Page 100 of Broken Player

"Hi, dad. Maddox, Quinn, and Maddox's brother Griffin are here, too," I announced just as they walked into the room.

My dad's gaze lifted to the three men, flickering between them before landing on Griffin. "You're Griffin?"

"That's me," he confirmed, a little of his cockiness shining through.

"And he's your brother?" my dad asked again, turning to Maddox.

"He is. Pretty freaky, right?" Maddox grinned at my dad, whose eyes were currently darting between the brothers, no doubt looking for similarities.

The microwave beeped, and I turned to pull my scalding bowl out, grabbing a fork and moving to the kitchen table. I blew on the steaming bite sitting on my fork before eating it, moaning at how the biscuit melted on my tongue.

"Slow down, Freckles, or you'll choke," Maddox warned as he moved the chair next to me closer and sat down, draping his arm across the back of my chair seat and watching me intently as I shoveled food in my mouth.

"It's your fault I'm so hungry," I complained, and he laughed, reaching over to wipe a little bit of gravy off of my lip with his thumb and sticking it in his own mouth to lick off. It was hot, and my eyes locked on his mouth before my dad rolled up across from me and broke me out of the trance he'd caught me in.

Quinn and Griffin joined us a few minutes later, and Quinn slid a plate in front of Maddox. "Thanks, Quinny. Looks great." Maddox looked across the table to his brother, who was attacking his food hungrily. "When's mom going to be here?"

"Any minute," Griffin answered around a mouthful of food.

My dad's eyebrows lifted. "Your mom's coming here? Monica Everleigh?"

"It's Spencer now," Griffin corrected after swallowing his bite.

"Who's coming here?" my mom asked as she breezed into the room. "Hi, boys. Hi, sweetheart," she said, bending to kiss me on the top of my head like I was five years old. I didn't mind, though. It made me feel safe in a cozy sort of way.

"My mom," Maddox answered, taking a sip of the coffee my mom slid in front of him. She stepped further into the kitchenand returned with mugs for Quinn and Griffin, too, pouring them their own steaming cups. That was just who my mom was, always the caretaker. She wasn't much for ranch work, but she'd always been a helluva mom. She didn't even know who Griffin was other than a strange tattooed man sitting at her table. But it didn't matter to her. He was with Maddox, so he was family.

"Monica's back?" my mom asked with a gasp, a look of disbelief on her face. "When did that happen?"

"A couple of days ago. There's a lot to explain, but Maddox wanted you guys to meet his family. It's all really new," I explained, scraping my almost clean plate to get every last crumb.

There was a soft knock on the door, and we all looked at each other. Griffin ultimately jumped up and walked to the door, pulling it open for Monica. She stepped inside and looked around nervously, twisting the strap of her purse between her fingers.

As Maddox's mom stepped into the kitchen, all eyes turned to her. A soft smile crossed her face but didn't quite mask the nervousness in her eyes. I slid my chair back and crossed the room, pulling her into a hug. "I'm glad you came," I whispered before stepping back, and the relief in her eyes told me my instinct to welcome her was the right one.

"I can't believe you're here," my mom gushed before she enveloped Monica in a hug. Once upon a time, they were either friends, or my mom wished they had been. I doubted Russell let Monica have many friends back in those days, but my mom was persistent.

Both of the women's eyes shone with unshed tears. "It's so good to see you again, Shannon. Thank you for treating my son like one of your own. I can never repay the kindness you've shown him."

With one last squeeze of Monica's hand, my mom let her go, waving her off. "He's the son I never had. He and Quinn both."

Maddox sat up straighter at my mom's admission, gratitude swirling in his eyes. It just felt right having him here, and it was made even sweeter with Monica and Griffin joining us.

"And you remember Alexander?" my mom gestured to my dad, who held his hand up for Monica to squeeze.

"I do. It's really nice to see you again," Monica beamed. She looked genuinely happy, and I could see the shackles of her past falling off of her with every bridge she rebuilt from what was probably the worst time in her life. I couldn't imagine what she'd suffered at the hands of her husband.

Women like her were the reason I wanted to be a cop. Not everyone was strong enough to stand up to their bullies. And when they weren't? I'd be there to step in.

"Can we go sit in the living room?" Maddox asked, grabbing his plate and mine and standing up, putting them in the sink and then coming back for me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I leaned against him as we made our way to the couch. Griffin sat next to his brother, and Quinn sat on my other side. Mom and Monica took the chairs, and my dad wheeled himself between them.

Maddox clasped our hands together before he looked around the room. "I wanted everyone to meet and catch up because there's a lot we need to talk about. I don't know what information everyone has at this point. But I managed to buy this place back from Yates at the last second. I have my attorney drawing up the paperwork to transfer it to you, and as soon as I get it, we'll sign, and you'll own the land free and clear."

My mom gasped, and my dad looked tearful before gruffly clearing his throat. "I… Thank you. I won't ever be able to repay what you've done for my family."

Maddox kissed my forehead. Before staring down at me reverently. "You've done more for me than I could ever do for you. You gave me this amazing woman. You took me in when I didn't have a safe place to escape to. You stepped in, and for a few important years, you became the parents I didn't have."

Monica flinched a little, but Maddox gave her a soft smile. I never thought I'd see the day he forgave his mom. "This family is as much mine as it is Ryan's. I'm just sorry I stayed away so long. But that's never happening again," he promised.

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