Chapter 45
Chapter Forty-Five
Maverick
The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the warmth of a home I didn’t belong in.
The living room was too quiet, the kind of silence that carried weight, tension pressing against my chest like a vice.
I had spent the night here—technically. After last night, after the storm inside and out, after Solenn let me have her in every way that mattered, I had fallen asleep in her bed, holding her close, feeling her warmth pressed against me like a tether keeping me from unraveling.
But that peace was short-lived.
By the time I woke up, her side of the bed was empty. The sheets were cold, her scent still lingering, but she was gone. And when I made my way downstairs, I found her sitting in the living room, waiting. Not alone.
Her family was here. And I was about to face them.
Lucas sat on the couch, arms crossed, his glare steady.
He still looked like he wanted to take another swing at me, and honestly, I wouldn’t blame him.
Bea was perched on the armrest beside him, watching me with a raised brow, her expression unreadable but far too amused for my liking.
Their mother stood near the kitchen, hands clasped in front of her, her gaze sharp and assessing. And then—there was Solenn.
She sat curled into the corner of the couch, legs tucked beneath her, her fingers absently tracing the seam of the throw blanket draped over her lap.
She wasn’t looking at me. Not really. Just kept her eyes trained on some invisible point in front of her, her expression unreadable, her walls back up.
Last night had been raw, unfiltered, real.
This morning, she was guarded again, and it made something inside me tighten.
I knew why we were here.
I knew what needed to be done.
And I knew it wouldn’t be easy.
I exhaled slowly, gripping my phone tighter in my palm before I stepped forward, clearing my throat. "I need to say something."
Lucas scoffed. "Yeah, no shit."
Bea smirked. "Let him talk, Lucas. This is gonna be good."
Their mother shot them both a look before shifting her attention to me. "Go on, then," she said evenly. "Say what you need to say."
I nodded, shifting my gaze to Solenn. She still wasn’t looking at me. But I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way she was bracing herself.
I turned on my phone. "Before I say anything else, I need you to see this."
I tapped the screen, and the video began to play. The room was silent as the security footage from my office filled the space—grainy but clear enough to prove everything.
Nadia standing too close.
Nadia reaching for me.
Nadia grabbed my face, forcing her lips onto mine.
And then—Solenn appeared in the doorway. Freezing. Leaving before I could even push Nadia away.
The video ended.
Silence.
Solenn’s fingers had gone completely still against the blanket.
Lucas’s jaw tightened.
Bea let out a low whistle. "Damn. She really went full villain, huh?"
Their mother said nothing. Just studied me carefully, as if she were finally trying to figure out what kind of man I was.
I exhaled slowly, pocketing my phone. "That’s what really happened," I said, my voice steady. "I didn’t kiss her. I never would have."
Solenn’s gaze finally lifted, locking onto mine. "But you didn’t come after me."
Her voice was quiet, but the words hit like a punch.
I clenched my fists at my sides, my throat tight.
"I should have," I admitted. "I should have fought harder.
I should have gone after you the second you left, but I—" I exhaled sharply.
"I was furious. Not at you. At her. At my mother's.
At the fact that I lost you before I even had the chance to explain. "
Solenn swallowed, her walls flickering for just a second before she reinforced them. "So what? You thought I’d just… come back on my own?"
"No," I said immediately. "I thought I lost you for good."
She didn’t answer. Just looked at me, searching, waiting for more.
I took a step closer, my voice softer now.
"I don’t know how to do this, Solenn. I don’t know how to be the man who says the right things at the right time.
I don’t know how to chase after someone when my whole life has been built around never needing anyone.
But you—" I swallowed hard. "You changed everything. You made me need. You made me want. And I didn’t know how to handle that. "
Her breath hitched, but she didn’t look away.
"I was angry," I admitted, my voice rougher. "Angry that I couldn’t control this, couldn’t fix this. But mostly, I was angry at myself. Because I let you walk away believing I was someone I’m not. And that’s on me."
Another beat of silence stretched between us.
Then, finally, I let the last of my defenses drop.
"I love you," I said, the words coming out softer than I expected. "I don’t know how to exist without you. And I don’t want to."
Solenn sucked in a sharp breath.
Bea muttered a quiet, "Holy shit."
Lucas groaned. "This is disgusting."
Their mother just watched.
Solenn’s lips parted slightly, her fingers gripping the blanket tighter. "You love me."
"Yes," I said without hesitation. "I love you."
A shaky exhale left her lips. Her eyes flickered with something—fear, hope, longing. She had spent her whole life not needing anyone either. But this wasn’t about needing. This was about choosing.
And I needed her to choose me.
She let out a quiet, almost disbelieving laugh, shaking her head. "You are so…" She trailed off, exhaling through her nose, and rubbing her temples. "You’re impossible."
I smirked, my chest aching in the best way. "And you love me anyway."
Her gaze snapped to mine.
And then—she smiled.
It was small. Hesitant. But it was there.
Something inside me unraveled.
Lucas groaned louder. "Are you done now? Or do I have to keep pretending I’m okay with this?"
Bea snickered. "Oh, come on. This is entertaining."
Their mother exhaled, shaking her head slightly, but when she turned back to me, there was something less sharp in her expression. "You hurt her once."
I nodded. "And I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure I never do again."
She studied me for another long moment before finally sighing. "Fine."
I blinked. "Fine?"
She shrugged. "Fine. But if you screw up again, I’ll let Lucas take another swing at you."
Lucas grinned. "Gladly."
Solenn laughed.
And just like that, everything felt like it was exactly where it was supposed to be.