I lean back onto the bed, closing my eyes. He puts his hand on my shoulder, shaking me slightly. “Bell,” he says in a slight panic.
I open my eyes and take his hand. “I’m fine. I was just closing my eyes for a second,” I reassure him.
He turns away from me, looking at the wall. “Climb up here with me,” I tell him, my voice sounding funny since my mouth is numb.
He climbs in beside me, pulling me against his chest. I can hear his heart beating in his chest. “I’m fine, I promise. He just scared me.”
Maverick kisses the top of my head. “I hate that you were scared, baby.”
I lean up, looking at him. “I’m safe with you. I feel safe with you. Nothing will hurt me—you’re here. It just surprised me.”
I want him to know that it’s not his fault.
He closes his eyes. I know my words affect him. He puts his hand on my face, pulling me back to him and wrapping his arms around me tightly.
“Alright, are you ready to get stitched up?” A nurse walks in, followed by a doctor, who I have to admit looks creepy.
Maverick slides off of the bed, settling back in his chair. I grip his hand hard, nervous.
The nurse drags my lip down for the doctor. He grins at me and I feel gross.
I look over at Maverick, who’s staring at me.
I close my eyes, not wanting to look at the doctor and playing it off that I’m just not comfortable around men, which I am not, but with Maverick I was comfortable right off the bat.
The doctor puts his hand on my waist, rubbing with his thumb slightly. I open my eyes and look at him, then the nurse.
He winks at me and I close my eyes at the sight of the needle. Maverick strokes the back of my hand.
I close my mind off to the pulling and tugging of the needle going through my skin. It starts bleeding again, dripping down my face onto the pad in my lap.
“All done. Oops, we made a mess.” The doctor grabs a napkin and starts rubbing it, right over my crotch, digging in. I’m in shock.
Maverick grabs his hand with one hand, his other hand around his throat. He slams him against the wall. “Why the fuck are you touching her without her permission? Tell me why I shouldn’t fucking kill you!” Maverick yells into his face, digging his hand into his throat.
My body is shaking at the shock of what’s happening around me. “What do you mean? I was told she was a whore!” the doctor yells and the nurse gasps in shock.
Maverick looks over at me, smiling. “Turn your head, sweetheart.
Maverick
She turns her head to the side, looking at the floor. I grip the doctor’s hand tighter. “Big fucking mistake,” I whisper.
I move my hand from his throat to his mouth. Then with a grin I twist the hand wrapped around his wrist.
I turn and turn.
Then I hear the snap, his screams under my hand. That shit makes me feel relaxed for the first time since all of this shit happened.
I turn more and more, until I know his hand is going to be beyond repairable.
I hope they cut that shit off so he can never again touch a woman like that without her permission.
I take my hand off of his mouth, “Now tell me, what did you mean?”
His eyes roll back in his head. I squeeze his hand a little, causing him to perk right up.
“Her husband told me right outside that she’s a whore and I paid him for her, for the day.”
I look at Bell, who is white as ghost, but I just smile. “Looks like it’s time for me to have some fun.”
Bell
Her husband. Her husband. It rings through my mind over and over. He’s here. He’s in this hospital right outside of that door.
Maverick smiles. “Looks like it’s time to have some fun.” I look at the nurse, but she takes off running to the door. “You stay here. Don't touch that door.”
Maverick tosses the doctor onto the ground. “You do not fucking move.”
Maverick takes out his phone, placing it to his ear and calling someone. “Smiley, her husband has made his move. I need the boys here to check the hospital and make sure he’s gone before I leave this room. We also got a doctor here that we need to take care of.”
Maverick kicks him to emphasize his point.
The crazy thing is, I’m not freaked out by the fact that he just tortured the doctor.
He did it to protect me.
Maverick walks over to me, rubbing his hand down my back. “We’re going to stay here in the room until you get here. Thanks, brother.” Maverick hangs up the phone and calls someone else.
I close my eyes and rest my face on his side. The day has barely started and I am exhausted.
“Ethan, it’s Maverick.” I tune out his words, not wanting to hear the details once again.
The doctor is glaring at me from the door like it’s all my fault. That’s how it goes.
Someone can touch you inappropriately but it’s your fault, you enticed them, it’s all on you
It’s fucked up.
But I won’t be shamed. Never again.
I sit up straight and stare right back at him, tired of the men who think the world owes them shit.
“Quit staring at me like that. You know I’m not the first girl you have ever touched like that and I know that I’m going to be the last.”
Maverick drops the phone on the bed, walking over to him. “If you look up from the floor, I will fucking tear your eyes out of your skull and make you eat them.”
I shiver from the deadliness in his tone. I know he means it.
The nurse looks up at me. “He has touched me for years. I’ve told the board about it many times but nothing has ever happened.”
My heart cracks a little. “I’m so sorry that happened to you, honey.” My maternal instincts are taking over.
She walks to me. I wrap my arms around her, hugging her. “It won’t happen again.”
“Sure the fuck it won’t.” I hear the doctor yell, from whatever Maverick just did to him.
“Did you tell anyone else what happened? Your mom? Therapist?”
