9. Maverick
9
MAVERICK
The house was quiet when I came home.
It was a little after four in the morning, and the sun hadn’t even risen yet.
Everyone was asleep, including my youngest brother, with his arms wrapped tightly around our current obsession.
I brought my hand up to my chest and rubbed at the small ache there.
The thing about this obsession was, I didn’t know if it had an expiration date.
After dealing with the headache that was logistics for the operation, I should crave sleep.
I should want to crawl into my own bed and shut the rest of the world out for the next three hours before I had to get back up again.
Instead, I was standing in Silas’ room, by the foot of his bed, taking in the two people on it.
Silas peeked one eye open.
He didn’t seem surprised to see me standing there. I shouldn’t be shocked that he was awake. Probably had been since the moment I’d opened the front door. After all the shit we’d been through, my brothers and I were quite adapted to sleeping with one eye open.
“You okay?” he asked softly, so as to not wake the sleeping girl in his arms. Her long blond hair was a messy pile on top of the pillow.
What was it he called her?
Angel.
She looked like it, but especially in the light of dawn.
I didn’t answer his question but instead asked, “Why is she here?”
He shot me a wide smile. “Got her bedsheets wet.”
One of my eyebrows rose in question.
His grin widened. “Not like that. Although… that probably didn’t help.”
I shook my head at the playful note to his voice. My brother might seem like the most easygoing one out of the three of us, but he had his own demons to fight.
He worried too much.
Mostly, he worried something bad might happen to Killian or me. And I had the same worry, of course, but I was the oldest. It was my job to protect them. I hated how Silas sometimes tried to put himself between us and danger.
As if he thought his life was somehow worth less than mine or Killian’s.
“Did you even go to bed?” he asked when I didn’t say anything.
“I’ll go after this.”
“After what? Watching Mila and me sleep? Didn’t know that was your kink, big brother.”
I grinned at him. The three of us were probably closer to each other than other brothers were.
Way more than was the norm.
If there were any hidden kinks I might possibly have, my brothers would have known about them.
“Just checking on our little captive. I had thought she had done something stupid like run away when I didn’t find her in her room.”
“You really think she would?”
I shrugged. Mila was an enigma to me.
So far, her reactions to her situations had been unpredictable and unexpected.
I didn’t even think I’d gotten past the surface to who she really was.
This tiny girl, who was so obviously abused by a father who was supposed to love her, had talked back to me on multiple occasions.
“Why don’t we just have Killian track her?”
I didn’t show any hint of emotion to his suggestion. That would have been a good idea, yet somehow the thought of how she might react should I have Killian put a tracking chip inside her body didn’t?—
It didn’t sit well with me.
I wasn’t a man often hit with guilt.
Whatever was left of my conscience had been beaten and burned when I was thirteen, and what remained was an unrecognizable piece of char struggling to survive.
Yet, she made me feel uncomfortable.
“That would be a last resort,” I said absently, letting my gaze fall on the delicate features of her sleeping face. She looked peaceful.
I wondered if she was, and why I fucking cared if her demons followed her into her dreams.
And why I wanted so badly to murder them all with my bare hands.
I nodded at Silas. “Come meet me at the warehouse before ten with Killian. We’ll go over the logistics one last time before the transport.”
He nodded, but I doubted he was paying attention anymore.
His eyes were back on Mila. I turned and walked out of the room without saying anything more.
If I could fall asleep by five, I would have at least a good three and a half hours of sleep before I needed to get up.
If I could fall asleep, that was.
Somewhere in this quiet house, I heard the faint echo of God’s laughter mocking me.
It was noon by the time the meeting was done, and my brothers had gone off with the tasks I had given them.
I walked through the silent house.
Rachel said Mila hadn’t stirred, and I wondered if she had spent her night fighting off sleep because Silas hadn’t given her a choice to go back to her own room. Poor baby.
That would explain why she was so tired this morning.
I smiled as I passed through the door to Silas’ room. Mila lay there, the covers pulled up haphazardly over her body, with one leg peeking out. She looked too small in this too-big bed. Especially since she was in it by herself. I watched her for a beat before taking a seat on the edge of the bed, grasping the foot that was sticking out of the covers between my hands, playing with it.
Her toes wiggled, drawing my attention.
