by Elisa Leigh
“Kinsley, this is going to sound crazy, but I need you to listen and ask questions later. Can you do that for me, Sweetheart?”
She nods and the noose constricting my heart loosens.
“You and your Sadie are coming home with me. We’re going to pack up everything you need and get on the road tonight. I know you don’t know me that well, but I’m hoping with the extra time we will be spending together you will realize that my intentions are honorable and all I want is for you and Sadie to be safe.”
“We can go stay with Momma J. I barely know you Mav-”
I shake my head sadly. “That man was able to find out where you live. Don’t you think he’ll be able to find Becca’s parent’s house just as easily? Do you really want to bring that to their door after all they’ve done for you? The safest place for you is where he’s least likely to look, with me.”
Her indecision is apparent and I hate I used her family against her, but I need her with me more than I’ve needed anything in my life. I need to know she’s safe and taken care of by the one person her safety means the most to, me.
I stand and help Kinsley to her feet. “Put her down baby, and I will help you pack. I’ll load everything, and we’ll be out of here as soon as possible.”
Letting out a sigh, she nods in agreement and lays Sadie back in her bed. We set to work packing their things, and the fifteen minutes it takes us are spent in tense silence. When I’ve zipped the last bag, I watch as she finishes what she’s doing. She’s scared, and her fear is wafting off of her in waves.
“Come here, baby.” Grabbing her wrist, I pull her to my chest and hold her to me. I rub my hand up and down her back, trying desperately to alleviate some of the stress that’s plaguing her. Her rigid form settles against me, and she goes lax in my arms.
“That’s it, love, you have me. Trust me to take care of you and Sadie. I’d die before I ever let anyone hurt you two.” She nods against my chest, and I take a moment to hold this woman, who is changing my world. Resting my cheek on the top of her head, I’m enveloped in her sweet scent. I want so badly to bathe in her essence but now isn’t the time. I kiss her forehead and push her away far enough so she can look at me.
“I’m going to put everything into the back of the truck, and then we’ll leave, okay?”
She nods. “Thank you, Maverick.”
“Always Kinsley, you never have to thank me for protecting what’s mine.” With that, I drop my arms and grab some bags.
Walking into the living room, I find Griffin and Becca in a stare down. I’ve known Griffin a long time, and I’ve only ever seen him this upset a few times in my life. One of those times being, when his sorry excuse for a girlfriend left him and his daughter high and dry.
“You’re going to pack your shit and get your sweet ass in my cruiser,” Griff tells her while pointing in the direction of the other bedroom in this tiny place.
“No, I most definitely am not. You don’t want me staying here, fine! I’ll go to momma and daddy’s place. Why the hell would I go home with you?”
“I’m not playing here Rebecca. Get your shit, now!”
“It’s not shit! Stop calling it that and get out of my house.”
“Actually, it’s my house baby and you cannot stay here anymore.” He grins at her while folding his arms across his chest.
Kinsley comes out and stands close to me. “What’s going on?” She whispers, watching her best friend and mine go at it.
“Let them work it out, love. I need to get you out of here.”
I leave her watching Becca and Griffin. It doesn’t take long to pack their things since she refused to take much. She says she will not be here long, but if I have my way they’ll never leave me.
When I walk back in from packing the last bag, Kinsley is standing there with a crying Sadie in her arms. The poor girl doesn’t look like she’s stopping anytime soon either. “Let me give it a try.” I offer, holding out my hands for the upset Sadie.
Shrugging, she hands her to me, and I fumble for a second, figuring out the best way to hold her. Tears are rolling down her chubby red cheeks, and she’s hot and sweaty. The crying and screams do not stop, and my heart clenches, causing me to do the only thing that makes sense. I walk to the couch and set her down. Doing my best to get the long sleeve t-shirt over her head, without making Sadie cry more.
“There you go, Angel. Does that feel better?” I lift her into my arms and rub her back, just like I did her momma earlier. She cuddles into my chest, gathering my shirt in her fist as she clenches and releases it until she finally settles. This little human is mine, and so is her momma.
“I feel so stupid because I should have thought of that,” Kinsley mumbles, staring at her daughter.
“You are far from stupid, and I will not let my woman think she’s anything less than perfect. Don’t you ever call yourself stupid again. Do you hear me, Kinsley?”
She nods, but it’s not enough for me. “Words Kinsely. Give me the words.”
“I hear you Maverick.”
“Good. Let’s get out of here. Becca, here’s my card. It has mine and Samson’s number on it. If you don’t get a hold of me, call Samson. He will always answer.”
“Who is Samson?” Kinsley asks.
“He’s my personal assistant. Anything you need Becca, you hear me?”
“I’ve got her Mav. She’ll be at my place if Kinsley needs to get in touch with her.” I nod, not wanting to get between whatever is going on between those two. Carrying Sadie in one hand and the other I wrap my hand around Kinsley’s while leading my girls out to my truck.
She stops as we reach the door. “I do not have her car seat. I’ll get the one out of Becca’s car if you give me one second.”
