Chapter 3
Titan looked around the room,noting the tiny space and the lack of any mess. It was clear to him she hadn’t been there long, and it was also clear she didn’t plan to stay. So what the hell was she up to? He’d come here ready to light into her over her actions but as she stood up to him and gave him hell it was an altogether different fire being lit inside his veins.
He admired her grit and determination, and something told him that, whatever reason she had for leaving Tyrique, it wasn’t a selfish one. Her first thought had been for the baby that could very well be his son. That didn’t sound like someone who didn’t care, and from the ease with which they’d found her, she wasn’t some high-level criminal either.
“So, you planning on standing there and sucking up all the action or are you gonna speak?”
Titan felt a smirk pull at his lips as she crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow at him in challenge. She was cute in a snarky kind of way. Nearly a foot shorter than him and still giving him shit. Maybe he was losing his touch if he couldn’t even intimidate one tiny woman. Yet, the thought of her being afraid of him soured his belly. “You got quite the mouth on you, don’t ya?”
A snort, which shouldn’t have been endearing but was, came from her as she dropped her hands and paced.
“So I hear.”
His gaze dropped to the curve of her ass, and images of her bent over the bed as he slid inside her, popped into his brain like an erotic slide show.
Fuck!
What the hell kind of spell was she weaving? He was here to find out why she’d dumped Tyrique like he was nothing with a man she didn’t even know.
Clenching his fists as he fought the urge to reach out and touch her, he ground his jaw, and her eyes moved over his face, her lips parting.
Damn, she felt it too and that made this so much harder to ignore, but ignore it he would because right now he needed answers more than he needed to get laid. Getting his dick wet was what probably caused this in the first place.
“How about we cut the shit and you tell me what the fuck is going on? Maybe start by telling me where the hell Rose is in all this?”
The instant her sister’s name left his lips he saw the wounded look on her pretty face and wanted to snatch the harshness back. His gut was telling him whatever had happened was bad. Lifting a hand, he made to reach for her to offer some kind of comfort but dropped it when she backed away. What the hell was he thinking? He had no right to touch this woman. He didn’t know her. “Please tell me, Maya?”
Her eyes widened a fraction at his use of her name, considering she hadn’t given it to him.
“I guess you know who I am then.”
Titan nodded once. “Maya Sharp. Twenty-seven and a graduate of Manchester University. You got a two-one with honours in civil engineering.”
Her brows rose as she shoved her hands in her jeans pockets and blew out a breath. “Impressive.” Her head cocked as if she is trying to figure out how to frame her next words. “Rose is dead.”
A pang of deep sadness slammed into his chest at her words. Not because he had some deep connection to Rose, but because her death was clearly painful for the woman in front of him and Tyrique would grow up without his mother.
“I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
His gaze caressed her face as he watched her blink away the tears, nod, and then shore up her emotions. The urge to hold her and make things right hit him again and he had to fight the instinct to step forward and drag her into his arms.
“Did Rose really not tell you about Tyrique?”
He gave his head a slow shake, not wanting to hurt this woman or sully her memories of her sister, but the truth was, he never heard from Rose again after that one night. Shame that he’d never even thought about her or considered there could have been consequences weighed heavy too. “She didn’t. I would never have abandoned my child.”
Maya nodded, her lip trembling as she sank to the bed.
“How did she die?” His voice was low and soft, or as soft as he could make it, as he crouched in front of her. Deep brown eyes with green around the edges met his, and she swallowed, the movement causing his gaze to move to her delicate neck.
Thoughts of her pulse hammering beneath his fingers as he made her scream his name had him almost miss her next words.
“She was murdered.”
His stare shot to her face and ice slid through his veins. “Murdered?”
Maya shrugged. “The police say it was suicide but I know my sister and she did not kill herself.”
He understood how hard it was for families to accept the suicide of a loved one. So many emotions came with the action of taking one’s own life, at least for the families. Yet her reaction made him want to know more. If Rose was killed and Tyrique was his son, the child could be in danger and it was Titan’s job to protect him and his aunt and avenge the mother he’d never know.
“You don’t believe me?”
Maya looked at him with so much disappointment he wanted torest his head on her lap and promise her he would fix everything, but he didn’t.“I do, but I also know how hard it is to accept suicide from someone you love.”
Maya pushed to stand, leaving him at eye level with her pussy, but instead of staying there and savouring the moment, he stood and faced her anger and indignation.
“This was clearly a mistake. Just give me Tyrique and I’ll leave you in peace to go on with your life.”
As she moved to shove past him, he snatched her wrist and pulled her closer. Her breasts slammed against his chest and he felt her hard nipples rub against him as her breath heaved in and out in anger, and maybe something else. Something more visceral.
“Not so fast. I didn’t say I don’t believe you, I said it’s hard. You left Tyrique with me for a reason, and I want to know what that reason is.”
Maya glared at him as she wrenched her arm away. “I don’t owe you anything.”
“Maybe not, but I’m asking nicely. Tell me why you left Tyrique and why you think Rose was murdered. Maybe I can help.”
Maya gave a short unamused laugh. “These people are dangerous. You can’t help me, nobody can.”
The hair lifted on the back of his neck at her words. “Dangerous how?”
Maya shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Just take me to Tyrique and I’ll get out of your hair.”
