MAVERICK
Ultimately, I decided to go back to the penthouse willingly-not because of his ultimatum.
Well, Lake was right, though. I was bound by a contract, and I was also his wife. Part of it was that I missed him, too.
Since I didn’t have a car, Terzo volunteered to send me. I hadn’t opened the door to his bedroom when I heard shattering.
My heart leaped as I went downstairs, only to see him glaring at my brother. It still sounded weird that Terzo was really my brother.
“How the fuck did you get into my penthouse, drinking my- is that my scotch?”
“Wow. It’s true, then. You don’t share, do you? Only child syndrome,” Terzo said calmly, with a glass in his hand.
“Give me a fucking answer, or I will call the cops,” Lake warned him, clearly pissed off.
“What are they going to charge me with? Trespassing? They need a long list to read my Miranda rights.”
“Get the fuck out, Siciliano.” Lake was starting to lose his patience. He was getting furious. It was written all over his face.
“I see. Your humor is still intact. How’s your nose? It looks like it’s healing nicely.”
“That’s enough, Terzo.” I joined them before they got into a brawl.
Their heads snapped in my direction. Lake looked relieved and surprised upon seeing me. I saw the same light in his eyes every time he saw me, and he had a five o’clock shadow, his hair unkempt.
“Good to know that it finally came to your senses to come back to your husband.”
“I did not come to argue.”
All of a sudden, warm eyes turned icy and fiery as his gaze found a duffel bag beside the couch. “You’re leaving me? Is that why you brought your brother here to grab your things? If I hadn’t come early, I would have wondered where my wife was.”
“Jesus. Just make up and kiss already.” Terzo shook his head in amusement as he went back to the wet bar.
“Are you done?”
“No. I’m not done. I went to your grandmother’s house hoping to take you home, but she said you left with Terzo, and she didn’t know where you were going.”
“Wait. You went there?” I couldn’t help but smile. “You went there to take me home.”
“Apparently, you have planned on your own.” His voice dropped, filled with raw pain. “I was just pissed off, but I didn’t mean what I said when I told Cooper in the voicemail that I’d be talking to my lawyers about the divorce. But I see why you have not even come back home. You’ve decided to divorce me.”
I took a step closer to him, stood just feet away so that I could see the redness in his eyes, and smelled something in his breath, but definitely not alcohol. He was not drunk. I cupped his face, making him gasp. Then I tiptoed to plant a kiss on his lips.
For a moment, he just froze until I felt his hands on my hips, sighing before kissing me back.
I missed this man. I missed what we had. It had been hell without him, but I went too far with my anger.
I snaked my hands at the back of his neck and kissed him passionately; his arms tightened around me, and our kisses deepened until we broke apart, panting.
A frown deepened between his eyebrows. “Why did you kiss me? Is this your way of saying goodbye?”
“What made you think I’m gonna leave you?”
“Who’s that duffel belonged to?”
I grinned at him. “You know I can’t afford a Louis Vuitton duffel. That’s Terzo’s. He is leaving in a few hours.”
“So you’re not leaving me?” he asked incredulously, seemingly finding it hard to believe.
“Unless you kick me out and you don’t need a wife anymore, I’m walking out. You don’t have to dump me.”
He pulled me in his arms again, hugging me tight.
“I can’t breathe.”
He chuckled, pressing his lips on my temple.
“When was the last time you held a razor, Winston?” Terzo came back, still with his glass. “Or you visit a barber shop?” He looked around and said, “I like your penthouse.”
“I bet you’ve seen better.”
“You bet.” He took a seat on the couch. “So you two made up?”
“Shut up.” Lake sat across Terzo, and I sat next to him.
“What did you do with the Knight?” I saw broken pieces of Knight porcelain.
“I was pissed off. I’ll replace it.” He rested his arm over my shoulder, his gaze glued to Terzo, who seemed too comfortable on the chair. “Why are you here, Siciliano?”
“I’m sending your wife to you. You should be thanking me instead of treating me like a bad guy.”
“I came here willingly. You were my ride, Terzo,” I said, defending myself.
He tightened his arm around me. “You should have called me. I could have sent OB to your Nana’s house.”
“Where’s Homer?” I looked at him. “You did not fire him, did you?”
“I didn’t. He will be taking days off to visit his family.”
“Oh.”
“He’ll come back.” He shifted his gaze back to Terzo. “I was referring to what you’re doing here in the city.”
Terzo released a deep breath. “I have doubts, but I’m still gathering info.”
“Doubts about what?” I asked him because I thought he was here for some business.
“You’re not here collecting payments.”
Terzo nodded slightly. “I did, but I have this feeling in my gut that her ex is not the real mastermind of her Nana’s abduction.”
I sagged against Lake as I felt the twist in my stomach.
“What are you saying? That fucker confessed.”
“It doesn’t mean no one ordered him. He may have masterminded the abduction and was on the other line talking to Maverick, but I feel it in my gut someone gave him that idea.”
“Do you have evidence?”
“I’m still gathering. And for fuck’s sake, Winston. Don’t let my sister go out alone because you have lovers quarrel. If they can take her nana at home, what made you think they can’t grab Maverick in the street.”
Lake scoffed. “Are you worried about your family’s enemies or someone else?”
“Trust me, I would know if my enemy is planning something for my family.”
“How are you so sure?” I asked him.
“Loyalty, sis.”
I rubbed my arms when goosebumps spread all over my body.
“Is there someone who has come back to your life lately?” Terzo’s question somehow did a knot in my stomach.
I turned my head to Lake, waiting for his answer.
His face hardened. “What’s that supposed to mean? I would never cheat on my wife.”
“That’s not what I mean. I know how much she means to you. And I hate to admit it, but I admire your loyalty to my sister. I was talking about old friends or old flame. I have a feeling what that fucker did was not only about my sister. It has something about you, too.”
“I don’t understand.” My voice shook, and they both noticed it.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, baby. You have my word.”
I nodded.
“I’m sorry for what you went through. I wish I had found out about it sooner, and I could have avoided it,” Terzo said. I thought it was kind that someone like him cared for me and looked after me all this time.
“Will you update me if you find something?”
Terzo chuckled at Lake. “You have billion-dollar resources at your disposal and depend on my update?”
“I don’t think like you, Siciliano. I don’t know where to start or what to find.”
“It was a joke, Winston. Of course, I’ll keep you posted.” He rose to his feet.
“You’re leaving already?”
“I’m going back to Italy. I might stay put for a few weeks or months before I can come back.”
“Why?”
“My itinerary constantly changes due to safety issues, but you can always call me. I’ll come as soon as possible. I have men working for that information. They’ll keep me posted.”
“You take care.”
“No. You take care. Don’t depend on your bodyguard. Be always aware of your environment. I should go.” He grabbed his duffel and extended a hand to Lake. “Take care of my sister.”
“You have my word.” Lake shook it firmly.
“Walk me out.”
I nodded and stood up. Once we reached the door, he looked at me. I could see the worry in his eyes. “What is it?”
“Be careful, okay?”
“You, too.”
He hugged me tight. “Please tell your husband how you feel about him.”
I chuckled as we pulled apart. “You should find a date.”
“You should give me a nephew.”
“Shut up.”
“Sis, stay away from your ex. He owes thirty grand to a local mobster. He’s good as dead.”