Going Mad For Maddox

CHAPTER ONE

MADDOX

I WAS BORN with the need of complete and utter control. Without it the fucked-up desires that rival my thoughts grows a persistence that I cannot ignore.

Others would call me a psychopath while my mother likes to call it a neurological error. My father on the other hand can't even look me in the eye. He likes to believe it's because of my unruly Machiavellian behavior, but I know it's because my grey eyes are the sole reminder of who he is deep down.

I roam my gaze over the drunken college kids that litter the small dive bar. Ryat sits in front of me as our buddy Talon inhales a small quarter of cocaine. No one pays mind to us the patrons too busy gyrating onto each other with the oblivion of a small rabbit having no clue a predator is amongst them.

"You can't be doing that anymore once my sister arrives tomorrow."

Talon lifts his head sniffing while he rubs the access powder off of his nose, "why? Like you haven't divulged."

"Not in front of my sister."

Ryat's tone hardens and I see the black of his eyes consume his once blue irises. The pulse in his neck jolts, that specific vain that only pops when his anger takes ahold of him makes its appearance.

Ryat is all grunge with a black ring that pierces his bottom lip. He only wears one color that being his black hoodie and denim jeans. I watch his tatted double jointed fingers bend his thumb behind his knuckle. A painful habit he does when he's trying to control himself. I've been friends with Ryat Hayes long enough to known he's one minuscule tick away from smashing Talons face into the table.

This is why control is so important to me without it my whole world will crash and I'll be no different than Ryat. His rage is all consuming, a type of fury that assaults his everyday life. He's done everything to aid himself with treatments, anger management meetings, you name them, he's tried it all.

Only because his baby sister I've never met wanted him to.

"If she's anything like you she won't give a fuck."

Ryat unclenches his fingers and turns to Talon, "she's nothing like me." But he says it with relief and a softness I've only ever seen when he speaks of Kodi Hayes.

"Hey motherfuckers!" My cousin appears from my side and makes the unintelligent decision of slapping my shoulder as he slides in the spot next to me.

I can't mask my disgust as he pulls out a joint from his back pocket. He rubs it against his lips like a lover before shoving it into his mouth and lighting it. "What the hell is wrong with you cuz?"

"More like what's wrong with you?"

Demetri laughs and blows out a cloud of smoke and if he wasn't my mother's favorite nephew I would have strangled him until he saw stars right about now.

He grabs me by the shoulder and black dots appear in my vision making the act of breaking his hand sound like a pure delicacy.

I don't like anyone touching me and that includes my family.

Demetri is two years older than me, but not by much. His immaturity makes him seem younger but his physical appearance detonates that. He's wide and full of muscle, tattoos of skulls and a Black Forest decorate every inch of his skin making him look intimidating and unapproachable.