She made a small sound—she was on the verge of waking up.
I pushed my thumb against her instep, and another small mewl of pleasure escaped her lips.
I shifted on the bed.
Jesus.
Even when she was doing nothing more than lying there, she was affecting me.
I waited for her to open her eyes.
And for a moment, her ocean eyes took me in before awareness could cut through her consciousness. There was a softness in them that I had become wholly addicted to at first sight.
Then she realized she wasn’t where she was supposed to be.
I held on to her foot a little tighter when I felt her try to twist away from me.
She glared at my hands before bringing her eyes up and meeting mine.
“What are you doing? Let go of me.”
I clutched her little pinkie toe between two fingers. I had the urge to spoil her with a wide variety of nail polish in different bright colors. I wanted to dress her up and show her off.
My perfect little doll.
“Last I checked, you belong to me. That hasn’t changed. I think I’ll hold onto you for a little while,” I said, wanting the fire back. I was the kind of man born in the destruction of fire, how badly I wanted hers to ruin me.
She shifted to a sitting position on the bed and scowled at me.
There it was.
That fucking fire.
I gazed at the black shirt she wore to bed. Black suited her.
“Are you always such an asshole so early in the morning?” she asked.
I laughed. “Pretty sure you called me an asshole two nights ago.”
“So you’re an asshole all the time. Got it.”
“Yes, but especially during the afternoon.”
Her eyes widened as she caught on to my words. Reaching over, she grabbed my wrist and checked the time.
“I slept in?”
She seemed surprised at that.
“Oh, God. I never sleep in!”
I stilled her when she made a move to get off the bed. “Relax. It’s not like there is somewhere pressing you need to be.”
A weird look crossed her face. Was she thinking about her own predicament right now? And when did I start to feel so uncomfortable in the face of it?
Not uncomfortable enough to let go, though.
I shifted slightly. “You must be hungry. Come on. It wouldn’t do for me to neglect my property. Let me feed you.”
“I'm not your property,” she said menacingly.
I grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her toward me. She landed softly against my chest before righting herself.
I wrapped my arms around her waist, keeping her to me—where she fucking belonged. The sooner she learned that, the easier her life would be.
“That’s where you're wrong. Remember this. I own you, little monster. Now and for-fucking-ever.”
She seemed shocked at my heated declaration.
I gathered her in my arms and stood without saying anything more.
I was just as shocked at my statement, but I didn’t want to psychoanalyze myself—especially now, under those curious eyes of hers.
She wrapped her arms around my neck but smartly kept her mouth shut. Her unnerving eyes roamed over every feature of my face, as if she was searching for a chink in my armor.
She would learn soon enough that there was none, although I could admit quietly to myself that her stare affected me more than it should.
It went through my skin.
I brought her to her room and dropped her off in front of the walk-in closet, full of all the clothes I’d bought for her. A strum of satisfaction moved through me, and I realized I loved providing for her. Seeing her in clothes I had picked out and bought with my money. Fuck, it had never felt this good to spoil someone else before.
My hands moved over all the pretty dresses, the fabrics soft and light.
I couldn’t wait to see her in them.
I stopped when I came to a small black sundress.
It was short.
Would probably come down to mid-thigh on her.
It was perfect.
I frowned when I came back out and she wasn’t where I had put her.
I headed to the bathroom and watched her brush her teeth.
Her eyes met mine in the mirror.
I tapped my fingers impatiently on the outside of my leg.
“Fifteen minutes to get ready. Or I’m dragging you out of the bathroom by your hair, little monster.”
“Fucking caveman,” I heard her mutter as I walked away. I resisted the urge to come back and show her some ways I could occupy that smart mouth of hers.
I sat on the bed, trying to chase away the image of her on her knees in front of me.
I checked my messages.
Everything seemed to be going well, but the attack a few days ago worried me. Those bastards were just waiting for another opportunity to strike.
I shook out of my thoughts when movement caught the corner of my eye.
I looked up to a fresh-faced Mila standing there.
She crossed her arms, making the shirt ride up a little higher.
Knowing Silas, he didn’t let her go to bed with any panties. I was sure of it.
I looked at the black dress I had thrown on the bed and smiled viciously at her.
I was going to fucking have fun today.
I crooked my finger at her.
She leveled a dark glare at the finger.
