Chapter 12 Keep This Relationship a Secret
At the police station, Zoe and Blaire sat across from the police officer with their arms folded, looking more like two rebellious teenagers than women who had just been arrested.
The officer glared at Blaire, his expression clearly fed up.
“It hasn't even been a year since you were caught for hiring men to beat up an individual, Miss Lane,” he said sternly.
“This is your second offense in such a short time. Aren’t you afraid you're putting your career at risk?
You're a doctor, for God's sake, and you're still going around behaving like a teenager, burning down cars?”
Blaire threw her hands into the air, looking thoroughly annoyed.
“Well, I didn't do it for fun, Officer. Can't you see that your gender has morons like him who are putting men like you to shame?”
She pointed her thumb toward Ivan, who stood nearby with Terrence. Both men were still dressed in their office attire.
Ivan immediately scowled, his expression darkening.
Blaire merely huffed and muttered under her breath, “I can't wait to get out of this place. God.”
Terrence's gaze shifted toward Zoe, and his expression hardened.
“How could you set Ivan’s cars on fire?” he demanded. “Did you really think that was a good idea? Those cars were worth millions of dollars.”
Beside him, Ivan clenched his jaw, fury evident on his face as he stared down at Zoe with a dark, pissed-off expression.
Zoe rolled her eyes, completely unimpressed.
“So what? He hit Rose and didn’t go to jail for it. Burning a few of his precious cars is nothing compared to what he did to her.”
“Zoe, you’re crossing all fucking lines,” Terrence snapped, his temper rising.
“Just apologize to Ivan and let’s get this over with.
Rose isn’t going to be pleased when she hears what you did.
They’re about to get married. Do you really want to start a fucking fight right now and risk ruining your relationship with Rose? ”
“As if!”
Zoe immediately whipped her head toward Terrence, fury flashing in her eyes.
“Rose would never choose a shithead like him over me.” She glared at Terrence. “Stop being Ivan’s lapdog already, Terrence. It’s getting ridiculous. Can you shut up and mind your own business?”
A furious growl rumbled from Ivan’s chest.
“Zoe Bishop!”
His voice cut through the room as he glared at her, his jaw clenched so tightly that a muscle ticked along his cheek.
“I’ve tolerated enough from you. First, you slapped me, and now you’ve gone and set my cars on fire?” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “Do you really think you can keep getting away with this shit just because Rose happens to care about you?”
Zoe merely rolled her eyes, looking completely unimpressed.
She didn't even bother answering him.
Ivan’s expression darkened further.
“Your brother certainly won’t be proud of you when he finds out you’ve been committing crimes. And don’t think you’re going to walk away from this as easily as you seem to think.”
“We we blah blah blah…”
Blaire immediately began mimicking him in an exaggerated voice, waving her hand dismissively before turning to Zoe.
“Why the fuck does he talk so much?” she complained. “That girly voice of his is giving me a headache.”
Zoe couldn't help it. A snicker escaped her.
That was enough to send Ivan’s temper over the edge.
His head snapped toward Blaire, his eyes narrowing as he looked her up and down.
“Who the fuck are you?”
Blaire blinked at him innocently for a second before pointing at herself and then Zoe, a mischievous smile spreading across her face.
“Charlie’s Angels.”
She leaned back in her chair, completely unbothered by his glare.
“Now fuck off before the third girl shows up and kicks your ass.”
Ivan stared at her in disbelief, his anger practically radiating from him.
Before he could fire back, his phone suddenly rang.
He clenched his teeth, pulled it from his pocket, and stepped away from them to answer.
“Mr. Carrington, we just received another piece of bad news.”
Ivan’s expression tightened.
“What now?”
“Several of our major deals that were nearly finalized have been canceled.”
His brows pulled together.
“They canceled?”
“Yes, sir. Several of them. The clients aren't giving us much explanation.”
“How the fuck is that possible?” Ivan demanded, his voice sharp with disbelief.
“We’re still trying to find out.”
“I’ll be there soon.”
He ended the call and stood there for a moment, staring at the screen with a dark expression.
Then he shoved the phone back into his pocket and turned around.
Whatever anger had been directed at Blaire was now mixed with something far more serious.
He strode back toward Zoe and stopped in front of her.
“You’ll come crawling back to me when you realize you have no other choice,” he said coldly. “You’ll have to beg me to get you out of this, and when you do, we’ll see how confident you are then.”
Zoe gave him a bored look.
“In your fucking dreams, Carrington.”
Ivan’s jaw tightened.
He didn't waste another word on her. Instead, he turned toward Terrence and jerked his chin toward the door.
“Come on.”
