Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
BOSTON
She sits next to me, staring out the window, not saying a word.
My hands clench. She always has something to say. Maven is never this quiet, and frankly, I don’t fucking like it. Who would have thought that one day I would be hoping to hear her smart-ass responses. I don’t regret what we just did, but she hasn’t looked at me since.
I pull up to a local café because I need her to understand that, from now on, she can’t take any more members’ lives.
I can’t have it coming back to her. While I’ve covered her tracks for Marcus’s murder, I’m afraid she won’t be as lucky if she tries to go after another member.
With the new rule in place, I won’t be able to save her.
The offer of marriage slipped from my lips.
There is no denying I think she is possibly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
She is also the deadliest. But she presents herself in such a way that you’d never consider she could be a serial killer.
My whole job is to capture people like her, and yet I offered her a marriage of protection instead.
I knew I would eventually be pressured to get married, as is every other member of the Forsaken.
I just took it into my own hands and chose a woman no one would pick for me.
Not to say that she isn’t desirable as a wife.
She’s a millionaire, her military experience proves her discipline, and while she understands the law, she’s not shy about breaking it.
I guess in a way, we’re much the same. While my whole life was to protect and serve, to uphold the law, that changed when I joined the Forsaken Society. I’ve killed some very bad people whom I felt deserved it. I don’t regret it at all, and I will do it again in a heartbeat.
Maven’s reason for killing is different. She does it for money, and usually without letting her emotions get the best of her. Prior to the night I caught her at Marcus’s house, I would have said she was a very controlled person. She’s been doing this for years and has never once been caught.
When I started digging deeper into her and realized that she and Carrie are adopted sisters, it all started clicking into place.
She wouldn’t have gotten caught if I hadn’t purposely sent her the video to prove or disprove if it was her who’d killed Bailey.
I’d had a feeling Carrie was the only person Maven would break for, and I was right.
Maven may be many things, and may come off as playful, but deep down, when she cares for someone, she will do whatever it takes to protect them.
I open my door to get out, and she doesn’t wait for me to go and open her door.
She’s already out of the car and walking toward the café by the time I slam the door closed.
She enters the café and immediately heads to the bathroom, then comes back out, gives the server a quick wave, and takes a seat across from me in the booth.
“So, that was fun.” She smiles, and I can tell she does this to hide her true feelings, which is fine. I’ll play along.
“It was.”
“Now, how long do we have to be married for?”
I bristle at her question. “Divorce isn’t an option.”
“And you said I have to stop killing members?” she asks just as the waitress stops at our table.
“Strawberry milkshake, extra whipped topping,” Maven orders.
“Same,” I tell the waitress, who nods and walks off. “Your sister is due out soon. I expect you to be moved fully into my house by then.”
“How do you—?” She shakes her head. “Fine. But I want my own room.”
“No.”
“I’m not sleeping in your bed. Lord only knows how many women you’ve brought back there.” She scrunches up her nose.
“None,” I reply.
“I still need a spare room. You’ve seen my heel collection.” She smiles.
“I’ll build you a room for your shoes,” I tell her, to which she nods.
“And the sex thing. Let’s stick to once a week. Can’t go catching feelings,” she throws out. The waitress coughs as she places our milkshakes down.
I don’t agree with her once a week suggestion. Fuck, I’m unsure if I’ll be able to keep my hands off her for the rest of the day. So I won’t be making any promises.
“No more members,” I insist.
“Got it. I got it. I can’t kill any more of your stupid society members.” She rolls her eyes. Her blue hair has escaped the clips she had it pinned up in, and as she leans forward to sip her milkshake, some falls around her face.
I’m in so much fucking trouble.