“I’m not a fucking dog.”
“And I’m not a patient man. Believe me, you do not want to find out what will happen if I have to come get you. Come here.”
I hardened my voice a bit on the last two words, and I finally realized why I had felt a little off since she woke up.
There had been wariness in her eyes before, but this was the first time she hadn’t shown even a hint of fear.
I must be losing my edge if I wasn’t the fucking monster who starred in her nightmares last night.
She obediently walked over to me, her wide eyes watching me with each step she took that closed the gap between us.
Finally, she stood in front of me.
I grabbed her waist, eliciting a small gasp from her.
I leaned down to let my lips run gently up and down the curve of her jawline. “One of these days, that mouth of yours will get you in trouble.”
“And I suppose you’ll be the one to dole out the punishment?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say gladly, but something about the tone of her voice stopped me.
“Not the way your father did, little monster. I would never take a fucking whip to your back.”
The mere thought of all she’d had to endure under Daniel Hayes made me murderous.
I hadn’t seen the scars closely. Not the way Silas had, but I knew they were there. Even if Silas hadn’t told us, I had felt the ridges on her skin. I had seen the way she’d reacted to the knife. The fear in her eyes was unlike any emotion she had shown me before.
I knew she was scared of me. Of us. But when I pulled out that knife, she was more than that. She was terrified. I recognized the look well. It had been in the eyes of men kneeling before me, right before I sent them to meet their maker.
I reveled in that look on those men.
It was addictive. It was a high I wanted to recreate over and over.
The power I got from making lesser men fear me.
But I fucking hated that look on her face. I had been hit with a strong urge to eradicate her fear completely.
I was curious about the reason why she’d gotten so scared, and I found myself wondering if it had more to do with her not wanting to carry the marks of violence on her skin any more than that she was afraid it would hurt.
She shouldn’t have to worry about that with me. With any of my brothers.
Any mark we left on her wouldn’t be permanent.
I wanted to own her, not break her.
And I didn’t know why I was getting so fucking protective of this tiny girl.
It should be messed up that I didn’t want anyone to hurt her but my brothers and me.
And how badly I wanted to.
Not take a whip to her, but to watch her pale ass turn red after a well-deserved punishment.
My cock got hard just thinking about it.
I pressed a small smile against her skin, reveling in the softness, the delicateness of such a sweet girl in my arms.
“I can think of ways to punish you when you deserve it.”
She gasped, and went stiff in my arms.
My smile widened.
“I could find a way to occupy your mouth that would be… highly enjoyable.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. I bite.”
I threw my head back and laughed at the retort. “I’m sure you would enjoy the taste of my cock too much to hurt me that way.”
She stepped back, and one of her eyebrows rose in challenge.
I shook my head at her but didn’t lose my smile. “Or I can just spank your little white ass red until you beg me to stop.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is that your kink? Treating women like they’re little girls that need to be punished?”
“You think spankings are only reserved for punishments when you’re little? You don’t see the enjoyment of it?” In my opinion, those kinds of punishments should only be for adults.
I didn’t see the point in punishing children that way. But with my woman… fuck, yeah.
She shot me a disgusted look. “Enjoyment?”
“Lots of women enjoy a little spanking during sex. And some even like it as a punishment. It’s a kink, no doubt about it, but I don’t think it’s one you should judge—” I let my eyes roam down to her bare legs, the pale skin of her thighs affecting me more than I cared to admit. “Not until you try it.”
Before she could retort, I pushed her down and positioned her over my lap.
She wiggled, struggling to get free, and I pressed my hand down the small of her back to keep her still.
“Let go of me, you sadistic bastard!”
I laughed and slid her shirt up, baring her naked ass to my gaze. Just as I suspected, she had gone to bed with nothing more than a T-shirt.
She stilled when I cupped one ass cheek, squeezing a little.
“W-what are you going to do?” she asked.
“Don’t sound so worried. This isn’t a punishment,” I murmured, running my rough palms over the supple flesh. My cock hardened even more, and I knew she could feel it pushing up against her side.
She wiggled and I let my palm rain down on her ass cheek once.
She stilled right away, and I focused my gaze on her, loving the redness that took over her skin.
“Good girl,” I said, soothing away the pain with gentle touches. I wasn’t that much of a monster, after all.
