Page 100 of I Stop Somewhere Waiting For You

Mav slams into me like a brick wall, taking me down to the pavement as shots ring out. The sedan speeds off, leaving Mav sprawled out on top of me as the remaining agents come running outside.

“Baby!” His voice rushes out in a panic. “Baby, look at me. You okay?” His hand brushes back my hair as he frantically scans my body for injury.

Feeling okay, other than some pain from hitting the sidewalk with such force, I chance sitting up. Mav rocks back onto his knees, assisting me in the process. I glance down to find blood stained on my shirt, though I know I’m not hit.

Looking to Mav, I see the deep red stains smeared across his arm.

“Mav!” I lurch forward, pulling up his sleeve to locate the wound. “You’re hit.”

“I’m okay.” He looks down at it, wincing slightly as I apply pressure. “It just grazed me.”

“Mr. Bishop!” One of the Feds rushes over. “There’s an ambulance coming for you.”

“I’m good.” Mav attempts to wave them off.

“The fuck you are!” I seethe, pinning him with a glare. Turning my attention to the young agent standing near us, I call out to him. “He’ll take the ambulance.” T crouches down next to us as my head snaps back to Maverick. “You’re getting this looked at.”

His face morphs into a devilish smirk. “Yes, baby.”

T snorts, dropping down onto his ass. “That’s it? No argument? No bitching? She issues a demand and you’re actually gonna do what’s best for you?” He directs his attention to me, his face baring a wide grin. “I’m not lying. Finn is gonna fucking love you.”

CHAPTER 44

JONSIE

Following the attack outside Echo, Mav issued an order that I’m to be guarded at all times. With him getting stitched up at the hospital, T and I thought it best if I use the time to go get some stuff from my apartment. Mav of course flipped out, demanding we wait for him, but—call me crazy—it’s probably not great to show up to my impending breakup with Caleb with the guy I’m leaving him for in tow.

Obviously, given the fact that someone just took a shot at me, Mav’s tension is running higher than normal. He suspects the Russians, since they apparently already threatened him about me. I briefly contemplated texting Nicky but abandoned that plan when I realized he would instantly use this against me as justification for why he did what he did in the first place.

Finn was going to meet Mav at the hospital, but when he couldn’t sway me from my plan of action, he ordered him to accompany T and me back to my place instead. Thankfully, he swung by Mav’s before meeting up with us and was able to bring me a different shirt, considering mine was covered in blood.

Caleb’s home, so the boys are under strict instruction to stay downstairs while I deal with the shit show that most definitely will ensue. We’ve barely been in the apartment two weeks. I’m really gonna be ripping the rug out from under him.

I feel like shit, but Daphne’s words replay in my mind. I don’t deserve to wake up miserable for the rest of my life simply because I don’t want to hurt Caleb’s feelings. It wouldn’t be fair to him either if I stayed. He’s a great guy and he’s going to make the right girl very happy. I’m just not that girl.

I stand in the hallway outside our door, inhaling a deep breath as I work up the nerve to go in. Eager to get back to Maverick, I grip hold of the handle and push. The apartment is eerily quiet. I half expected him to come charging down the hall once he heard me, but no, nothing.

“Caleb?” I call out.

“In here.” His voice comes out steady from the direction of the kitchen.

Making my way through the living room and around the corner, I come to find him seated at the small eat in table off to the side. He doesn’t look at me as I approach. Instead, his eyes remain trained on his coffee mug in front of him.

“I called you a few times.” He continues to look down as he stirs the cream-colored liquid in his cup.

“I know. I’m sorry.” I lower myself into the chair across from him. “I meant to be home earlier but then I got wrapped up in some stuff.”

“Hmmm.” He nods, removing the spoon from his mug and placing it on the table beside it. Bringing the cup to his lips, he finally glances up at me as he takes a sip of his coffee. “Now, when you say, ‘some stuff,’ what you really mean is Maverick Bishop. Right?”

My body stills as we stare at one another across the table.

“Are you going to deny it?”

“Caleb, I’m sorry,” I whisper, looking off to the side.

“Wow.” His voice increases a few octaves. “I’m not even worth you trying to lie to save the relationship, huh? I mean, come on, Joanna. You could at least pretend to give a shit! Try to act like you weren’t riding his dick like a whore all night!”

He grips hold of some papers in front of him, flipping them over to reveal a series of images. I reach across the table, pulling them closer. There are several, the first being of me and Mav leaving the club last night. We’re exiting out the side door of Lounge, his shirt’s ripped open as he leads me by the hand to his black SUV. The next shows me in the passenger seat. Mav stands at my door, hand threaded in my hair as his lips are locked with mine.

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