Page 5 of Maverick

“Take your shit elsewhere or I’ll break your goddamn jaw,” he barked.

I fiddled with my vest, trying to get it straight as my heart pounded out of my chest. Nova stepped beside me, eyes wide, breathing hard. Maverick glanced at us. When his gaze locked on mine, a flicker of concern, it seemed, crossed his gorgeous eyes.

“You all right?” he asked, his tone a touch gentler, but still carrying an edge.

I nodded, my cheeks burning so hot I thought I might catch fire. “Yeah. Thanks. I was handling it.”

He raised a sexy eyebrow, unconvinced. “Sure you were, princess,” he said dryly, but he offered a nod of respect all the same. Then he stepped closer, as if to shield me from prying eyes, as I was still trying to fix myself. He said nothing for a moment, just studied me, my hands digging in the vest to pull up the cup of my bra. His eyes flicked over my curves, but not in a leering way. More like he was assessing whether I was genuinely okay.

Finally, he extended a hand. “Name’s Maverick.”

Done righting myself, I took it, noticing how large and warm his hand was. I opened my mouth, but Lexi spoke. “She’s Smutty, and I’m Slutty.”

I gave her a look of death.

“What? Maverick’s not his real name,” she argued.

“Smutty?” he asked, a smirk on his handsome face. “With a full bush?”

Fuck, he heard that. Cringing inside, I died from embarrassment. That was so not true. I was as bald below as any twenty-five year old. Nevertheless, I was too mortified to even address it.

“Lexi,” I murmured, pushing my glasses up. “This is my friend, Nova. Or at least she was.”

He bowed at Nova, then turned back to me. “What’re you doing here? You’re obviously not from this crowd.”

Before I could answer, a familiar voice slurred out behind him. “There you are, big boy!”

I craned my neck to look around the big hunk of a biker, only to see my mother.Dirty Diana, in the flesh, stumbling toward us with a half-empty bottle of liquor in one hand. My stomach sank at the sight of her. She looked way older than her fifty-five years, her skin weathered from too much sun and too many late nights, dark hair sticking up in all directions. She wore a denim vest that showed off her skinny arms and a skirt that left little to the imagination, as in her belly. I’d never seen another woman with a beer gut.

But the biggest blow was seeing her wrap a wrinkly arm around Maverick’s bicep like she owned him. “Hey, baby,” she purred, pressing herself to his side. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Maverick didn’t reject her. He simply gave her a small, tight smile. And I stood there, with a twisting stomach.

Was this the man my mom was…with?

He seemed about my age, possibly thirty, undoubtedly younger than mid-thirties. The difference in their ages and the sight of her pawing at him made my cheeks flame in frustration.

Nova, clueless to my inner turmoil, leaned over and whispered, “Isthatyour mom?”

I swallowed. “Yes.”

Mom’s eyes swung to me. She blinked as if trying to focus. “Lexi, baby, you made it!” She broke into a grin, releasing Maverick to sway in my direction. She flung her arms around my neck, nearly toppling me with her liquor-laced breath. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. I was telling Maverick all about you. My sweet, smart daughter, who’s a lawyer now!”

I forced a smile, embarrassed and worried all at once. “Yeah, Mom, I’m here. You said you needed my help.”

She bowed, then tossed back another swig from the bottle in her hand, ignoring the crowd around us. “Yes, yes,” she muttered. “Some asshole’s threatening me, claiming I…well…that’s not important right now.”

“Uh, itisimportant,” I insisted, but she waved me off. “Mom, are you drunk right now?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended as my childhood came rushing back to me.

She shrugged, blinking rapidly. “It’s a party, ain’t it?” Then she cackled, planting a sloppy kiss on Maverick’s cheek. “Look at this hunk-a-dunk,” she slurred. “He’s been real sweet, taking care of me.”

I wanted to melt into the ground. Nova sent me a wide-eyed glance that said,Holy shit, your mom is hooking up with that.

Meanwhile, Maverick’s expression was unreadable. He wasn’t trying to get away.

“I see you’ve found a…friend,” I said slowly, unable to hide my disapproval.

Mom rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t start. I’m a grown woman, Lexi. I can sleep with whoever I want. You kids today are missing out. We burned our bras, so you didn’t have to keep your legs glued shut. You’re the one who’s here to help me. Not to judge me.” She wobbled on her feet again.

---