She let out a small breath, and I couldn’t tell if it was in anger, annoyance, fear, or desire.
Perhaps a combination of all those things.
Mila could deny it all she wanted, but this sweet little cunt of hers didn’t lie.
I was willing to bet the entirety of my empire that if I were to move my hand between her legs, I would find her drenched with need.
My greedy little pussy.
I spanked her three more times. She made small little noises that didn’t sound like protests in my ear, wiggling a bit on my lap, only to still when she felt me on her side.
“Feel good, baby?” I asked, rubbing my palm over her.
“No,” she gritted out.
A moan escaped when my hand glided between her ass cheeks. She was wet.
My cute little liar.
After a moment, I helped her stand between my legs.
She watched me with wary eyes, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling.
I stared back at her impassively.
She made me want to throw all my cards on the table with just a single look.
I decided this girl was dangerous, and I needed to be careful with her.
Without saying anything, I lifted the shirt up and off her.
She protested, and I shook my head swiftly.
I let my eyes roam over her naked body, from her full breasts with puckered dusky-pink nipples—either from her arousal or the cold air—to her trim waist, flaring hips, bare pussy, and miles-long legs.
I didn’t know what to focus on.
My eyes were greedy at the very sight of her.
I licked my lips hungrily, and she moved back a little.
I gripped her hip with my hand to keep her still, and she froze where she was, her chest pushing in and out in harsh pants.
I let my other hand explore her soft skin, and her mouth opened but nothing came out. Her eyes darkened from her dilated pupils as I let my hand settle in the curve at the bottom of her breast.
My thumb pressed the erect nipple, and she tried to move away once more.
I pinched her nipple roughly to keep her still.
She shook her head, her hand wrapping around my wrist.
I tightened my grasp when she tried to push me away. She got the message and held still for me.
“Anyone ever tell you how pretty your nipples are?” I asked. They were the perfect size, and my mouth watered just looking at her.
She shook her head, but I had a feeling it wasn’t to answer my question.
I played dumb. “No? That’s too bad. They’re fucking phenomenal.”
She sighed with relief when I let go of her, which was cut short when I leaned over and took the abused nipple into my mouth. I rolled the hardened peak between my teeth, and she hissed.
I looked at her and winked when our eyes met, before taking more of her into my mouth.
Her hands came up to my shoulders, her nails digging into the skin there. I wondered if she was even aware she was doing it, and moments later, I didn’t give a damn, because fuck me, I could smell her.
Her scent teased my nostrils, and I slid my hand south. She tried to arch away, but I cupped her wet pussy in my hand. My middle finger settled snugly between the crease of her ass, and I pulled her back toward me.
“Maverick. Please. W-what are you doing?” she begged softly. Gone was my badass girl, angry at the world.
In her place was a needy one.
My needy girl.
And how could I ignore her like this?
I watched her as I drove my middle finger inside her tight passage. She clenched around me automatically as her nails dug a little deeper into the skin on my shoulders.
“That’s right, baby girl. Show me what a good girl you are and ride my hand.”
She closed her eyes, her hips moving along to the rhythm I set.
More wetness seeped out of her, making it easier for me to move, and I quickened my pace, keeping watch over her as she thrust her hips back and forth.
The move was unpracticed, but no less breathtaking.
How beautiful she looked, using my hand for her own pleasure.
“Does it feel good?” I asked.
She whimpered.
That wasn’t an answer.
I stilled my movement and her eyes sprang open. She shot me a mean look, and I grinned.
“Answer me or I won’t let you come.”
She gasped in surprise. “Fuck you. What the hell is wrong with?—”
Her eyes rolled back when I added another finger. I moved my fingers in and out of her, reveling in the tightness of her pussy. She would feel so good around my dick.
“Maverick.”
“Answer me. Does it feel good?”
Her nails scratched down my back. “Move.”
She tried to grate her hips along my hand. I squeezed her pussy to keep her still.
“Answer me, little monster.”
The fire I was so fascinated with returned to her eyes, and even if I couldn’t read her thoughts, there was no mistaking the murderous red haze that surrounded her expression.
If she could hurt me, she would.
I had no doubt about it in that moment.
I leaned down and skimmed my lips gently over her temple. “Answer me,” I said softly.
