Chapter 10
Maverick
“I need you to come with me, but I don’t want any bullshit clouding your judgment.”
Well, damn. When Prez called you on your bullshit, you knew you fucked up. The fact he wasn’t losing his shit meant that no one had told him about Tavi.
Yet.
It was only a matter of time, especially since she’d been ignoring my texts since last night.
Four. I’d sent her four, and she’d left me on read.
I was simmering in my rage that she wouldn’t talk to me.
Not that she had to, but I found myself wanting to talk to her, to know if she’s okay, if Van is okay.
I remembered the feeling well. When Mari and I decided to cut ties so they would be safe, I found myself wanting to know about their every move as well.
“I got you.”
He nodded. “Chaos is busy, so I need you to keep your wits about you.”
“I got you, Prez. I promise.”
Reaper hesitated for a moment, almost like he thought he could figure it all out by watching me, but eventually he gave in with a firm nod of the head and led me outside.
I checked my phone for what felt like the hundredth time since my last text, but she still hadn’t messaged me back. Fuck this shit.
She wants to play games, I was the king of fucking games. They didn’t call me Maverick for no reason.
I followed Reaper out of the compound and into the streets of Penrith. I had no idea where we were going but I trusted my Prez. We all did. I knew if I had just talked to him, he would understand the predicament I was in.
After all, he kept my family a secret for years for me. He helped me to rid all traces of them from my life so they could live in peace.
Reaper pulled into the parking lot of one of the offshoot diners we held ownership over with the Ironborne, much like The Pit. My hackles rose when I spotted the car with Mannix’s number plate parked over by the doors.
Fuck did Prez know about Tavi? A strong sensation shot through me that I needed to protect her. I’d lay hands if it came to her and Van, and I knew that already. Fuck. I was so far gone for her.
Getting off the bike and securing my helmet in my saddle bag, I looked over at Reaper, who held a firm grimace on his face.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s just a chat, Mav. I need you in on this. Chaos is, although he’s throwing up a lot of interferences. I need you to trust me…can you do that?”
Reaper never pleaded with us. He ruled, and we trusted his judgment. Call it whatever you wanted to, but I already had my issues with the Ironborne, and this was too close for comfort.
“I do trust you.”
Reaper nodded and led me inside the establishment. The sounds of the diner felt like home, almost like our own Crossbones Diner, and calmed my already fraught nerves. Mannix was sitting at a booth, on his own. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him on his own before.
We slid into the opposite side of the booth, our backs to the counter. Mannix sipped at his coffee, as if this was an everyday occurrence. My heart was in my fucking throat with the way he was looking at me, almost like he knew I had his sister.
“Gentlemen,” he said, finally shooting his eyes over to Reaper. “You brought another one.”
“This is my VP, Maverick. He needs to be on board with the plan.”
“Plan?”
“Mav…”
“You trusting Ironborne scum now?”
I looked from Reaper to Mannix, who, infuriatingly, wasn’t pissed off with my insult. He looked almost amused.
“Listen to what he has to say, Mav.”
I sat back in the booth, my heart rate thundering, blood rushing through my ears with how angry I was.
This fucker let his sister get beat. He just sat around and let it happen, and now I had to trust he was in on a plan with the club after everything his old man did to the club?
The war that started and meant my own family had to be put into protective custody ultimately, so that I couldn’t watch my family grow up.
The Ironborne did that.
“I’m not Thomas,” he started, finishing his coffee and pushing it to the side.
“I won’t ever start a war with you. I want to work together.
We don’t need to fight over territory, we can be adults about it, but there are still many in my father’s empire that believe his way was law.
It’s taking longer than anticipated to get the upper hand. ”
“And why does that concern us?” I asked.
“I want to be transparent with you. I have loyal men, who have served me since I was in high school, and who will lay down their lives for the cause. I, too, would do that. I don’t want to fight it anymore.
The Ironborne can co-exist with the Sons, we just need more businesses together, on already existing mutual territory. ”
“Like?”
“Like, the Salvage Yard and possibly a joint Crossbones.”
“Seriously?” I spat, looking at Reaper. “You’re buying this bullshit.”
“You convince him,” Reaper said, pushing out of the booth, and moving to sit at the opposite end of the diner. Fucker. Turning back to Mannix, I saw a curious glint in his eye, before he relaxed back into his seat.
“Well? Convince me.”
I knew I was being a jackass, but I couldn’t help it. He was part of the problem. The enemy. The fucking devil’s spawn.
And he was Tavi’s brother. The reason I was so angry was because I knew I’d fallen for her, and I couldn’t be with her.
Because of her fucking name.
“Before that, tell me…how is my sister?”
My stomach dropped. “You knew where she was this whole time?”
He nodded. “She’s been followed her whole life unbeknownst to her. Our father kept a tight leash on her after her little stunts at the clubhouse all those years ago. I much rather she finds her own way, but I am still her brother.”
“The brother who let her get beaten silly every night?”
Mannix had the decency to look sad. “There were controls I couldn’t break. I did what I could to keep him away from her for hours on end, supplied him with whores to keep him busy, so she could raise my nephew in peace.”
“You know where she is now, then?” I asked, fearing my family’s safety.
“No,” he said quickly. “When I saw she was with you, I put my surveillance elsewhere. I knew she was safe.”
That hit me right in the chest.
“You like her.”
It wasn’t a question. It was a fact, and he knew it. But I didn’t see anger on his face. I saw…acceptance.
“Doesn’t matter. We are too far apart. I’m going to kill the fucker who hurt her, and then I’m going to get her away from here. Set her up away from the shit of my life, and yours.”
“You love her, then.”
I sat back, shocked at the words coming from his mouth. My heart beat faster, my mind racing to catch up with the conversation.
But the refusal didn’t come.
“What makes you say that?” is all I could come up with.
Mannix smiled softly, twisting the coffee mug around on the table between us. “You’re willing to send her away, even though your eyes lit up at the mere mention of her. I have to hand it to her, she had the big, bad Maverick falling for her in such a short amount of time. No easy feat, I imagine.”
I didn’t speak. I couldn’t. I wasn’t able to betray her trust. If he didn’t know about how we’d met, why she’d come to me, I didn’t want to be the one to tell him.
“Unless…you met before.”
Fuck. “You’re good, I’ll give you that.”
“Is she well? Van too?”
I nodded. “Yes, they’re both safe. But to keep her that way, I need Hardy.”
Mannix sighed. “It will be hard. He was good with Thomas, so he still has friends. I’ll do what I can to separate him, but it can’t come back to me. Not even a little.”
“They won’t find him, Mannix.”
He smirked at me. “Good. Now, let me catch you up on my plan and what I need to succeed. You can decide later if you want to trust me or not.”
“Actions speak louder than words with me, Charman.”
“Good,” Mannix smiled. “Actions will do exactly what I need them to do then.”
I listened as he told me of the plans he and Reaper had been cooking up, how Chaos and Trojan were in on it, but no one else. It was brazen, I had to give him that, but it might actually fucking work, and if it did, it meant, I didn’t have to hide away from my own kids anymore.
“I’ve got to go,” Mannix said, pushing out of the booth and motioning for Reaper to return. “Think about it.”
I nodded at him, and waited for Reaper to slide in across from me. “You’re one crazy SOB, you know that right?”
Reaper smirked at me. “And?”
“And I’m fucking down.”
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Tavi.
I’m coming by tonight. We’re going to talk, even if it’s one sided.
I waited for the response, but all I got was the little word under my text bubble changing from Delivered to Read.
Then nothing.
Fuck.
The way I wanted to punish that little minx. Maybe I would.
One last time.