaned his
head back. “Is Claudia alright?” he asked. A frown crossed his face when Alex
sighed. “Alex?
Everything okay?”

“Not in the slightest,” Alex answered. He looked at Troy he
shook his head. “I broke up with Claudia today.”

The Werewolf sighed as he remembered the state he found Alex
and Claudia. “I don’t want to press, but if you need someone to talk to....”

Alex snorted. “No offense, but I really don’t want to talk
to my stepdad about what happened between me and my fiancée.” He then paused
and frowned. “I guess I better get used to calling her my ex, huh?”

Troy reached for the bedside table and snatched up a pen and
paper. He scribbled down a name and number. “I was actually going to recommend
that you talk to my sister. She’s a psychiatrist. Tara could probably help you
both with what went down.”

Alex lowered his head for a moment. “Does she know about
us?” he asked.

Troy smirked sheepishly. “I was going to talk to her about
it this weekend. Do you want me to give her your number instead?” he asked.
When Alex shook his head Troy continued. “With everything going on with my
parents and with the boys, we figured that it would be best to tell Tara and
‘Chelle. This way if they come around, we don’t have to walk on eggshells.”

“Makes sense.”
Alex
straightened when Kayin slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Hey
Squirt
, you okay?” he asked.

Kayin nodded as he looked at his father and older brother.
“Mommy was hurting,” he said in a whisper.

Alex and Troy both straightened at the way Kayin’s words
seemed to blur together. “Kayin, what did Mom tell you about your magic?” he
asked lifting the boy from the bed.

“She said don’t use it, but the baby was hurting too.” Kayin
buried his face against Alex’s neck and hugged him.

Troy looked at his son with wide eyes. “Baby?” he asked.

Kayin looked at his father. “Mommy’s
gonna
have another baby.” He then turned confused eyes to Alex. “Do you think she’ll
be happy?”

“I’ll be thrilled,” Madison answered. She opened her eyes
and looked at her family. Her eyes turned to Troy and she felt a smile cross
her face. “So, you’re planning on keeping me barefoot and pregnant?” she asked
playfully.

Alex placed Kayin on the same chair as Aiden. He cleared his
throat and went over to Madison’s side. “I’m glad you’re okay, Mom,” he said
before quickly kissing her cheek.

She reached up and touched the side of his face. She didn’t
know what was running through his mind, but from the glimpse of his eyes, it
was bad. “We’ll deal with it Jailbait. Say the word and I’m there.” Madison’s
eyes held his for a long moment. “We all are.” When Alex snorted, she frowned.
“What happened?” she asked.

Alex rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You don’t need to
be listening to my problems. I’ll be fine.” Alex straightened and painted a
smile on his face. “I think I’m
gonna
head out. There
are still some things I’m trying to take care of.”

Madison knew he was just trying to get out of there are
quickly as possible. “Did you move back home yet?” she asked lowly.

Wide eyes looked at her for a moment. He then sighed. “I’ll
see you when you get home,” he answered. Before Madison could form another
protest, he turned and left the room.

Madison turned her eyes to Troy and shook her head. “When
these two are teenagers, you’re dealing with them,” she said.

Troy chuckled as he sat on the edge of the bed. “We’ll lock
them in a closet somewhere. Or take
Lacey’s
advice
and put them in a kennel.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” When Troy started to laugh she smiled.
“You have a nice laugh,” she said before turned her eyes away from him.
 
She looked at him with wide eyes as he
climbed on the bed and lay next to her. “Troy?”

He brushed his lips against hers. “Feel free to compliment
me whenever you want.” Madison’s laughter made him smile. “What can I say, I’m
Dennis’s son.”
 
At her snort, he looked
into her eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay, Madison?” he asked seriously. Her
pause made him frown. “I want the truth, Madison.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m fine. Kayin healed
the worst of the injuries so there’s no need for you to worry about hurting me
or the baby.” When she looked into his eyes again she smiled. “That sounds
weird.”

Troy ran his fingers through her hair. “It sounds fine.” He
buried his nose in her hair and simply breathed in her scent. “I love you,
Madison. Did you know that?”

Madison felt tears coming to her eyes as she wrapped her
good arm around his shoulders. “I love you too,” she whispered. When he ran his
hands over her back, she looked into his eyes. “I don’t think Victor or Dennis
will let me get away with a Vegas wedding.”

Troy laughed as the door opened. Both he and Madison sat up
when Tina peaked into the room. He smiled at the woman when she spied the twins
sleeping on a chair. “Come on in. I don’t think they’ll wake up any time soon.”

Tina looked at her daughter and entered the room. Madison
was sitting with her arm in a cast, and bandages over the minor scrapes she
received in the fight with Cord. Part of Tina wanted to cry because she looked
like Hell but another part wanted to cry because Madison was alright.

Madison smirked at her mother. “I’m fine, Mom. You didn’t do
any lasting damaged. Hell, Kayin already healed most of it and the baby’s
fine.” Madison’s expression fell when Tina looked at her with horrified eyes.
She then realized what she said. “Mom,” she started seriously.

Tina opened her mouth a number of times before she was able
to make a sound. She then closed her eyes and took a breath. When she looked at
Madison again Tina wore the stern face of a mother. “If you ever pull another
stunt like this I swear, I will make your life a living hell,” she hissed. Tina
then turned to Troy. “And what kind of werewolf are you? You should have been
able to smell that she was pregnant before any of this mess started.”

“Troy wouldn’t have been able to stop me,” Madison said in
his defense. When Tina looked at her again Madison sighed. “Mom, I’m in the
hospital. I’m pregnant and I have two toddlers in the corner sleeping. Do you
really think I need you in here yelling at me and my fiancé?” she asked. When
Tina gasped, Madison’s posture deflated. “Don’t look like that, please. We
don’t want all the pomp and circumstance. A quick trip to Vegas and it’ll all
be said and done.”

Tina’s eyes narrowed at her daughter. “No daughter of mine
is going to get married in Las Vegas. And if you think Dylan and Casper are
going to help, you are sadly mistaken.”

Madison leaned back against Troy and smiled when his arms
came up around her. “Just for argument’s sake, how are you going to stop us?”

Tina folded her arms over her chest and shifted her weight.
Madison knew the posture all too well. She adopted it when she was ready to
toss out her final kill in an argument.
“Because I’ve already
talked with Belle, Dennis, and Victor.
You try to get married without
us, you will be sorry,” she answered simply.

“Relax, Tina,” Madison said closing her eyes. She got
comfortable against Troy and smiled. “I was just going to tell Troy that we
have to make sure we get married here around the families. So you can calm
down.” Madison opened one eye and smiled when her mother started to relax.
“What did the Council have to say about Cord and Mathias?” she asked.

Tina sat in the chair next to the twins and caressed one of
her rings. “You and Barry have been cleared of any wrong doing. Thorne is to
remain with Crispin and Dylan for the time being. And I have been given
Mathias’s old position.”

Madison’s eyebrows rose. “Wow. Congratulations, Mom.”

Tina smiled faintly. “Thank you, Sweetheart, but I don’t
think you’re going to like what I have to say next.” She saw Madison’s frown
and sighed. “They want me to keep Ashton here. And we can only have one listed
Necromancer on the payroll.”

Troy frowned as he caught what she was saying. He then felt
Madison shaking in his arms. He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Well, letting
Madison go will be for the best,” he said simply. “She’s pregnant. Dennis will
keep us both busy with Pack business.”