Chapter 37
“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” Mave yells, and tires screech against the asphalt when he stops his Range Rover at Finesse’s entrance before making his way to me.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he questions with pure rage in his eyes, then gives me a once-over. “And what the hell are you wearing?”
When I’d called him fifteen minutes ago and asked him to meet me here, I hadn’t waited to hear his response. And yeah, I was expecting him to be mad, but this – this is an entirely different shade of anger that I’m not sure I want right now.
I glance at the sweatshirt hanging off my frame, and Dorran’s too-big black boots covering my feet, then look up at Mave.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
He pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath.
He’s in jeans and a red flannel, which means he drove here from his place. At least he didn’t defy my order of staying in and reporting late.
“You.” He points a finger at me, then at his car behind him. “Get in there – right fucking now.”
“Can you just calm down for a moment?” I say, then push my hair away from my face when a gust of ice-cold wind blows it over wildly.
“Cignette.” There’s a warning in his voice, one that brings goosebumps to my skin. Also, he used my name instead of calling me Nettie, which means he’s seriously pissed.
“I’m fine, if that’s what you’re worried about,” I tell him.
“What I’m worried about right now is getting you out of here before you attract unwanted attention, and I want you to fucking get in my car so that I can take you the hell away from this place.” He’s seething, and it’s absolutely not working in my favor.
“Look…” I bring my hands in front of me. “I want you to trust me, and I want you to follow me. There’s something I wanna tell you, but I can’t do it here.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “No.”
“Mave, come on–”
“I said: no,” he grits.
I clench my jaw. “Then you can go back the way you came, because I’m not coming with you.”
He scoffs and takes half a step back, then an entire one forward. “You don’t get to fight me over this,” he tells me. “Do you even know where you are?”
“Outside Dorran Ledger’s garage and loft,” I say easily, earning a look of complete surprise from Mave. “I know exactly where I am.”
“You–”
“Are you coming with me, or not? Because I’ll only ask once.”
“What the fuck have you done, Nettie?” he questions, then swallows before running a hand over his jaw. “Fine,” he relents. “I’ll give you twenty minutes, and then we’re getting outta here.”
I sigh. “Thanks.” I grab his hand and start leading him to the back of the garage, where there’s an emergency door meant only for Dorran and his crew. And me, too, I suppose, given that Dorran gave me the code to unlock it.
I feel rustling behind me, and turn to find Mave pulling his gun out of the back pocket of his jeans.
“Fucking seriously?” I hiss.
“I’m coming with you, aren’t I? You don’t get to comment on me taking necessary precautions.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter, then focus on the door again.
“How do you know the code for this?” Mave inquires when I punch the 7-digit code in, then push the door open.
I don’t answer him, and once we’re inside Finesse, I shut the door behind us before leading him up the stairs that are behind the main counter.
“Nettie, stop.” He tugs at my hand. “Where are we going?”
I look over my shoulder. “Just trust me, please,” I say.
He sighs in evident annoyance, but nods and follows me.
We reach the top of the stairs, and I pause to collect myself before sliding open the door to Dorran’s loft.
Here we go.
Biting silence fills the air when Mave and I enter the living room, and, as soon as he sees Solo, Dorran, and the crew occupying the massive couch before us, he lets go of my hand and whirls me around to face him.
“What the fuck is this?” he spits, then briefly looks over my shoulder. “Nettie, what the fuck is going on?”
“Do try not to be so dramatic, Maverick,” comes Dorran’s silk-smooth voice. “Cignette, come here.” He’s wearing a green vest and grey sweatpants, and as casual as he looks right now, his tone is giving off completely different vibes.
Mave’s eyes widen in shock. “Nettie–”
“Just listen to what I have to say,” I plead. “Please, Mave.”
“We are leaving.” He makes to grab my hand, but I move back.
“No.” I raise my arms to my sides in defeat. “Just…just relax and listen to what I have to say, okay?” He tries to protest, but I cut him off by saying, “That’s an order.”
His nostrils flare as he scowls at me. “This is borderline madness, Nettie.”
“And I thought you’d be willing to cross the damn threshold with me.”
He scans my face – reluctance and confusion still strong on his.
He’s quiet for a while, but then swallows and jerks his head forward. “Be quick about it,” he finally says.
I nod. “Let’s settle down.” I walk over to Dorran, who’s sprawled on the couch, and grins when I sit next to him.
Mave hesitates. He’s trying to balance his emotions right now, and it’s pretty clear from his fluctuating expressions that he doesn’t trust a single person in this room. Myself included.
“Oh, come on, you goddamn idiot,” Solo says to him, then shifts before patting the empty space next to him. “Sit your ass down so that we can get this over with.”
Mave cautiously joins Solo – gun still in his hand – then glares at me.
Dorran straightens a little and places his arms on the back of his couch, then widens his legs, which results in our knees to touch.
Mave notices, of course, and bristles visibly.
I lean forward and place my elbows on my thighs. “You’ll listen to me,” I tell Mave, “and you won’t interrupt me until I’m done. Deal?”
He scowls, but nods stiffly.
I take a deep breath in, let it out slowly, then tell Mave everything – from meeting Dorran at Finesse for the very first time to get my car fixed, to the events that took place after, including what happened last night, and the names of everyone who currently know about him and I.
When I’m done, I blink at my bodyguard, but his features give away nothing. It’s like he’s made of stone or something; he’s barely moving.
“Mave…” I voice, trying to test the waters.
He blinks back at me, but stays silent, and it fucking gnaws at me.
“Say something,” I urge.