“Yes, okay? Now, please just fucking move!”
Her answer felt like both a victory and a defeat.
I wanted her to admit how much I affected her, yet it was as if I was the one losing it over this tiny girl I wanted to permanently keep in my arms.
I moved my hand, and she threw her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the ride.
At that moment, there was no wall to keep her away from me.
I was witnessing all her soft parts, her vulnerable parts, and how greedy I was for every part of her.
“That’s it, baby,” I cooed, quickening my pace.
She trembled against me. She was close. It wouldn’t take long now.
I almost didn’t want it to end, but she had been such a good girl for me, and that deserved a reward.
I pressed my thumb against her clit and that was all it took for her to shoot off. With a scream, she let go.
And how beautifully she fell apart for me.
I lifted her into my lap when her legs gave out, and she came to me willingly, her face buried in my neck as she breathed heavily.
My hands drifted soothingly up and down her back, my fingers playing along the knobs of her spine.
When she finally caught her breath, she pulled back. Her eyes were bright with emotions.
I didn’t say anything as I kissed her forehead, and I heard her suck in a sharp breath.
She climbed off my lap and tried to cover herself as best she could.
If I wasn’t feeling so out of it, I would have found the action amusing.
I probably knew her body better than she did.
I knew her curves, of the shade of her skin, the delicateness of her stomach, the small stretch marks that covered the lower side of her ass cheeks… everything.
And I planned on getting to know more of her.
She stayed quiet as I grabbed the little black dress and put it on her.
How I loved playing dress-up with my perfect little doll.
In fact, I might even make it a daily thing. I might dress her solely for my pleasure.
Dress her and undress her.
I stood, and she took a step back, her neck tilted up to look at me.
I tugged slightly on the long blond hair.
“Put on your shoes and let’s go.”
There was still a breathless quality to her voice when she asked, “Where are we going?”
I smirked. “You can either come with me outside, or we can stay here in this bedroom and I’ll think of ways to pass the time. And I’m feeling… very creative right now.”
She sent me a scathing look and walked around me to the dresser.
She opened a drawer and pulled out some panties. I yanked the skimpy little fabric from her hand and threw it somewhere behind me.
She turned to me, her eyes widening in surprise.
“No panties,” I said.
“No panties?”
I smiled. “No panties.”
“But I’m wearing a very short dress.”
I let my eyes roam down her legs. “So you are.”
“I can’t just not wear panties.”
“Sure, you can.”
“What if someone sees… me ?”
The thought of anyone seeing what belonged to me was making me feel murderous.
“Well, if you don’t want me to kill anyone, I suggest you be really careful.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, drawing my gaze to them. I could see the small outlines of her nipples through the dress, and I was half tempted to put a bra on her, but no man would dare look at what was mine. And I loved being the only one who knew she had nothing on underneath this dress.
My good little whore.
And I was about to parade her around like a fucking sex goddess no one could even dream of owning.
Save for me and my brothers, that was.
I pulled her to my chest, and she stiffened slightly when I slid the dress up a little and kneaded her ass cheeks with both hands.
She squirmed against me. “What are you doing?”
I didn’t answer her. I kneaded a little harder, and she tried to get away from my grip.
I didn’t let her go. When my hand moved into her crease and found her tight little hole, I let one finger move inside.
She clenched around me.
“Maverick.”
She turned her face to the side and stayed close to my chest.
I thrust the finger in and out of her at a slow, even tempo before pulling out.
“Let’s go,” I said, and I walked out the door, smiling a little.
“What the fuck?” I heard her muttering to herself as I reached the stairs.
I smiled slightly and waited for her to catch up.
My baby doll looked disgruntled, and she was yanking on the hem of the dress, as if that would make it longer.
All it did was drag the neckline down even more, and I caught a hint of her nipple peeking out.
I slapped her ass as she passed, not hard enough to be painful, but hard enough to get her attention. She gasped in outrage.
“Don’t pull the dress down. Not unless you want people to see your tits. And I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I’d gouge out the eyeballs of any man who has the misfortune of seeing them.”
“Then let me wear a longer dress. Or, hell, panties.”
I shook my head. “Not the way this works. You wear what I pick out.”
She opened her mouth, but I’d already spent enough time on the subject.
