Page 159 of Vampire Kings Box Set

“Raymond, please,” Maddox intervened before Will broke Raymond’s eternal nose. “Can we leave the public airport before we start a brawl? Is that possible?”

“Certainly, gentlemen. This way.”

Maddox and Will followed Raymond out of the airport. Maddox was not well pleased. He had hoped there would be more time to breathe before encountering family.

“You never mentioned having a brother,” Will said on their way out.

“I suppose there’s a lot I haven’t mentioned,” Maddox replied. “You’re going to learn a great deal in the next few hours. It would be best if you spoke as little as possible.”

He felt Will’s offense without having to look at his face. The more he tried to convince Will he needed to keep his distance for his safety, the closer Will wanted to be. It was human to want to know the family of a lover, but Maddox did not want Will anywhere near them. Raymond’s presence at the airport had already thrown a wrench in the proverbial works.

“Hope you have your excuses ready for Gideon,” Raymond said. He had a car waiting. Maddox hesitated before getting in.

“I think we’ll drive ourselves.”

“Sorry. Gideon’s orders.”

Maddox cursed inwardly. Why couldn’t the old bastard stay asleep? This entire affair was already disastrous, and it had barely begun.

“I need to drop Will somewhere first.” Maddox wasn’t quite sure where. With things as desperate as they were, Candy was a candidate to babysit for a few hours until he could get Henry and Lorien to come back for Will.

“I don’t think so,” Raymond laughed. “Gideon already knows about the puppy. The remnant nobles have been very informative. We know everything you have done, and more to the point, everything you have not done.”

“Have they,” Maddox sighed, indicating for Will to get in the back. “Where is Gideon?”

“At your residence, pitiful as it is. Really, Maddox. A concrete and glass box? Even for you, that’s so very… pathetic.”

Maddox got in beside Will, wanting nothing more than to get out of the public eye. Violence was inevitable at this point. His efforts to maintain control of the situation had failed, as they tended to do when Gideon was awake.

“This guy’s a fucking asshole,” Will said to Maddox, not bothering to lower his voice one bit.

Raymond glanced in the rear-view mirror to catch Maddox’s eye.

“Very nice, Maddox, you’ve not instilled the smallest modicum of manners into your pet.”

“Your daddy didn’t fuck them into you either, I guess,” Will rejoined.

This was dangerous sass. Maddox knew Will in a way Raymond obviously did not. Ray thought this was trash talk. Maddox knew it was a warning.

“You’re going to be beaten into submission and likely drained for Gideon’s amusement,” Ray said. “Enjoy the car ride, whelp.”

“I think it would be best if you didn’t speak to my boy,” Maddox said. “For all our sakes.”

“I think it would be best if you trained your pets so they knew how to act around their betters.”

“Will, please, be quiet. Now is not the time for this.”

Will cut his eyes at Maddox. “He’s disrespecting you. And me. You might be okay with some piece of shit talking to you like a piece of shit, but I don’t let anybody talk down to me.”

Raymond didn’t say anything, but Maddox could see the smirk on his face. He’d wound Will up on purpose, like a clockwork toy, and now he was going to see what happened when he let him go.

Not five minutes later, the car slid into the underground parking garage at Maddox’s house. The second it came to a halt, Will flew out of his side of the vehicle, came around to the driver’s door and tried to haul Ray out.

Ray moved considerably faster than Will. So while Will was still trying to assault him, Ray had him wrapped up in an armlock.

“I’m not going to snap his stupid little neck out of respect for you, Mad, but you need to get him under control. Gideon’s going to slaughter this thing if it comes near him.”

“Would you keep him out of the way? As a favor to me? Just put him in his room and shut the door and make sure he stays in there?” Maddox asked.