Page 62 of I Stop Somewhere Waiting For You

Daphne takes her place by my side, her presence somehow giving me the strength to knock.

The door swings open.

Only it isn’t Mav on the other side.

I take half a step back, my brain trying to process what my eyes are seeing.

Standing in the doorway, wearing nothing but one of Maverick’s T-shirts, is Amber, Mav’s ex from the club. The coke-whore I scooped from the floor the night we met.

Daphne’s eyes ping pong between us, trying to get a read on what’s happening.

“Can I help you?” Amber seethes, and though there’s no way she remembers me from that night, it’s apparent she knows who I am.

“Where’s Mav?” I manage to get out.

“Shower.” She smirks, leaning into the doorframe.

Everything goes red as I lunge for her. My fingers entangle themselves in her brittle-ass badly-dyed hair as I rip her sideways and pop her twice in the face. Amber’s nasally voice lets out a shriek. Blood erupts from her nose, smearing across my knuckles just as Daphne rips me off her.

“Hey! Hey!” She drags me backward, her face close to my ear. “Baby, you can’t. You can’t. Think about what’s important. Think about your responsibilities.”

Suddenly realizing she’s right, that I can’t fuck this bitch up without putting the baby at risk, my rage pulses through me desperate for another escape. Limited on options, my body betrays me as it manifests in the worst way possible—tears. Unable to kill her, I start to cry.

“MAVERICK!” I scream out, tears now streaming down my face as Daphne supports my weight.

“You fucking bitch!” Amber shouts, charging out the door.

Daphne shifts me behind her, ready to fucking rock this slut. However, she doesn’t get the chance. Maverick appears in the doorway, gripping Amber by the back of the shirt and pulling her back over the threshold. He’s dressed in sweats and a tee, his hair wild and damp.

Mav’s eyes lock on mine and we stay like that for a moment, rooted in place, staring at one another.

“Baby?” The word escapes my trembling lips as a whisper, so low I’m not even sure he hears it at first. But then I see it, the faint softening of his eyes accompanied by the momentary loosening of his jaw. My body instinctively moves toward him, only to snap on a recoil when he backs away.

Amber’s arms wrap around his torso from behind; weaseling her way under his bicep, she presses against his side… against my fucking tattoo. What’s worse? He doesn’t push her away.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Daphne spits at him, and if looks could kill, Mav would be dead on the spot.

“I live here,” Amber responds smugly, the smile she plasters across her face suggesting she’s quite pleased with herself.

Physical pain explodes throughout my chest. It’s as though someone has just reached inside and ripped out my heart. My hand instinctively rises, pressing to my chest in an act of desperation as though holding it there can somehow stop the hemorrhaging.

I stumble down the stairs, miraculously maintaining my footing as I make my way toward the car.

“You son of a bitch!”

I look back just as Daphne’s elbow connects with Mav’s face. He doesn’t even attempt to fight back or restrain her, just takes the hit which she then follows up with by spitting on him.

“How could you?! She’s p—”

“DAPHNE!” I bellow, cutting her off. “Car, now!”

“Tell him!” she shouts in protest.

“CAR, DAPHNE! NOW!” I roar, my tears returning in full force.

Daphne casts one final glance in Mav’s direction, her eyes baring a hatred I didn’t know she was capable of possessing, before descending the porch steps and making her way to the driver’s side.

She hops in, slamming the car door and starting the engine. I stand with one foot in the passenger side, stealing one last glance at the man I thought was my everything. The bile’s rising in my throat, and if I don’t get out of here now, I’m going to be sick.

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