LAKE
“Baby, are you okay? I heard what happened.”
Owen informed me that my father just ambushed Maverick in the coffee shop.
“I’m fine.” Of course, she would say that, but I could hear it in her voice that she wasn’t. I knew my father could be intimidating, but he had a way of getting what he wanted.
“Where are you? I’m coming to you.”
“Ask Homer then. I’m sure he will give you my location.” She must have rolled her eyes. Maverick was odd today, and I didn’t know why.
“You’re upset. You’ve been acting weird since the morning we woke up. What’s going on with you, baby?”
“Just tired, I guess.”
“Then stay where you are. I’m coming to get you so we can have dinner together.”
“Fine.”
“And we’ll talk about what’s upsetting you.”
“Just tell Homer where we should meet. See you there.”
“All right, baby. See you soon.”
I hang up the call. “OB, drive us to the restaurant and tell Homer to take Maverick there.”
“All right, boss.”
I’d been receiving an invitation from Aurelia to meet, but I declined, deleted her messages, and dodged her calls. I wanted nothing from her. I wanted my life to be less complicated right now, and I was happy with my relationship with Maverick.
I didn’t give a shit if my father hated her as long as Mom got her approval.
We arrived at the restaurant just a few blocks from the Bazz. I instantly saw her get out of the car.
“Maverick!” I called her, and she saw me.
She smiled, but something was blocking the light in her eyes. “Hey.”
I clasped her face with my hands and captured her lips. She resisted at first but clung to my suit jacket. I didn’t care about PDA right now. I just wanted to get rid of whatever was bothering her.
She kissed me back and groaned. “Lake, what are you doing?”
“Kissing my upset wife. What do you think I am doing?”
“Seriously?” She squinted. “Since when do you enjoy PDA?”
“Right now.” I put my hand on her lower back and ushered her towards the restaurant door. “I’m starving for food, and you will be my dessert later.” My spine tingled in anticipation, and she did not even react.
Once we settled at our table, I put my hand on your thigh. “Maverick, we’re not leaving this restaurant until you tell me what’s happening. Is it your monthly thing?”
“PMS? No.” She barely met my gaze.
“Baby, please? And tell me what did my father tell you.”
“It’s between me and him.”
“You’re not serious.” My eyes narrowed. I was both infuriated and consumed with the desire to have her in our bed again.
“I’m dead serious.”
I skimmed my hand up her thighs and paused just an inch to her pussy.
“It won’t work for me, Lake.”
“We’ll see about that.”
When I reached for her panties, she squeezed her legs tight, widening her eyes at me. “We’re in the restaurant, Lake. Everyone can just take a video of us and upload it on social media.”
“I don’t care. You’re my wife, and I fucking want you right now.”
“You’re being reckless. Don’t prove your father right.”
My hand was instantly gone. My stomach twisted. “So he said that, huh? That I’m reckless and throwing away opportunities.”
We ordered, and I relaxed, and so did she.
She chose pasta Bolognese, and I ordered ravioli.
“Leave us.” I took the bottle of red wine from the waiter.
We ate in peace until she cleared her throat. “He offered three million for me to leave you.”
“What the-” I breathed through my nose, put my fork down, and dabbed my lips.
“First and foremost, he wanted me to convince you to reconsider returning to Winston Holdings. I told him that you make your own choices. Try to be a father instead of being a businessman.”
Pride swelled my heart as I asked excitedly, “What did he say?”
“He got mad when I told him you offered me one hundred and fifty million, and I declined it.”
I couldn’t help but grin and cupped her face from across the table and kissed her softly on her lips. “That’s my girl.”
“Then he began insulting me, that I don’t belong in your billionaires’ wives club. He said your weakness is your heart.”
I was still smiling. “He must have been pretty pissed off.”
“He’ll live, but I’m sure he will come after me.”
“I won’t let that happen. I promise.” I reached out for her hand, squeezing it, caressing it with my thumb. “I’m sorry, baby, that you have to deal with my father, but I won’t allow him to belittle you again.”
“It’s nothing.” She shrugged, reached out to her wine, and sipped it.
“It’s not nothing. You’ve been through hell since we got married, and I feel useless as a husband that I can’t even protect you.”
“You can’t protect me all the time, Lake. I should learn to stand on my own.”
“What do you mean by that?” My little victory vanished. My chest squeezed.
“That’s exactly what I mean. One day, you won’t be there for me. Life’s constantly changing, evolving, so maybe you’ll find what’s destined for you, what has been missing in your life, and you want to move forward-”
“Where the fuck did that come from? He gets into you, does he?” Rage blasted in my bloodstream. She just pissed me off that I wanted to throw everything on the table.
All of a sudden, it was hard to look at her with all the pain in her eyes.
“For fuck’s sake, baby, don’t let whatever he said to you get into your head. He’s good at that, at gaslighting and manipulation. Look what he did to me. Sometimes, I wanted to see a shrink because his words affected my mental health. I don’t want that to happen to you.”
She toyed with her fork, twisting the pasta. “Part of it, he was right. By fate, somehow, we just met in between two worlds. You are a billionaire, and I’m the Cinderella.”
“And they live happily ever after, and I hope we have the same ending. My father happens to be the stepmother, and you should stop listening to his bullshit.”
“He’s still your father.”
“Who is not happy with my success? Who is against my happiness? Sometimes, I doubt if he is even my real father. Parents don’t do what he’s done to their children. And I would never do that to our children if we happen to be blessed with one.”
She suddenly went silent but began eating.
“Don’t push me away. Don’t build a wall around you. I like what we have right now, and I’ve never felt so happy and free until I met you, Maverick. I may be a controlling narcissist sometimes, but it’s because I don’t want you to share your time with somebody else, and for a moment, I forget you had friends and family before we met. Just give me a nudge if I become too possessive.”
“He said one thing that surprised me.”
“What is it, baby?”
“He said I’m your home, and you found peace in me.”
I smiled as I took her and kissed it. “That’s the most truthful words he’s ever said.”
She sighed heavily. “I’m worried about Terzo, and I haven’t received an update from Kelsey.”
“I can reach out to Kelsey, and maybe Osmium can find a way to contact your brother. Is that what’s been bothering you? You should have just told me.”
“You will do that?” She finally met me in the eye, and I saw some hope there.
“Of course, baby. In a heartbeat.” I shook my head in amusement. “As much as I want to punch your brother’s smug face, I care for his well-being, considering he’s your family, and I truly believe he cares about you. So yeah, I will do everything to put a smile back on your face.” Unless there was something more she wasn’t telling me.