If she thought for one second he was going to let her walk away after that bombshell and with his son in tow, she had another thing coming. “You don’t know me, Maya, so I’m going to let that insult go, but if you think for one second I’m going to let you face this alone and with my son, then you’re in for a shock.”
“You don’t get it. These people, they don’t fuck around, and you might be some big hero mountain rescue guy, but these are deadly criminals with gang ties and no remorse. Tyrique has lost enough, I won’t drag youinto this and have him lose his only remaining parent.”
If she only knew that she was in a room alone with probably the most feared gang leader in London at one time, she’d run for the hills. “So, you’re going to do, what? Face them alone?”
The thought chilled his blood and had every instinct he had rebelling at the thought. The desire to protect this woman was like a burr under his skin, and he couldn’t get rid of it.
Titan watched as shame coloured her cheeks pink and she looked away. “I’m going to continue to work off my sister’s debts and then I’m going to pack up my life and take Tyrique far away.”
Titan reached out and gently lifted her chin so her eyes were on his. “What do you mean work off her debts?”
He had a horrible feeling slithering through him, and it took every ounce of his composure to keep himself from picking her up and running with her. But that would only scare her more and, despite her bravado, she was frightened. For that alone, these motherfuckers would pay with their lives.
“It’s nothing. Just some dancing and stuff.”
Titan didn’t need to know more, what she hadn’t said was enough. He knew ‘dancing’ was stripping and he knew ‘stuff’ was code for selling her body.
“They won’t let you go, Maya. Now they have you, they’ll work you until you’re of no further use and then they’ll kill you.”
Her glossy eyes stared into his as her lip wobbled. “I had no choice. They threatened to kill Tyrique. They came to my home, or what was Rose’s home, and made it clear if I don’t do as they say, I’m dead and so is Tyrique. That’s why you need to take him. Love him, care for him, and show him a good life.”
Wrapping his hand around the back of her head, he pulled her against his chest and she came willingly as sobs engulfed her small frame. Her hands gripped his shirt as tears soaked his skin and he knew that, whether that paternity test came back positive or not, he wasn’t walking away from this woman and child.
A loud sniff made him look down as she pushed away and tried to wipe her eyes with her sleeve.
His phone was pinging wildly in his pocket and he knew it was the team wanting an update. Ignoring it all, he went into the bathroom, soaked a washcloth with cool water, and handed it to Maya.
“Here.”
“Thanks, I’m a hot mess right now.”
“No, you’re a woman dealing with a shit situation you shouldn’t even be near and doing the best you can.”
Her voice was still a little watery as she spoke. “Well, my best isn’t enough.”
He left some space as he sat beside her, conscious of his size and how intimidating it could be for her, especially after what she’d just told him, but he couldn’t help but slide his palm against hers.
“You aren’t alone, Maya. I might not have known about Tyrique before, but now I do. I’ll protect him and you.”
“How? You don’t get it—”
He cut her off. “I do. More than you could ever know.”
She sighed tiredly. He could feel the exhaustion pulling at her and wanted to take it all away and ease every fear she had.
“What should I call you?”
He tipped his head at her question. “My friends call me Titan.”
Maya cocked her head, pursing her lips. “Are we friends?”
“Not yet, but we just became family.”
“Titan feels wrong. Like I’m in some army movie or something.”
God, how close she was. “How about you call me Daddy?”
Maya laughed and then gagged as she pretended to vomit. “Gross. I’m not calling you daddy and I donot have a daddy kink.”
Titan felt his lips twitch. “I meant because I’m Tyrique’s dad, but it’s interesting your mind went there. Tell me more.”
“Ha, you totally didn’t mean that, you perv.”
Titan slapped his hand over his heart. “You wound me. I was being proper and you accuse me of being a perv.”
Maya laughed exactly as he’d hoped she would. Her smile lit up the small room and warmed the ice swimming in his veins from the revelations she’d made.
“You’re weird.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, probably but it made you smile so it was worth it.”
“So what do I call you?”
“How about Allen.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t work for me. My professor was Allen, and he was creepy.”
He rubbed a thumb over his bottom lip to hide the smirk, as he shook his head.
“How about Ti?”
“Yeah, that works.”
Maya sobered as she gazed at their still-entwined hands. “Is Tyrique okay?”
“He’s fine, although the first nappy I changed will leave everlasting scars on my psyche.”
Maya chuckled. “Yeah, he is a little gross. I blame his father.”
Titan felt his eyebrows rise. “Are you saying I’m full of shit?”
“If the cap fits.”
Titan shrugged. “My friends would probably agree with you.”
“Can you take me to Tyrique? I really need to see him.”
“I will and then we’ll talk, okay?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No. I want to help you and you’re gonna let me.”
Maya stood, her hand slipping from his grasp. He immediately felt the loss and closed his fist to stop the feeling from making him act on it and pull her back.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good enough.” Titan looked around the room at her meagre belongings. “Grab your stuff. You can stay at mine tonight.”
He’d move into the small house he’d bought in Longtown and rarely stayed in to protect the integrity of Shadow. It wasn’t huge or as secure as the compound, but it was more secure than most homes and he doubted anyone had followed her here. Nothing he’d seen had suggested that they had, which begged the question, if she could get away, why not keep running instead of going back? Something else he’d ask her when she was less likely to run.