I nod. “She loves Faith. She doesn’t want her hurt, and has never raised a hand to her. She doesn’t get involved in petty shit. She’s everything our fucking mother wasn’t. And I’ve gone and got her involved in something that she has no business with.”
“Maverick, she said yes. She didn’t have to. It’s clear Teagan likes you and wanted to help you, so let her. You know if anything does blow back we’d never let her get hurt,” he says, trying to come off casual, but he’s anything but.
“You’re right, but―”
“Is this a mothers meeting or can anyone join?” Max says as he barges into my room.
“Max.” I roll my eyes.
“If you’ve come to moan about Harlow eating something you think belongs to you, then piss off. She’s pregnant with your nephews,” Mason snaps. There’s no heat in his words, but I know he’s as frustrated as we are. We all want her happy, and Harlow isn’t happy unless she has food in her hands.
“Denny was never like her. I swear, you’d think she was having triplets. But that’s not why I’m here. Joan’s friend Hazel is here―”
“Did you want us to throw a party?” Mason asks sarcastically.
Max grins. “If you want to. I’m always up for a party, but I thought since Hazel is Teagan’s nan and is here―”
“Why is she here? Is Teagan okay?” I ask, standing up.
“Fuck me! If you either of you’d let me fucking finish, I’d tell you. She came because of Faith. She can’t calm her down. She wants you. I tried to calm her down but I’m feeling a little out of it,” he says, puffing his chest out.
Which means he couldn’t calm her down and if Max can’t calm someone down and make them laugh, then something is really wrong with Faith.
“Are they at Joan’s?” I ask as I slip on my trainers.
“Yeah. I’ll come. I need food now that Mason’s mentioned it.”
“Fuck’s sake. C’mon, then,” I say, letting him follow me out.
“Fuck it, Denny’s there. I’m coming too.” Mason jumps up from his seat.
The three of us walk around. The second I reach the path, I hear Faith crying. I burst through the front door, giving Max a quick glance before rushing through to the front room.
She’s on Hazel’s lap, her back arched as she tries to get free, but Hazel, even with her old age, pins her down. My eyes narrow, my blood heating.
“Let her go,” I say. My voice sounds dangerous, a clear warning, and both Hazel and Joan look at me warily. Hazel lets Faith go reluctantly. Faith stills when she hears my voice, and with red-rimmed eyes, she stares at me. Her cheeks are soaked from tears and my chest aches at the sight.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, sitting down on the sofa. “Come here.”
She runs over to me, jumping into my lap. She doesn’t care that I sound mad, or pissed; she knows it’s not aimed at her. I’m not really angry at her nan. I’m angry because I can’t stand seeing a child being restrained, no matter how upset they are.
“I want Mummy. I want Mummy and Nanny won’t take me back. Mummy needs me,” Faith sobs.
“Mummy’s working, sweet girl. I’ve told you this,” Hazel says, glancing at me worriedly.
“I want Mummy. She’s not safe,” Faith cries again, and my back straightens.
“What? Why is Mummy not safe?” I ask, untangling her arms from around my neck.
“I had a bad dream.”
I relax, and smile down at the girl who has already captured my heart. “I’d never let anyone hurt Mummy. If someone tried, I’d stop them,” I tell her honestly.
“You would?” She sniffles, looking up at me all doe-eyed.
My features soften as I stare down at the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’ll never tell Hope that; she’d get jealous.
“Your Mummy is working for me tonight. How about Max babysits you at my house and I’ll bring Mummy back to see you? Would you like that?” I ask her.
“Really? And you’ll wake me up, even if it’s really late? Mummy lets me stay up late. I stayed up till seven o’clock once.”
Joan and Hazel chuckle as Mason, Max, Denny, Harlow and Malik walk in.
“Yeah, squirt. I’ll wake you up. Mummy can say goodnight then.” I smile, then realise my mistake and look to Hazel, wincing. “Is that okay?”
Her eyes water and I fear I’ve upset her, but then she smiles, placing her hand over her heart. “More than okay.”
