Page 65 of The Cleaner

"Coming!" Orna's voice echoes from upstairs, a hint of panic evident in her tone.

I turn to Maverick, who’s got a smirk on his face. Nothing ever seems to faze him. "She's nervous."

“Just like you are,” he says quietly, pressing a kiss to my lips. “Chill, baby, it’s going to be okay.”

We hear Orna's footsteps rushing down the stairs, and suddenly she's there, her cheeks flushed as she watches us. "Oh,hello!" she exclaims, a bright smile on her face. "You must be Maverick. I'm Orna, it's so lovely to finally meet you!"

She extends her hand, and Maverick takes it, his charm kicking in as he greets her warmly. "The pleasure is all mine. Thank you for having me over," Maverick says, his voice smooth and confident. God, why is he so charming and unaffected by meeting new people?

I can see Orna visibly relax at his politeness. I know she was worried about us dating, especially as she knows about who he works for. She ushers us into the living room, where I notice she's gone all out. She’s set the table with her finest china and glasses, the ones she never brings out as she’s worried they’ll break.

"Please, make yourself comfortable," she says, gesturing to the couch. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

As Maverick and I settle on the sofa, I glance to the kitchen, smelling burning.

“Ugh, Mamaí, I think you forgot about something,” Devin says as he waltzes in from the kitchen.

I stare at my brother. It’s been a few weeks since I last saw him and he’s grown so much. Gone is all the childness he had when he first came to live with us. He’s come out of his shell and grown so much.

"Oh, the roast!" she exclaims, dashing off to the kitchen.

I turn to Maverick, rolling my eyes. "See? Nervous."

He chuckles, squeezing my hand. "I think it’s sweet,” he replies.

“What are your intentions with my sister?” Devin questions, sitting across from us on the armchair.

My cheeks flush with embarrassment at Devin’s words. "Dev!" I hiss, shooting him a warning glare.

But Maverick just laughs, seemingly unfazed. "Well, Devin," he says, leaning forward slightly, "my intentions are to treat yoursister with respect, make her happy, and be there for her no matter what. To love and cherish her, always.”

My heart melts at his words. God, Maverick is so good with words. He always knows the best things to say to make me fall even harder for him.

Devin narrows his eyes, studying Maverick intently. "Hmm," he mumbles, clearly not entirely convinced. "And what about your job? It’s dangerous."

I tense up. Maverick and I haven’t discussed his job. I haven’t brought it up and neither has he. I’m too scared to in case it turns back on me. I pull in a shaky breath as Maverick’s hand grasps mine.

"I understand your concern," he says softly. "My job does come with risks, but I always prioritise your sister's safety. I won’t let anything happen to her."

Devin stares at him. “You’d better not. My sister is the best person in this world. I’ll kill you if you ever hurt her.”

I feel my face flush. I’ve never heard Devin be so serious or protective before and I love that he is. He’s an amazing brother.

Before I can say anything to lighten the mood, Maverick leans forward, his expression serious. "I appreciate your protectiveness, Devin. It shows how much you care for your sister," he says, his voice steady. "I promise you, hurting her is the last thing I'd ever want to do. She means everything to me."

Devin doesn’t back down. No, my little brother stares at Maverick almost as though he’s searching for something. After what feels like an eternity, Devin's face softens slightly. "Alright," he says, nodding. "I'll hold you to that."

Orna rushes into the room looking harried. "I hope everyone's getting along," she says, her voice a little too cheerful, betraying her nerves.

“We’re fine. Is everything okay with dinner?” I ask, taking in her flushed face and heavy breathing. She’s beyond stressed out.I didn’t intend for her to be like this. I just wanted her to meet Maverick, not send her into a full blown panic.

“Well, the roast is... well, it's a bit more well-done than I intended," she says with a nervous laugh. "But I've salvaged what I could. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes."

I quickly get to my feet. "Do you need any help, Mamaí?"

"Oh, no, no," she waves me off. "You stay here with your boyfriend. Devin will help me."

I hide my laughter as Devin glares at her but gets up and follows her out of the room. “It would have been better if we had met at a restaurant,” I murmur. "Thank you for coming with me," I whisper, tilting my head to look up at him.

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