by Faith Gibson
But first, he had to find Tatiana.
Maveryck was at a loss. He sat on the Volkov place for five days with no sight of Tatiana. On the night of the fifth day, he flew past her window. He hadn’t seen a light on in her room the whole time he waited, so he was desperate. Shifting back to human, he entered her room. The furniture was there, but most of her clothes were missing from the closet. The scent of wildflowers was almost nonexistent, like she hadn’t been there in a while. It wasn’t like he could ask someone where she was.
Actually, he could.
Not knowing where the housekeeper’s room was meant he had to go door-to-door, but that was exactly what he did. When he found the right one, he prayed the older woman didn’t sleep in the nude. Luckily, she was dressed in a gown. Mav padded with the stealth of his lion to the woman’s bed. He leaned over and put one hand on her mouth, the other on her shoulder to keep her from moving.
Using his Gryphon’s power, he said, “I’m going to ask you some questions, and you aren’t going to scream. You will answer truthfully, then I will be on my way. You will forget I was ever here.” The fear in her eyes dissipated, and her body relaxed. “Where is Tatiana?”
“Mikael sent her away to find her father’s killer,” the woman said calmly.
“And did she?”
“We don’t know. The girl disappeared.”
“What do you mean ‘disappeared?’”
“She left the hotel, destroyed her phone, and he hasn’t heard from her since. He’s got people looking for her.”
Shit. What if Mikael was the one who put the hit out on his cousin?
“Forget I was here.”
Mav turned to leave and stepped on something soft. Looking down, he saw a child’s shoe. He hadn’t seen any kids in the house or on the grounds, but he chalked it up to the woman having a grandchild there at some point. He left the same way he entered, then flew back to where he parked his SUV. After dressing, he drove to the hotel. If Tatiana fled, there was only one way to find her, and that was with Lucy’s help. It was late, and he didn’t want to bother her or Tamian, so he opted to call her in the morning.
His first order of business was to take a long, five-day-overdue shower. Having lived on mice and rabbits for the last few days had been necessary, but now he was ready for a fat steak and possibly a nice lobster tail to go with it.
It had been a long time since Mav had visited a casino, but he was fairly close to New Atlantic City. Since most casinos had gourmet restaurants inside, he figured he’d get his steak and then do a little gambling. If he was lucky, he might find someone to get lost in for a few hours. The Diamond Eyes proved to be just the place he was looking for. After devouring one of the best meals he’d eaten in a long time, Maveryck found a blackjack table and threw down a couple hundred dollars. While both blackjack and poker were games of luck depending on the cards laid, he found poker to be tedious. Players took too long to decide whether the risk was worth it.
He was up a few hundred when a brunette sat next to him. He gave her his best smile, one she returned. Mav played a few more rounds, waiting to see if there was a spark between them. She was pretty enough, but her perfume was too strong. Her laugh a little too loud. Those things had never bothered him before. Not when all he was looking for was a warm body for a few hours. Something was holding him back. He had dismissed every single woman who had made their intentions known, and he couldn’t figure out why. He was out of town, away from home, just the way he liked it when he found someone to have sex with.
He knew his dick wasn’t broken, because he rubbed one out every night before he went to sleep and again every morning in the shower. It had only been several hours since he’d taken himself in hand and painted the tile wall with his release. No, it wasn’t his dick that wasn’t onboard with any of these women. It had to be psychological. With his mind preoccupied with those thoughts, he colored up then took his chips to the cashier. Mav had made more than enough to pay for his meal, so he called the night a win, even if he was going to bed alone.
Morning came much too soon, but Maveryck sat up against the headboard and called for room service. He wasn’t ready to leave New Atlantic City. He needed his niece’s help, and if she could get answers quickly, he would rather not be on the road in case Lucy found evidence of Tatiana still near the city. It wasn’t too early, so he called her.
“Hey, Uncle Mav. What’s up?”
