Fated Series. Book #2
"Be possessive of me, own me, keep me, because if you do then nothing and no one else can." - Maddox.
My name is Maddox Vallero, and I'm dead.
Well, that's not quite true. I'm alive in the breathing, walking, talking sense-but...
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Chapter 52 Impulsive Life Changes Maddox
Christmas morning came and went, leaving us with stories to tell. But for me, it was more than that. I made new memories—ones I'm keeping. The fire department showing up was one of them. So was Ash losing his voice. Granted, it was entirely his fault for not shutting up, but truthfully, I think he was just excited to be surrounded by family again. He missed us. We missed him too—Lily most of all.
Being apart leaves a space that's hard to fill, but for my sister, I think that gap is wider. More defined. Our chaos has always been intoxicating for the fragile sense of self she hides beneath layers of mistrust. We're escape routes for each other. Always have been. No one in the world holds us down like the people in that room. And when you're apart too long, pretending to be okay gets exhausting. But together, we feel safe enough to unburden.
Even Sophia was drawn to it.
At first, I could tell it was strange to her—the noise, the banter, the sheer madness of it all—but by mid-afternoon, I'd lost sight of her in the mess my family likes to call 'tradition.' Somewhere in between teasing Lina about her oversized coat (the girl's always freezing now) and tossing wrapping paper at Ash, I realized Sophia had wandered off. When she didn't return, I went searching.
I found her in Ash's room, locked in a simulated Formula One race against him, while Lily and Aster cheered her on like she was going for gold. She looked fierce, focused, and—considering she was racing Ash—wildly overconfident. I stood in the doorway for a minute, just watching her. Watching how she bloomed under the chaos. How she lit up with their support. How impossibly beautiful she looked with that fire in her eyes.
And it hit me then—just how happy I was.
Happy seeing her so carefree. Happy to watch her laugh. The past few weeks have been stressful for both of us. I've just moved into the CTO role, and let me tell you—no wonder our IT department was falling apart. There was so much neglected work, it was almost criminal. But I love the new job. Sophia, meanwhile, stayed behind to help Mateo find a proper candidate to replace me. Except... I don't think he's actually planning to replace me, in fact, I know he's not. And from what I've seen, Sophia's already doing a damn good job. I do miss her, though. My stunning assistant turned girlfriend. Our lives are busier now, but I still drop everything at 12:30 to have lunch with her in her office. It's my non-negotiable.
In the middle of all that change, I'm also suing the NYPD for the illegal arrest. Some days, I wonder if I should just let it go—but I can't. The case includes Sophia's mother. Includes the harm she's done. I already have a restraining order in place, but I want it permanent. Problem is, I can only go so far without Sophia. Without her voice. She knows this, which is why one night, after a long, grueling court session, I was lying on the couch with Jax asleep in my arms after hockey practice when she came out of her room, dropped a folder on the coffee table, and said, "I want to help."
