Chapter 14 #2
“That was the first time I shifted,” he said, his voice even quieter as his hand relaxed against her touch.
“I mean, truly shifted and felt the full power of who I was. I killed them all. Stole the Whisper’s staff from her as she looked at me with shocked, wide-open eyes.
I barely escaped with my life. And then I wept.
I was a child without a family, without a home.
I had given everything, and in the end, I was alone. ”
Zera sucked in a sudden breath. She wanted to tell him it didn’t have to be that way. That he didn’t have to be alone. Having a faeological child didn’t make one a father. Shit, her own ex had one, and he’d up and deserted Cole before he’d ever met him.
But the moment escaped them, and Maverick cleared his throat, pulling his hand from hers.
“Anyway,” he said, his voice realigning with the present, “I needed to know if you could wield it because Gareth knows all of my tricks from when I worked with him, but you? You could be the surprise we need to finally end him. I just needed to know if I could trust you not to kill me in the process. I figured if you killed me here in the penthouse, at least I would know Gareth couldn’t kill you, and you’d have your faestone to get in touch with your family. ”
He paused, taking a ragged breath. “But I should’ve told you first, and for that, I apologize to you sincerely. I promise I won’t keep anything from you. Our partnership depends on trust, and I owe you that.”
Zera’s anger for him testing her dissipated, replaced by a profound sense of sorrow for the hardships he had faced.
She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before speaking.
“Maverick, I had no idea about any of this. I’m so sorry.
I didn’t mean what I said before. You’ve sacrificed so much for me and my son.
Even with me being a pixie, though I’d understand if you never wanted anything to do with me again. ”
His conflicted emotions reflected in his gaze. “That’s just it, though. I know what I was born into. What my own blood did to pixies for decades. My story, it doesn’t change the long history of injustices inflicted upon your kind.”
“No, but your wounds are just as valid,” she said firmly. “I didn’t mean to stir up those old wounds.”
He looked back at her, his piercing gray eyes still guarded but tinged with a flicker of hope. “I know you didn’t. But I wanted you to understand why I tested you. I probably should’ve told you first. I promise I’ll work on improving my bad communication skills.”
She chuckled at his extreme understatement, but his promise filled her with hope that perhaps there was still a chance for their bond.
He’d bared his soul to her, opened himself up in a way no man had ever done before, and she found him even more attractive than before.
Her eyes wandered down his strong jawline to his lips as she remembered the taste of them against her own.
Lips that were capable of doing such tempting things to her.
“Now,” he began, a hint of a smirk gracing those perfect lips as if he’d known what she was thinking. She jerked her gaze to meet his knowing eyes. “We should focus on what’s important—stopping Gareth.”
“Have there been any updates on that front?” Zera asked, acutely aware of how close he was sitting to her. “I heard voices downstairs earlier.”
Maverick’s eyes sparkled mischievously as his smirk widened. “Oh yeah, that was Quill from the bar. He gave me a lead on where Gareth might be tonight. Apparently, he’s securing the last location in his distribution network.”
Zera raised an eyebrow. “Really? The forger just happened to have this information now? You don’t think that’s a little suspicious?”
Maverick shrugged. “I trust Quill. He’s never let me down yet.”
“Do you think it could be the chance we need to finally take Gareth down?” A flicker of hope sparked within her as she imagined finally being free from the constant threat of Gareth and being reunited with her son.
Maverick chuckled, allowing his usual cocky and infuriating demeanor to surface once again. “Oh, it’s definitely a solid lead. But”—he paused as if savoring the moment—“there’s a catch.”
Of course there was. Demons always had a trick up their sleeves. Zera crossed her arms and regarded him with suspicion. Whatever lead Quill had given him had put Maverick in an obnoxious mood.
“What do I have to do?” she asked, staring him down.
“First, you must agree to join me. Agree, and we should be able to save hundreds, if not thousands, of pixies from Gareth’s clutches. The choice is yours.” He gave her a nonchalant shrug, but the look on his face told her he was trying to keep from laughing. What was she about to get herself into?
“Fine. I’m in,” she said, not really having a choice in the matter because she would do anything to finally end this. “Now, tell me what I have to do.”
“All I can say is that things are about to get… interesting,” Maverick replied cryptically, his lips curling into a devilish grin as he stood from her bed and waltzed toward the bathroom and dressing room.
She rolled her eyes. “Can you just tell me already? And what are you doing in there?”
“Finding you appropriate attire for tonight,” he called, his voice echoing off the marble bathroom floor before he disappeared into the closet.
“Wait, what?” She hopped off the bed and marched to the closet, where Maverick held a black garment bag that was significantly smaller than the rest.
She froze, eyes glued to the garment bag. “What’s in the bag?”
“Trust me, you’re probably going to hate this,” Maverick warned, his grin widening even more. “But I promise it’s necessary for the mission. Think of it as… an undercover operation as Charlotte.”
He unzipped the bag. When she laid eyes on the outfit, she suddenly regretted everything.