“I need your help. Remember the Volkov hit?” Lucy knew all about what her family did for a living. She used her computer skills to help them on their jobs as well as in their search for the Ministry. Ever since spending time with her mate’s Clan down in New Atlanta, Lucy had wowed them all with what Julian Stone had taught her in such a short time. The Gargoyles of the Stone Society he’d met were all honorable. Some of them were lucky enough to have gorgeous females for mates. Thinking of Tessa, Tamian’s sister, he waited for his dick to plump in his briefs. Nothing. What the hell?
“You mean that shitshow where you almost got your ass shot off? I remember,” Lucy said, the scowl coming through in her voice, bringing Mav’s thoughts back to where they should be, not on another male’s mate.
“We got a contract on his daughter, Tatiana Volkova. Thing is, she’s disappeared, and I need your help finding her.” Mav told Lucy everything he knew about the woman as well as what the housekeeper had told him.
“I’ll get right on it. Are you headed home?”
“No. I’m going to hang out here for a bit, just in case you find something. If it looks like it’ll take more than a few hours, I’ll hit the road then.”
“Okay. Sit tight, and I’ll call you back in a bit.”
“Thanks, Luce.”
“Later.”
Mav turned on the television while he waited on his breakfast. Switching to the twenty-four-hour news channel, he closed his eyes and listened to the newscaster talk about current events. When they broke in with an amber alert, Mav opened his eyes and turned the volume up. He had a soft spot for kids, and it broke his heart whenever he heard of one being abducted. A knock on the door took his attention away from the television. When he was sitting down with his breakfast, the report on the missing child was flashing the phone number across the screen for the local police, the New Philadelphia PD, as well as the child abduction hotline. The missing child’s photo was in the top corner. A sweet-looking little girl was smiling in the picture. Mav took a moment to pray to Zeus the child would be found unharmed.
While he ate his breakfast, Mav let himself imagine having a child of his own. He often thought it might be selfish to wish for a family considering the type of work he did, but his parents made it work with eleven kids, and he and his siblings had never wanted for anything. So no, he didn’t think it was selfish to want what Sutton and Rory had. If only he could find someone to spend his life with. Maybe that’s why none of the women at the casino had held his interest. Maybe Mav was ready – again – to stop looking for hookups and to find the one for the long haul.
Mav sent another prayer to Zeus. This time, it was for himself.
Chapter Seven
Maveryck
Maveryck was bone tired and ready to sleep in his own bed. He left New Atlantic City with a plan, and as soon as he arrived back in New Troy, he drove straight home. He had planned to stop at Lucy’s, the large manor she now shared with Tamian. The Gargoyle had been instrumental in rescuing Lucy when she worked for the Global Intelligence Agency. Maveryck and a few other Hounds had the pleasure of meeting and working alongside several Gargoyles. Before that incident, he had heard tell of the other shifters but had never met one. Like the Hounds, Gargoyles had been created to watch over humans, and Maveryck admired Tamian. He was Prince to the Italian Gargoyle throne, but the male was down to earth. Most importantly, he treated Lucy like the queen she would one day be.
He had already given Lucy all the intel he had on Tatiana, and she hadn’t found anything relevant on the missing woman, so he drove to hi
s two-story house instead. The weariness from the last week began to set in, and Maveryck needed a little downtime. When he walked into his house, he didn’t bother to unpack. He stripped down to his boxer briefs and fell face first onto the bed. Maveryck hadn’t had a chance to pull the covers up when his phone rang.
“Mom, I’m beat. Can whatever it is not wait until I’ve had a few hours’ sleep?”
“No. I’m afraid it can’t. Son, you need to get here now. And drive your car.” Rory hung up without another word.
“My car?” he asked the dead phone, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. Fuck. Mav scrubbed a hand over his face and stood, pulling on the clothes he’d shrugged off less than two minutes earlier. He made his way through the house and grabbed the keys off the kitchen counter. On the drive to his parents’ house, he tried not to worry about why he’d been summoned. If it was a medical emergency, surely Rory would have said so. When he arrived, there was a strange vehicle parked out front. He pulled in the driveway, and before he had his SUV in park, his father was waiting for him.
