Page 60 of These Jagged Edges

"Hold on a second." Maddox's deep baritone fills the kitchen. Bash's arms are removed from my waist while he is lifted, and a large palm wraps around my belly as Maddox kisses my head.

"Gross!"

Ignoring my son's protest of Maddox's affection, I turn in Maddox's arms. "Good morning, Pretty Girl."

"Good morning." I beam up at them both.

"Mama said we can have cake for breakfast!" Bash beams at Maddox.

Maddox ruffles his hair. "How about after some protein?"

"Oh, come on!"

"You want to grow to be big and strong like me? Well, that includes eggs before cake for breakfast."

Bash narrows his eyes and looks Maddox over, weighing his options. After a full ten seconds, he utters a "Fine."

Maddox sits him on his feet and sends him to wake his brother. He sees the disastrous state the kitchen is currently in and raises an eyebrow. He pulls eggs out of the fridge and begins to cook breakfast.

"I just want to get this right."

Maddox pushes his glasses up on his face. "Eves, that man would be happy with anything you make him."

"Vic is the closest thing to a father I've ever had. I just need to get this right."

"Baby, you don't have to do anything to brighten his day. Just you being a part of his life is enough for the cranky son of a bitch."

"But—"

"Eves, look at me."

My eyes had been fixed on my feet before I realize I’d been gazing at them. I raise my head to find his tender gaze. I know this side of Maddox is all mine. Nobody else gets his tender gazes or soft touches like I do. Knowing that makes me feel cherished.

"You don't have to do anything to keep people in your life. You know that, right?" I give him a slight nod, but my mind says otherwise. After growing up with practically no parent, no good one at least, I’m not always confident in my relationships with my little found family. That seems crazy, but with the boys it came easy. I knew what I never wanted to be like and woke up every day determined to love them in every way I wasn’t. But the other relationships in my life I’m not as sure in.

"Baby, your views on families are fucked. That old bastard loves you, plain and simple. Not what you do for him or cook for him. He loves you because you’re you, Evie."

"I wasn't always Evie." It’s a sudden and unexpected confession, and I’m surprised that the words escaped my lips.

Maddox doesn't stop cracking eggs. "I know."

"I figured you did." Henry probably told him when he moved in, so I’m not surprised he knows that tiny detail.

"Tell me who you were before," he asks, whipping the eggs he had just cracked.

While watching him work from the kitchen bar stool, I prop my face up on my hands. I can answer that simple question in so many ways, but Maddox knows about all the dark parts of me. So, I decide to give him a straightforward answer.

"Posey."

He pauses just slightly, giving me a once-over. "Nope, it doesn't suit you."

I laugh softly. "It gets better. Not just Posey, but Posey Rose."

The comical look on Maddox's face makes me laugh even harder. "It's no wonder you don't like roses." Maddox shakes his head.

The laughter dies as I tell him somberly, "That's not why." As Maddox puts down the spatula, I stop him. "Please, don't. I'm fine." He looks utterly lost, unaccustomed to my refusal. I don’t tell him that the only flowers that monster ever bought me were roses, every year on my birthday. I just tell the chill that runs down my spine to fuck off and push the memory aside.

"Look, if you come over here, you'll wrap me in those thick arms and make me forget everything until all I feel is you."

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