Page 26 of August 20

Being held prisoner in a house with her niece physically tortured her.

The constant fear of him hurting Skye was making her go crazy.

She couldn't even look at him. Last night, she'd felt the heat of him against her. She'd seen the way he looked at her. He hid nothing.

Worse than anything, she liked feeling him against her for a fleeting moment and couldn't figure out why. Sure, he was a sexy man in his own right. More of a bad boy roughness than she was used to being around. Maybe that difference—that temptation—made her body confused.

She was tired.

She wasn't thinking clearly.

"Can I watch Frozen in two hours?" asked Skye.

She nodded. "After you brush your teeth."

Skye ran to the bathroom. Brooke straightened her shoulders and dared a look at Maverick to see if he understood his daughter still sought her out to ask permission to watch movies and obeyed when she needed to finish her morning routine.

She was the adult in Skye's life. It hadn't been her choice to raise a niece she hadn't even known existed. But family was family, even if her sister had forgotten that fact.

She wouldn't change a thing.

She'd fight to the death for Skye.

Maverick never flinched against her silent stand. She trembled. His gaze intensified, and for how much she wanted to outlast him and prove he had no power over her, she looked away first.

Goosebumps covered her upper body. She walked away from him, rubbing the chill off her arms. He'd weakened her.

Somehow, someway, he'd broken her.

She no longer believed he was out to hurt Skye. At least physically. He catered to his daughter.

But she had no idea where she stood in the equation. When he once tried to ignore her presence, he now watched her constantly. And the look in his eyes wasn't the same as at the beginning.

Two hours later, true to Maverick's word, he delivered Skye to the beach. Brooke stayed several yards behind her niece as she ran through the thick sand to the wet sand with her bucket and shovel.

There were several bikers in view. He'd covered his ass, making it impossible for her to grab Skye and run.

She wasn't even sure she had the energy to escape.

Stopping before reaching the wet sand, she sat down and dug her toes into the warmth of the dry sand particles. If she ever made it out of here alive, she'd surround Skye with a community that would miss her if she disappeared. She'd volunteer around the town and donate what she could to those who needed more than her.

Maybe then, someone would miss her.

Maybe someone would come looking for her if she disappeared.

She swiped the tear that escaped and closed her eyes an extra second. All she'd wanted since finding out Janelle had died and left a daughter behind was to raise her niece and give her a better life than any of them ever had.

And, she failed.

Chapter Fourteen

Brooke stood at the front window, staring out at nothing. Maverick sat at the table while Skye colored beside him. Every so often, his daughter would show him something on the page and tap her finger against the paper, and he'd nod.

He wasn't sure what she was trying to tell him, but she seemed happy with his reaction. Over the weeks, he learned that his daughter could play alone. She wasn't a child who needed constant approval or attention.

It made him happy to know she had confidence in herself.

She'd need to remain assured through the upcoming months that he would take care of her. Whatever she needed, he could give her—including the security that he loved her.

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