Maverick (Carter Brothers Book 5)

by Lisa Helen Gray

“She’s asleep,” Lake tells me quietly, looking into the back seat.

  “I’ll take her,” I rumble, pulling Faith into my arms. She whimpers but snuggles closer.

  We make our way into the emergency room, finding Max standing against the vending machine fiddling with his phone.

  “You said you’d stay with her,” I growl when we reach him. He’s fucking lucky I’m holding Faith right now or he’d be meeting my fist.

  “They kicked me out “cause I’m not family,” he explains, kicking off from the vending machine.

  “We’ll see about that,” I mutter, cursing under my breath. I move to the reception desk, taking in the older lady sitting there. Her hair is pulled back in a tight bun, doing nothing to straighten out the wrinkles and frown lines on her face.

  “Hey, I’m here for Teagan Williams. She was brought in not long ago, beaten badly. Can you tell me where she is?” I keep my tone light, hiding my anger and frustration as much as I can.

  “Let me see. Ah, yes. Are you family?”

  “I’m her fiancé,” I tell her with no hesitation. Normally that word would cause me to lose my shit, but tonight, I’m thankful for it. Teagan is mine.

  “Okay, well, she’s not allowed visitors at the moment. The doctor is with her.”

  “Why not? I want to see her. Her daughter needs to see her. She watched her mother being beaten and right now, she needs to know that she’s okay,” I snap, lifting Faith higher up my chest.

  The nurse looks at Faith, her eyes softening before she sighs, giving in. “Let me go see what her progress is. I was here when she was brought in.”

  I nod, my jaw clenched. Watching her leave, I turn to Max. “Call Joan, get her to call Hazel and fill her in. You might want to call Evan, get him to call her friend Tish. She’ll want to know. Tell her I’ll let her know how she is,” I tell him before turning to Lake. “Call Mason. He should still be at work. Ask him to grab the girls’ things from the flat and take them to mine. Oh, and to drop off some clothes and shit for Teagan here for when she wakes up.”

  They both nod, moving away with their phones in their hands.

  “Are you Maverick?” the nurse from reception asks, walking up to me.

  “Yeah.”

  “She’s asking for you. She’s in cubicle four,” she tells me, smiling softly. It transforms her entire face, making her seem more approachable.

  “She’s awake?” I ask, sighing with relief. It’s like a truck has been lifted from my shoulders.

  “Yes, she is.”

  I nod, my nose stinging from tears trying to fight free. I pinch the bridge of my nose with my free hand, getting myself together before heading down the hall she gestured towards.

  I shift Faith higher up my body once again, keeping her head resting in the crook of my shoulder.

  “Where’s my daughter? I need Maverick,” I hear Teagan cry, and the anguish in her voice has me ripping back the curtain, nearly tearing it off the hooks. I send the doctor who is trying to stop Teagan from leaving her bed a murderous glare. She hasn’t seen me yet, which is probably for the best since I’m about to put this doctor on his ass.

  “Remove. Your. Hands. Now.” The warning in my voice is deadly, a promise I plan on keeping.

  “Maverick,” Teagan gasps, her body relaxing into the bed when she sees me holding Faith. A painful sob breaks free, and her face scrunches in pain.

  “Hey, love. Calm down,” I tell her.

  Fuck! I feel so lame right now.

  “Is she okay? Did he hurt her?” she asks, ignoring my demands to calm down as she continues to panic, looking her daughter over.

  “She’s just sleeping. She’s fine, just shaken up a little,” I tell her, walking farther into the room.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve just got word that they’re sending over a Detective Barrett to take Miss Williams’s statement. Is it okay to send him in when he arrives?” the nurse asks the doctor, and I grunt in disapproval.

  “How about you ask Teagan if it’s okay for someone to come in,” I snap.

  “Maverick,” Teagan says weakly.

  “I’m sorry,” the nurse replies, taken aback.

  “Yeah, you should be.” My voice is short, cold.

  “Sir, I ask you to respect my nurses. We’re here to help and if you use that tone again, I’ll have you escorted from the hospital immediately,” the doctor states.

