Page 64 of August 20

He shook his head. His daughter was here. He had to make sure she was taken care of.

"I fell for her." He coughed.

"You never let a woman rule your head, brother." Jagger's gaze intensified.

It wasn't his head he was worried about. His heart hurt.

That morning, while Brooke was stomping her foot because there was no milk for her coffee, he found her amusing. All he could think about was waking up every morning, having sex with Brooke, getting his kid off to school, and then watching Brooke stomp around the house, muttering under her breath because she needed coffee.

He couldn't imagine a day without her.

In a burst of wanting to give her everything she wanted, he put her on the back of his Harley and took her to the store. That seemed so fucking normal. He drove straight to the clubhouse to sort his business.

He couldn't go backward with Brooke. Only forward.

She needed her freedom. Skye deserved an aunt who loved life, who loved her. Not someone angry at being held up inside a home for months.

"I won't be able to stop her if she's already gone to the police or told someone what you've done," said Jagger.

He nodded. He knew that from the beginning.

Clasping his president's hand, he stepped back. He'd set Brooke free.

She'd be taken care of after they hauled him away.

"Run, Maverick. Save yourself, brother," said Jagger. "Hole up somewhere and we'll get help to you."

He met his president's gaze and squared his shoulders. If he ran, Skye would someday find out he'd left her. He'd taken the chicken-shit way of leaving her.

He wasn't going to run.

The door opened. He steeled himself, ready to drop to the floor.

Jagger cocked his brow and met his gaze. "You better turn around."

He pivoted with his hands loose at his sides. But it wasn't law enforcement that stood inside the parts shop.

Brooke's wild gaze met his, and she hurried to him. He caught her, putting his hand on the back of her neck, needing to assure himself that it was really her. He'd expected her to take the freedom he gave her and run straight to the cops.

"You're never going to believe what happened." She held out a cup of coffee. "Here, I bought you one, too." She then grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Dania, the woman who works at Whale's Tail Coffee, asked if I wanted to work there." Brooke took a sip from the disposable cup. "An honest job. I don't know how much she pays, but it'll be something. I never thought of working outside the hotel industry, but I like the idea of being around coffee." She laughed, leaning into him. "Can I?"

He heard her. But he had a hard time understanding because his heart was pounding, and all he could hear was a deep thrumming in his ears, blocking out what she said.

She was here.

She hadn't run away.

She hadn't gone to the cops.

Jagger slapped his shoulder. "Nice talking with you, brother."

His president walked away, leaving Maverick alone with his woman. In the back of the shop, the door shut.

Maverick stared at Brooke. She'd come back.

She'd fucking come back to him.

Chapter Thirty One

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