She shakes her head. “I don't have any parents, but this is not the first time and it won’t be the last. It’s the life of being a woman.”
Maverick looks horrified at the thought that this happens—the catcalls, the comments, the touching then the taking of what is not theirs. Some men in this world don’t deserve to breathe.
“I want a fucking list of every person who has done this shit,” Maverick tells her, and she smiles.
“How old are you?” I ask her, rubbing her back.
“I’m twenty-two.”
I smile. She’s young. “You’re around my youngest daughter’s age. Maverick, I think we need to adopt her.”
He laughs, smiling at me.
The nurse laughs. “I mean it, though, I’m your stand-in mom. You need me, I’m here. Come over for breakfast, go shopping, get our nails done. Heck, you have two sisters now and a little brother.”
Her bottom lips trembles. I know she’s fighting back tears. I squeeze her hand. “Deal?”
She sniffs, laughing slightly. “Deal.”
Thirty minutes later, there’s a knock at the door. “Maverick, it’s me,” a man calls through the door.
The door opens and a man steps into view wearing the same cut as Maverick. He looks down at the ground at the doctor, who is crying, holding his arm. “This is the fucker?”
“Pitiful, isn’t he?”
He laughs. “Not even sure what the fuck he is. He sure isn’t a man.” He bends down and practically lifts him off the ground. I see the name Smiley on his cut.
I know he’s one of Maverick’s close friends. “Want to get together and let our ladies meet?” he asks Maverick, who looks at me.
“I’d love that.”
Smiley smiles at me and drags the doctor out of the room. “What’s your number, honey?” I take out my new phone since the other is long gone.
I need to get with
my girls tomorrow and catch them up on everything that has happened. It’s a been a whirlwind.
Once I have her number, I text her so she has mine. “Nice to meet you, honey. I do hope to hear from you.”
She smiles and walks out of the room, leaving me and Maverick alone. “Ready to go home?”
My mind gets stuck on the word “home,” but that is what it is to me, home.
“Yeah I am. We have a special little boy to take shopping and I was googling. I found a salon that offers lessons with helping to do hair for Ronny. I need the help.”
Maverick helps me off the bed. “I need to learn too. I’m clueless about hair shit in general.”
My heart does a little dance at his offer to learn too. That immediately lets you know what kind of man he is. He’s the best of the best.
10
Bell
Ronny’s waiting for us at Lane’s front door. He saw us and ran outside to greet us.
Maverick gets out and helps him in the back seat. “Hi sweetheart, you have fun?”
He nods enthusiastically. “It’s so cool that we are neighbors. She said we can play all of the time!”
Maverick gets in, grinning at the excitement in his voice. “She had a dirt bike, it was so cool! She offered to let me ride it, but I didn’t want to in case I would get in trouble.”
Maverick looks at me then at Ronny through the mirror. “If you want to learn, I can teach you.”
Ronny gapes at Maverick. “Will you? I don’t have a bike.”
“We can borrow one from Lane until you make sure you actually like it, then we can go from there, bud.”
Ronny looks like he’s on cloud nine.
“You’re the best ever.”
Now Maverick looks like he’s on cloud nine. I squeeze his hand, knowing how much Ronny’s words affected him.
First stop is the salon so we know what kind of products and tools to get for Ronny. YouTube just left me more confused.
Maverick holds my hand and Ronny’s and we walk inside of the salon. We’re greeted by a beautiful lady at the front. She looks at us then at Ronny, her smile growing wider.
“Need help?” she asks.
“Please.”
She laughs and motions for us to follow her. She has Ronny sit in a chair. She starts pulling out products, picks, combs and brushes.
She breaks it down from the basics, his curl pattern and what is needed for it, how to style his hair, when to wash it, how often, what products to use from start to finish.
I want to hug her. His hair is beautiful and his mother never did anything to care for it.
“Thank you so, so much,” I thank her.
She beams at me. “It made me so happy to see you come through the doors. His hair is his crown. You saw it as important and it is, to him, Look how his confidence changed.”
She’s correct. I saw a change in him the second he saw his hair. “Are you adopting him?”
Maverick takes my hand. “Yes we are.”
She smiles. “Good, I know he’s in great hands. Never hesitate to come back if you need any help.”
We leave the shop feeling great. Ronny looks so cute. Right next door is the bookstore and Ronny practically sprints inside.
I try not to laugh at his excitement. He runs from aisle to aisle checking everything out, then he spots the Percy Jackson series he loves.
“Look, here they are!” he whisper-yells to me, pulling us straight to them. He sits down on the ground, looking through them.
“Which ones do you want to bring home?” Maverick asks, bending down next to him.
“Am I really staying with you guys forever?” Ronny asks, his face showing his vulnerability.
“Buddy, once we’re home later we’re signing the papers to make it official. You’re stuck with us.”
Ronny looks down at the books, smiling. “I like staying with you guys.”
“We love having you, sweetheart.”
Yesterday was hell, but I am so thankful that we have Ronny with us and that he can have a chance at a great life.
“I still want to visit the clubhouses,” I tell Maverick, hinting.
He chuckles. “Someone right now is not having a good time between the Grim Sinners’ and the Devil Souls’ ole ladies. Take your time, darlin’.” He winks.
