Page 66 of Maverick

Maverick, a pause, harsh exhale:“We lost our baby, we were at each other’s throats. I thought you hated me, Sky.Maybe I hated you, too. So, when you left, I believed it. When we rescued you before, I had hope. When I saw you killed Alexander Getty and watched you leave with Ralph, I hurt like I never had before. But now I find out it was all a lie.”

Sky:“Maybe we can fix it now?”

She sounded so hopeful. My stomach dropped.

Sky:“I mean, I’m not asking you to pick me over… her… but we share so much history. I love you. I never stopped loving you, Adam.

She called him his real name, his middle name. Hearing that intimacy about killed me. He didn’t say anything.

Sky:“I just want a safe place, maybe a chance to start fresh.”

Maverick:“I won’t abandon her right now.”

Right now?

Sky:“I understand. It’s just… God, seeing you again… I’m sorry, baby.”

Her voice wavered, like she might be crying.

Maverick:“Shhh, it’s all right. You’re safe now.”

A lump formed in my throat. This was worse than I imagined. Hedidcare for her, deeply. Or at least felt some sense of duty. I heard the rustle of fabric. Maybe him putting an arm around her.

Maverick, so softly:“I promise I’ll protect you. Even if it kills me.”

It was as if Maverick’s words killed me dead. I couldn’t listen anymore. My vision blurred with tears, and I pushed away from the wall, stumbling back into the main hall. He promisedto protect me too, I thought bitterly. But apparently, Sky’s safety trumped everything. A sob wrenched from my throat. I refused to cry in the hallway like some abandoned child. So, I did the only thing that made sense, I headed for the bar in the common room for a drink or maybe six.

Chapter 35

The bar area was already lively, a handful of bikers shooting pool, a couple more laughing over beers. The bartender was a redhead in her late twenties who wore a battered Road Monsters' cut with a “Property of Taz” patch on the front. As I came closer, she glanced up, polishing a glass.

Her eyes flicked over me, picking up on my distress. “You look like you’ve been run through the wringer,” she commented, noticing my tears.

Sniffing, I forced a laugh. “You have no idea. Give me something strong. Whiskey. Neat.”

She set the glass aside, nodding. “Sure, honey.” She poured a generous shot, sliding it over. “Name’s Pep.”

“Lexi,” I replied, tossing back the whiskey in one gulp. It burned down my throat, but I welcomed the distraction.

“Easy there,” Pep remarked, arching a thin red brow. “You keep chugging like that, you’ll be on your ass in no time.”

I shrugged. “Better than… dealing withthis.”

She didn’t ask for details. Instead, she poured me another shot, slower this time. “I get it. Sometimes you gotta numb the pain. God knows I did when I first hooked up with Taz. Man’s an ass half the time, and he can’t keep it in his pants, but God I love him.” She laughed. “I know all about you. Apparently,Maverick and you gave him quite the show the other night. After he got that ink in you, he was aching to get into me.”

“Maverick,” I repeated his name with distaste.

“What’s your story, if you don’t mind me asking?”

I watched the amber liquid, swirling it absently. “I fell for a biker. Then his ex shows up, his wife, and I find out he’s still got feelings for her. Now I’m stuck here, watching them cling to each other while I… lose my mind.”

She nodded sagely, leaning on the bar. “Biker life can be a real bitch. I was an army brat, you know. My dad drank himself to death, my mom ran off. I swore I’d never depend on a man. Then I met Taz, and next thing you know, I’m wearing his patch, running this compound with him. Not a month goes by that I don’t have to run off one of his ex whores.” She sighed, but there was a fond smile in her eyes. “Point is, it’s messy. Always is, especially with old flames and clubs in the mix.”

I sipped this time, letting the warmth settle. “Yeah. Messy is an understatement.”

Pep studied me. “You love him?”

I hesitated, then gave a pained nod. “Yeah. God help me, I do,” I said, channeling her words.

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