Page 53 of Maverick

“I know, but until then, Grace and Sophie aren’t safe, and I can’t just keep them locked up in my house.” As much as I wanted to.

“Go home,” Diesel commanded.

His words brought me up short and I turned to my prez with a frown. “I’m fine. I can handle whatever needs to be handled.” Did he think I couldn’t do my goddamn job just because I was a little angry? Okay, angry as fuck.

“I know that, okay? But you’re too fucking wound up, and, honestly, you’re making the rest of us nervous.”

I laughed. “You’re shittin’ me. Right?” I looked around to find each of my brothers shaking their heads in response. “I’m not allowed to be upset?”

“Of course you are,” Rocky offered with a smirk. “But you’re usually the one talking the rest of us from the ledge and it’s freaky as fuck, man.” Rocky’s big arms spread wide an unapologetic shrug. “Sorry, bro, it’s the truth.”

“Well, fuck.”

“It’s cool, Mav. Just go home and keep them safe. We’ll keep looking for him and deal with the other shit.” Diesel’s gaze was steady and unflappable. There was no arguing with that look.

“Yeah, okay. Fine.” The last thing I wanted was to make things harder on my brothers. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” I was a fighter, and I knew when to fight and when to walk away. This was the time to walk away and be grateful for my family. “Thanks,” I grumbled, and left the club house fueled by nothing but anger and the urge to protect.

***

I took the long route home, which basically meant another ten minutes, but it was enough to get myself under control. The last thing I needed was to rush inside full of piss and vinegar and scare Grace or Sophie. One last deep breath and I stepped inside the kitchen expecting to find the two females giggling while preparing dinner.

That wasn’t what I found.

Grace stood in the middle of the kitchen shaking like a goddamn leaf, her gaze far off in the distance, staring at nothing at all.

Something is so fucking wrong. “Grace, what’s up?”

She let out a startled scream and whirled to face me, a frown on her face. She blinked a few times and looked around the kitchen as if she didn’t know how she got there. “Shit, sorry. Dinner isn’t ready and I…” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. Dinner will be on the table shortly.”

My hands balled into fists and then I stretched my fingers out as far as I could, hoping to let out more of the anger that coursed through my veins. “Grace,” I shouted.

She gasped and looked up at me, taking a step back.

No, fuck that. I advanced on her and gripped her shoulders. “Stop apologizing for shit you don’t need to apologize for. I’m not worried about food, I’m worried about you. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing,” she lied, shaking her head.

“I haven’t asked you for anything, Grace. I’m happy to let you stay here and keep you safe. But the one thing I ask is that you don’t ever lie to me.”

Tears filled her eyes and her brow crinkled in the middle before her shoulders slumped forward. “I’m so—” She paused with a small smile. “You’re right. I am sorry for lying to you.”

“Just don’t do it again. And tell me what you’re lying about.” I gripped her shoulders tighter because I needed her to know that I was here for her, and then let my hands slide slowly down her arms. “Talk to me.”

Grace pulled out of my grip and turned towards the table with a sigh. Her gaze landed on an envelope in the center, which she snatched up and slapped into my hand. “Read it yourself.”

It was just an envelope with hastily scribbled, slanted blue cursive on it, but it was the words that had shaken Grace so bad. “You can’t run from me. I will always find you.” Instead of my blood running cold, it turned into a white-hot fire, rage pulsed through my veins. “Where did this come from?”

“Trent,” she whispered so low I could barely hear her.

“Obviously, but where did you find it, Grace?” This mean the asshole was closer than we thought.

“The free clinic,” she whispered again. “Sophie has a cough and I needed to have her checked out because she’s prone to respiratory infections. I had no choice, Maverick.”

“Of course you didn’t. Sophie comes first, I know that and I’m not blaming you, Grace. I just need details, that’s all.”

She sighed. “When we came out of the clinic, it was there under the windshield.” She looked up at me with those wide eyes that could get me to do just about anything.

If only she would ask.

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