Page 56 of Victorious: Part I

Shaking my head as I try frantically to shut off the stupid alarm, I finally manage to flip it off, seeing Sadie knowingly grinning as wide as the Cheshire cat at me. I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding as I try to calm the fuck down.

“Clover, talk to me. Do you need insulin?” Maverick snaps, concern crossing his features.

I subtly glance at Phoenix, concern crossing his expression, too, as I wave it off like it is nothing. “I’m fine, honestly. It was just the alarm saying my heart rate was going a little too fast, that’s all.”

Maverick sinks back into his seat, scrubbing at his face in relief, while Sadie continues to smile, knowing exactly what just happened. But thankfully, she doesn’t clue in my oblivious brother. “All right, well, let’s get you some rest. It’s been an eventful few days.” Maverick grits his teeth and moves his attention to Phoenix. “IfI allow you to go with Clover on this trip, I need you toswearto me that you will learn everything about her diabetes before you go, so if you run into issues, you can help her.”

Phoenix softly smiles and nods in agreement. “I’ll take care of her. You have my word. If I can’t be here to be a part of the war, my duty for the club is protecting Clover, and I take thatveryseriously.”

Maverick hesitates, his eyes meeting Sadie’s, and she smiles at him. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Phoenix stands, straightening his shoulders, and then those intense eyes drop to mine again. “Guess I better start making a playlist for the road trip. Any requests?” he asks.

“Well, I mean, there’s always 153 Days, and, of course, you can’t go without Taylor Swift,” I reply.

Phoenix stares at me blankly, or maybe it’s that look you get when you’re constipated? Either way, he lets out a long puff of air. “Okay, this is gonna be a long drive. Leave it with me. I’ll make your playlist.”

Smiling wide, I giggle. “Thank you,” I chime as he walks off, shaking his head, but before he gets too far, he turns back. “Oh, and snacks. I’ll grab snacks.” Maverick goes to interrupt, but Phoenix beats him to it. “Blood sugar friendly, of course. And I’m gonna go talk to Alpha now too. Just to let him know I’m going to be Clover’s bodyguard while she’s in Vegas. If you guys are okay with me doing that?”

Sadie and I both stare at Maverick intensely as he huffs, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, brother. You go tell him.”

Phoenix dips his head at Maverick, then glances at me, the corner of his lips turning up just slightly, then he spins and takes off. A silence falls over the three of us as Sadie and I grin at each other while Maverick stews in his own annoyance.

But it’s Sadie who makes the first move by cuddling into him and sliding her hands up around his neck. “Thank you. I know you haven’t seen it yet, but thisisgoing to be good for both of us when this war starts. Knowing that the two of them will befaraway from this will ease our minds.”

He wraps his arms around her and nods. “No, I do see it, but I don’t have to like it.”

Letting out a small chuckle, I reach forward, placing my hand on his knee. “I’m gonna be okay. I don’t know why you’re so freaking worried aboutme? You guys will be the ones fighting a damn war while I’m off sightseeing. How doesthatseem logical?”

Maverick reaches out, taking my hand in his. “Serious talk?”

Furrowing my brows, I scoff. “You mean allthatwasn’t serious?”

He licks his lips, his eyes instantly turning somber. “If I call or text you and tell you we’re going to fight, and you can’t get hold of me or anyone else at the club, you and Phoenix go talk to Sin at Las Vegas Defiance, and youstay there. You make a home for yourselves, and you donotcome back here underanycircumstances. Do you hear what I’m saying?”

Tears instantly flood my eyes, my bottom lip trembling as Sadie weakly smiles at me, a simple nod confirming my thoughts. She’s staying because ifthisis the end result—if the club loses, she doesn’t want to be in a world without Maverick—she wants to go out with him.

I can’t hold back my emotions as the tears flow freely now, and I rush forward, taking my brother into my arms, quietly sobbing against his chest as he holds me. “I… I d-don’t think I can l-leave n-now,” I whisper.

He pulls me back, his glistening eyes meeting mine. “You can, and youwill. I fucking love you, Clo, and I promise you that me and the guys are going to doeverythingwe can to take this motherfucker down, but, just in case, where do you have to go?”

Scrunching up my face, my stomach floats right back into outer space. “Las Vegas Defiance.”

He nods in acknowledgment. “Good! And who do you have to talk to there?”

Inhaling deeply, my shoulders sag. “Sin,” I whisper.

Maverick smiles, that same old big brother smile, and somehow, I am right back to when we were younger. Just him and me fighting to make our way through this godforsaken world. We’ve been through so much, and the thought of us not being together hurts like a thousand sledgehammers pelting me at once.

But I know if I don’t leave, he won’t be able to focus.

And if he doesn’t focus on the fight, it’s far more dangerous for him.

So, I have to leave and hope like hell thatevery timeI call, he picks up his freaking cell.

Because if he doesn’t—I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself from coming back home…

To a warzone that has already been lost.

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