“Pop, what the hell is going on?”
“Jenna’s here,” Sutton responded cryptically.
“What?” Instead of coming to his house, his ex was at his parents’ place. Mav didn’t get a chance to ask Sutton for more information because his father was already walking toward the front door. It had been more than four years since Jenna walked out of his life without so much as a goodbye or a fuck you. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. She had told him she was leaving via text message – after the fact. Sutton led the way to the living room where Jenna was seated on the sofa, looking a little less put together than she’d always been when they were a couple. Before he could ask her what she wanted, she stood and faced him.
“They’re all yours,” Jenna said, shoving a manila envelope in his hand then strolling out the door without looking back.
“What’s all mine?” Mav asked her retreating back.
“Maveryck,” Rory called, getting his attention. As soon as he turned around, Mav froze. Two towheaded little boys were sitting on the floor playing with toy trucks.
“What the ever-loving hell?” he muttered.
“Language,” his mother chastised.
Sutton clapped him on the shoulder. “This is Major and Marshall, and according to those papers in your hands, they’re your sons.”
“What?” At the mention of their names, both boys turned their eyes toward Maveryck. He didn’t have to read the papers to know they were his kids. Looking at them was like looking at him and War when they were that age. At least from the photos he’d seen. Like him and War, these boys weren’t identical either, but they were close. One had more freckles across his nose, and he had a cowlick in his front hairline. Instead of running after Jenna like he wanted, Mav squatted so he was on their level. “Hey there,” he said softly, not wanting to scare them right away with his gruff voice.
“Which one of you is Major?”
The one with the cowlick pointed at his chest. “Me. I’m the oldest.”
“By five minutes,” Marshall whispered.
Mav laughed and fell back on his ass. He was a father.
To twins.
Fuck.
“So...” Maveryck stared at the boys who stared back. He didn’t know anything about kids, even though he’d just been thinking about having one of his own. Now he had two. Holy fucking hell, he had kids. “Uhm, are you hungry?”
“Can we get pizza?” Major asked.
“That’s for special days,” Marshall said to his twin.
Maveryck frowned. What the fuck constituted a special day? “We can get pizza. You know why?” The boys just stared at him. “Today’s really special.”
The twins continued to stare at him, and Mav stared back. Shit. Now what?
“Boys, let’s go in the kitchen and find a snack. Your dad can work out supper later.” Rory gave Mav a pointed look. He just shook his head and watched the twins dutifully follow their grandmother out of the room.
“What the fuck, Pop?” Mav, still seated on the floor, looked up at his dad.
Sutton held out his hand and pulled Mav to his feet. “Since you weren’t home, Jenna brought the boys here. Their birth certificates are in the envelope along with their medical records and a letter signed by a judge turning over custody to you. She’s given up her parental rights. She wrote you a note, but it’s a piss-poor explanation, if you ask me.”
Maveryck removed the contents of the envelope and opened the short letter.
Maveryck,
You deserve more than a text saying goodbye or a note telling you about your sons, but I’ve never been good with words. I found out I was pregnant but didn’t know how to tell you, so I left. I tried so many times to call, but I couldn’t find the courage. You’d never said you wanted kids, and you’d also never asked me to marry you, even after three years. Time got away, and then I had them. I did the best I could by them, but it wasn’t easy. I realized recently they need you more than they need me. Especially if they turn out to be like you. Don’t worry about me sharing your secret.
They’re good boys, and I know you’ll be better for them and give them what I can’t.