As she goes to pull away from me, I hold firm. “There’s no need for that Kinsley, I’ve got it covered. Trust me.”
I open the door of the back seat and place Sadie in the rear facing car seat I installed before work. Then, I help Kinsley into her seat. Grabbing her seat belt, I reach over to buckle her in and make sure she is safe and protected.
“I’ve got it Maverick. You do know I can buckle my own seat belt.”
“I know you can, but it makes me feel better to know I did it. It is part of taking care of you, and I want you to let me show you what that means.”
“Okay,” she says in a whisper.
When I’m done, I close the door and make my way around to the driver's side. Leaning forward I rest my forehead against the truck and close my eyes. This is happening so fast, just like my father told me it would. I never believed it would happen to me and I always thought they were the exception to the rule, that they fell in love at first sight and lived happily ever after.
Opening my eyes, I look through my window to see Sadie already asleep in her seat. And my love has her bottom lip pulled between her teeth, staring at me with a worried expression on her face. How the hell did I get so fucking lucky? Whatever it is, I’m going to thank god for my blessing and protect it forever.
“You okay? I know this is a lot. I can find somewhere else for Sadie and me to go-”
“Not happening Kinsley. We’ll be home soon.”
Eleven
Kinsley
We’ve been driving for a while. The both of us have been silent and keeping to our own thoughts. Thankfully, the silence is not awkward, but comfortable. Feeling as if I should say something, I turn to Maverick.
“I feel like I keep saying this to you, but thank you for what you have done for Sadie and me tonight.”
“You’re welcome, but there is no need to thank me. Honestly, you are doing me a favor. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep, thinking about how you two were doing. It’s easier this way for everyone.”
“So, where do you live?”
“I live in the city. I have a condo there, but I also have a cabin up in the mountains. Only a few people know about it, and that is where we are headed. Samson keeps it cleaned and stocked for me if I
ever decide to go there.”
“That must be nice.”
“Sadly, I haven’t been there in almost a year. I should make more time for it, but work keeps me busy.”
“What do you do?”
He waits a second before answering, and I wonder if I’m not going to like what he has to say. “I’m the CEO for Sutton Incorporated.”
“You own a freaking company?”
He chuckles. “My dad owns the company, I only run it.”
“But still. How do you have time to play music at the bar? You must be really busy.”
“I have put in a lot of hours and hard work to keep the company running as a success. It is time to take a step back and make time for me. Something was missing for a long time, and now that I’ve found it, I realize the importance of having a life outside of work. I’ve also hired competent people who are good at their jobs and can take the reins while I’m away for a while.”
I replay what he has said over in my head, and I’m worried that I’ve met this amazing man, and he’ll leave as soon as his white knight routine is over. “Where are you going?” I finally get up the nerve to ask.
“Haven’t you been listening to everything I have said?”
I shrug. “You’ve said a lot of things that are hard to believe. They sound amazing, but words are easy to say.” I say staring out the window into our dark surroundings unable to face him, while I speak my truth.
He sighs but says nothing else. Sadly, I have probably succeeded in pushing away a good man. A few minutes later he turns left onto a curved dirt road and drives for another five minutes until he finally parks. I cannot see much, because the only light is coming from his truck.
“Stay in the truck with the doors locked. I’m going to unlock the cabin and get the lights turned on.” He says gruffly, before getting out of the truck. I watch him walk away and then the locks engage. Whoops. Guess I should have done that.
When he comes back, he opens my door and stands in the way so I can’t get out. “I know you don’t believe me and I guess it’s hard to trust something that has happened so fast. Let me show you I am not like the other men, who have been in your life before me. Give me a chance to be the one who proves to you I can be everything you need.” Wrapping his hand around my neck, he stares into my eyes.
“Can you do that for me, Kinsley? While we are here can you let down those walls and give me a turn at being yours forever? I promise if you do it will be the last time you’ll ever have to.”
“Yes Maverick. But you’re wrong. This will be the first time I let down my walls and let someone in. You are the only one I have ever wanted past those gates.”
“Damn Sweetheart. You have just made me the happiest man alive.” He kisses my forehead then helps me down from his truck.
“I’m going to get Sadie out and then get you two inside. After, I’ll come back out and get everything else.”
Once we’re inside, he leads me to one of the bedrooms with Sadie held firmly in his arms. “This is a good place to set up the pack-n-play for Sadie. I will be back in a minute with your things.” He kisses the side of my head and walks out.
I sit on the bed and lay Sadie in the middle, placing a pillow on either side of her so she won’t roll off. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I see I have a few missed calls and texts from Becca and Momma J. I text them both back that we are safe, and I’ll call them tomorrow with more information.
Deciding to take the few minutes I have to myself I use the bathroom. When I am finished and come out, Maverick is in my room staring down at my daughter with his arms crossed and a confused look on his face.
He looks over when I approach and pulls me into his side, hanging his arm around my shoulders. “It’s been less than a day, and there is a fierce need to protect and make sure she is happy.”
Bravely, I wrap my arm around his waist and squeeze him lightly. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m perfect. I didn’t realize how much I could feel so soon for you and her. It’s like my heart is finally alive now that I have met the two of you.”
