LAKE
What the fuck?
I woke up with a hammering headache and a swollen nose. Did I fall or something?
I remembered going out for a few drinks while Owen kept babbling and sending me home. I guessed I drank a little too much, even if I didn’t do it often. I always drank responsibly to avoid getting into trouble.
I got up from bed and realized her side was empty. Fuck. We got into a fight and didn’t make it to dinner.
“Shit.” I went to the bathroom and checked my nose in the mirror. “What the fuck?” Did someone punch me because I could tell it was hit by someone stronger or had experience in the ring? My nose hurt but wasn’t broken.
I grabbed a bottle of painkillers and took two tablets before I went to her room. “Maverick?” Her room seemed untouched. She wasn’t in the bathroom either.
I went back to my room to grab my phone and called her. She didn’t answer, which wasn’t surprising since it was Saturday. She probably went to visit her grandmother.
I went downstairs. Owen and Homer were in the living room and stood up as soon as they saw me.
“Did my wife leave early?”
“Earlier than us.”
I looked at Owen. “What do you mean? And what happened to my nose? Did I get into a fight at the bar?”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “You don’t remember what happened?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I did.” I turned to Homer when he hadn’t said a word. “How about you?”
“Boone was the one who took you to your room, boss.”
“You punched me?” I pointed at my face.
“No offense, sir, but you were disrespectful and drunk.” When he called me sir, he addressed me as his employer, not his friend.
“What did I do?”
“What you personally do is not my business as long as I do my job, and that’s to keep you safe, but you were way out of line with your wife. I had to put an end to that. You hurt her.”
“Fuck.” I dropped my gaze as knots coiled in my stomach. “How bad?”
“You’d be lucky if you didn’t get a legal notice from your wife.”
“Did I lay a hand on her?” I was still confused, trying to put the pieces together.
“That would heal, sir, but I prefer not to talk about it. You have to ask her personally.”
I swallowed hard. My chest ached, thinking of laying a hand or hurting her. I could handle a divorce notice, but hurting my wife was another story.
I would turn out to be like my father if I did those things to her. Well, I shared his DNA, and an apple wouldn’t fall far from the tree, would it?
I took a breath and released it shakily. “Ready the car. I need to talk to her.”
I shifted my gaze between them when none of them moved. “Did I stutter?”
“She left the car. She went by taxi,” Homer replied.
“Why the fuck did she do that?”
“I insisted, but she threatened to call the police if I wouldn’t let her go. And I didn’t want to hurt her further, boss.”
“Call her grandmother and ask if Maverick is with her.”
“And you have to be at Mr. Cade in the afternoon.”
“Shit.” I massaged my temple. “Never mind. I’ll call Maverick until she answers. This invitation is overdue anyway. I can’t make more excuses.”
“All right, boss. Let us know when we leave.”
I went back to my room and dialed her number. Luckily, she answered.
“What do you want?”
“Baby, can you come home?”
“No. I have an important meeting right now. What do you want from me?”
“I know I hurt you.”
“It doesn’t matter. It won’t happen again.”
“I know, Maverick. I can’t remember what I did, but I’m asking you to explain to me what happened. Give me another chance.”
“I would rather not.”
“Then let me explain.”
“How would you explain something you can’t remember?”
Fuck. I was losing my battle. “Can we talk in person? Where are you? I’m coming over.”
“I’m not telling you that. I have to go, Lake.”
“Maverick, wait.”
“What?” She grunted.
“As long as we’re married, you still have an obligation to me.”
“And what’s that? Spreading my legs for you.”
“What the-” Was that something I said last night? “No. We have an engagement to attend this afternoon. Wear something nice.” I went into full boss mode. If I couldn’t get her to come with me as my wife, then as her contracted husband. “We’re going to Uncle’s estate.”
“Give me the address. I’ll see you there.”
“No. We’re going together as a couple.”
“Fine.”
***
In the afternoon, she came back but didn’t say a word to me. She went to her room, and I left her alone to ready before she changed her mind.
I realized I might have said something that hurt her so badly that she always ignored me. The way she barely looked at me, with all the hatred and anger in her eyes, made my heart clench. So, I decided not to press for more details.
Guilt continued to taunt me and constrict my chest because of my poor conviction. Instead of cooling off, I used alcohol as a quick remedy.
I put on my shirt and pants, ditched the tie, then brushed my hair before knocking on her door.
“Almost done,” she called from her room.
A moment later, she came out, almost knocking me off guard. She looked classy and gorgeous and looked like she had just come out from a fashion week in her outfit. She put on a sleeveless top with a deep plunging cut, showing her cleavage but not too revealing, then she matched it with a pencil-cut skirt and her ankle-heeled boots, making her look sweltering and fuckable.
Fuck. How could I stay sane without getting a hard-on?
“Let’s go.”
“Wait.” I grabbed the tennis bracelet I bought last week.
“I don’t need it.” She quickly hid her wrist.
“I know, but put this one. Return to me later.” I wouldn’t take it back anyway. It was hers.
“Fine.”
After I put it on her wrist, we headed downstairs. She went ahead of me while Owen just shrugged his broad shoulders.
The ride to my uncle’s estate was filled with silence. She hadn’t said a word but was constantly typing something on her phone.
We finally arrived after the awkward carpooling. Striker and London welcomed her with bright smiles and open arms.
“I try not to overreact with my fangirling moment,” she said as she and London kissed each other’s cheeks.
“God, you’re beautiful. Why haven’t you tried modeling?”
“With my height?” She chuckled.
“You’re not short. You just lack exposure. Who styles you, by the way?”
“Me,” she said casually.
London’s hazel gray eyes widened. “Wow. You should work as a stylist and put on some of our collections. We will pay you handsomely as a freelance model.”
“Okay, baby. Let’s get inside. You two can talk about work later,” said Striker to his wife.
“I know, sweetheart. Her pictures on Instagram don’t do justice. Look at her eyes.”
I hid my smile while Maverick was blushing profusely.
We settled in the backyard, and I could see her amazement at the view.
“The stream,” she said breathlessly. “Wow.”
Estelle arrived with her daughter, and Maverick couldn’t keep gushing at Gabrielle Rae.
“Where’s Linden?”
“Something came up at Osmium. He’ll be late,” said Estelle.
“Isn’t she gorgeous? Look at her eyes,” London said to Estelle.
“Yeah. I don’t see eye color like that often. And I want to dress her up, put my makeup on her face, and take her to a photoshoot.”
Estelle and London giggled while Maverick was paying with Gabrielle and Ines.
“I was just telling her that. My clothes and your makeup. Deal?” said London.
“What the hell are you two doing?”
“Shush,” Estelle stopped me. “She will make a lot of money, and I’ll make her famous.”
“Lake, talk to her, please?” London butted her lashes at me. “Convince her to work for us as a freelance model.”
“It’s her decision, not mine.”
Estelle turned to a sister mode and asked, “Wait. I couldn’t help but notice the tension between you two. Are you two okay?”
I looked at Maverick, and our gazes met. I could still see the pain in her eyes, and it was because of me. She looked away quickly and played with the kids.
“Oh, my God. Did you two get into a fight?”
“It’s my fault,” admitted breathlessly.
“I got the feeling it’s about his father.”
I turned around. Uncle Moses just arrived.
Shit.