Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
NEVAEH
The moment I spilled my secret to Maverick, I felt the air shift in the room. His features turned ragged. Almost tormented, and it did something to me. It’s as if he was feeling the pain of what I went through.
“Maverick,” I whisper, getting his attention, though I didn’t have to.
Those eyes of his were focused on me. So focused, it’s as if they’re burning with intensity, if that could ever make sense.
“Maverick,” I call his name again and bite my lip nervously.
He takes this in and steps toward me, snagging me around the waist.
“Swear to fuck, Nevaeh, that fucker will pay for what he did to you. I’ll make sure of it,” he says, voice gruff and harsh, almost as if he’s in pain at what I’d endured.
“I don’t want you to do anything, Maverick,” I utter, shaking my head.
“Too late, Sweets,” he growls, his hand going up to tangle in my hair while his other tightens around me.
“You’re my fuckin’ woman, and I’ll do every damn thing in my power to make sure nothing happens to you again.
I’ll also ensure those who have fucked you over in the past pay for your pain.
” Tilting his head forward, he presses his forehead to mine, and our noses brush against each other.
He lets out a harsh breath and squeezes me tighter. “Fuckin’ do anything for you.”
My heart skips a beat at those five words, and I know without a doubt he’s not joking around.
Shoot, he’s made sure of that since he made his play to make me his.
Maverick’s been honest. Not once has he pushed me for more, and he’s here, right here, holding me, promising me something I want more than anything, and that’s him.
But more than that, he’s promising that nothing will ever happen to me again.
I knew I’d already fallen for him. But in this one moment, I fall completely head over heels for him.
I slide my arms up and around his neck. “You’re everything to me,” I murmur on a breath, and his body jerks slightly, his head coming up in order for him to meet my gaze. He stares searchingly into my eyes, lets out a harsh breath, and groans.
“Fuck me, Nevaeh, you can’t say shit like that.
” He slides his hand at my waist down to cup my bottom.
“It makes me want to fuck you, and you’re not ready for that.
” I open my mouth to say something, but he presses a kiss to my lips, stopping me.
“But I’m telling you now, Sweets, my mouth will be between your legs later. ”
“Okay.” I nod, not able to say anything else. What else could I say? Really. I want that and more.
“Good, now we’re gonna get a shower together, make this quick, and then get out there and find out answers to what the hell is going on and how they found you.”
Again, I nodded because as much as it scares me, I want to know as well.
I also need to know if . . . if anyone else knows.
Maverick drops his hands from my hair and bottom, takes my hand, and for the first time ever, he strips me naked before getting in the shower with me.
It’s an intimate moment, but he does nothing more than care for me in the only way he’s ever been able to do.
Underneath the spray of the water, he holds me to him, my naked body pressed to his, seeping up his warmth, his presence letting me know I’m safe.
That no matter what happens next, I’m safe with him.
“You ready?” Maverick asks, pulling his cut up over his shoulders.
After our shower, we dried off and dressed, neither of us saying a word.
Staring at him now, I take him in wearing his seriously faded jeans, motorcycle boots on his feet.
The shirt he put on is one of my favorites.
It’s a gray Metallica shirt that fits perfectly against him and shows off his body without it being completely tight.
Then there’s his cut that he’s wearing. On his head, he’s got his hat on backward.
He looks ready for anything. I also know this because I watched him put the shoulder holster on before he threw his cut on. I knew he had two guns on him.
Me, well, I put on a pair of black shorts and a T-shirt that has the logo for the club’s garage on it.
It’s a medium and fits perfectly against my breasts and is loose at the waist. It’s also comfortable.
I don’t worry about putting on shoes. I hate wearing the things and always have.
I’d walk across burning coals if I knew it wouldn’t hurt.
“No,” I finally answer him and let out an uneasy breath.
“Remember, you’ve got me and the others. We’re not leaving you alone with them. Fuck, I’m not about to let them get near you unless I know you’re safe from them.”
“They wouldn’t hurt me.” This I knew without a doubt. They were always loving and protective of me growing up, I know they didn’t have anything to do with me getting taken or anything that happened to me.
“Get that, but knowing what you told me, I’m not taking chances.” Maverick takes my hand in his, lifts it, and presses a kiss to my palm. “Let’s get this over with.”
I nod while drawing my bottom lip in between my teeth. Maverick takes this in and glares at my mouth for a brief second before leading me out of the room.
Hand in hand the two of us walk back into the main portion of the house to find everyone already sitting at the table, food dispersed for everyone.
