Page 24 of Maverick

“Besides, I got to see that full bush,” I added, smiling.

Nova and Lexi exchanged looks. Finally, Lexi exhaled, shoulders sagging. “Okay,” she whispered. “I don’t know what else to do. And I don’t have a full bush. I don’t want to disappoint you.” She almost laughed.

Nova glanced at me, her expression still wary. “Just promise you’re not going to kidnap us or something.”

I snorted. “Kidnapping ain’t my style.” I lied. “I’m trying to stop them from killing you.”

Lexi nodded, wiping her eyes under her glasses. “Fine. We’ll go. Let me just… God, I don’t even have time to process my mother’s death.” Her voice cracked, and she took a moment to breathe. “But if we stay here, I might end up dead too, right?”

I stood up, shoving my hands into my pockets, wishing I could take away her pain. But I couldn’t. I could only keep heralive. “We’ll handle everything, step by step. Right now, pack up your shit. We’ll find a different spot.”

Nova got up, rummaging for her keys. Lexi remained on the bed for a beat longer, looking lost. Then she rose, moving stiffly, like a woman in a dream or a nightmare, more like. I took one more glance at her trembling figure, that wave of protectiveness flaring in my chest again.

What the hell am I doing?I was an outlaw biker. I owed her nothing. But something about Lexi made me want to keep her safe. It could have been the guilt from failing her mother, or perhaps the sight of her tears, or I simply needed to do one decent thing in my messed-up life.

“All right,” I said, clearing my throat. “Let’s move fast. Those bastards won’t wait long.”

She looked at me with a mixture of resentment, uncertainty, and, beneath it all, hope that maybe I could fix this. I doubted that, but I’d sure as shit try. Because I was Maverick, and if there was one thing I hated more than Kingpin’s manipulations, it was seeing an innocent woman get dragged into the underground’s crosshairs.

And so, battered by guilt and responsibility, I prepared to lead Lexi and her friend into the unknown, all while some faceless hitmen lurked somewhere out there, starting their engines, planning to strike. One thing was certain, Kingpin’s assignment had just turned from babysitting an old hag into protecting her daughter. And I had a sinking feeling thatthisjob would be a hell of a lot more complicated.

Chapter 14

Lexi

Maverick pulled out his phone and stepped into the hallway. I heard him speaking in low tones, calling someone. Minutes later, a knock sounded again. I opened the door to find another biker leaning casually against the frame, Chigger.

“Maverick told me we’re escorting you ladies outta here.”

Nova’s cheeks pinked slightly, and I remembered her cozying up to him at the rally.

Chigger threw a look over his shoulder at Maverick, who was gathering some of our bags. “We all set?”

Maverick nodded. “We ride. The ladies will follow in their car. We’ll keep an eye on ‘em.”

Fifteen minutes later, we were on the road again. Maverick and Chigger rode their bikes in tandem, one in front, one behind, while Nova and I drove in the middle. The night was dark, the headlights illuminating a winding country highway that twisted through endless trees and brush. I clenched the steering wheel, nerves on edge, scanning the mirrors for any suspicious vehicles.

Nova glanced at me. “You okay, Lex? You look pale.”

“I feel like I’m in a goddamn spy movie,” I muttered. “But yeah, I’m managing.”

She gave a shaky laugh. “Right? Just a day ago, we were at a book convention, swooning over cover models. Now we’re running from hitmen with two bikers we barely know.”

I cleared my throat. “I just… Mom is gone. And I can’t even process it because I’m too busy worrying about the next threat.”

Nova reached over to squeeze my hand. “You’ll get through this. We both will.”

I nodded, though tears pricked my eyes again. Eventually, the road turned to a narrow, gravel path that led deep into a wooded area. Maverick signaled for us to follow, and after what felt like an eternity of bumping over rocks and potholes, we emerged into a small clearing. A weather-worn cabin stood at the end of a short driveway, surrounded by dense trees. No other houses in sight.

Maverick killed his engine, Chigger following suit. We parked next to them. The night was eerily silent, broken only by the chirping of insects. I stepped out, eyes adjusting to the darkness. The cabin looked old but surprisingly sturdy, with a wraparound porch and a single lamp glowing by the door.

“Welcome to your new hideaway,” Chigger said, gesturing grandly.

Nova laughed nervously. “Yay. Rustic.”

Maverick pulled a set of keys from his pocket. “We maintain a few of these in different states,” he said, leading us inside. “No one knows about them except the Road Monsters and maybe a couple of our allies. You’ll be safe here.”

Inside, it was tiny but relatively clean. A small living room opened to a cramped kitchen. There were two bedrooms on either side, and a bathroom with minimal amenities. A faintscent of dust was present, but I preferred that to the musty motel we’d left behind.

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