“What’s okay?” Max mumbles, chewing on a slice of chocolate cake. Harlow sits next to me, placing a hand over her stomach, and I smile. She’s getting bigger each day. I don’t know how she’s going to carry on to full term; whenever she stands up, I’m surprised she doesn’t topple forward.
“You’re babysitting Faith tonight so she can sleep at ours. I’ll make a bed up in the spare room.”
“Really?” he says, glaring at me. “I planned on―”
“We don’t need to know what you planned to do tonight,” Harlow yells, then winces, rubbing her stomach.
“You okay?” I ask, shifting Faith on my lap so I can turn fully to Harlow.
“Yeah. They’re moving around a lot today. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been kicked in the bladder,” she moans.
Faith giggles, leaning forward. “Can I touch?”
I watch with soft eyes as Faith places her hand on Harlow’s stomach. The second she does, she snatches it back, her eyes wide with wonder.
“What?” I ask.
“Her belly moved. Is it the babies?”
“Yes.” Harlow giggles, then looks to me with a wide smile. “Want to feel?”
My heart stops. I remember feeling Hope moving in Denny’s stomach. It was the best feeling in the world. And heaven help me, I can’t wait for the day I feel my baby in my woman’s belly.
Fuck, I never thought I’d say that.
A picture of Teagan flashes in my mind. She’s standing at the end of my bed in a dressing gown. Her breasts are full, her nipples large and pink, her stomach flared out, rounded, and carrying my child.
Beautiful.
My eyes must be as round as saucers because Harlow looks at me curiously. Then I remember she asked me a question.
“Yeah,” I croak. I reach out, touching her stomach where Faith had before and smile when I feel the squirts kicking and moving.
“I still don’t understand how that doesn’t hurt,” Max says, eyeing Harlow’s stomach like it’s alien.
“It does sometimes, but it’s not painful.”
Faith’s hand comes beside mine and she giggles again. This time she doesn’t pull away. She looks at me, still giggling, and something burns deep inside my heart. I don’t know what passes through me in that moment but I know it’s significant, far-reaching and vast.
The minute I laid eyes on Teagan I knew there was something special about her. I knew she wouldn’t be a one-time fling. And as much as I’ve tried to fight my feelings for her, it’s useless. I’ve come to care for her more than I realised, and seeing the little girl in front of me, looking at me like I’ve hung the moon, just seals it for me. I think I’m falling in love with her mum.
“Is the baby a boy or a girl?” Faith asks, snapping me out of it. My hand is still on Harlow’s stomach so I pull away, noticing she’s staring at me with deep curiosity still. I clear my throat, feeling as if she can read my thoughts, and look away.
“I don’t know, sweetie. There are two babies in there, but we won’t know if they’re girls or boys until they arrive.”
“When will they arrive?”
“In five to six weeks.”
“How will they arrive?”
I look between them, uncomfortable, but Harlow seems content, her face relaxed and happy.
“They’ll be born. I’ll give birth to them.”
“How will you birth them?” Faith asks, her head tilted to the side, studying Harlow’s stomach.
This time Harlow shifts uncomfortably, her eyes meeting mine.
I shrug, having no fucking clue what to say. I look around the room, my eyes finding Joan’s but she just smiles.
“Maverick, do you know?” she asks and my eyes widen, taken back.
“Um… I…. Maybe we should ask mummy? She did give birth to you,” I rush out.
Max chuckles. “Yeah, ask mummy, and then Maverick can sit you down and tell you all about the birds and the bees.”
“Max,” Denny snaps.
“Oh, blooming hell. I was kidding. He just put me on babysitting duty. He deserves more. He’s lucky I like the kid.”
“You said another naughty word. I’m telling mummy,” Faith says, moving her hand off Harlow’s stomach and back around my neck.
“Glad you’re feeling better,” Max mutters, looking horrified.
Denny laughs as my phone rings. I pull it out and see it’s Evan. He’s meeting with Teagan to go over everything with the police. I’d have been there―should be there―but if I were, I’d stop her from doing this. I know I would. So I decided to stay away until she started her shift. That way I can sneak in the back without having to see her.
