The tears swelled to an enormous size, and I couldn’t keep them in place. Their weight was too much, and they cascaded down my cheeks to my chin. I sniffled loudly then wiped away the moisture with my fingertips.
“You know he’s not a coward, so don’t ever say that again.”
13
Hades
I was sitting at my desk, staring blankly at my screen saver when someone walked into my office. He helped himself inside without knocking, being both intrusive and annoying. He scanned my shelves as he strode to the armchair facing my desk. His fingers brushed up against the leather before he fell back and got comfortable in the chair.
My eyes followed his movements as my hand shut my laptop.
With both arms on the armrests and his legs crossed, he looked practically giddy to see me. “Have a good holiday?” His blue eyes were deep like the ocean. But instead of being full of life and intrigue, they were full of unpredictable mystery.
“Wasn’t a holiday.”
“You weren’t working. So I’d say so.” He cocked his head slightly, displaying the movements of a dog considering turning on its foe. “So, the wife and baby are healthy? What a blessing.”
I didn’t want him to mention my family ever again. “I went to see the birth of my son, but that is the extent of my relationship with both of them.” If he knew I was no longer attached to them, he would lose interest.
“Oh no. Not getting along with the baby momma?”
My eyes narrowed. “Our relationship is over, so I never want to talk about her ever again. Or my son.”
He raised both hands and surrendered. “Alright, alright. Just trying to be a friend.”
“I don’t have any friends. And I’m not looking either.”
He lowered his hands. “Well, I suspect that’s gonna change. You and I are the same man.”
I’d never been more insulted. “We are not the same.”
He started to count on his fingers. “We both killed a parent.” He held up a second finger. “We’re both drug dealers.” He held up a third finger. “We both fucked the same girl…”
I was out of my desk so fast that some of my shit went flying to the floor. I jumped over the wood and rushed him like a player in the Super Bowl. I lunged at him and got both of my hands on his neck. I squeezed hard and slammed him down onto the coffee table. His back hit the surface before it collapsed underneath him.
I was out of control. I wanted this man dead more than anything else. I couldn’t see straight…I couldn’t think. I wanted to rip his eyes out of his head and shove them down his throat.
Maddox was so calm. He didn’t fight me at all…like he enjoyed it. His hands rested at his sides, and he didn’t fight the constriction around his throat. He looked deep into my eyes just the way a lover looked at their partner.
Fucking psychopath.
The door opened, and Damien walked inside. “What the hell is going on?”
He must’ve heard me launch into Maddox and destroy the furniture in my office. I continued to choke him and wait for him to pass on to hell. My knuckles ached because I was squeezing so hard. Regardless of the consequences, I needed this. I needed to unlock these shackles that bound my wrists and my ankles.
Damien kneeled on the floor at my side. “Hades, stop.” He tried to grab my hands and pull them off Maddox.
I shoved him hard in the chest. “Fuck off.” I watched Maddox’s face turn red as the strangulation began to affect his entire body. Only one more minute and he would be gone forever.
Damien came back. “Hades, you don’t want to do this. This is what he wants.”
I started to think about Sofia and Andrew. What if this was all a setup?
Damien grabbed my wrists and yanked. “Sofia. Andrew.”
I finally came to my senses and let him pull my hands away.
Maddox gasped for air and rolled over onto his side so he could cough and recuperate. He was red as a tomato and weak as a piece of straw.
I dragged my hands down my face and suffered my self-loathing. I’d lost my temper and could’ve lost a lot more.
Damien watched me with pity in his eyes.
Maddox eventually got to his feet. “I was just trying to bond with you.”
I was still on the ground, so I spat on his shoe. “Fuck off.”
He looked down at his shoe and watched the glob of spit reflect the light from the ceiling. He stared at it for a long time before he kneeled down and wiped it up with his fingertip. Then he stared at me like he was considering wiping it on my cheek or my clothes. But then he did the unexpected and placed the finger into his mouth and sucked.