Page 27 of Maverick

“Oh, yeah,” Chigger replied, like the answer was obvious.

My heart twisted. Maverick had loved a woman named Eve, they’d lost a child, and then she’d betrayed him? Then he was married and that’s over now too. No wonder he seemed so dark and guarded.

“Chigger, if Maverick’s so broken, do you trust him?” I asked the burning question.

Chigger met my gaze. “With my life. And just between you and me, Eve’s my real blood and flesh sister. Don’t get me wrong. I love her. But man’s been real good to me even though I stir up shit memories for him. He’s got a dark cloud following him, sure. But under all that tough shit, he cares. He’s got a code, his own code, even if he tries to hide it.”

Nova smiled. “That’s good to know.” She glanced at me. “Hear that, Lex?”

I nodded, chewing my lip. Part of me felt a warmth spread through my chest. A code. That explained the unwavering sense of responsibility he’d shown in trying to protect me. But it also made me wary, I’d seen my mother latch onto men who had “codes,” only to be disappointed when they turned out to be scumbags.

We ate in relative silence after that. I concentrated on the fajitas' flavor profile, spicy, tangy, actually quite palatable for a rushed meal. Chigger and Nova chatted softly about random topics. The best bars in Dallas, funny stories from the road. I felt like an outsider, my grief too raw, my thoughts too consumed by everything that had happened.

Maverick never returned that evening. Eventually, the only light came from a single lamp in the living room. I sat on the small couch, phone in hand, repeatedly checking for any messages or calls. Nothing.

“Any word?” Nova asked around ten o’clock, yawning.

I gave my head a little shake, worry gnawing at me. “No.”

Chigger checked his phone, then dialed a number. He spoke in hushed tones, then hung up. “He’s fine,” he assured me. “Just said he’s tied up with something, and not to wait up. He’ll see us in the morning.”

Relief loosened my tight muscles, though a thread of anxiety remained. What was he doing out there? And would he really find answers? I sighed, exhaustion weighing me down. “I guess I’ll go to bed.”

Nova stood too. “Me too.” She shot Chigger a little smile. “Thanks for dinner.”

He winked. “My pleasure. You ladies sleep well. I’ll keep watch.”

Despite my best attempts, I couldn’t sleep. My mind replayed the day’s horror like a broken record. Mom’s lifeless face, the bruise on her neck, the cops’ questions, Maverick’s intense gaze, his little speech about keeping me alive because he wanted to fuck me. At some point, I must have drifted off, because I woke with a start sometime after midnight, a chill creeping over me.

I blinked in the darkness, realizing I was alone in the bedroom. Where’s Nova? Her bed was empty. Confusion pulsed through me. It wasn’t like her to wander off in the middle of the night, especially not in a strange place.

Fear prickled along my spine. My first thought was Are we being attacked? I shoved the blankets aside, heart racing. Quietly, I grabbed my glasses from the nightstand and slipped out of bed, tiptoeing across the cabin. I flipped on a small lamp in the living room, noticing it was empty.

Then, from down the hall, I heard noises. Distinct moans, followed by muffled laughter. Oh, God. My cheeks heated. It was coming from the second bedroom. Chigger’s room.

I realized what was happening at once. Nova was hooking up with Chigger. My stomach churned with a weird mix of relief at the fact at least she wasn’t kidnapped and embarrassment. Still, the moans sounded urgent and echoey, and part of me panicked. Perhaps she required assistance?

I crept closer, picking up a cast-iron pan from the stove, my brain in a half-asleep panic mode. God, Lexi, calm down. But adrenaline spiked. If there was danger, I wasn’t going to be caught unarmed.

The sounds got louder as I reached the doorway, moans, creaking of the bed, breathless gasps. My face flushed bright red. They’re definitely not in trouble. I decided to slink away before I humiliated myself further.

But as I turned to retreat, I smacked right into a solid wall of bare chest. A startled yelp escaped me, and I almost dropped the pan.

A low chuckle rumbled above me. “Easy, princess,” Maverick whispered. “You planning on bashing someone’s skull in?”

I looked up, heart hammering. It was dark, but enough moonlight filtered through the cabin window toreveal Maverick’s silhouette, tall and broad as ever, and very deliciously shirtless. My gaze roamed over the cords of muscle in his thick arms, the dark outlines of tattoos on his chest. His nipples, were larger than I imagined, but made sense his chest was so vast. God, he looked too good. My mouth went dry, and I licked my lips.

Though I had no saliva, I swallowed hard, flustered. “I heard noises,” I explained lamely. “I thought maybe we were being attacked.”

He smirked, leaning in closer. “Just your friend and Chigger having themselves a little midnight fun. The walls here aren’t exactly thick.”

Heat rushed to my face. “Right. Um… You’re back.”

“Got back a few minutes ago,” he murmured, glancing over his shoulder at the sounds still echoing from the other bedroom. “Didn’t feel like stepping into that, so I was gonna crash on the futon in the living room. But now….” He gestured at the noise with a crooked grin. “I doubt I’ll get any peace with that going on.”

I realized how close we were, close enough that my arm brushed his bare torso. My stomach flipped. “You can, uh, take Nova’s bed in my room, if you want,” I found myself offering. The words came out before I could think them through. “I mean, she’s obviously not using it.”

His eyebrow arched, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “You sure?” he asked softly.

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