  I open my mouth, ready to tell him that I don’t give a flying fuck, but a cold touch on my hand stops me.

  “It’s fine. I’m fine,” Teagan tells me before turning to the nurse and doctor. “Detective Barrett can come in. I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine, Miss Williams. You’ve taken quite the beating. I’ll be taking you down for an X-ray for your left cheek shortly. We want to rule out a possible fracture.”

  “A fracture? My cheek?” she asks with wide eyes, her hand going to her cheek, wincing at the slight touch.

  “What does it mean if she has one? Will she be okay?” I ask, panicked.

  “She’ll be fine. It’ll just take a lot longer to heal.”

  I nod, taking a seat next on the only chair in the small cubicle.

  “I’ll be back shortly to check in on you,” the doctor says before walking out and pulling the curtain shut.

  I watch him go, my heart beating rapidly as I turn back to Teagan, the woman who has consumed me, and now has the power to destroy me.

  I can never lose her.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  TEAGAN

  It didn’t hurt this much when he was hitting me. In fact, I’m pretty sure I went numb at one point. But now everything aches. My vision is like looking through a kaleidoscope lens and my right jaw is the size of a golf ball.

  Maverick is staring at me, his breathing heavy. It’s hard to see what he’s thinking when so many emotions are running across his face. I know he’s scared. I also know he’s relieved that I’m okay. But there’s a spark of anger and frustration hiding in the depth of his eyes that he’s been trying to keep hidden from me since I first took notice of him in the room. Whether it’s aimed at me, because of me, or because of him, I’ll never know. With Maverick, I don’t think I ever will. He’s kept his emotions close, never really sharing anything personal with me. And I let it be because I trust him―irrevocably.

  “Have they caught who did this?” I ask. My stomach sinks at the thought of him still out there, roaming free. He could come back at any time to finish what he started. That notion has my eyes widening, panic setting in. “Please tell me they got him,” I plead, staring at him through blurry vision.

  He sighs, looking regretful as he shakes his head. “He was gone before I got there.”

  “No, no, no, no!” I cry, my hand covering my mouth.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he says determinedly.

  “No!” I snap, harshly, tears stinging my cut cheeks. “It’s not going to be okay. He saw her, Maverick. He saw Faith. God, the way he looked at her. I could see he wouldn’t care about hurting a child from the look in his eyes. What do you think he’s going to do with that information? Leave her alone? No, he won’t. He’ll use it against me to get what he wants,” I cry, sobbing into my hands.

  If anything ever happened to her because of me, I’d never forgive myself. I’ve tried all her life to protect her from the world and the evil lurking in it.

  I always knew my past would come back to bite me in the ass. I just didn’t think it would be Lynn and her friends.

  “No, he won’t, because I’m going to find whoever did this to you and I’m going to end them.”

  The coldness in his voice has me losing my breath. I turn to him, noticing his eyes are just as cold, his pupils dilated. His expression should scare me, but it doesn’t; maybe because he’s only ever shown me love and care. And I know he’d never do anything to hurt me, not intentionally. Others? Well, I can’t say the same for others, not at the moment.

  Before I can question if he truly mea
ns it, Max is stepping through the gap in the curtain with Evan behind him.

  “Thank fuck you’re awake,” he breathes when he sees me. It actually melts my heart seeing true concern in his expression. “For a minute back there, I thought I was going to walk in here and find Mav sedated on the bed.”

  “Um,” I mumble, confused.

  Max ignores me, turning to Maverick with curious eyes. “What did you do to piss the nurse off?”

  Maverick ignores him, addressing Evan with a murderous expression. “Did you find him?”

  “Someone managed to hack into your surveillance system and turn it off. It went off as her friend leaves and doesn’t turn back on until Teagan leaves with the paramedics. I did get an image though, through one of the neighbouring shops. I don’t know if it’ll help, it’s pretty blurry. Although, we managed to get a clear picture of a tattoo on his neck,” he tells Mav before walking over to me. His pace is slow and unsure as he eyes Maverick warily.

  He grabs his phone, pressing a few things before turning and showing me the picture. I gasp, more tears falling as I take in the man who attacked me. The picture is blurry, like he said, but I would recognise him anywhere, especially when he turns to the next picture of a scorpion tattoo on the bloke’s neck.

