20. Maverick
20
Maverick
“ Pull our guys back from Jersey and have them focus efforts on laundering here,” I growled, pacing the room like a caged lion. I couldn’t sit still any longer. “Thames is out and Chavez is in the clear.”
For now , I left unsaid. Because truthfully, he would get what was coming as soon as I found out the whole truth about his involvement with Eddie Reyes.
And believe me, I’d utilized the last three weeks to do some snooping. I had to be careful, though. My father could spot a narc a mile away, and he sure as hell didn’t like anyone digging through the skeletons in his closet.
But as much as I wanted answers, there was something else gnawing at me.
“You don’t think eyes will be on Thames?” Paul questioned with an arched brow.
Pausing my pacing, I fixed my gaze on him. “We can’t fucking afford to have thirty percent of our operations still running for Diego’s men. I don’t trust anyone else but Thames to run the amount he does.”
“Jesus, Mav, chill. I just want to make sure you’re thinking this through. Why not have Thames split his time? That way the scent is thrown off running for both.”
I mulled it over. “Yes. Do that. Chavez can pick up where he left off. Even if we have twenty of the thirty percent of operations scaled back, we’ll be in good shape.” I resumed my pacing.
This distance. This watching from afar and pretending like I was fine that she'd disappeared. This refraining from texting her so I didn’t seem desperate.
But fuck, I was desperate.
“Everything’s good at Pillar?”
Paulie and Duane both watched me skeptically.
“Would you stop fucking pacing? You’re creating a draft,” Duane muttered.
I rolled my eyes. “Real original, D. Fuck off.”
“What’s got your panties in a wad?” Paul demanded, leaning back in his squeaky desk chair, hands resting behind his head. “No feathers have been ruffled in the biz, and your dad has kept his distance.”
“Yeah, man. You’ve been off for weeks now. Grumpy as fuck,” Duane agreed.
They weren’t wrong. I had been off. Because for the last three weeks, Sophie had been in my fucking head.
I reared my arm back, chucking my plastic water bottle at Duane’s fat head without remorse. “I said fuck off. And I’m not grumpy, I’ve just got a lot on my fucking mind.”
“Maybe you need to get your dick wet. Haven’t seen you down with the ladies in… how long has it been, actually?” Paulie flicked his golden eyes to the ceiling as he contemplated. “I feel like it’s been a few months.”
I fought the animalistic urge to snarl at the both of them. I couldn’t get laid even if I fucking tried—because the only woman I wanted didn’t want me back.
“You’re really pissing me off. I don’t need to get laid. I’m fucking fine .”
“That’s what women say when they’re not actually fine,” Duane pointed out. “You turning into a pussy, Mav?”
Letting out a frustrated sigh, I ripped my suit jacket off, released my cuff links, and rolled my sleeves to my elbows. My clothes felt too tight, and I just needed to fucking breathe .
I was so fucking pussy-whipped and I’d only spent one night with her.
“Seriously, I can call Priscilla. I heard you guys went out to dinner a few weeks ago.”
“Don’t you fucking dare.” The last thing I needed was to explain anything to Priscilla about Sophie. I’d be happy to never see her again.
“Why? You two have been on and off for a while now. I think it’d do you some good.”
I threw up my hands, feeling exasperated. “I’m not fucking interested in her! Now back off.”
Silence.
Which was suspicious.
I turned to both of them, my blood simmering, and sure enough, they looked like they were ready to bust out laughing, which irritated me further.
“What are you laughing at, you fucking idiots?”
“Bro, you . You’re wrapped around someone’s pinky finger. Who is it?” Paulie asked, a shit-eating grin on his face.
I ground my molars together and forced myself to sit on the couch. Then all I pictured was Sophie sitting next to me, wearing that revealing black dress, looking at me like I was something more than just a man built for violence.
As if it weren’t bad enough that I held onto the pillow she’d slept on, breathing in her scent and wishing she were there again. When the smell had faded, it was almost torture to be in my own goddamn bed.
I sat there, trying to curb my irritation. My legs wanted to bounce; I was that fucking restless. But I forced myself to stay still.