I try not to think of her. I try not to think of the most horrific thing someone can do.
She hurt her child.
She whipped him, left his body scarred, she sold him, she mentally abused him, but most of all, she didn’t love him as a mother should.
I’ve made mistakes but I would rather die than see someone abuse my girls. I did the hardest thing I’ve ever done, the most selfless thing. I gave them away and hoped to God they would have a better life.
I carry that guilt. That’s mine to bear.
But now? I can start new. I can do it over again with Ronny. He may not see me as a mom or anything like that, but I want to take care of him.
Both of us are getting fresh starts.
Maverick kisses my temple. “Is your mouth okay? Do you want some Tylenol?” he asks
I shake my head. “I’m good.”
“I’m ready. Can I have these three?” Ronny asks both of us.
Maverick chuckles. “Yes you can, buddy. You did such a great job taking care of Bell today.”
Ronny beams, scooting closer to me, taking my hand and holding the books with the other. “Ready to go?”
* * *
We spent the whole day shopping. Ronny literally had nothing and Maverick wanted to make sure he had everything he needed.
Now we’re home, piled up on the couch and watching a movie. Ronny is sitting stiffly beside Maverick with a blanket thrown over his lap, trying to get comfortable.
I lean over and snuggle up to Maverick’s side. He runs his hand down my arm to my hip
“Ronny, have you thought about school?” I yawn, looking over at him.
“I love school. I haven’t been since I lived at the center with Mom.” His voice trails off when he says “mom.”
His little face falls. I stand up and sit on the other side of him. “Hey, what’s the matter?”
I take his little hand in mine. He looks up at me, his beautiful blue eyes filled with tears, his little freckles scattered across his nose.
“Why didn’t my mommy love me?” he asks in the most heartbreaking voice I’ve ever heard.
I look at Maverick pleadingly, so hurt.
“Oh honey, I’m so sorry your mom hurt you like this. They are some people in this world, who are just not good people.”
His bottom lip trembles, Maverick scoots closer to him. “Come here, buddy.” Maverick picks him up, hugging him against his chest as he cries.
I think he has been holding back that pain for a long time, it just hit him what’s all happened in his life.
I lean my head on the couch, looking at Ronny. I put my hand on his face. “You are safe with us. It’s okay to cry and be hurt, sweetheart,” I whisper, running my thumb over his cheek.
He nods, wiping his tears. I pull his blanket over him, and Maverick pulls him closer, laying his head on top of Ronny’s. “I have you, buddy,” Maverick tells him.
Ronny nods his little head, closing his eyes as he calms down from his crying.
Little by little he stops crying. I lean up and kiss Maverick, and Ronny is fast asleep. “Should we carry him to bed?”
Maverick nods. I turn off the TV and follow them up the stairs. I pull back his new blankets with superheroes on it that he picked out.
Maverick lays him down. I pull the blankets up, tucking him in. I cover my face, exhausted.
“Come on, honey.” Maverick pulls me out of the room, pulling the door closed.
I walk into the bedroom and sit on the edge of the bed. “I hurt so bad for him, Maverick. How could someone hurt a baby like him?”
Maverick clenches his jaw. He strips out of his clothes until he’s just in a pair of short
s, and climbs into bed, pulling me with him. “I don’t fucking know. I wish she was a fucking man, but I can find his fucking stepfather.” He grins.
He rolls me over onto my back, kissing me. All of the bad thoughts immediately disappear from my mind. His hand snakes into my panties, rubbing my clit.
I’m wet for him instantly.
“Made for me,” he growls, biting my shoulder slightly. He leans up and kisses me once more before moving down my body.
He grips my pants, tearing them down my legs. “Take yours off.” My mouth waters.
He gives me that smirk, slowly siding down his pants. My legs squeeze together at the sight of the perfection in front of me.
He walks to the door and locks it. Nerves slowly run through me. I know exactly what that locked door means.
His fist wraps around his dick, stroking from top to bottom. I shiver from head to toe.
Can he get any sexier than this?
Maverick climbs onto the bed, lying on his back. He reaches over and picks me up until my knees straddle his face.
“What is this?” I ask.
He licks his lips. “My dinner.” He pulls me down and feasts on me. I grip the headboard so I don’t fall and accidentally kill him.
His fingers tighten on my hips, pulling me all the way down onto his face. “Ride me,” he demands.
“God,” I moan, slamming my hand onto the headboard before falling back, my hands buried in his hair.
I look down and see him looking at me, watching my reaction. That just makes it ten times hotter.
So I let go, my eyes closed, and I just feel.
I let myself take whatever I need. I’ve never felt so powerful, so wanted. He pulls me down harder, his tongue swirling around my clit and I hold still, right on the edge.
He sucks deep.
That’s all it takes. I fall forward, but he doesn’t stop his onslaught. I have to push his face away because it becomes too much.
“Lay on your belly.”
I lay down, my face in the pillow. He grabs another one, stuffing it under my stomach, and pulls my legs straight out with him straddling my legs.
He slides inside of me. I moan loudly, burying my face into the pillow. He feels so much deeper in this position.
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