Page 86 of Maverick

I snorted bitterly. “I’m not blind. I saw it. But guess what, Mark? I was actually coming here to…” I cut myself off, seething. Then I decided to reveal the truth. Tear the bandage off. “To tell you, the baby isn’t yours,” I spat, chest tight. “It’s someone else’s. I lied. I’m sorry. But I can’t do this charade anymore.”

For a second, the room fell deathly silent. Mark’s eyes narrowed, emotion flickering, shock, then anger. “You’re joking,” he said, voice dangerously low. “You told me we’d conceived early on. You let me treat you like, like a mother of my child.”

Tears stung my eyes. “Well, if this is how you treat the mother of your child, I’m glad that’s not me. I’m sorry. But after seeing you with that woman…I’m done.”

He took a breath, cheeks flushing red. “You’re done?You’re done?” His voice rose. “After everything I’ve done for you, after I protected you from the mob, you’re just going to walk away? The father of that brat is some random man, isn’t it? Do you even know who?”

My jaw clenched. “He was…someone from before. Look, you’re the one cheating, so don’t act high and mighty.”

Mark’s face twisted in fury. “You think I care about that? I told you I needed an heir. I was prepared to give you everything, to make you my wife, to share the firm’s future with you. You benefit from my father’s connections, from Marciano’s protection. And now you tell me it’snotmy child?” He barked ahumorless laugh. “Too bad. I’m not letting you off the hook that easily.”

A chill crawled up my spine. “Excuse me?”

He marched around the desk, looming over me. “Youwillmarry me, Lexi. Youwillpass that baby off as mine. Because if you don’t, I can call in Marciano, have them revoke your precious agreement, and see how you like it when the Syndicate sets its sights on you again. Or, better yet, watch your friend Nova suffer. You want that?”

My blood ran cold.He’s threatening me.“You’re insane, Mark,” I breathed. “I won’t be forced into marriage. This baby isn’t yours.”

He sneered. “I don’t care whose it is. I need an heir for the firm.Youneed a father for your kid. It’s a win-win.” He gestured around, voice trembling with suppressed rage. “You enjoy the power, the safety, the money. Just keep your mouth shut about the paternity. We’ll be the perfect couple. And if you refuse, well… I have the mob on speed dial.”

My heartbeat thundered in my ears. “You’re disgusting. You want me to lie for the rest of my life, say this baby is yours, so you get your big inheritance or whatever?”

His eyes gleamed. “That’s right. I was trying to be nice, but you forced my hand. You’d better cooperate.” He reached into his desk drawer, pulling out a small velvet box.The ring.He let out a twisted chuckle. “Now’s as good a time as any.”

Before I could protest, he dropped to one knee in front of me, eyes glittering with a mix of desperation and malice. The ring glinted in the office lights.

“Lexi,” he said, voice dripping with forced sweetness, “will you marry me?”

A strangled laugh escaped me, half-sob. “You can’t be serious.”

His eyes were icy. “I’m quite serious. Or do you want your life destroyed? Your friend’s life? You want to carry a bastard child with no safety net? We both know the father’s not around. It’s that biker, right? He doesn’t care about you. You told me yourself he left.”

I felt a sharp pain in my chest.Maverick.Anger and heartbreak collided. He did leave me. But that didn’t excuse Mark’s vile behavior. Still, the cold reality was that Marciano held my life in his hands. If Mark told them I’d broken faith, they’d come after me.Fuck.I swallowed hard, tears burning.

I stared at Mark’s face. He was the devil I knew, versus a mob that wanted me dead. My baby’s safety overshadowed my pride.What choice did I have?My lip trembled. “You’re forcing me,” I whispered.

He straightened. “No, I’m giving you an option. Accept, and enjoy a secure life. Refuse, and… well, we’ll see how a mob boss handles betrayal. Not as well as me.”

My vision blurred with tears.I have to protect my baby and Nova.Maverick’sname pounded in my chest, but he was nowhere around. No cavalry to rescue me.Damn it.

I drew a trembling breath, voice barely above a whisper. “Yes,” I said, choking on the word. “I’ll marry you.”

Mark’s smirk reeked of victory. He stood, slipped the ring onto my finger. It felt cold and heavy, a prison shackle. My gut churned with revulsion.

“Good,” he said quietly. “We’ll announce our engagement soon. We’ll plan a wedding that suits our image. You’ll publicly confirm the baby is mine. Another announcementin the paper.” He paused, glancing at the desk where that other woman had been just minutes ago. “And next time, knock, okay?”

I stared at him, tears finally spilling over. I hated him at that moment. Yet I was trapped, cornered by my own lies. Wordlessly, I shoved past him, staggering into the hallway. My entire body shook with rage, grief, and terror. I felt the ring’s weight on my finger, like a chain tethering me to a future I didn’t want.

I’d said yes. Because I had no choice. If I refused, Mark would unleash the mob. He’d said it plainly.God, what have I done?The baby kicked faintly, a flutter I barely recognized. I pressed my hand to my belly, tears blurring my vision.I’m so sorry, I thought silently to my child.So sorry.

As I fled the office, ignoring the curious stares of coworkers, one thought burned through me. I had to survive. Even if it meant being engaged to a cold, manipulative lawyer who’d cheat on me and treat me like property. Ironically, he was no better than the biker I’d run from.All men who wanted ownership.That’s all I was to Mark, a tool to secure his inheritance or his firm’s future.

But there was a flicker of defiance in my heart.I’m not done fighting.My child deserved better than a forced marriage based on lies. One day, I’d find a way out. But for now, I’d have to bide my time.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I stepped into the elevator, the ring shining mockingly on my hand. I stared at the reflection in the polished metal doors, a pregnant woman, terrified and trapped, wearing an engagement ring that symbolized everything she loathed. The baby shifted again, as if sensing my distress.

I wrapped an arm around my belly, sucking in a shaky breath.I can’t let Mark or Marciano break me.Even if Maverick was gone, even if my life was tangled in lies, my child would be born, and I would protect them at all costs.I just have to keep going.

But as the elevator descended, I couldn’t stop the tears. Maverick’s face haunted my every breath. If he knew… if he’d cared… maybe none of this would be happening. Or maybe I was delusional.

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