We stand there for a while staring down at my sleeping daughter. Finally, at peace in his arms, exhaustion threatens to claim me, and I sway on my feet. Maverick holds me steady, and I wonder if this is how it’s always going to be with us. Him, holding me steady when I need his strength. “Why don’t you grab a shower and I’ll get her pack-n-play set up for tonight.”
Yawning, I shake my head. “I can do it. Where did you put it?” I ask looking around the room and not finding it.
“It’s still in the living room. For now, I want you to get your ass in the shower before you fall over. You are exhausted, baby. I can handle setting this up.”
I kiss his cheek and head into the bathroom, where I turn the shower to the hottest setting. After I get in, I notice there are unopened bottles of high-end shampoo and conditioner, as well as body wash and a sea sponge. Growing up I used products like these, but now I have grown accustomed to buying discount toiletries, making sure I have enough money to support Sadie and me.
The water pressure is fantastic, and after I wash my hair and body, I stand there for the longest time letting it beat down on me. I am relaxed enough, and I begin drifting off to sleep, but wake immediately when I realize what’s happening. Getting out and drying my hair as best as I can, I then wrap the towel around my body. Finding my toiletry bag set out on the sink, I brush my teeth and hair making me feel human again.
I forgot to bring clothes in when I took my shower. When I bump into Maverick coming from the opposite direction of my room, I’m in nothing but a towel that barely covers all my parts. The damn sexy man is shirtless, showing off his firm muscular stomach, pajama bottoms hanging loosely from his hips.
His eyes rake over my body, slowly working his way up to my breasts and eventually making it to my eyes. He grips my arms tightly. “Kinsley, fuck woman. Get in there and put some damn clothes on, before I lose my mind and do something you are not ready for.”
He kisses my forehead before shoving me away. “See you in a few minutes. We have a few things to discuss.” Then he walks towards the living area of the cabin.
Twelve
Maverick
My resolve is close to breaking when I see Kinsley standing there in nothing but a towel clinging to her damp skin. All I want to do is push her up against the wall and see how far her tan goes. I want to delve my fingers between her thighs and test how wet she is for me.
It is taking everything in me to pull away from her, but I do, knowing I am in the long game and she’s worth more than that. If her blush is any indication, she might not mind my fingers exploring her sensitive skin.
I make it to the living room without turning around. Okay, I stopped twice, to find there’s firewood stacked neatly next to the fireplace.
Thank God for Samson and his attention to detail. I pay him well for the work he does for me, but I think he needs a bonus for having my place ready by the time we got here. I take the time to start a fire and pour myself two fingers of Glenlivet.
I’m standing in front of the fire, watching the flames grow when the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I don’t need to see her to know she is here.
When I turn around, she is in black leggings and an oversized Vanderbilt t-shirt that hangs off one shoulder. I glare at the shirt wondering if it belonged to her ex. I have never been quicker to anger than I am now, imagining her and another man.
I don’t notice she has come closer until she’s standing right in front of me and rubbing her soft hands up my arms. “It is mine from college. I have worn it a thousand times, and it’s the most comfortable shirt I have.”
Of course, it’s hers. I remember reading she had graduated from there a couple of years ago. “Sorry love. It’s a man’s shirt and I-”
“I get it Maverick, and I wouldn’t like it either if it were the other way around. The only thing I have of his is sleeping in the bedroom down the hall. And that is
the way I would like to keep it.”
I pull her into my arms and hold her tight. “I am going to make sure you and Sadie are safe, Kinsley. I will never let anything bad happen to you or her.”
“I know you won’t Mav. Thank you.”
I kiss her forehead and guide her to sit on the couch. While I sit on the opposite end after offering her a drink and something to eat. She declines both.
“It’s time for you to tell me what is going on. I am going to protect you and your daughter, but I will do a better job if I know exactly who the threat is.”
She stares at the fire for a long moment, while wringing her hands in her lap. I give her the time she needs to put her thoughts together. Meanwhile, I sip my drink.
“You know, I think I was more in love with the idea of being in love than actually loving him.” She laughs sardonically, and my heart hurts, feeling the pain bleeding out of that laugh.
“I have thought about all of this a million different times. Over and over I replay the nights we spent together. The dates he took me on, and I try to grab onto something good. I was a fool because the ‘good parts’ were all a show. There was nothing real between Liam and I. He never made me feel a fraction of what I feel for you.”
My eyes snap to hers, and her vulnerable stare undoes me. I reach over slowly, and when she allows, I pull her to me and onto my lap, so she is facing me.
“Liam wanted me. I’m not sure why, but he did. It was different than the way-”
“Than the way I want you? The way I crave your existence in my life?” I ask interrupting her. She smiles at me shyly, and I brush her beautiful hair out of her eyes to see all of her.
I am so fucking happy she feels the difference in what is between us and that goes a long way in cooling the jealousy rolling through me. Now it is replaced with fury and vengeance for hurting my woman. With my hands gripping her hips, she slowly traces her fingers over my tattoos and continues.