Page 55 of Victorious: Part I

Sadie flips Phoenix the bird as Maverick spins to face us, bringing Sadie with him. “All right, so now we have all this settled, when will you be leaving, Clo?”

Inhaling sharply, I raise my brow, trying to think it all through. “I mean, I need to talk to my clients to make sure we have the itinerary set in stone, and once I get the approval, I should be good to go. Maybe twenty-four to forty-eight hours?”

Maverick’s shoulders instantly relax. “Good. The sooner I can get you out of here, the better.”

Sadie locks eyes with Phoenix, her eyes narrowing like she is debating whether or not to say anything, but then she widens them with clear determination. She glances down at Maverick, her hand clenching around his club cut, almost as if she is bracing herself. He furrows his brows at her as she begins talking, “Just hear me out before you flat out say no.”

Maverick shakes his head, letting out a small laugh. “Fuck. No good conversation ever started with those words.”

Sadie shifts her gaze back to Phoenix. “Wes, I know you’ve only just patched in, and you want more than anything to prove yourself to this club as a valuable member—”

“Where the hell is this going?” Maverick grumbles.

“Sadie…” Phoenix exhales. “Please don’t cause shit for me.”

She rubs at the back of her head in hesitation but continues anyway. “Just hear me out, both of you. Mav, I know you want Clover out of town by any means necessary. But you can’t tell me that you aren’t a little anxious for her to go on her own without a protection detail,right?”

Maverick scowls, a low rumble escaping his chest because he knows she’s right. “Youmaybe right, but I don’t like the direction you’re taking this in, Cupcake.”

Sadie stares into his eyes. “Then think of it this way, you want your sister away from this fight for her protection. I want the same for my little brother—”

“Not really little anymore, but—”

“Not the point, Phoenix,” Sadie grumbles at him, and he raises his hands in defeat. “My point is that we can kill two birds with one stone here. Protectbothour siblings and send protection for Clover at the same time. Thisisa win-win!”

My stomach flutters at the thought of being alone on the road with Phoenix. I can’t even imagi—

“DoIget a say in this?” Phoenix snaps, his brows furrowed like he’sreallyfucking pissed off.

Instead of fluttering, now my stomach falls straight through the clubhouse floor, continues into the molten core of the earth, out the other side, and is now free falling through the vast void of endless space, a singed, battered, and drained of oxygen clump of icy space rock.

My stomach is now a fucking useless space rock.

Blinking my eyes rapidly to try and calm the raging storm inside me, I speak before anyone else can. “It’s fine. Totally fine. I can go on my own. I don’t need to be babysat. I’m not little anymore, either.”

Phoenix looks at me, his eyes softer now. “Shit, Clo, that’s not what I mean—”

“Look, I understand what you’re saying, Cupcake. I do. And in a way, it makes sense, but Phoenix is a patched member now. Heneedsto be here for the fight. End of discussion,” Maverick states.

Sadie glances at her brother, her face falling in sadness, then she turns back to Maverick. “Babe, I know you don’t trustany manwith Clover, but you trust me.Right?”

He scowls like he is insulted. “Of course, I fucking trust you, Sadie. Where are you going with this?”

She exhales. “Then,please,Mav. Trust me when I tell you that my brother, the man who risked his life for me, the man who stayed at a club who tormented him just so I had a chance to stay hidden, is a decent guy. I understand you have reservations because of the club he came from. Because of things he had to do while at the Serpents. But please. For me. Justtryto remember that heonlydid that out of his love and devotion to keepmealive.”

Maverick exhales and his posture softens, but only a little. “He did that for you becauseyou’rehis sister. Why would he take that kind of care ofmysister?”

Sadie smiles wide. “Because that’s just the kind of man he is. It’s just that no one will give him the damn chance to prove it.”

Phoenix clears his throat, exhaling while rubbing the back of his neck. “While I hate that Sadie’s making me out to be some kind of glorified saint while I’m supposed to be a tough, badass biker, she is telling it as it is. I’d fucking roll over first before I letanyonetouch my sister. And I’d do the same for any of the women here in the club. In fact, any of the brothers here too.” His eyes meet mine, and that same static and butterfly feeling catapults through my stomach.Maybe it is still in there somewhere?

“And as for Clover? I wouldn’t letanyonenear her, Mav. If they tried, then you’d see the Serpent in me come roaring back. I’d tear those fuckers limb from limb if they even made herthinkshe was in danger. So, would I take care of Clover? Yeah, you bet your ass I would.”

Inhaling sharply, I can’t stop staring at him, my heart racing so fucking fast I don’t know if I’m about to pass out, or—BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

Shit!

My eyes widen in shock as my alarm blares, snapping me out of my trance. I shift my hand to my watch as Maverick shifts closer to me. “You okay? What’s going on?”

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