Terrence gave Zoe and Blaire one last look before following him out, leaving the two women sitting together in the station.
***
The car came to a stop, and Rose stepped out as the driver opened her door. Maverick got out from the other side at the same time.
Rose had barely taken a few steps toward the entrance when Maverick caught up with her and took her hand in his. He glanced down at her, his fingers tightening around hers.
“Stay with me. Don’t run off.”
“I wasn’t going to run off. I was just going inside the station,” she replied, as though it were obvious.
Maverick lifted their joined hands slightly.
“If you want to go somewhere, grab my hand first.”
Rose looked at him, and some of the tension in her face eased when she realized he wasn't angry. There was no fury in his expression, no hint that he was about to lose his temper. He was as calm and controlled as ever.
She let him lead her toward the police station.
The moment they stepped inside, they were met by the busy atmosphere of the station. Before Rose could look around properly, a voice called out to them.
“Rose?”
Her eyes immediately shifted toward the sound.
Zoe was sitting on one of the chairs, with Blaire beside her.
The moment Zoe spotted Rose, her eyes widened.
Then her gaze shifted toward the man holding Rose's hand.
The color drained from her face.
She slowly sank back against the chair, staring at Rose as though she'd just committed the gravest betrayal imaginable.
Rose immediately knew what was coming.
“It’s not my fault,” she mouthed desperately.
Zoe's glare only intensified.
Rose suddenly wished she could disappear.
Maverick pulled her gently toward them, and that's when Rose noticed the lawyer already standing beside Zoe and Blaire, speaking with the officers.
Apparently, he'd already taken care of everything.
As Maverick approached, the lawyer looked up, gave him a reassuring thumbs-up, and smiled.
“You’re both free to leave,” he told Zoe and Blaire.
The two women immediately brightened.
Blaire practically jumped out of her chair, while Zoe rose more cautiously, still looking somewhat unsettled.
They started toward the exit, but Zoe slowed when she reached Maverick and Rose.
Blaire stopped beside her, then looked at Maverick with a grin.
“Thanks, rich guy. I guess having a gazillion dollars really does come in handy when you need to make a little legal trouble disappear.”
She winked at him.
Maverick didn't even crack a smile.
Instead, he raised an eyebrow.
“Still a goon, Miss Lane?”
“Not anymore.” Blaire flashed him a shameless grin. “Now I just have a lot of friends who are goons.”
Zoe immediately smacked her arm.
“Keep quiet,” she hissed.
Blaire barely reacted.
Instead, her attention shifted to Rose.
“So you’re the one who secretly married him?” she asked, looking Rose up and down. “Really? Couldn't you find someone with emotions? Why did you marry a statue?”
Rose bit her lip.
Blaire was hilarious, but Rose wasn't nearly brave enough to laugh at that comment in front of Maverick.
Zoe bumped her shoulder against Blaire's.
“That’s my friend. The one I told you about.”
Blaire's amused expression vanished.
Her eyes widened as she looked at Rose again.
“You're her?”
Rose gave her a small, uncertain smile.
Blaire’s gaze immediately flicked toward Maverick. She planted one hand on her hip, looked him over, then turned back to Rose.
“Okay. Yeah. This guy is a million times better. Jesus, woman. You have a terrible taste in men.”
“Blaire.”
Maverick’s voice was low, but there was a clear warning in his tone.
Blaire glanced at him, but instead of backing down, she simply turned her attention back to Rose and lifted a finger as if she had one more important thing to say.
“Your ex was a bonehead. I’m glad you got rid of him.” She shook her head, still looking at Rose. “But why didn’t you hit him back? Seriously?”
Rose gave her a slightly guilty smile. “I was in shock.”
“Fair enough.” Blaire nodded, accepting the explanation, although the frown remained on her face. She drew in a deep breath and glanced briefly at Zoe before looking back at Rose. “Anyway, it’s fine. Zoe and I took care of him for you. Next time, you can—”
“There won’t be a next time.”
Maverick cut her off before she could finish. His voice was stern and cold.
Blaire’s mouth snapped shut.
She glanced at him and cleared her throat, suddenly looking a little less fearless than she had a moment ago. Apparently, even Blaire had limits when it came to testing Maverick’s patience.
“Good, then,” she said, recovering quickly. “But if you ever do need help, don’t hesitate to ask. We girls have to stick together.”
She turned toward Rose and offered her hand.
Rose smiled and took it. “Thank you. You too.”
“Let’s go. I’ll drop you off at your place.”
Maverick stepped in, taking Rose’s hand from Blaire and keeping it securely in his own. He turned toward the exit, already preparing to lead her out.