  “Is this the man who attacked you?” Evan asks and I nod, silently crying. It hurts to cry. The more tears that fall, the more it stings my cut cheeks. I can’t even wipe my face because I can feel how swollen it is without even looking in a mirror.

  I turn away from the picture to Maverick, who is handing Faith off to Max. She stirs and I stop breathing, hoping she doesn’t wake up. I don’t want her to see me like this. Thankfully she stays asleep, burying her head against Max’s wide chest.

  Maverick steps into my line of sight, blocking my view of them as he hands me a tissue. I take it gratefully, blowing my nose the best I can.

  Sitting on the bed, he takes my hand, rubbing smoothly across my knuckles.

  “Do you know him? Have you seen him before?” He asks the question like he already knows the answer. I’m guessing it didn’t take him long to figure out who’s behind this. I wish I paid more attention as a teen, picking up full names instead of dumb nicknames and first names. Maybe then this could have been prevented. I’d be able to give them more on Lynn.

  “Yes,” I answer, shakily. “He’s one of the men who turned up at the shop with Lynn. They still want me to get them that money. I have one more chance,” I scoff, wincing at the sudden movement. Everything hurts―mostly my face. He did a real number on me.

  “They’re not going to get a penny from me, and they’re not going to touch you again. I’m going to find out who’s doing this, I promise. And when I do, they’re going to regret ever laying eyes on you,” he says before turning to his brother. “Max, keep me updated on Teagan, and make sure she gets back to mine safe and sound. Evan, you’re with me.”

  Evan nods, agreeing, but Max and I turn to Maverick with wide eyes. “Where are you going?” we ask in unison.

  “To find the sick son of a bitch who hurt you,” he says, leaving before I can protest.

  “Stop him,” I order, turning to Max.

  He gives me a sad smile, shrugging. “I can’t. Once he gets something in his head, he sees it through until it’s done. Plus, the fucker deserves what he’s got coming to him. He wants to pray the police get to him before Mav does. No one should ever lay a fucking hand on a woman, T.”

  “Yeah,” I whisper, not knowing what else to say. Not when he’s right. But still, the thought of Maverick getting into trouble over me doesn’t sit right.

  “Where the fuck is my girl,” echoes down the hall, and I groan.

  “Who called Tish?” I moan.

  Lake barges into the room, shutting the curtain behind her quickly. “I told her not to come, but she wouldn’t listen. I don’t even know how she got here so quick,” she says with wide eyes.

  “Yo! You! Baldie, tell me where my girl is,” Tish shouts.

  “Funny chick.” Max chuckles whilst shaking his head in amusement, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

  The curtain flies back and Tish stares at me with wide eyes. “I’ll fucking slice the prick. I’ll fucking cut his dick off and shove it up his ass until he’s spitting it out,” she growls.

  “Okay, not so funny now,” Max mutters, pushing himself back in the chair so that he’s farther away from her. I even notice Lake take a step backwards too.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine to me, girl. Please tell me they’ve got this fucker. And who the fuck are you?” she asks, turning to Max.

  “Nobody,” he answers quickly, shaking his head at me, his eyes bugging out.

  “This is Max,” I introduce, tired.

  “Me rethinking that threesome. Hoowee, you are fine.”

  “Barely out of nappies,” he tells her, eyes wide.

  “Nah, you couldn’t handle me.”

  “I don’t doubt it. Lake, my darling love and best girlfriend in the world, did you get in touch with Mason?”

  “Um, yeah,” she says, her lips twitching.

  “Girl, who the fuck did this?” Tish asks, ignoring Max and walking over to me.

  “I don’t know. It’s someone who was with Lynn,” I tell her, feeling my eyes water.

  “I’ll cut that bitch too for messing with my girl.”

  I chuckle but end up wincing because it hurts too much. “She won’t know what’s hit her.”

  “Sure won’t, chica. Now, where the fuck are the doctors at? I wanna know what’s going on. Nanna Hazel isn’t answering her phone. That Mary chick said she had one too many at bingo tonight, so I doubt you’ll hear anything from her till morning.”