“I don’t want to talk about it. The only thing that matters right now is that she doesn’t want to see me.”
“For the sake of humanity, please go fucking try, man. We can’t handle this shit when you’re like this,” Duane whined like the little bitch he was.
I flipped them off. “Fuck you both.”
Paulie was still smiling like a maniac. “Go fuck your woman instead.” Then his eyes widened. “Wait, Mav. Please tell me it isn’t Sophie.”
Duane’s head whipped to look at Paulie in what appeared to be mock horror. “You know, that actually makes sense. He ramped up her security detail a few weeks ago. Timeline matches to when he turned into a complete asshole.”
Paulie cackled. “Pay up, bitch.”
I sprung to my feet again and flexed my hands. “What the fuck do you mean, pay up ?”
Duane grumbled as he pulled a few hundreds out of his wallet and tossed them in Paulie’s general direction, who just laughed like a child. “We bet on whether or not you’d fuck her.”
That’s it.
“You’re both pricks and on my last nerve. Go fuck with someone else. Or better yet, do the goddamn jobs I pay you to do,” I snapped as I grabbed my suit jacket and stormed out of the room.
***
I decided the boys were right. Not about just fucking Sophie, but about going to her instead of waiting around.
Fine, I fucking admit it. I missed her.
I couldn’t let her give up on this so easily. Not when I was a little too honest with her. Maybe there was barely an us to be concerned about, but it was the start of something that made me feel so fucking alive that I couldn’t just let it go.
Now I waited somewhat patiently—okay, not patiently at all—for Sophie to get to her mom’s house in Queens. Waited even longer for her to get settled when she did arrive. After an hour, I climbed out of my car with a bouquets of black peonies and marched straight up to the front door, knocking without hesitation. She’d likely be pissed that I was showing up here, probably for a multitude of reasons, but I was antsy to see the fire in her eyes.
I wanted to spank her for lashing that delicious tongue at me for crossing this line. Wanted to fuck her mouth and hold her close after. Wanted so many goddamn things.
I’d waited weeks and had been more than patient and respectful of her space. I played her game, and now I was taking matters back into my own hands.
The door swung open to reveal an older version of Sophie—her mother.
“Hello,” she greeted in a thick Spanish accent, a polite but confused smile on her face. Her dark brown eyes drifted over the flowers in my hand.
“Good evening, Mrs. Reyes. I’m looking for your daughter, Sophie. Is she here by any chance?”
Relief crossed her kind features. “Oh. Sí. Please, come in while I go get her for you.” She stepped aside to let me into her entry way. It was dim and cozy, with a rich brown side table and mirror. Just past the small room was a hallway that opened to the living room on the left. At the end of the hall was the kitchen, from where the sound of rustling drifted down the hallway.
Mrs. Reyes wandered down to the kitchen. I heard her say, “ Sophie, querida, alguien está aquí para ti. ” I knew enough of the language to know she was telling her daughter someone was here for her. It brought a smile to my face to know she was likely helping her mom clean after dinner.
Which was a family dynamic I’d never gotten to enjoy.
Sophie appeared in the doorway of the kitchen without looking up, wiping her hands on a towel. She paused about halfway to me, eyes widening as she saw me darkening her doorstep. “What the hell are you doing here?” she whisper-shouted.
I flashed her a wolfish grin. “I’m here to see you.” Her eyes landed on the flowers, brows furrowing in confusion. I held out the peonies. “And I brought these for you.”
She stepped tentatively toward me, her face softening as a bashful smile pulled on her lips. “Thank you,” she murmured before turning back toward the kitchen. “ Mamá, ?puedes traerme un jarrón, por favor ?” I loved hearing her speak her family’s native language. It was captivating, and God she was making me weak. “I want to get these in water. Do you… um… was there a reason for your visit?”
“Sophia Emily Reyes Ruiz! Be nice to your handsome visitor,” her mother scolded as she appeared with a vase full of water, taking the flowers.
Sophie blushed, looking mortified. “ Mamá! ”
“Do not argue with me, young lady. Sir, would you like to come in and take a seat?”
