Going Mad For Maddox

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

MADDOX

"HAVE YOU SPOKEN to Camden recently?" Crossing my arms over my chest I study Talon who is currently sniffing the very white powder that is shaping up to be his baby brother's demise.

"Last night, yeah." He rubs at his nose, leaning his head back against the couch, "he mentioned how dad wants him to make an appearance at the gala this weekend."

my brows furrow, "an appearance?"

"As a Riley not an Archer." Talon laughs, but it's void of any mirth, "god forbid anyone finds out about him, right?" He stands, taping the rest of his stash back under the wine pantry when Ryat annoyingly stomps his way down the staircase.

Reminding me awfully a lot of a petulant toddler.

He falls onto one of the bar stools beside Talon,  Ignoring the fact that in a couple of minutes our childhood best friend will have his eyes closed, endlessly picking at the hairs on his arm.

It's the most clam I'll ever see Talon— him relaxing, oblivious to his surroundings, patiently waiting for the coke to hit his bloodstream. Talon Archer signs his death warrant every single time he decides to inhale the devils drug and something tells me that he will continue to do so until the grim reaper himself eventually comes knocking at his door.

And the motherfucker will be too high to understand that he's the one who ultimately decided his fate.

"Kodi and Fin are getting ready to go out and they're not telling me where."

I snap my attention toward Ryat, "what do you mean they're getting ready to go out?"

"Kodi said they were invited to a party tonight."

"She's not going."

I have no idea who would invite them to a party let alone one in this city. It's uncoordinated mayhem it's why my grandfather left to the country side to live in his grand estate all those years ago. My bestfriends and I crave the chaos making our life here substantially easier than most, but Kodi is the opposite of everything that lurks in Point Valen. The residents here are nefarious, lacking any sort of moral direction.

It's why I blend right in.

"I already told them that, but they're not listening."

Demetri who is wearing nothing but his boxers ambles his way in, idly falling into the recliner next to me, "Finley seems like the type of girl who doesn't listen to shit, let alone you, Ryat."

"I know, it what makes her so fucking infuriating." He leans his elbows against his thighs, "she's been like this since she was a kid."

"A spitfire?"

"A demon." He looks toward the ceiling where their loud music can be heard as the vibrations of it reverberates around us. "She's satan's heir, that's why she has red hair. There's no doubt about it."

His tone doesn't waver making his statement almost believable, but the keyword being almost. It's undeniable that Ryat's hatred for Kodi's best friend stems from sexual tension he refuses to acknowledge. The man has been celibate since the moment we moved in together despite his lengthy womanizing history back in high school.