Jenna
Mav folded the note and shoved it back in the envelope. He agreed with his dad. It was piss-poor. He scanned the documents, and sure enough, Jenna had signed the boys over to him. He looked at their birth certificates. Jenna had given them his last name, which was good, but neither one had middle names. The twins had been born... Shit. “Their birthday was two months ago. But that doesn’t make sense. She would have been—”
“About six months pregnant when she left.” Sutton lowered his voice. “If those boys weren’t the spitting image of you and War when you were little, I’d be concerned they aren’t yours. I mean, she didn’t look pregnant.”
“No, she didn’t. It wasn’t like she wore baggy clothes, and I saw her naked. We had sex right up until she left.”
No, you didn’t.
Yes, we did. Didn’t we?
No. You were out on jobs, and she was already asleep when you came home.
“Fuck. No, we didn’t. No wonder she left.” Mav scrubbed a hand down his face. “We hadn’t had sex for a few months, now that I think about it. But that doesn’t excuse her not telling me. What the hell am I going to do?”
Sutton clapped Maveryck on the shoulder. “The best you can. I know they’re a surprise, but you have me and your mom to help. And your brothers are going to be wonderful uncles. Right now, we need to get your house ready. Jenna left a few boxes, but it doesn’t look like four-year’s worth of stuff. Let’s go through them and see what’s missing, and then you and I will go shopping. Rory can watch over them for the time being.”
“I’m a dad,” Mav muttered.
Sutton nodded solemnly. “Yes, you are. Now, come on.”
Mav followed Sutton into the kitchen where the twins were eating grilled cheese sandwiches. Major’s cheeks looked like a chipmunk.
“Did you try to eat the whole thing at once?” Mav asked.
Major just nodded, doing his best to chew. When it didn’t work, he opened his mouth and spit out the half-eaten sandwich. Mav looked at Rory who rolled her eyes. She took Major’s plate and dumped the food in the garbage before putting another sandwich in front of him. “Try eating this one a bite at a time. Nobody is going to take your food, Major. I promise.”
Mav frowned at his mother, but she shook her head. Why did his son think someone was going to take his food? Marshall had his sandwich cradled in his hands in front of his little body like he was guarding it with his life. If Jenna had starved them, he was going to beat her ass. He’d never hit a woman before, but these were his sons. It hit him then that these two precious beings were his children. He made them. He was too pissed at Jenna to give her any credit. Because of her, Mav had missed the first four years of their lives. Missed their first words. Their first steps. Their first—
They’re here now. Snap out of it.
Mav pulled out the chair next to Marshall and watched his boys eat. They didn’t look sick or like they’d been abused, but sometimes the scars were on the inside. He wasn’t going to interrogate them on their first day with him. Even he knew better than that. He needed to be subtle, and if it came out they had been mentally abused or neglected, Mav would get them the best help available.
“Can we ride your motorcycle?” Major asked when his sandwich was finished.
“How do you know I have a motorcycle?”
“Mommy told us you did,” Major said.
“I do have one.”
“Can we ride it?” Major was full of questions, but Marshall was still staring at his sandwich. He’d only taken a few bites.
“Not today, but you better believe I’ll take you for rides. First thing we need to do is get a bedroom set up for you.
“Are we gonna live here?” Major asked. It seemed he was the spokesman – spokes-kid – for the two of them.
“No, you’ll live with me in our house. I’ll take you there in a little while, but first I need to get you beds and stuff. Do you guys like superheroes or sports or trucks?”
Major shrugged and said, “I guess.”
“No, I meant which one do you like best?”
Major looked at his twin, but Marshall didn’t say anything. “Uhm... trucks?” Mav’s heart broke. If his kids didn’t know what they liked... Fuck!
“I tell you what. You two finish eating, and I’m going to go look through the things your mom brought. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Mav stood and pressed his hand to both their heads, touching his sons for the first time. Something in his heart settled.
Sutton followed him to the porch where two small cardboard boxes were sitting next to booster seats. One box was filled with worn-out clothes, and the other contained a few toys. Mav closed his eyes, unable to stop the tears from falling. “How... how is this all they have? Pop? These are my boys. My sons, and this... these two boxes are all they have?”