Chapter 3
three
JO
“What’s with the face?”
I look up from my phone to Maverick smiling at me. He rubs between my eyebrows, forcing me to loosen up my face.
“Sit up.”
I do as asked, and he sits next to me on the couch, pulling me back down until my head is on his lap. I can smell the mix of laundry detergent, his soft cologne, and something that is so purely Maverick that it makes my chest squeeze.
“So what has you scrunching your face so hard you look like a deflated balloon?”
“Hey!” I complain, hitting his chest with the back of my hand. He chuckles as he waits for my answer.
“Jon is being really weird. He’s constantly texting me for updates on Ezra.”
Maverick’s brows furrow. “He was in a few of the meetings when we talked about it. Maybe he’s just really interested?”
“Maybe,” I say, not convinced, but I also don’t have another explanation right now.
“He could have a crush on you. We haven’t seen him since we went into lockdown.”
I make a gagging noise, which makes Maverick laugh. We’ve been on lockdown for almost two months now. The band’s tour manager, Nate, being murdered made leaving the house scary. And if the band isn’t leaving the house, there isn’t much of a reason for their agent to be around.
“Here, let me look.” Maverick holds out his hand for my phone. I unlock it and hand it over.
Jon
Any updates on the case?
No.
Have you narrowed down a location at all?
No.
Do we think he’s in New England? Makes sense he would be close.
We have no idea, Jon.
I bet he’s closer than we think.
Could be.
When do you think you guys will narrow it down?
Why?
Publicity reasons.
Good thing we have a public relations team for that.
I need to know before them.
Do you?
Don’t test me.
I need to know as soon as you find him.
We’ll see.
“What the fuck?” Maverick says, handing me my phone back.
“Weird, right?”
Maverick’s fingers caress my bare arm in a barely there touch as he thinks. He does this a lot, the same way I like to run my hands through his hair when I’m content. It makes it really hard to convince my heart that this man isn’t mine.
“I’ll talk to everyone and start looking for a new agent,” he says.
“What?” I exclaim, sitting up quickly.
“He threatened you,” Maverick says, like it’s that simple.
“He didn’t.”
“He did. Subtly, but he did, Jo. I won’t let anything happen to you. No one threatens you.”
And there goes my traitorous heart again. Beating so hard in my chest it feels like it’s trying to break free to be with his. I press my hand against my chest, trying to keep it there.
“Who is it?” I ask Maverick, who’s looking down at his ringing phone.
“Millie.” Maverick has become close to Belle and Cal’s favorite cousin over the last few months. They’ve been working together on a fundraiser for victims of domestic violence.
“Answer it. It’s not like we have anything else to do.”
He frowns. “Fine, but we’re not done talking about this Jon thing.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine.”
He snorts as he walks away and answers his phone.