48. Maverick
48
Maverick
I fucking loved this woman with every fiber of my being. Every moment I spent with her, I dove a little further into the madness that was this relationship, this… love.
I held my hand out for her after climbing out of the black town car. The flush on Sophie’s cheeks and the subtle clearing of her throat told me that the butt plug was affecting her.
Smirking at her naughty responsiveness, I pressed a hand to her lower back and turned to face the venue: a sprawling mansion that seemed to boast as much power and wealth as its inhabitants. And it was all blood money.
The manicured lawn transformed into a vision of high society, strings of fairy lights woven through the foliage that cast a dim glow on the guests with champagne flutes in hand.
“Remember, these people are chess pieces in the game we’re playing,” I whispered into Sophie’s ear as we wove through the crowd, my arm wrapped proprietarily around her waist to keep her close.
“Which makes us the king and queen,” she responded with a playful smile.
“Damn right, baby.” We were going to burn my family to the ground and take it all back, control our narrative from here on out. I just had to be patient.
Navigating through the sea of people, we stopped to chat with potential allies—sleekly dressed business moguls with calculating eyes and socialites with sharp claws concealed beneath their elegant facades. Sophie played her role perfectly at my side, her charm and poise effortlessly matching mine.
As we were finally seated at our table for dinner, I could see Sophie shifting uncomfortably in her seat. I knew she was struggling to conceal her arousal, but it wouldn’t be much longer until I could satisfy her. Leaning over, I draped my arm across the back of her chair.
“How hot and bothered are you?” I whispered seductively.
She quickly glanced around the table before turning to me with a desperate look in her eyes. “I need you to fuck me so bad, I think I might die.”
I couldn’t help but let out a laugh at her eagerness. Brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face, I said, “Soon, my love. I promise to take care of you. You’re doing amazing.”
Her narrowed eyes and pursed lips showed that she was still frustrated, but she didn’t press the issue. Instead, she slid her hand over my thigh and squeezed, unaware of all the ways I had fantasized about fucking her tonight.
***
The clink of crystal glasses accompanied the low murmur of post-dinner mingling as I guided Sophie through the throng of tailored suits and expensive dresses. Her laughter was rich and unfiltered as we made light conversation. She had a way of making the extravagance seem suddenly absurd, the chandeliers too gaudy, the conversations too contrived. Everything about this lifestyle I once tolerated was dimmed when I was around her, unimpressive because I had something much bigger and brighter now.
“Enjoying your whiskey?” I asked in a low voice, watching her lips part for another sip. And yeah, I fucking needed her as much as she needed me.
“More than the company,” she murmured. She didn’t have to say it; we both wanted out of this place, but I had one last stop to make while we were here…
That’s when I saw them—my parents. My spine stiffened, my hand tightening imperceptibly around my glass. They floated from person to person, their eyes hawklike and missing nothing as they surveyed the room, never once lingering on the woman at my side. Clearly, they had no idea who she was.
Perfect.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, feeling the weight of the evening shift. I braced for the storm that was to come. Sophie noticed the change, her body instinctively leaning into mine. She took in my reaction and steeled her spine, plastering a fake smile on her face as the two impeccably dressed predators closed in.
“Your parents?” she asked.
“Yep.” I ground my teeth, preparing for the onslaught, the accusations, the cold dismissal they’d mastered. “They don’t know about us yet. Still think you’re the enemy.”
“Let them come,” she said smoothly, strength lacing her words as she took a defiant swig from her glass, her other hand finding my lower back—a gesture of our unity as a team. “I’m not scared of them, but they’re scared of me. Let’s use that.”
Understanding passed between us. This wasn’t just a game anymore—it was war, and Sophie wasn’t one to back down. Neither was I. Not anymore. My father would no longer use me as a pawn in his sick games.
“Mother. Father,” I said, inclining my head toward them as they approached. My voice was steady, but inside, the familiar coil of agitation and hatred tightened. Sophie’s fingers brushed against mine. My silent strength and support.
“Margaret. Rick,” Sophie greeted with deceptive warmth, steady and unflinching. She knew their names, disarming them since they had yet to figure out who she was.
“Maverick,” my mother cooed with a cold smile that didn’t reach her eyes, identical to mine. “Who’s your date?”
Sophie squeezed my hand, and I found solace in her touch. “I’d like you to formally meet Sophie Reyes.”
Both of my parents froze.
“What the fuck are you thinking bringing her here?” Dad hissed, his face turning a ripe shade of red that brought me way too much pleasure.
I gave him a smug smirk over my glass before I took a sip. “Haven’t you heard? We’re together.”
Mom scoffed, a snarl peeling her lips back. “Don’t be ludicrous, Maverick.”
My brows rose, but Sophie spoke before I could respond. “I’m sure this comes as a shock to you both, but Maverick and I have been involved for months now.”
“Months,” Dad echoed, a look of betrayal in his eyes. I wondered if that betrayal was what Eddie felt in his final moments. “ Months ?"
Mom stepped closer and jabbed a finger in Sophie’s face. Sophie didn’t flinch, but turned her chin up so she was looking down at my mother, even though my mother was taller. “Are you here to dismantle our empire piece by piece, or have you found a new hobby?”
“Actually,” Sophie drawled, pushing Mom’s hand out of her face and clutching mine tighter. “We’re getting married.”
