Page 65 of Maverick

Maverick killed the engine. In that fleeting moment of silence, he looked around, his gaze scanning for me. He found me near the steps of the porch and dismounted, helping Sky off the bike. Even from a distance, I noticed the way his hands lingered protectively at her waist. A knife of jealousy twisted in my chest.

I tried to harden my expression.Don’t let him see you cry, Lexi. But when his eyes locked on mine, I saw a flicker of guilt cross his face. Sky looped her arm around his, her features still drawn with what might’ve been worry or exhaustion. Her dark hair was pulled back, revealing a scarred face.What had happened to her?I gasped at the sight. She was so thin, her face sunken in. She looked… used up, like someone stuck a straw in and sucked out whatever had been inside. But also she was, one hundred percent, intimately connected to my biker in a way that made me feel like an outsider all over again. What was worse, the tattoo on his arm, of a beautiful sad woman had come to life.

Sarge, standing nearby with a watchful glare, cleared his throat. “You’re back,” he rumbled to Maverick, tone flat. “And you brought… company.”

Maverick nodded. “Yeah. We had some trouble on the road. I need to keep her here for a bit, Sarge. Just until we figure out the next move.”

“And who is she?” Sarge asked, eyeing him with suspicion.

“My wife,” Maverick said simply, his voice so cold.

Sarge’s gaze flicked to me and then to Sky. “Huh. If you say so. Better keep a tight leash, brother. The rest of the club ain’t exactly fans of extra drama.”

Maverick just grunted in acknowledgment. He exchanged a few clipped words with Sarge that I couldn’t quite make out, and then he started toward the clubhouse door, Sky in tow. My place, effectively… because he’d put me here, told me I was safest in these walls. Now he expected me to share the space with his wife?

A swirl of anger bubbled up, forcing me to close my eyes and inhale slowly. Stay calm. Listen. But I couldn’t quell the ache in my chest. Before I could approach them, Maverick gently deposited Sky on a bench by the side entrance and said something in a low tone. She nodded, leaning her head back against the wood. He rubbed her shoulder, whispered something. My stomach clamped so hard I thought I might be sick.

At last, Maverick seemed to make up his mind and strode over to me. I stiffened, refusing to budge, even though every nerve screamed at me to run away or maybe to fling myself at him. This biker had turned my world upside down. His dangerous world had killed my mother, but he had forced me to realize I could love… love him, an outlaw biker, man from my fantasies. And then he’d left for reasons I tried to understand but cut me deeper than I’d ever experienced.

He stopped a couple of feet away, close enough that I could smell the leather and dust on him. “Lexi,” he hissed.

I looked up, hating how my heart sped at his voice. “Maverick,” I answered, my tone clipped.

He swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I know this is a mess.”

I let out a brittle laugh. “A mess? That’s an understatement. I thought you were in love with me,” I almost screamed. “I gave you everything, and now you show up with her.”

His eyes flicked with pain. “She’s in danger. She needed a place to hide.”

“She’s your wife.” I spat the word. “You never mentioned that before.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “Technically, on paper, yeah, but we separated a long time ago. It’s complicated.”

“And that’s supposed to make it, okay?” My voice cracked. “You told me you were done with her.”

“I was. But… I can’t just let her die, Lexi. She’s got a kid. I care about him, too. Ralph threatened him.”

“Of course,” I muttered, cutting him off. “Naturally, we’re adding a child to this fiasco. Why not? Is it yours?”

“No. Lexi,” he pleaded, reaching for my arm. I jerked away. “I’m not abandoning you. I swear. I just… had to do what was right.”

I stared at him, tears stinging my eyes, half from anger, half from heartbreak. “Do whatever you want. I’m nobody to you, apparently.”

“That’s not true,” he growled. “You’re mine.”

I nearly laughed in his face. “Am I? Because it sure looks like she’s yours, too. Bet if I stripped her down, we’d have matching tattoos.” Without waiting for him to respond, I spun on my heel and stormed into the clubhouse. My chest felt like it was ripping open. Damn him. If he wanted to say more, he’dhave to chase me down, but I doubted he would, given how he needed to comfort his precious ex.

Over the next hour, I paced around the common area, uncertain if I was angry or devastated. Bikers came and went, some casting curious glances my way, but I ignored them. Eventually, I caught sight of Maverick leading Sky deeper into the building, presumably to talk privately or to set her up like he did me. She still looked shaky, gripping his arm for support. I wouldn’t feel sorry for her. I couldn’t.

Something in me snapped. I followed at a distance, determined to see what was really going on. They turned down a side hallway leading to a small office-like room used for storing documents or MC records. I inched closer, pressing my back to the wall just outside the door.

I heard muffled voices.Should I do this?Probably not. But I needed to know the truth. I inched closer until I could make out their words.

Sky, her voice quaked:“Thank you for bringing me here. I… I didn’t know if you would, after everything.”

Maverick, so softly:“Yeah, well, guess I’m still a damn fool. Why didn’t you tell me before now you were forced to leave? You let me believe you just hated me.”

Sky:“Ralph threatened to kill my child if I didn’t leave you. If I didn’t help in his scheme to seize power. I swear, I never wanted to. But then… then I figured you moved on, or wouldn’t believe me, or… with everyone involved that got hurt, like Eve. I was scared. I was scared Kingpin would kill me for my involvement. Ralph promised he could keep me safe.”

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