Page 79 of Pit Stop

“Yeah, but blood’s blood. So, call him. He wants to catch up.”

Maverick doesn’t say anything to that, just ends up answering some more questions from his mom while I remain silent. That is, until she leans into him again, making rude comments. Like she can’t help herself. Like just being near him draws it out of her.

I can feel his irritation with each spoken word, can feel how upset it’s making him.

I get why he doesn’t speak to her, why he’s kept her a secret.

“So, you still working at that shitty garage? You know I never did like those boys you hung out with, but it seems you still associate with them. Seems my opinions don’t matter.”

Maverick doesn’t reply, just stares down at his half-eaten food.

“You know, Skylar, I always thought he’d do something with his life, but here he is, working on fucking cars. You know he sold one in high school and didn’t even ask much for it? Basically gave it away for free. Coulda used that money for rent.”

Maverick still says nothing, but I can feel the irritation seeping from him, the hurt.

“You still living in that trailer? The one Joe gave you? You ever fix it up?”

“Nope.”

“Still as shitty as it was then, hm?” she scoffs and then meets my stare. “A college grad going for someone like my son. I think you could have done better?—”

That’s fucking it. I cut her off with a slash of my tongue.

“I think I’ve done just fine withyour son.” I spit those last two words out. “He’s generous and kind, and he treats me well. Not to mention he’s hot as fuck and a hard worker. He takes care of me, which is more than I think you ever did for him. I couldn’t care less if he lives in a trailer or works in a garage. I could do far worse than someone like him. And honestly, the way you speak about him is disgusting. I’m losing my appetite, Mav. I wanna go.”

His mom glowers at me, her cheeks slightly flushed, surprise on her face. She didn’t expect me to talk back, but honestly, what did she expect? She’s treating my mate like trash.

I fumble around in my wallet and pull out a few bills, tossing them on the counter.

“Keep the change. I don’t want to wait for it anyway.”

I stand up and grab Maverick’s hand, pulling him toward the exit. He’s silent and part of me wonders if I overstepped, but godsdamnit. He was just sitting there and letting her shit all over him. I hated it, and I won’t stand for it. Maybe his next mate will, but not me.

“I’m not sorry about any of that,” I say as I shove the helmet on my head and meet his stare. I clip it under my chin and put my hands on my hips. “She was rude and I couldn’t stand it.”

He blinks down at me, his hand moving toward the back of my neck. He squeezes it gently, pulling me toward him. His lips land on mine, a soft kiss that grows more fevered. I groan into him and hold on to his shoulders to keep myself standing.

I can feel several emotions swirling through me, tightening around my chest. Relief, possession, and something else I can’t quite make out. But it makes my heart pitter-patter all the same.

When he finally pulls away, my lips chasing his, he brushes a thumb across my cheek.

“No one’s ever stood up for me before.”

“No one?” I ask, breathless.

“No one but you.”

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

MAVERICK

When I saidthat no one’s ever stood up for me, I meant it. Not my dad—who is long dead, not my mom, and certainly not my incarcerated brother. All of them are shit. The only one who came close to standing up for me was Forest, but it was nothing like what Skye did back there.

He never talked to my mom that way.

He’s thrown a few punches in bars and some drunken verbal jabs at people who insulted me, but he’s never really taken a stand.

---