At my request, the expression on his face morphs to one of pure rage again.
Fuck me.
“Oh, so you’re expecting me to say
something after you’ve gone and literally fucked
everything
up?!” He practically yells the last three words, making me cringe.
“That’s what I’ve been sayin’,” Solo mumbles from next to him, earning a kick in the shin from Varsha, who is sitting to his left.
Dorran shifts and leans forward, bringing his body closer to mine. “Watch your tone, Maverick,” he warns in that signature spine-chilling voice of his.
“Or what, fuck-face?” Mave challenges.
Within seconds, the crew is on their feet. “The fuck did you call him?” Jayce says, and starts to walk towards Mave, but Dorran rises and pushes him back.
“Don’t.” He shakes his head to emphasize his point, to which Jayce’s jaw hardens, but he does step back.
Solo is keeping Alex and Varsha in line, who look about ready to tackle Mave to the floor.
Mave stands – seemingly shocked by what he sees – and I follow suit.
“You’ve doomed me to hell by telling me everything,” he addresses me, then puts his gun away. “You could have just kept me in the fucking dark.”
My throat tightens as I watch the struggle on his face.
“I didn’t wanna keep lying to you. I didn’t want to have to come up with names and scenarios just to put you at ease about my safety,” I say.
“Because, Mave, I know you care, and I’d feel so fucking guilty if I’d have to put up a facade every time I needed to get away from the estate.
It wouldn’t have been fair – to either of us. ”
“What’s not fair, Nettie, is you making me choose, because that’s exactly what I’ll have to do.
” He scoffs and runs a hand over his hair.
“I’ve been working for Chase since I was your age.
Hell, younger than you, probably. And I’ve always been loyal to him; always followed his orders.
I just…” He closes his eyes and exhales heavily.
“You’re making me choose,” he says again – quietly – then looks at me.
“And Christ damn me, but I’m going to have to pick you.
I’ll always fucking pick you over Chase. ”
My heart beats in my throat as I stare at Mave. Because right there, in his clear grey eyes, I see the one thing I was scared I’d find; the one thing Dorran had so confidently assumed would be there.
Love.
I see love in Mave’s eyes. For...for me.
I wanna say that I know how this emotion feels, but that’d be a complete lie.
Experiencing it and having it directed towards me are two very different things, and despite being uneducated in the former, I can sense it being projected at me through Mave, and that’s something I don’t need experience for. That’s something I simply know.
“So, what, you called me a fuck-face just for the sake of it, then?” Dorran says, and his voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
Mave clicks his tongue. “To be honest, I’ve wanted to call you that for a long time now.”
Jayce folds his arms across his chest, whereas Alex and Varsha scowl. Solo, on the other hand, coughs behind a fist, making me shoot daggers at him.
Dorran chuckles. “Man, I kinda wanna stab you right now,” he tells Mave, who smirks.
“Go ahead and give it a shot…fuck-face.”
I groan. “For the love of God,” I mutter.
“So you’re part of the team now?” Alex asks Mave. “Do we hug or high-five or somethin’?”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Mave responds. “I’m only risking my neck for Nettie. The rest of you are a…” He purses his lips as he looks for a term.
“Necessary bargain?” I provide.
He shrugs. “Yeah, that.”
“Jeez, don’t treat us with so much respect, man,” Jayce voices. “Gives me acidity just watching you try.”
“I, for one, am glad there’s someone in this band of misfits who sees sense in the fucked-upness of this entire situation – like myself,” adds Solo, earning simultaneous glares from me and the crew.
Mave stifles a smile, and I relax, knowing I won’t have to pretend or lie to him anymore; knowing he’s here, and always will be. And, as selfish as it is, I’m glad about it, and him.
When he meets my eyes, I smile and mouth, “Thank
you,” to him.
He shakes his head. “You’re a menace,” he mouths back, making me chuckle.
Dorran nudges my shoulder with his. “Hey,” he says to me, then grins down at me.
I grin in return. “Hey.”
He bends to place a kiss on my lips. “You feel good, now that he knows everything?” he asks, nodding in Mave’s direction. “Or do you regret it?”
“It’s perfect,” I say. “I’m relieved, if that makes sense.”
“It does.”
“Thank you,” I tell Dorran. “For being patient and calm. I know it’s tough to trust people, especially someone who works for my uncle, but I’m happy you decided to take a chance today. It means a lot to me.”
“Come now, don’t go soft on me. He can still mess shit up, and when he does, I’ll be there, waiting to put an end to him.”
I raise a brow. “If he messes up – which he won’t.”
“Don’t be so damn sure about it. He’s only human.”
“And you–”
Someone clears their throat, making me look ahead.
It’s Mave, and the expression I notice on his face is one that’s very easy to decipher.
Envy.
I don’t know what to do with it, or how to counter it with something that might make it better.
When he sees me watching him, he quickly neutralizes his features, then looks at Dorran.
“I hope you know being with her has naturally put a target on your ass,” he says. “You can’t rest easy or get cocky; can’t even minutely trust Miranda to keep her mouth shut. She’s a fucking ticking bomb, that bitch, and Chase is just as vicious.”
Dorran puts an elbow on my shoulder and winks at Mave. “Oh, I know. This is, after all, just the beginning, and I’m so ready to see what’s in store for me next.” He smirks down at me. “For us, I mean,” he adds, then presses his lips to mine again.
The hard part is over – or at least I think it is. I could be wrong, though, but I won’t know what challenges await me until I actually step into the next phase. And even though it’s terrifying, I’m ready to see what the future holds for Dorran and I.