“Hello?”
“It’s time.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
TEAGAN
I’m supposed to act like I’m having a bad day, only I’m not pretending. I really am having a bad day. Today has exhausted me, emotionally and physically.
Faith woke up this morning in a clingy mood, looking sad, and demanding cuddles. She’s followed me everywhere, including the bathroom. It’s not unlike her; on occasions she does wake up sleepy, still in the midst of her dreams, wanting love and cuddles. It’s one of my favourite times with her. She’s always been quiet and softer in the morning. She normally snaps out of it after twenty minutes or so, but not today.
When the time came for my nan to pick Faith up, the child completely changed. She just lost it on me. My nan had to drag her out kicking and screaming, and it tore my hear apart. I’ve not been able to stop worrying all day about her, and countless of times I’ve wanted to ditch tonight and leave to go to her. I need to see her so badly. I hate how we left it.
I’ve never seen her so scared in all her life. Not even when she would have nightmares or thought the bogeyman was under her bed. God, her face….
“No! I don’t want to go. I want to stay here with you,” Faith cried.
“Sweetie, I have to go to work,” I told her, my heart heavy as tears filled my own eyes.
“And we’re coming back tomorrow,” my nan whispered softly.
I pulled Faith closer in my arms, concern seeping into my pours. She looked so terrified, so scared for me, and it was so unlike her.
“No! No! I’m not going,” she screamed louder, clinging tighter.
“What’s wrong Faith? What has you so upset and acting up?” I asked, my voice soft yet firm.
I wanted to call Evan back, tell him I couldn’t do it, that Faith needed me. But I knew Maverick was desperate to get this sorted. The quicker I found out who it was, the quicker it would be over and I could come home.
“You were hurt. They hurt my mummy and I have to protect you,” she cried harder. Nan and I looked to each other with knowing expressions. She’d clearly had a bad dream where I’d been hurt and was worried about me. I began to relax, moving to appease her.
“No one is going to hurt me, silly. What’s made you think that?”
“I had a bad dream,” she told me, confirming my suspicions. She wrapped her arms around my neck, tightening them when nan tried to pull her off me. “I don’t want to go. I don’t want you hurting.”
“Are you fucking listening?”
“Hey, are you okay?” Sophie asks, shaking my shoulder. Dazed, I look up, startled to realise I’d spaced out again.
“For the tenth time, can you pass me my fucking outfit? I’m on in ten minutes,” Marley snarls.
I shake away thoughts of Faith, as hard as it is to do. I open my mouth, ready to apologise for my behaviour, when it occurs to me that this is my chance.
A scowl forms and I snap my head in Marley’s direction, my eyes narrowing on her.
“What did your last slave fucking die of? Get it your fucking self.” My words are heated and I have to fight the flinch that threatens to surface at being so cruel. It doesn’t suit me. It also turns my stomach. And although I know this isn’t real, that I’m only playing a part, Marley doesn’t know that. And as much of a bitch as she can be, she didn’t deserve that reply.
“Fuck me! What’s gotten up your arse today?” Marley mutters before snatching her outfit from the table behind me.
“You do seem off,” Sophie says, then gets distracted when Kathy calls for her.
“Sorry, I’m just stressed. I haven’t been able to relax all week. I’ve got so much to do. I have to―” My voice reaches the level of hysteria before I break down, covering my face with my hands so they can’t see that I’m not actually crying. I sit there, pretending to cry over stress I don’t really have, although I am apprehensive about leaving Faith this evening. I feel like a fraud. I’m a liar, and I hate knowing not all of these women are bad and deserve my deception.
“Hey, it’s okay, Teagan. If you need help you can always call me. If I’m not here or at college, then I’m free to help,” Kathy says, Sophie at her side. I’m surprised Kathy even spoke to me. She’s such a sweet, kind girl, but she’s awfully quiet. She keeps to herself and doesn’t get involved in the bitchiness that goes on behind the curtain. She’s also the only girl who doesn’t go topless. She’s a dancer, a beautiful one, and seems to dance in a way that’s tasteful, elegant. She moves so no one can see her breasts, covering her intimate parts, yet the crowd still goes wild for her. I always make sure I’m near the curtain so I can watch her performance.
