Page 67 of Maverick

She patted my hand. “Then hold your ground or walk away. Those are your only real choices in the biker world. Standing in the middle will tear you apart.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. “I… guess you’re right.”

Hold your ground or walk away.

Music cranked up on the old jukebox, some hard rock track that rumbled through the bar. A few bikers startedhollering, pulling random girls, friends or club girls, onto the makeshift dance floor in the corner. I watched them, finishing my whiskey. A strange numbness flooded me. Why not let loose? I can’t do anything else right now.

I shoved the glass at Pep. “Another, please.”

She narrowed her baby blue eyes. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

She poured, and I drank, letting the burn dissolve my heartbreak. Before long, a haze of alcohol blurred my edges. I found myself drifting toward the dancing crowd. A tall biker with a shaved head beckoned me over, grinning. His name patch read Dogma. Normally, I’d have avoided a tough looking guy like him, one covered in gold chains, looking like he stepped off the cover of a gangsta rap album, but tonight, I didn’t care. Bad boys were apparently my thing now. The biker was as gorgeous as Maverick, in his own way. Hell, I needed an escape from the pain stabbing my heart.

Dogma placed a hand on my waist, spinning me into a clumsy dance. My cheeks flushed at the closeness, but I forced myself to smile, ignoring the voice in my head screaming that Maverick might see. Let him, I thought. He had Sky, so why couldn’t I have a harmless dance?

We stumbled to the heavy beat, Dogma’s hands slipping lower than I liked. I shot him a warning look, but I was too buzzed to articulate it. He laughed, leaning in. “You got a name, shorty?”

“Lexi,” I mumbled, pushing his hand up a bit. “Keep it above the belt, buddy.”

He chuckled. “She bites.”

Then I heard an all-too-familiar snarl behind me. “Get your fucking hands off her.”

My heart lurched as I turned to see Maverick standing there, fists clenched, rage blazing in his eyes.

Dogma smirked, keeping his hold on my waist just to provoke him. “Who you think you’re talkin’ to?”

“I’m the man who’s gonna break your jaw if you don’t back off,” Maverick growled.

I felt an odd thrill at his jealousy, but also a swell of fury. He dares to be possessive now? After comforting his wife in front of me?

Dogma shrugged. “Didn’t know you pissed on this one. She lookin’ mighty hard up. She came to Dogma, probably because she heard this long dick will set her right.”

Maverick lunged, grabbing Dogma’s cut. Dogma responded by shoving Maverick’s chest. Within a heartbeat, a scuffle broke out, fists flying, curses echoing. Several onlookers rushed to intervene. My pulse roared with panic. Oh God. I stumbled back to avoid the swinging arms.

“Stop it!” I shouted, but they ignored me. Maverick socked Dogma in the jaw, sending him sprawling into a table. Dogma spat blood, anger flashing, and tackled Maverick around the waist. Chairs crashed. The music cut off abruptly as someone yanked the jukebox plug. Bikers crowded around, some cheering, others yelling to break it up.

At last, Taz and Pep jumped in, along with Sarge, dragging the two men apart. Maverick’s lip bled, and Dogma sported a bruised cheek.

“Cool it, assholes!” Sarge barked. “We don’t need this shit right now.” He shot me a glare, like I was partly to blame for the commotion.

Maverick shook Taz off, stepping toward me. His chest heaved, his anger pouring off him.

“What the fuck, Lexi?” he hissed, voice trembling with rage. “You letting random bikers touch you now?”

I bristled, matching his glare. “You got a problem with that? I thought you had your hands full withSky.”

He wiped blood from his mouth, eyes flashing. “Don’t you bring her into this.”

“Why not?” I snapped, thrusting a finger at his chest. “You brought her here. You told me you loved me, then come waltzing in withyour wife.You have zero right to act jealous.”

The room went silent like I had committed some crime. Some people drifted away, muttering about not wanting to witness personal drama.

Maverick exhaled, shoulders sagging. “Lexi, it’s not like that.”

“It sure looks likethat,” I said, voice quavering. Tears threatened to fall. “When you find me dancing, you lose your shit. But you’re comforting your wife, promising to keep her safe. What am I supposed to think?”

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