Page 34 of Maverick

“Grace.” He said my name like he was testing it on his tongue to see how it felt, and that caused all kinds of other feelings that I didn’t have the time or energy to deal with at the moment. “It suits you.”

“Thanks, I think.” What did that even mean, anyway? “I’m not ready to tell you everything, but since you’re keeping Sophie safe, it’s the least I can offer you.”

“I’m not just keeping Sophie safe, Grace.”

I shook my head. That’s not what I wanted to hear. “That’s all I want you to do, Maverick, keep Sophie safe no matter what. Don’t worry about me at all, just her. If anything happens to me, just promise that you’ll make sure nothing happens to her. She’s all that matters.” The last thing I wanted to think about was Sophie growing up without me, but I wouldn’t survive without her. “Just promise.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t make that promise. My MC and I will keep you both safe.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.” The last thing I wanted was more people caught in my mess.

“You’re not asking. I’m betting you haven’t asked for a thing since you left wherever you were. How long have you been gone?”

“You mean how long has it been since I ran away? Not too long, less than a year.” It felt like an eternity since we fled Ohio. “Not too long yet.” Mabel’s words came back to me, and a sob escaped. I couldn’t run forever, not with a kid. At some point I would have to enroll Sophie in school, which I couldn’t do without Trent finding out. “It’s a mess.”

“Just do me a favor, will you, Grace?”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Don’t do anything stupid like run off without telling me.” His blue gaze was gravely serious as if he was truly worried.

“Yes. Okay. I can do that,” I said quietly, as I rummaged through his kitchen cupboards for tea bags. I really wanted to leave town now, but I had to find somewhere safe for us to go.

One week. All I needed to do was make it through the next seven days—or less—and everything would be fine.

Chapter 17

Maverick

“You look like shit, brother.” Rocky gripped my shoulder and gave me a shake. “Rough night?”

“Yeah, something like that.” I slept like shit, it wasn’t just trying to fit my bulky frame on the tiny sofa. I tossed and turned for hours worrying about Grace and whatever wickedness she was running from, whatever—or as my grandma had pointed out—whoever had put that look of fear in her eyes.

Rocky laughed. “What was her name?”

“Grace, but it wasn’t like that.” Even if my mind had wandered to thoughts of Grace in next to nothing as she’d been when I first laid eyes on her at The Den.

Rocky’s smile slipped. “Shit. Okay, what was it like, then? Are you all right?”

I shrugged as we walked inside the clubhouse together where most of the other brothers sat around talking. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Grace, she’s in some kind of trouble.”

Rebel groaned. “Another fucking damsel in distress? Seriously, guys.” He shook his head and reached for the bear that sat in front of him.

I glared at him. “She’s been taking care of Mabel since she got out of the hospital,” I explained, leaving out the part where we met, because it would only color their opinion of her unnecessarily.

“Is Mabel all right?” Diesel’s brows dipped into a concerned frown.

“She’s getting old, and she took her meds twice in one day, so she can mostly take care of herself, but having a caregiver made me feel better about not being with her all the time.” I scrubbed a hand over my face and sighed. “It turns out that Grace is running from a bad situation.”

“What kind of bad situation?” Rebel set his beer down, his brows dipped in a deep scowl.

“I’m not totally sure. Mabel says she has all the signs of a woman being abused.” I told them about the bruises she said she saw. “And ribs that healed wrong too. She hasn’t confided in me, but someone tried to break in last night and it spooked her.”

“Did she get a look at anyone?” Slate asked.

“No. She put Mabel and Sophie in the walk-in closet upstairs and went down, but whoever it was didn’t even get inside, they just broke some of the glass on the front door.”

“Are you sure this wasn’t all just some ploy to get into your house and bed?”

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