I grabbed her hand and led her out the door, where Marcus stood by the waiting car, a brown paper bag in his hand.
He nodded toward me and kept his eyes away from Mila as I directed her into the car. I grabbed the paper bag from him, climbed in after her, and closed the door behind me, encasing us in silence.
She shifted in her seat a little, and I could feel my cock hardening again at the thought of her wet pussy touching the expensive leather seats.
I handed her the bag.
She frowned at me, flinching at the bag as if it contained some sort of bomb. “What’s this?”
“Breakfast,” I replied, as Marcus got in and started the car. Mila opened the bag and took out a breakfast burrito. The car took off for Tiernan Enterprise, our business building located in the heart of Chicago.
This building drove the legitimate side of our business. It was a shipping company that imported and exported goods in and out of the country using the Chicago River eventually leading out to the Gulf of Mexico.
Our ships had been hit with one inspection over the next, and still, law enforcement hadn’t been able to find anything.
We were damn careful, and it helped to have an inside man.
One of the many reasons why the FBI still hadn’t been able to pin anything on us.
I looked out the side window when the car slowed, and found a row of cars ahead.
Traffic in Chicago was becoming somewhat of a problem, but luckily for me, I’d brought the perfect toy to play with to pass the time.
Mila finished her breakfast pretty quickly, and crumpled up the wrapper then put it back in the bag.
“Just put it on the floor,” I said.
She turned to me as I pressed the button hanging above my head, and the black partition divider came up.
Mila watched me with wary eyes, and I shot her a savage smile.
“I’d say we have a good twenty-five minutes before we arrive. What do you think we should do?”
She moved back against the door, trapped by her seat belt. “Watch the scenery,” she answered dryly.
“I’d much rather watch you,” I answered, my smile widening.
“I’m not that interesting.”
“Oh, that’s where I disagree. In fact, why don’t I prove it to you?”
I unbuckled her seat belt, but she quickly grabbed onto the strap before it could move away from her body.
“That’s not safe,” she clipped out.
“You’re in a car with me. Are you really that concerned with safety?”
A flush moved up her cheek and down her chest.
She wasn’t one of those girls who blushed prettily, but how fucking fascinated I was by the very sight.
My eyes moved down to her hand and after a moment of hesitation, she pulled away.
I let the belt slide back into place and lifted her legs to place them across my lap. I leaned over and petted her soft hair.
She watched me when I pressed my hand down her sternum, her breathing growing erratic.
“Look at this. I’ve barely touched you and you’re already affected by me. Aren’t you?”
Her eyes stayed on me, but she didn’t answer.
“We’re going to a business meeting,” I said. She cocked her head to the side, and I could tell she had questions, but she held back.
I settled my hand around the curve of her neck, feeling her swallow as I squeezed slightly. Her eyes darkened, and I couldn’t tell if it was from fear or arousal.
I used my other hand to flick the straps from her shoulders, tugging the dress down and baring both tits to my gaze. The sun shining through the window hit her nipples in just the right way.
I tightened my grip a bit around her neck. Not hard enough to hurt or to cut off air circulation, but enough that she could feel it.
She rested her hands on top of mine, but made no move to push me away.
I played with her nipples as I relaxed my grip on her neck, letting her take in a deep breath before I squeezed it again.
Her legs moved restlessly against me while I rolled a hardened nub between two fingers and plucked at it until it turned red and swollen from my abuse.
“What should we do to pass the time?” I asked.
She swallowed, but unlike the first time I asked, she didn’t answer me. She closed her eyes when my hand traveled south of her.
I bunched the dress up until most of the fabric rested around her middle. Then, I pushed one of her legs to dangle off the seat until she was spread in front of me like the world’s greatest feast.
Both tits and cunt bared to my gaze.
Mine.
She pushed her hips toward me slightly, and I could already see arousal gathering around her pussy.
I didn’t even think she was aware of the move.
What Mila couldn’t tell me with words, her body did—clearly.
I used my thumb and pulled the hood upward, exposing her swollen clit.
Leaning down, I licked up and down her slit, before lapping her clit.
Then I looked up to meet her dark, hungry eyes.
“I know,” I said, my breath fanning across her bare skin. She shivered. “I’ll just have to see how many times I can make you come.”
Then I leaned down and ate her out.