God, I wanted to fuck with Sophie’s head so bad, but I refrained, simply pressing a hand to her lower back and walking us both into the living room while her mom fussed with the flowers. The room was decorated with an ornate floral couch, two green velvet armchairs, a leather chair, and a rich mahogany coffee table that matched the fireplace mantle, all accented with a dark green wall.
“I’ll be right back after I cut these stems,” she murmured, and Sophie grumbled as her mom left the room.
I sat casually, crossing an ankle over a knee while Sophie slowly lowered herself to the couch. “Hi.”
She cleared her throat. “Hi. Sorry I haven’t—”
“No, you’re not. I knew you wouldn’t.”
She stilled, her lips parting before pressing into a tight line, as if she wasn’t sure whether to believe me or call bullshit outright. She clasped her hands together in her lap, knuckles whitening. “How?”
I shrugged. “You were freaking the fuck out when you left. I gave you space, plenty of it actually, and now I’m done waiting.”
“Oh.” She licked her lips. My eyes tracked the movement as I remembered what her mouth felt like around my dick. “You really shouldn’t be here, Mav. I don’t want my mom to know about my involvement with you.”
It was the slap in the face I’d been expecting, but it still stung. “You should know that I’m nothing like my father, brothers, and all their goonies. I may be ruthless, but I’m not cruel.”
“My mother doesn’t know that. Please. ”
Her mother emerged again with a bright smile on her face. “I apologize for my daughter, Mr…?” she trailed off.
I rose to my feet and shook her hand. “Maverick Mercer, ma’am.”
Sophie inhaled sharply, rolling her shoulders back and clenching her jaw. Clearly pissed. That’s it, baby. Be mad at me—be something, anything. Just be mine.
Words I wanted to say to her in private, but bit my tongue as her mother straightened, her smile faltering immediately.
“Mercer? As in… are you related to Rick Mercer?” She sounded horrified.
I cocked my head to the side, knowing I needed to get myself out of this, not just for my sake but for Sophie’s. If she wanted her family’s acceptance, it had to start with me doing the legwork. “He’s my father, but I assure you, I don’t affiliate with him much. I know what he’s done—what he’s capable of—and I want no part of it.”
Mrs. Reyes’s lips thinned. “Your family ruined mine. Why should I believe anything you say?”
Easing back onto the couch, closer to Sophie this time, I said, “I understand why you don’t. To be frank, I don’t think there’s anything that I can say to change your mind. I can’t right my family’s wrongs, but I can get to the truth, which is what I’ve told Sophie I would do. Setting all that aside, your daughter caught my eye before I knew who she was.”
Mrs. Reyes huffed in disbelief. “Please. Your father killed my husband out of greed. He wanted my husband’s empire, and took it along with his life. His offspring can be no better.”
He wanted my husband’s empire. The network he built. The routes he controlled. The men who had pledged loyalty to him before my father gutted their ranks and absorbed them into our operations.
Fuck. I really needed more solid evidence about what happened that night . Because if her version was true, then my father’s sins ran even deeper than I thought.
“You’re right. My father put a hit out on Eddie, because allegedly your husband was planning to get involved with human trafficking.”
Mrs. Reyes barked out a laugh. “Oh, that’s rich,” she sneered, shaking her head as she looked out the bay window facing the street before turning back to me. “You say you’re not close to your father. If that’s true, then it would be no surprise you don’t know the truth. It wasn’t my late Eddie that planned to profit from such a sick industry. He was adamantly against anything that could hurt his babies, or someone else’s babies.” She took a deep shuddering breath, and from beside me, Sophie sniffled.
Wait. My father—
“Yes, Maverick,” Mrs. Reyes confirmed. “With Eddie out of the way, Rick could grow the empire however he saw fit. So excuse me for wanting nothing to do with your family.” Fuck. She looked between the two of us like we were rebellious teenagers and crossed her arms over her chest. “That being said, I don’t have to like this, but my daughter is a grown woman and is capable of making her own decisions. Aren’t you, mija ?” Sophie gave her mom a watery smile, but her mother continued. “For the sake of my daughter, I am willing to look past your family’s indiscretions , so long as you stay the hell out of human trafficking. And if you make one wrong move, I will seek vengeance on behalf of my husband and my daughter, however I see fit. Do you hear me?”