  “You called Nan?” I ask, groaning. She’ll freak out when she hears about this, more so when she finds out who’s behind it.

  “Of course I fucking did, and these guys did. Calm yo shit. I’m going to get me a doctor. Be back in five.”

  I nod, watching her walk out before relaxing back into the bed.

  “Well, isn’t she a breath of fresh air,” Max mutters, still eyeing the curtain.

  Lake and I chuckle, watching his face turn pale before I close my eyes, letting the exhaustion seep in.

  *** *** ***

  “Thank you, Denny,” I whisper, sitting down on Maverick’s bed, my body aching.

  After the doctors gave me the ‘You’re okay, but we’d like to keep you in overnight for observation’ speech, I discharged myself. Faith needed me with her. She woke up once at the hospital screaming and sobbing, but exhausted herself back to sleep soon after. None of us could calm her down. Well, until Mason come to bring me some clothes. He turned up with Denny and the second he saw her, his eyes softened, taking her from Max since I couldn’t really take her myself. She settled within five minutes. He was a star.

  Now we’re at Maverick’s, Faith in the middle of his bed where Mason put her. Denny stayed a little longer to help me get in some pyjamas. I would’ve stayed in the clothes I changed into at the hospital, but they hurt my skin so badly it felt like I was tearing at fresh wounds.

  “Are you sure there’s nothing I can get you?” she whispers.

  “No, I’m good. Thank you. I’m going to get some sleep. I’m so tired,” I tell her, wanting to be left alone. I haven’t been alone since I woke up at the hospital so I’ve not had time to process anything. Not really.

  “Okay. Lake and Max are downstairs if you need anything. Myles and Kayla are at her dad’s for the night. They left earlier. They did want to come back and see how you were, but we told them to let you rest.” She hesitates, taking a deep breath. “I really am sorry this happened to you, but we’re here if you ever need anything. We’ve all gone through our own demons, our own traumatic events that will stay with us forever, so we can understand on some level what you’re going through.”

  Her voice is soft, yet the pain shows clear as day. “What do you mean? I’m sorry. You d
on’t have to tell me anything.”

  “No. It’s too long of a story, but short versions: Harlow was drugged and nearly raped. I was kidnapped by the brother of the lad who attacked her and held ransom in a burnt-down building with a dead body. Kayla was raped by the same person who tried to hurt Harlow but was also beaten by her mum for years and years. We also lost our close friend during her ordeal. Then Lake was a runaway who thought she was the reason her brother died. It turned out he didn’t die, but he does have a brain problem. So you see, we’ve all had shit in our lives and I promise you, none of us would have pulled through without each other. Don’t hold anything in. We’re here for you. We’ve all got a broken past, including the boys, but together we fixed the pieces and became a family. We’d die for each other,” she whispers, as tears run down my face.

  “I’m so scared,” I admit, knowing she’ll understand. They’ve all been through much worse than what I ever did, and yet they’ve pulled through it.

  “Come here,” she whispers, holding her arms out. I fall into her them, sobbing into her shoulder. “We’re here for you. You’re family now, and family sticks together. None of us will ever let anyone hurt you.”

  I nod against her shoulder, clutching her as tightly as I can. “Thank you. For everything.”

  I’m too emotionally wrecked to say anything else. Hearing what they went through, even though it’s only a small amount of information, still causes pain in my chest. None of them deserved to have any kind of darkness in their life. Sometimes life can be cruel, a bitch, but this time around I have something I never had before―I have a family. I have Tish, my nan, Faith and Maverick. With him comes his family.

  “Get some rest,” she tells me, pulling away.

  I nod, struggling to talk past the lump in my throat. She walks out, shutting the door quietly behind her. The second I hear the click, I break down, sobbing into my hands.

  Someone came into my home. They hurt me, beat me, and violated my safe haven.

  My whole body shakes with sobs. The second I turn towards Faith’s sleeping form, they grow stronger, louder.

  He could’ve hurt her and there wouldn’t have been anything I could’ve done. He was so strong, so brutal. God only knows what he would have done to her.