Page 72 of Maverick

They all turned when I walked in. The older bodyguard type tensed, sliding a hand under the table. A flash of metal told me he was ready to draw a gun. The second goon, broad-shouldered, scowled, shifting as if to stand. The pretty-boy suit tightened his grip on Lexi’s shoulder, and she stiffened.

“You should leave,” the pretty boy said, voice smooth as oil. “You’re not needed.”

I ignored him, locking eyes with Lexi, who stared back through teary lashes. Her face was blotchy, heartbreak carved into every line. I felt sick. “Lexi,” I said, “Are you okay? Why are these men here?”

She lifted her chin, trying to hide her tears. “I’m… I’m fine,” she managed. But her voice trembled. “Everything is settled now.” She gestured to the papers, hand shaking. “I’m signing a contract.”

My hands curled into fists. “What contract?”

The older goon glowered, pushing his jacket aside to reveal a holstered pistol. A warning. But I was too furious to care. I took another step forward. “You can’t do this, Lexi. You can’t trust them.”

The pretty-boy suit stood, moving around the table to block me. He was about my height, but thinner, with well-groomed hair and an expensive watch. She said his name.

Mark? That name from when she told me about her law firm stabbed my memory.

“You’re not her attorney,” Mark said coldly. “And you’re certainly not her friend, from what I hear. This is a private legal matter. Everything’s settled.”

“A private legal matter involving Marciano, right?”

Lexi spoke up, voice thick with tears. “I agreed not to stake any claim to the Getty family empire, if Alexander Getty really was my father. Marciano and his associates will leave me alone. They’ll keep me safe from Ralph. It’s all here in writing.” She gestured vaguely at the documents.

Safe from Ralph Getty and Sky, who’d just tried to kill her, but she didn’t know that. The irony stung. “Grinder wants to use Lexi as leverage? Are you fucking insane?” I could protect her better than any mafia scumbag, if she’d let me. “Lexi, that’s a lie. They’ll never keep you truly safe. They’ll twist this into controlling you. I can keep you safe.”

The older goon cleared his throat, leaning forward. “We’re not here to harm her. We have an arrangement with her law firm. Ms. Bryan is a valued employee,” His tone dripped with condescension.

The pretty boy nodded, giving Lexi a side hug that made my stomach churn. “Yes, and once everything’s processed, she won’t need bikers or guns. She’ll have corporate protection. She won’t need to go anywhere.” He winked, which nearly made me lunge across the table.

Lexi’s eyes brimmed with fresh tears. She spoke softly, “Maverick, I can’t keep running. I can’t handle more shootouts, more betrayal. At least here, at home, in Texas and at Martin & Sons, I know what I’m dealing with.”

My voice dropped to a growl. “I don’t trust these men to keep you safe.”

The older man stood, smoothing his suit jacket. “We’ll manage Maverick, or whatever your name is now,” he said, letting me know he knew who I was. A threat. “This is done. Good day.” He gave Lexi a nod, then motioned to the other goon. They collected the papers with minimal fuss.

Lexi turned away, burying her face in the pretty boy’s chest, sobbing softly. My gut twisted with rage and hurt. That bastard, Mark, stroked her hair, shooting me a smug look.

“Everything’s settled,” Mark said, his tone dripping with finality. “No more bikers or running. She can get her life back. She’ll be at the office soon enough, right, Lexi?” He winked at her, trying to be charming. I was enraged at how close he was to her.

I wanted to throw the table aside, smash the pen, burn those fucking papers. But the guns under the suits’ jackets told me that would end badly. And the haunted look on Lexi’s face… Maybe I’d just make it worse.

A beat of silence lingered, then Lexi managed a whisper. “Thank you, Mark. And, thank you, Mr. Russo,” she added, addressing the older goon. “I appreciate this.”

Appreciate? These men killed her mother. She was handing over her freedom to some twisted mob-legal alliance, all because I couldn’t protect her.

She didn’t even look up from Mark’s shoulder. The men at the table gathered their things, the pen, the contract. The older man’s phone buzzed, and he muttered something about “Mr. Marciano expecting an update.” They started out, and Mark angled Lexi with him, a protective arm around her.

Once they were out the door, Lexi’s eyes met mine. “It’s not all bad. They’re paying me hush money. I’ll be under their watch, not the Gettys. I can go back to my life, my job… maybe in a few days.” She swallowed hard, blinking tears away. “You… you should go.”

My pulse pounded so loud I could barely think. “Lex, you don’t have to do this. If you come with me, I can help you.”

She shook her head, a quiet sob escaping. “No more clubs. No more… us. I can’t trust anything anymore. Especially you.”

“Let me explain,” I started, wanting to pour my heart out.

She held up her hand. “Don’t you think you’ve caused enough trouble?” Her gaze flicked to my bandaged shoulder. “I see you’re hurt. Another shootout, right? That’s exactly why I can’t do it.”

A crushing weight settled in my chest. She was given up on me. The revelation nearly buckled my knees. I wanted to scream about Sky’s betrayal, about how she’d set me up, how none of it was my intention. But the fear in Lexi’s eyes told me I was too late. She believed I was responsible for her heartbreak, and maybe I was.

“Lexi, you wear my brand, remember?”

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