The Wrong Brother

Chapter 7

MONTY

I’m not sure how long I stayed cemented in place in the parking lot after Iris drove away. Stunned was an understatement. I wasn’t sure what was the hardest part to wrap my head around. Was it that I had a niece in this world that nobody ever told me about? Could it be that I had been talking to this woman daily since the day I saw her on the app and she never mentioned she had a kid, nonetheless one related to me? Or possibly the fact that she thought I was cool for just ignoring the entire situation? They were all headache-inducing questions, I had no idea which was the hardest to digest.

The entire reason I was on this side of the city was for this damn dinner party, but now I needed more answers than small talk. Once I was finally able to move my legs again, I got in the car and drove straight to my brother’s place. Did I know if he was home or busy? Nope. Did I care? Hell no. I had questions and it made a hell of a lot more sense to go straight to the source. My parents would get the third degree from me as well, but it started with Maddox.

Even though I hadn’t seen my brother in years, I knew he was still living in the same condo my parents bought for him after his college football career fizzled. I pulled into a guest parking spot near the front of his place and headed straight for his door, pounding my fist on it multiple times. 

“Fucking hell, Monty?” Maddox growled as he threw the door open. “What the fuck do you want?”

I pushed past my brother and into his space, I had gone over everything I wanted to say to him on the drive over here, but now I was at a loss for words.

“If you don’t start talking, I’m going to assume you’re here to fight and I’m not above taking the first swing.”

I shook myself out of the haze for a moment, “What the fuck are you talking about? I’ve literally trained to kill people with my hands you dipshit.”

“Maybe you need a lesson in storming into people’s houses uninvited instead.”

“Fuck off, Mom and Dad own this place.”

“I pay my own bills, brother,” he sneered.

“With whose money, Maddox? Do you finally have a job or are you still trying out that DJ thing?”

Once football wasn’t an option, Maddox tried every hobby possible to avoid getting a real education or job. I’ve lost count of his new adventures. I’m sure there are dozens I don’t know about since I’ve avoided much contact with my family and avoided the topic of my brother anytime I did talk to my parents.

“I see you’re still a huge dick. Nice to know some things haven’t changed. So are you going to tell me what you’re doing here? I heard you were going to be back in town, but this is the last place I thought you’d show up.”

“Trust me,” I run my hand over my hair, “I didn’t think I’d be here either, but I need to clear up a story I heard about you and I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt to tell me the truth before I dig into it further.”

“Is that supposed to be a favor or something?”

“Just be honest with me, Mads.”

“Okay,” he leaned against the wall in the foyer, “What do you want to know about?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you have a daughter? That I have a niece.”

He immediately grimaced at the question and I could tell by his body language that the next words out of his mouth were going to be lies. “I don’t.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me, Maddox! Do you understand how big of a deal this is? How could you have a child and not tell me? I’m your fucking brother.”