MAVERICK
“Nana, I’ll see you soon. I love you.” Damn it. I hung up the call. I missed her appointment. I forgot she had a monthly doctor’s visit for six months.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I was picking up some cute dresses when Terzo came to inspect the clothes I would wear for tonight.
“Jeez, Terzo. I can’t just sit here and be bored to death.”
“You’re going to a club?”
I exhaled a breath and sat on his bed. “I need a life. Don’t worry, you can do your little uncle’s duty if I try to drink. I’ll have a club soda. I promise, and I’m a responsible person.” I picked two dresses, white and black.
“I went to see Moses Braddson.”
“What the hell?” I was quickly on my feet. “Why can’t you just stay dead?”
“Why? I don’t want to be dead anymore. I love my life.”
I shook my head in annoyance. “You’re stubborn. It’s better that people know you’re dead, Terzo.”
“You’re stubborn, too. I wonder where you got that from.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Why don’t you go back to work and show your stupid, dickhead, arrogant husband what he misses?”
“Don’t be like that.”
“You’re protecting an asshole. Why don’t you just let me do what I want to do to him?”
“You can’t just take a human life. Even animals deserve to live, Terzo.”
“Yeah, but he’s not a human. He’s a rat, a rodent.”
I hit him on his arm, and he barely reacted. “He’s my husband. Show him a little respect.”
“Did he show you a little respect when he kicked you out of his Satan’s tower?”
“You’re being a jerk right now. I need to get ready. I’m meeting Cooper at the Bazz.” I rolled my eyes as I went to the bathroom to change.
“Does he even deserve your love, Maverick?”
“If you deserve my love, then so does he.”
“I’m your family,” he said behind the door.
“Well, so does my husband. I love you both, but I’m romantically in love with Lake. You are my brother, and nothing’s going to change that. I love you no matter how cruel you are sometimes.” I put on the white dress. My stomach was still flat, but I started to feel my breasts becoming heavy.
“I love you, too, sis. I told Moses that you’re coming with me.”
I peeked my head on the door. “You can’t lie to him.”
He was leaning against the wall. “It was not a lie. I’m giving your asshole husband an ultimatum. Either he gets his head out of his ass, or you’re coming with me and raising your kid alone.”
I shut the door close. Terzo could be ruthless, and his experience in his life had toughened him up, but he had some values and wisdom, and family was the most important thing to him.
***
Before I got inside the Bazz, Terzo reminded me several times. “I’ll keep watching you. Don’t drink.”
“Yes, Dad.” I rolled my eyes.
Rocco saw me immediately, and his smile brightened as he pulled me into a crushing hug. “Jesus. I missed you, Maverick.” His gaze on me made me self-conscious. “Lake didn’t even tell me details. He said you went on a vacation to Italy.”
“Yeah, I ate a lot of pasta and Biscotti.”
He laughed. “I’ll get you a drink.”
“Don’t bother. Cooper is meeting me.”
“All right, girl.”
Dallas must be off. Only Genesis and the two other guys were at the bar.
“Hey, GG.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, my God. I missed you.”
“Wow. I’ve only been away for a few weeks.”
“You look good.” She smiled. “You’re not even tanned. I thought you like beaches.”
“Yeah. I think the sun hates me.” I slid my ass to the stool.
“Martini?”
“Oh, no. I had lots of alcohol. I’m on detox. Just club soda for me.”
“Oh, I’m drinking.” Cooper hugged me tight from behind. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too. How’s work?”
He took a seat next to me. “Not the same without you. When are you coming back?”
“Soon.”
The way he looked at me, I had a feeling he knew something. He grabbed my hand where I should be wearing my wedding ring.
“Everything is going to be okay. I’m sorry about last night. I was shocked, and maybe I could get fired, but I didn’t care.”
“Hey. No need to apologize. If you like Mira, then go for it. There are many jobs out there, but there’s only one Mira.”
He nodded earnestly. “Right. I talked to Lake this morning.”
I dropped my gaze to our hands. “Yeah?”
“He said you’re literally saving his life. I was confused, but I did not press. He’s my boss, and I don’t want him to fire me just yet.”
My stomach churned as I thought of his words.
Then, we talked a lot about his life without me for a month until he told me how he and Mira started dating.
“You’re kidding.” I stared at him in disbelief. “So, what did I see exactly last night?”
“We were not naked, Mave. We’re taking it slow.”
“Three weeks is slow to you?” I wrinkled my nose.
“Shut up. I just like her and enjoy being with her.”
“Aw.” I couldn’t help but smile. I knew what it meant to find someone special, and they just became your whole world. I drank my soda and let that pain and bitterness settle in my chest.
“Shit. I’m sorry. Here I am talking about-”
I patted his hand. “I want you to be happy. I won’t jinx your relationship, and trust me, nothing is smooth. You just have to fight for it if it’s worth fighting for.”
“Then you should do the same.” His gaze shifted over my shoulder.
When I turned around, I gasped and almost lost my balance if Cooper wasn’t fast enough to keep me steady.
The way Lake walked in, he sucked all the noises and buzzing in the bar. It suddenly went silent, and the whole surrounding area just faded. I noticed the breath he took as if he was nervous. Or maybe he was guilty of cheating on me. Did he feel guilty, though?
“You set me up.”
“No. I told him I’m meeting you here. You two need to talk.” Cooper turned to his beer and pretended we didn’t exist.
“What are you doing here, Lake? Where’s your woman?”
Instead of answering me, he wrapped his arms around me, his chin on my head, and my face rested against his chest as he squeezed me tightly to the point of almost suffocating me.
A wave of pain rushed through me, but it wasn’t from his hug. It was from the pain of how much I missed him and from the pain of his betrayal and deceit.
I remained stoic and suddenly didn’t know what to do.
I could have pushed him away, but I felt like I needed it too. To be honest, I needed him more than ever. Then I felt his lips pressed against my hairline, and he sighed and shuddered against me.
“Will you come with me?” his voice was low, but I heard it right.
I lifted my chin, forcing myself to meet his warm, beautiful, stone-blue eyes. “Why?”
“To talk.”
I nodded. It was long overdue anyway, and we both needed it for closure.
I slid off the stool and pressed a kiss on Cooper’s cheek. “I love you. Go for that girl.”
He beamed at me. “Love you, too.”
The ride to wherever he was taking me became uncomfortable and awkward. He sighed, and I sighed.
When he held my hand, I left him. When he pressed his lips against me, I let him.
“I’m sorry, Maverick.”
I chuckled as I looked outside the window of the moving car. “For what? For cheating on me? For breaking the vows and your promises or taking too long to find me?”
“What are you talking about?”
I turned and faced him, tears rolling down my face. I wiped it away. “Damn it.”
“Maverick?”
“I gave you the key so you will have the answers.”
His jaw locked hard to almost breaking. “Fuck.”
“Yeah. Fuck. And fuck you.”