“Thanks, Kathy. I guess I just need a little pick-me-up. It’s been a long fucking week. I’ll have to arrange a night out. Wind down for a night or something. I don’t know how I’ll survive any longer with all this stress.”
“Back to work,” Sophie calls as Tracey, another dancer, walks off one of the smaller stages. “Teagan, give me an hour. I’ll finish what I’m doing and I’ll let you take an extended break. Just make sure you come back in a better mood. I need you to go through outfits in the back. Make piles of which ones are in good condition and which aren’t.”
She walks off without a backwards glance. I sigh, falling back in my chair. She must think badly of me now. Sophie has three kids and has raised them on her own. She’s kept two full-time jobs to keep her kids fed and clothed, and here I am, moaning that I can’t cope with one when in all fairness, I’ve never struggled being a mother. Not once. I’ve never doubted myself either. But I’m doubting myself as a person right now.
If she doesn’t think I’m a moaning Myrtle, then she most likely thinks I’m a lazy co-worker. Some of the other girls preach sobs stories to her, always making up some excuse as to why they were late. Now she’s probably labelled me as one. I guess after today it won’t matter because hopefully, it will all be over.
“Hey, if you―” Marley starts, but Sophie interrupts when she calls out her time. My eyes widen, wondering if this is it. Marley groans but reluctantly turns back. “I’ll talk to you later. I may have a solution for you. It might help give you a boost.”
I’m glad I’m sitting when she walks off because I would have stumbled. Not only has Marley just spoken to me without biting my head off, but I think she’s going to offer me drugs. If I can get her to give them to me, then this is pretty much a done deal.
I’ll have to pop into Maverick’s office on my break, let him know what’s happening. He’s most likely with Evan who is in the empty supply room next to the office, listening to everything going on through the wire.
They wired me up an hour before my shift, then sat me down, going through everything I’d need to say and do. I thought everything would have taken longer, dragged out, or that I’d fail. But I’m close. I didn’t expect that to happen.
<
br /> I walk off into the back room to work until the time comes to talk to Marley.
Plus, I can’t wait to see Maverick. I’ve not been able to see him all day.
*** *** ***
Running a hand over my sweat-slicked head, I look at the time on my phone once more and sigh. The break Sophie promised me hasn’t come, and it’s been two and a half hours.
I’ve walked out to the dressing room a few times since being sent to the storage area. Each time Marley has tried to talk to me, but something or another calls her away, distracting her. It’s starting to annoy me.
My phone beeps, alerting me of a message.
MAVERICK: Come to the office.
I smile down at the phone, giddy with excitement. I’ve wanted to see him since I arrived for my shift.
As I get up, the door is pushed open, revealing Sophie. “Hey, is everything okay?” I ask.
“I’m so sorry. We’re down three waitresses tonight so I’m juggling all of the girls. Your break totally slipped my mind. You can go now if you like but first, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about,” she says.
My eyes scrunch together in wonder. I take a step forward, concerned by the expression on her face.
“You can talk to me about anything,” I tell her softly.
“It’s about―”
“Sophie, Tracey’s fallen and twisted her ankle,” someone shouts from the dressing room.
Sophie groans. She looks conflicted as she glances between me and the door before she sighs, giving in. “Take your break. I’ll speak to you before your shift’s over.”
I nod, remaining silent as I watch her rush off to see to Tracey. Sophie’s a wonderful person, a great mother. Whatever she has to talk to me about must be important. I just hope she has nothing to do with the drugs being sold on V.I.P premises. She doesn’t seem like the type, but then again, none of the girls do.
Walking out, I head towards Maverick’s office. I need to tell him about Marley and my suspicions before I go talk to her. I want him to be ready.
Before I can round the corner, I bump into Holly. She stumbles backwards, shocked. I reach out, steadying her before pulling away.
Maverick (Carter Brothers Book 5) Page 15