Wrath lifts his gaze first and meets my eyes. “Vaeh, Sabotage put your bourbon chicken to the side. We didn’t want anyone to get a hold of yours.”
As thoughtful as that is, they didn’t have to do that.
I nod as Maverick pulls out a chair for me to sit next to Sabotage. He takes the other one next to me, resting his arm on the back of my chair.
“You need to eat,” Maverick grumbles, grabbing the food from Wrath.
“I know,” I murmur and glance at my parents and three brothers, Banshee, Druid, and Kelpie. They stare at me, and I know they’re taking in the changes in me, though it’s not much. My hair is still blonde, and my body is still the same. That is besides the scars, but they can’t see those.
My dad is the first to clear his throat and speak. “Your mom got a call from her sister’s son two days ago. That’s how we found you.” His voice is gruff and full of emotion.
“Who are you talking about?” Pirate tenses and looks around the table, cursing. “You’ve got to be fuckin’ kidding me. There’s only one person who’s seen Nevaeh with us and found out her name,” he says, looking at his brothers. “Fuckin’ Romeo Cohen.”
“His name’s actually Gavin Kennedy. He changed it for the sake of the family,” Mom says and meets my gaze.
“He saw you and knew who you were right off. He didn’t say anything because he’s smart.
Called me and told me he found you and that you were safe.
Asked us to give him a day to make sure .
. .” Her breath hitches and tears spill down her cheeks.
“He wanted to be sure, and then he called again and confirmed. Your dad, brothers, and I headed here first thing.”
“Fuck me,” Pirate mutters. “That fucker is one sneaky bastard.”
“I’ll have to make sure to beat the shit out of him for not coming to us first,” Maverick growls.
“He did the right thing,” Dad mutters, eyes sharp and focused on Maverick. “We’ve been searching for our daughter since the moment we found her missing.”
“Right,” Maverick remarks tersely. “He still should have come to us first. Fuck me.” I tense at the way he said those words. “Did y’all tell anyone else you were coming here?”
“No,” Banshee answers, voice vibrating with fury. “We wanted to come find Nevaeh for ourselves.”
I relax marginally at his words, thankful he didn’t tell anyone else.
Maverick also relaxes a smidge before shaking his head. “This shit still doesn’t fly. Nevaeh’s been through hell and is only now finally overcoming the bullshit she’s endured —”
“Maverick,” I whisper, turning in my seat to face him, “please.”
“Baby, I’m not about to tell them,” he retorts softly and strokes my cheek.
“But they gotta know, this wasn’t the play they should have taken because I’m telling ya, Sweets, you’ve been through enough.
I told you in the room, no one is going to hurt you again.
That also means no one is going to force anything on you that you’re not ready for. ”
“Okay,” I murmur, nodding and looking back to my family.
I take a breath and finally speak up. “I missed you all. More than you know, but Maverick’s right, I’m not .
. . I wasn’t ready to . . . to face you all again.
” I don’t miss the pain that crosses my parents’ faces or the flinches my brothers all get.
“That being said, I’m happy to see you because, as I said, I’ve missed you all so much. ”
“Missed you too, Cupcake,” Mom responds, eyes darting between Maverick and me before going back to eating.
“After we eat, why don’t you introduce your mom to Gizmo,” Maverick suggests. “That and you could go for a walk on the beach. Catch up with her.”
Meaning he’s going to have a chat with my brothers and doesn’t want me to hear it. I glance over my shoulder at him and roll my eyes to which he gives me a lifted brow like he’s questioning whether or not I’m going to argue.
A smile spreads over my lips, and I shake my head because I know him, and due to knowing who he is, the fact I feel safe with him, it means everything to me. “You’re not going to do your he-man macho mess with them, are you?”
“That’s saved strictly for you, Sweets.” He snorts and jerks his chin toward my food. “Now eat.”
“Fuck me, I’m gonna throw up,” Druid grumbles.
“I already did,” Kelpie mutters.
“I think I need my ears washed out.” Banshee grunts.
I twist back to face them across the table and find them all watching us. My mom has a small smile on her face. Dad glowers, but not like my brothers. The three of them look downright pissed, but it’s the same look they’ve always had when it comes to any guy in my life.
Leaning toward my food, I fork up a bite and look at Pirate. “What did you do to Gizmo?” I ask, remembering earlier and the fact he was holding my cat.
“He and I worked out a deal. I give him treats, he keeps his claws and teeth to himself.”
A giggle spills from my lips because this is something Pirate would totally do.