Page 44 of August 20

He pulled out his phone and texted Bane. His old lady ran the public pool next to the clubhouse. Havlin had a security camera outside the building that aimed at the pool house entrance and recorded who came and went to the pool.

While school was in session, the pool opened by appointment only until the high schoolers came for practice in the afternoon. He sent his text and waited for an answer. Several minutes later, Bane told him he'd talk to him in the morning before the meeting and make things work.

Satisfied he'd done enough, all he had to do was survive another night with Brooke. It was getting damn hard to catch a few minutes of sleep with her warming the bed.

He'd lost a lot in his life, and he was old enough to know if he wanted something, he had to take it. And he wanted Brooke.

His hatred for Janelle had started his relationship with Brooke. He saw the two women as the same. Heightened by his anger over Brooke having custody of his daughter.

What he'd found out was Brooke was nothing like Janelle. She was a good girl. There was nothing about her that hinted at having a drug problem. If he had to guess, he'd bet she wasn't even a woman who partied.

She was an aunt. Even more than that, she was a mother. A damn good mother to Skye, and that was the biggest fucking turn-on in his life.

Brooke had given up her life when she was young. She was only twenty-five, with an eight-year-old she was responsible for. She'd missed out on dating, partying, and relationships because she unselfishly raised his daughter.

No wonder she always jumped when he touched her.

The door leading into the kitchen opened a crack.

Skye poked her head into the garage. "Maverick?"

He motioned for her to come in. She bounded down the step and across the concrete in her pink socks. He squatted, going to her level.

She stopped in front of him. His gut tightened. Tears wet her cheeks.

He cupped her face, strumming his thumbs over her face, drying the tears. They'd only been home for half an hour. She was fine after school.

Skye sniffled, swallowing a bigger sob, and pitched herself toward his chest. He caught her in his arms and lowered himself to his knees, holding her tightly against him.

He cupped the back of her head and let her cry, helpless to fix the problem when he had no idea what was going on. In his life, he'd done many things that most men couldn't handle. He'd seen more dead people than most people had in a lifetime. He'd watched the mother of his child burn to death. He'd spent two years in prison and lived with a pain that made any talking painful.

But he had no idea how to fix a little girl's broken heart.

Skye put her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pushed to his feet, holding her as he paced the garage.

His daughter yawned. Minutes later, her legs hung loosely against him.

He stopped and closed his eyes, holding his child for the first time since she was four. She was all gangly legs now, but he'd never forgotten what it felt like to hold her life in his hands.

Fuck'n hell, he'd almost lost her.

He held her tighter while she slept. If only he could keep her little and protect her from the world. She deserved a better life than him.

He lived a rough life, but Brooke could give Skye the love and softness his daughter deserved.

A hand landed on his back. He opened his eyes, sniffing the emotions off his face and ignoring the wetness slipping into his beard.

"She's asleep," whispered Brooke. "I'll take her."

He motioned that he'd take her and walked into the house, not ready to let go of her yet.

"Put her on the couch. She can sleep while I finish dinner." Brooke hurried around him, took a throw pillow, and laid it down.

He lowered his daughter to the couch, dragged the blanket that hung over the back, and spread the cover over her legs.

Staring down at her, his chest tightened. "She was crying."

Brooke stood behind the couch and smoothed Skye's hair off her face. "Nothing is wrong. Everything is normal. She's overwhelmed with school starting and is overtired. That's all."

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