Page 6 of Dirty Empire

Chapter Two: Truth

Maverick

That intense guilt I’d felt in leaving her with that depraved monster has lifted. I should have been able to walk away without feeling bad, but as soon as we set sail, I regretted not letting her on. Then, I found her on board. She’s courageous. I mean, what would I have done? Probably something similar. Then, on the other hand, I probably would have taken the punk’s life with my bare hands.

I hear her jump as I knock on the door. I hope she’s had a nice long sleep. I’m not much for crying, but when I saw her red-rimmed eyes last night, I was half-tempted to turn this boat around and kill Miles myself. I can’t let her know that; don’t want to give her false hope. I’m not a good man. I sell guns and ammunition to people who use them to kill their enemies. Nothing in this life is black or white, but if it were, I’d lean more towards the black. After I showered last night and gotten dressed, I’d given her some space by leaving her alone in the master bedroom. I’d slept in one of the guest rooms.

Her sea legs haven’t kicked in, so she looks woozy when she opens the door. It makes me smirk a little. Surely she’s been out on the water with Miles before? She’s changed into a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. She must have packed them in her bag. I can’t help but notice her bra is missing. Her nipples poke through the fabric. Her black hair falls across her shoulders, slightly ruffled from sleep. She’s beautiful. I’ve slept with a lot of women, but I’ve never been so caught off-guard by one woman’s beauty. It must have been why Miles kept her locked up in his mansion like a dragon guarding the princess. Up close like this, I notice the freckles that decorate the bridge of her nose and scatter across her cheeks.

“Did you sleep well?” I ask.

Her blue eyes reveal the truth. They’re sprinkled with fear, and she looks like she’s been crying.

“Yes, strangely enough, I did. Just so much to deal with.”

I walk past her and into the bedroom. “Once we dock, it’s about a ten-minute drive to my house. We can go there and figure out what we’ll do next. Tonight, you can stay in one of the guest rooms. In the morning, we can make some plans.”

She stares at me. In my mind, she’s sizing me up to decide whether she can trust me or not. I don’t blame her. The odd thing that struck me is why anyone would want to put their hands on her. She’s truly beautiful and incredibly sexy. She crosses her arms over her chest as if reading my mind. I push my dirty thoughts down. There isn’t time for that. Miles will realize soon enough that she’s with me.

“Okay. I can’t thank you enough for saving my life, Maverick,” she says.

Her beautiful azure eyes still hold a sparkle, despite what she’s gone through.

I clear my throat. “Well, I’m just glad you’re here, and it all worked out. How the hell did you end up with that guy?” I ask, my curiosity getting the best of me. Hazel’s entirely out of Miles’s league. Nothing about their relationship makes sense.

She plops down on the edge of the bed before dropping her head. Her silky black hair falls in front of her face.

“He wasn’t always like that,” she mumbles, twisting her hands.

“Are you sure? Because I’ve known about the man for quite some time, and he’s always been that way.” Miles has been a part of the criminal underworld awhile. Even though I’ve never met him in person until yesterday, he’s almost as well-known as me. When I heard he was looking to purchase a large number of guns, I jumped at the opportunity. I’m regretting that now. If I’d known he put his hands on his wife, I would have never reached out. Usually, I can turn a blind eye to the undesirable behaviors of my clients, but putting hands on a woman was a new low.

She coughs, clearing her throat. “Well, he didn't treat me like that in the beginning…” she spoke quietly.

“Oh, so you did see the snake come out at some stage?” I don’t mean for it to come out as an accusation, but that’s what it sounds like.

“Yes.”

A solitary tear rolls down her tan face, and I feel like an asshole for even asking. It won’t be long until we dock. I’ve grilled her enough. This whole thing just brings back bad childhood memories that I don’t want to think about now. I run a hand through my hair. It’s still damp from my morning swim.

“You said something last night… About selling guns to Miles.” She looks up at me and puls her bottom lip in between her teeth. “Why would Miles need that many guns?” she asks.

I raise an eyebrow. “You really don’t know what your husband does?” That seemed unlikely.

“He owns a bank.”

A short laugh escapes my lips. She really had her head in the sand. The speaker in the ceiling beeps as my captain turns it on. “Legacy is preparing to dock.”

“Get dressed and meet me out on the deck,” I tell her before walking out of the room.

***

As we enter the marina, a black SUV rolls up to the dock’s edge, and Davis exits the vehicle to greet us.

“Good to see you, sir. I see that you have a guest with you. May I get your things and help your guest to the truck?”

Hazel stands next to me in a yellow sundress, looking like she wants to run.

“Thanks, Davis. This is Hazel. Please grab her bags, and we will be ready to leave shortly.” I can tell she feels uncomfortable. I take her soft hand in mine and gently caress it to soothe her.

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