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“You got anything else to do today?” Maddox asked me as he started to re-rack the weights.

“Nope,” I said, getting up with a huff and going to help him. “This was all I had on the agenda.”

“Good, then go enjoy your day with Damien. You two love-birds earned it. We’ve got a lot of shit coming up, might as well have as much fun now as possible.” He shot me a wink. “Just be safe about it, I don’t want any surprise nieces or nephews.”

“Ha. Ha.”

I couldn’t help but blush a bit. It was becoming an open-secret: me and Damien. Still, I wasn’t entirely sure how the rest of the family felt about it. It seemed like they all really liked me, and vice versa, but I was an awkward little bean and speaking about Maddox’s brother in a romantic sense made me want to melt into the floor.

“You two look good together, by the way.” He was busy hanging the resistance bands on the hooks, his back turned to me, but I could still hear a smile on his words. “I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.”

“Really?”

“Yup. My brother’s always been more of a solo-pilot. He’s only had a couple of guys he’s brought around the castle, and none of them ever put a smile on his face the same way you do. It’s nice to see. Especially after losing mom… I didn’t think any of us would ever smile again.”

The mention of their mother made my shoulders drop. All of the siblings were affected, but through my casual observation, it seemed like Maddox had taken it the hardest. Damien had said he was a big momma’s boy, and that his spirals were normally hidden from view. It worried him, which in turn worried me. There had been days that Maddox had gone missing, Damien explaining that he was likely giving into one of his vices in hopes of giving up the pain.

Maddox finished organizing the resistance bands, turning back to me, his eyes—blue as the water flowing through a fjord—flashing with something. Happiness? Relief?

“I’m just glad one of us found someone worth keeping,” Maddox said, placing a strong hand on my shoulder and squeezing.

That brought up a question, and since I was used to asking whatever popped into my head, I decided this would be no different. “How about you and Ben? What ended up happening there?” I uncapped my water bottle and took a couple heavy chugs, the icy cold water instantly bringing a little more life to my worn-out body.

Madds shrugged. “We were never a good fit. Don’t get me wrong, I love him, I want the best for him, but from the start we were better lovers than partners. That’s what I have the hardest time with. Separating sex from romance.”

“Do you have to separate it?”

“For me, yes. Sometimes I get too into the sex. I forget there’s other aspects to a relationship. I don’t blame Ben for cutting things off with me.”

I tried to examine his expression but Maddox remained pretty neutral. He looked out the window, eyebrow arched, the scar that cut through it giving him an edge, although there was a softness to him just underneath the icy layer. I saw it when he cared for his little brother, cleaning his room and washing his clothes, or when he spoke about memories with his mother. Maddox put on a big front, but underneath there was a deep well of compassion and empathy I didn’t see in any of the other siblings.

“Think there’s a chance of things working out again?”

“Nah,” he said with a shake of his head. “We had a good year together but that’s all that destiny had in store for us. And I’m fine with that. He’s found someone, someone who makes him way happier than I ever did.”

The tinge of sadness in his tone made me look up. He rubbed at the back of his neck, looking out the window and to the front courtyard. A storm was being pushed in from the ocean, ominous clouds inching closer and closer. A rarity for California, guaranteed to make everyone instantly forget how to drive once the rain started to fall.

Maddox shrugged. Let out a huff of air. I could have sworn a dusting of snow blew out, the air turning into sparkles for a brief moment. “Who knows, maybe we were never meant to work out anyway. Vampire and dragon? It’s practically in our blood to hate each other.”

“I don’t believe that,” I said, crossing my arms. Sweat made my shirt stick to my chest. “Hate isn’t coded in anyone’s DNA. That’s learned behavior. And in this world, with how divided we can all get, it’s an easy behavior to learn.”

Maddox’s blue eyes probed mine. “You really think so?”