Chapter 13 Why Do You Care? #2
That was why people feared him.
Maverick had no mercy for anyone—not even his own blood relatives.
Rose’s gaze shifted back toward the window. She looked at the man with a deepening frown.
The thought of someone mistreating Maverick and Zoe when they were children made her blood boil. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she glared at him through the window.
If Augustus was one of the people who hurt them… then Maverick had every right to do what he did.
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
Someone like him deserved to be beaten within an inch of his life.
Augustus shot them one last furious look before the driver closed the car door, shutting him inside.
The moment the door shut, Maverick reached for Rose's hand and pulled her toward him, his arm settling firmly around her waist. He held her close, as though he didn't want even the slightest trace of Augustus near her.
Rose didn't resist. She let herself be drawn against his side while Augustus stood outside the car, his face twisted with fury.
The driver climbed into the front seat, started the engine, and pulled away from the curb.
Maverick still didn't release Rose.
His grip remained firm around her as he stared straight ahead, his expression hard and distant. But Rose could see the anger wasn't the only thing weighing on him anymore.
There was something else in his eyes.
Something darker.
She reached up and gently cupped his face, turning his attention toward her.
“Don't accept them as your family,” she said quietly. “They're not your family.”
Maverick's gaze shifted to hers.
“Don't pay any attention to what he said. You deserve so much more than anything they could ever give you.” Her thumb brushed gently across his cheek. “You have your own home now. You have me. You don't need anyone else from them anymore, okay?”
Her voice was earnest, almost fierce with conviction. She couldn't stand seeing the hurt beneath his anger.
Slowly, the tension in Maverick's face began to ease.
The hard lines around his eyes softened, and the anger that had been burning there gradually faded as he looked at her.
For a few seconds, he simply stared at her.
Then his gaze dropped briefly to the hand still resting against his cheek.
“Why do you care if I feel bad?”
Rose's fingers immediately loosened.
Only then did she seem to realize how close they were.
A nervous flush crept across her face as she pulled her hand away and looked toward the window.
She hesitated for a moment before answering softly, “Because you're my husband.”
The words made her even shyer.
She turned her face toward the window, pretending to be suddenly fascinated by the passing city.
“Stop talking. I'm hungry.”
A quiet smile tugged at Maverick’s lips. He said nothing, but his gaze lingered on her flushed face as the car continued down the road.
***
It was getting colder in Manhattan, and over the past few days, the snowfall had grown heavier. A thick layer of snow covered the roads and sidewalks, turning the entire city white as the temperature continued to drop.
“Oh my God, I’m so full,” Zoe groaned as she walked out of a fancy restaurant, one hand resting over her stomach. “I haven’t had food this good in my entire life.”
Rose walked beside her, equally stuffed and barely able to do anything more than nod in agreement.
“I honestly didn’t expect all those rumors to be true,” Zoe continued happily. “The food really is that good. I could come here every single day.”
“Yeah,” Rose agreed with a small smile. “It’s a shame Maverick wasn’t there with us. I think he would’ve loved it too.”
Zoe suddenly stopped walking.
Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at Rose, a strange amusement appearing on her face.
Rose took another step before realizing that Zoe had stopped. She turned around, her eyebrows lifting in confusion.
“What?”
“Ever since you married my brother, you’ve changed so much,” Zoe said, studying her with an amused expression. “You don’t even seem afraid of Maverick anymore. Before, you were so fucking terrified of him that you avoided him whenever you could.”
Rose immediately waved a hand dismissively, although the faint flush spreading across her cheeks betrayed her embarrassment.
“You’re overthinking it. Isn’t it normal? We’re married now. Besides, after getting to know him, I realized he’s not really as bad as I thought he was.”
Zoe giggled and started walking again, easily matching Rose’s pace.
“I never said it was a bad thing. I’m actually happy about it. Maverick has always been a great brother to me, so I know he’s going to be a great husband to you, too. I’m just happy that you’re happy with him.”
Rose clasped her hands behind her back as she walked through the snow, a small smile appearing on her lips.
“I am,” she admitted quietly.
The two continued down the sidewalk, their conversation carrying on naturally as the snow fell around them. Neither of them noticed the hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
It happened so quickly that Rose barely had time to react.
A hand suddenly came from behind and clamped over her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock as something pressed against her face, and she struggled instinctively, trying to pull herself free.
“Rose!”
Zoe's scream rang through the snowy street.
Several men dressed in dark clothing and masks appeared around them almost at once. Two of them immediately grabbed Zoe, while another caught Rose as her body began to lose strength.
Zoe fought desperately, twisting and kicking as she tried to break free.
“Let her go!”
She managed to wrench one arm loose and reached toward Rose, but one of the men shoved her hard enough to send her stumbling backward.
Rose had already lost consciousness.
Her body went limp as the men dragged her toward a dark car waiting farther down the road.
“No! Rose!”
Zoe struggled against their grip, but by the time she managed to pull herself free, the men had already forced Rose into the vehicle.
The car door slammed shut, and the vehicle immediately sped away, its tires kicking up snow as it disappeared down the road.
Zoe stood frozen for a moment, staring after it in disbelief.
Then panic took over.
“Oh my God…”
Her hands shook violently as she pulled out her phone and immediately dialed Maverick’s number. He answered after only a few rings.
“Maverick!” Zoe shouted, her voice trembling with panic. “Someone just kidnapped Rose!”
She could barely catch her breath as the words rushed out of her.
“They were men in masks. They came out of nowhere and grabbed her. They took her in a car and drove away!”
A curse left Zoe’s mouth before she heard the quick shuffle of movement on the other end of the call. Maverick’s voice came through immediately, sharp and commanding.
“Where are you? Send me your location. Don’t move. I’m sending someone to pick you up. I’ll take care of it.”
Before Zoe could answer, the call ended.
An hour later, the thunderous sound of Maverick’s footsteps echoed through the abandoned building as he stormed inside. Silence hung heavily in the air, broken only by the hurried footsteps of his men as they spread out and surrounded the place.
Maverick didn’t slow down. The moment his men located Rose, he headed straight toward the sound of their voices.
The building wasn’t empty after all.
His men had already cleared the lower floor, and Maverick pushed past them without wasting a second. He stormed toward the stairs and took them two at a time, his expression growing darker with every step.
Then he reached the floor above.
The sight waiting for him nearly made his blood boil.
Four men surrounded Rose.
Her hands were tied tightly behind her back at an awkward, painful angle, while a blindfold covered her eyes. One of the men had a tight grip around her neck, holding her in place as he shouted something directly into her face.