I leveled with her, and an understanding passed between us. A life for a life if I fuck up. I knew some of her involvement with the cartel, and it wasn’t pretty. Maybe Sophie suspected it, based on her lack of audible surprise at hearing her mom openly threaten me.
Sophie had no idea that the darkness she felt inside her had been passed down by both of her parents.
“You’ve got a deal, Mrs. Reyes.”
She looked us both over again before giving a resolute nod. “ Bueno. I will leave you to it. Mija, I will finish the dishes. Maverick, will you be joining us for dessert?”
I glanced at Sophie, knowing I was probably pushing her limits too far right now, before giving her mom a kind smile. “No, ma’am, not this time.” She wrung her hands before leaving the room.
The moment we were alone, Sophie growled, “My life is not a fucking joke, Maverick. You can’t just show up at my mother’s house—”
I cut her off by grabbing the back of her neck, our lips colliding in a wild frenzy. She smelled like the peonies I’d brought and something richer, addictive. She fell into me, opening her mouth to let me in. I fucking missed her. One night was nowhere near enough. Her quiet moans made my dick throb and my heart race, and I found my fingers threading in her hair so I didn’t rip her clothes off in the middle of her mother’s living room.
She climbed into my lap just as her mother came back in the room, who shrieked, “Oh, dios mio, I’m so sorry!” We jumped apart and Sophie stared guiltily after her mom’s retreating figure.
Those dark eyes found mine again, and I was transported right back to our night together.
“You should leave. This… whatever this is between us can’t continue.”
Nope. Didn’t like that, not one bit. She wasn’t getting away from me that easily. “Why the hell not?”
“Because it’s too messy.”
I scowled, feeling wounded, but made no move to get her off my lap. It felt too good to push my hips up into hers, too irresistible to see her squirm and flush. “You mean you got scared because we had a great night together?”
She dipped her chain, picking at her cuticles, and I knew it was to hide that I’d hit the nail on the head. “It was only one night. It doesn’t matter—”
“It does matter. You lied to my face and then disappeared for three weeks.” Did I sound like a psycho-stalker ex? One hundred percent. Did I care? Not in the slightest. “You were ready to take off in the middle of the night, and then you all but ran away the next morning. I’m trying to understand, because I can’t grasp why you wouldn’t want to see this through.”
Now she did get off my lap, but only to stand in the middle of the living room with her arms folded over her stomach. Her bare feet shifted back and forth across plush cream rug. She’d never looked more unlike the woman I’d first met, ready to avenge her father.
I hated it.
Someone had done this to her. Stripped away her confidence at some point. Tore her down until she questioned her own worth. And if I ever found out who, I’d make sure they never had the chance to do it to anyone else. I could be merciful. But I could also be a monster. And for her? I’d burn the whole fucking world down.
Rising to my full height, I put my hands on her shoulders and bent down to her eye level. “Sophie, look at me.” She obeyed. “There’s my good girl. Come with me. Give me tonight. We can talk about this, and if you really aren’t on board with it, then okay. As much as I hate the idea of it, I’ll leave you alone. But please, please , give me a chance. This is not just an average fling for me. And I think you know that. I don’t beg for anyone, but I will for you, and only you.”
She stayed silent, searching my eyes for… I don’t know what.
Clearly, even if she felt something between us, me laying all my cards on the table wasn’t enough for her to want to see where our relationship could go.
I straightened and dropped my hands from her shoulders, nodding once. “Okay. I hear you loud and clear. I won’t pursue you anymore or send my guys to watch over you.” I paused, truly at a loss of words from the lump in my throat, a rare display of emotion I wasn’t used to. Frowning, I added, “I really did enjoy what brief time we had together. When I find out more information on your family, I’ll send someone to you.” I leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She just stood there, frozen.
I sighed as I turned and left her mother’s house, bounding down the steps and relishing the cool night air rushing over my heated skin and wounded heart.
What a fucking embarrassment.
Acting heartbroken over what could have been.