Page 59 of Maverick

“Okay, Orion. Let’s finish packing and get out of here. Me and you back on the road again, just like old times.”

Chapter Eighteen

Maverick

After my talk withWrench and Striker and some self-reflection, I headed into the clubhouse to search for Willow. I wanted to sit down and talk with her and maybe see if she would stay.

I still had my doubts but needed to talk to her first. As I walked around the corner into the bar, I saw Goose sitting on a barstool with Bambi on his lap. At the other end, Ellie Jo was scowling at them with a tall, brightly colored drink in her hand.

“Hey, Goose. What’s going on?”

He smiled up at me as he took a sip of his beer, “Not much, Brother. What’s going on with you? You look all...depressed and shit.”

“Just shit with Willow. Speaking of her, have you seen her around?”

Goose shook his head and ran his hand up Bambi’s thigh. She slapped his hand away and hopped off his lap, coming toward me.

“She was in the garage with Wrench last time I saw her. She was crying, Mav. What’s going on? I really like her.”

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “Just a lot, Bambi. I have no clue why she would be crying though. Haven’t talked to her all morning.”

The door to the clubhouse opened and Wrench strolled in. He nodded toward Ellie Jo and then turned to look at me. I could see the anger in his eyes as he stalked toward me.

“You’re a dead man, Maverick. Willow heard everything you said this morning. She’s leaving. Fucking leaving and it’s all your fault!”

“My fault? I did nothing! I was going to talk to her. What did you say to make her leave? I heard you were chatting it up while she was crying. What’s your fucking game plan here, Wrench?”

He balled his fists up and came closer to me. “Watch it, Mav. I’m not fucking playing. I offered her my home so she wouldn’t leave. Tried to convince her to stay. But it was your words to Striker that made her leave. It was the words you wouldn’t say to her that made her leave. Now she’s off by herself and in danger.”

“Fuck!” I slammed my fist against the bartop and cursed under my breath. My plan was falling apart and I didn’t know what to do.

Goose laughed and I slowly turned to him. “You know what, Sawyer. I’m really sick and tired of your shit. I care a lot about her and you’ve just turned your back on me. I don’t give a shit what you think anymore. Like her, don’t like her. I don’t fucking care. All I know is that woman makes me happier than I’ve ever been.”

“Funny way of showing it, Mav. Let her go, Brother. Plenty of tail to chase here. Why would you want to pursue somebody who won’t even talk to you? She’s got too much baggage anyway.”

“Fuck you, Sawyer! She means the world to me! I would give up all of this to make her happy. I would follow her to the ends of the earth, just to tell her what she means to me.”

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