The silence that followed was deafening. My father’s eyes narrowed into slits, his disdain for me, an ever-present shadow, seemed to deepen at the news. I fought to keep my expression neutral, to mask the rush of triumph at her announcement. Just yesterday, when I’d broached the topic, she’d seemed so resistant that I’d almost doubted my next move. But here she was, claiming her place beside me, and I knew the ring from Vegas burning a metaphoric hole in my pocket would soon grace her finger.
“Married?” Dad snorted after his initial shock wore off. “As if we would ever let—”
“Your son has made his choice,” Sophie cut him off, releasing my hand to wrap her arm around my waist. I returned the touch to pull her into my side, my hand resting on her hip. My parents’ eyes tracked the movement. “And I’m standing by it. Isn’t that what partners do?”
“Partners,” my mother hissed. “You know nothing of the concept. Do you even love my son?”
Sophie laughed darkly. “Do you even love your son?” I sucked in a breath at her harsh tone. I held her tighter, afraid to hear the answer. I’d known my whole life my mom didn’t love me, but it wouldn’t hurt any less to hear. Still, Sophie held onto me when I needed her the most.
Mom glowered, but didn’t answer the question.
“Don’t worry, Mother,” I said, refusing to let her see any pain her silence caused. “I know pretending to love me was too hard for you. I’m not holding that against you.”
Her cold eyes slid to mine. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Her disapproval was palpable, but I refused to back down. “It means I’m not going to play your little game anymore. I have a life outside of our family’s empire, and it includes Sophie.”
Sophie squeezed my waist softly. She was a rock in the storm, and I knew I could face anything as long as she was by my side.
Dad took a deep breath, his face still a raging red. “You can’t just go around making decisions like this!” he barked.
“Oh, but I can,” I retorted, standing my ground. “I may be your son, but I am not your possession. My life is mine to live, and who I love is a decision that I make on my own.”
Mom scoffed, turning her attention back to Sophie, but I kept going.
“As for Chavez, Dad, you can count him out of the picture.”
At that, my father stepped closer to us, his eyes blazing with fury. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
I gave him a condescending smirk. “I know everything about Chavez. About your side hustle that you’ve been trying to hide from me. About what he did to Sophie’s dad. Chavez will no longer be reporting to you.”
Dad opened his mouth to respond, no doubt about to let expletives fly.
“Let’s not make a scene,” I said, feeling emboldened by Sophie’s show of defiance.
“I love Maverick,” Sophie admitted, allowing her demeanor to soften momentarily. “And the fact that neither of you could is shameful. So if I were the both of you, I’d tread very carefully about how you treat him moving forward. Those rebels might just starting popping up more and more.”
Jesus Christ.
She was going to be rewarded tenfold after tonight. I loved her so fucking much.
“Is that a threat?” Dad spat.
“No,” Sophie said simply, breaking from my hold, much to my dismay, to step in front of me. “It’s a promise. Watch your fucking backs.”
Dad looked at me over her shoulder. “You’re going to let a woman speak for you?”
I shrugged. “Sophie can handle herself. There’s a reason Eddie was going to leave everything to her and not her sisters.”
“Speaking of your sisters,” Dad said, returning his attention to the dark-haired woman now standing stubbornly in front of me. “It would be a shame—”
Sophie cut him off by wrapping his tie around her wrist and pulling him close. He coughed as she pulled so tight, his face turned even more red. The lack of oxygen forced his head back, but she merely hissed, “You even think about touching my sisters, and your entire family dies. Understand? They’re living quiet lives, far removed from our family drama. They want nothing to do with this, just like Mav and I want nothing to do with either of you.” She released him and returned to my side.
They were seething, but Sophie was a shield I’d never known I needed. As they turned away, muttering curses and threats under their breaths, I leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Let’s slip away. You’ve earned more than just my gratitude tonight.”
Her eyes flickered with that familiar fire, the one that promised vengeance and release in equal measure. My hand rested possessively on the curve of her waist, the silk a barrier I wanted to tear away as we walked back into the mansion. The tension between us crackled, every step heavy with the promise of what was to come—the reward for her endurance, her boldness, and the sheer pleasure of watching her stand up to the very people who’d tried to break me time and time again.
“Ready for your reward?” I murmured, lips grazing the shell of her ear as we made our way up the grand staircase that overlooked the foyer.
“Always,” she breathed out, her hand sliding provocatively over my ass.
The door to an empty bedroom clicked shut behind us, and Sophie slowly turned to face me, a forlorn look on her face. I frowned.
“Do you think they’ll go after my family?”
“No. They understand the risks you pose. My dad’s a pussy. My mom’s a bitch. They’ll fight for weeks over this, and by then it’ll be too late.”
Sophie’s fingers hooked into my belt loops and tugged me closer. “It’s okay to be hurt by them, Mav. It doesn’t make you weak.”
My heart squeezed painfully as I looked down at her, feeling a burn in my eyes that only she was capable of causing.
“I’m sorry you never got the love of a parent,” she continued in a whisper, as if afraid to break this moment. “They resent you because you’re everything they’re not. Your brothers are probably spitting images of them, and that’s why they get special treatment. But this is exactly what will be their downfall.” Her hands tugged on the edges of my bowtie until it unraveled, then she slowly started to unbutton my shirt. When I didn’t respond in kind, she glanced up at me. She must’ve read something on my face, because she stepped away and gave me a sad smile.
“Come on. Let’s go home,” she said, grasping my hand in hers and tugging me back toward the door.