The Promise (Dogs of Fire: Wolfpack Book 1)

by Piper Davenport

  “I would love for you to cook!”

  “I’m on it.”

  “Thanks, honey.”

  I headed downstairs and grabbed my bag then made my way to my room. I had a lot to think about, so instead of reading, I sorted through my clothes until it was time to start prepping for dinner.

  * * *

  Six o’clock rolled around, and Dad still wasn’t home (neither was Maverick), so Mom, Hunter, Cash, and I ate without him. My brothers scarfed down the mac ‘n’ cheese I’d prepared, which always made me feel good. I loved to cook, but I loved it even better when people enjoyed it.

  “You boys are on dishes,” Mom said when Hunter jumped up to grab seconds.

  I heard the garage door open, and I made a run for it. Yanking it open, I peered out to see Dad walking his bike in. “Is Maverick with you?”

  “Hi Dad, how was your day? I missed you this weekend,” he deadpanned and slid the kickstand down.

  I smiled, stepping into the garage and hugging him. “Hi, Dad, how was your day? I missed you this weekend. Is Maverick home?”

  He chuckled, kissing my cheek. “Yeah, baby girl. He was right behind me.”

  My phone buzzed just as I followed Dad back into the house.

  Maverick: I’m home, baby doll. Want to come here?

  Me: Yeah, give me five.

  “I’m running next door,” I called, pulling on my shoes.

  “I’ll walk you,” Hunter called back.

  I wrinkled my nose but knew arguing would only delay the inevitable. “Thanks.”

  Hunter appeared before me and slipped on his shoes then followed me outside. At seventeen, he was almost as commanding as Maverick had been at his age, but my brother was not a jock. He was firmly in the nerd camp with his freakish computer hacking ways and disinterest in sports of any kind. I wondered what kind of girl he’d end up with.

  “You don’t need to walk me twenty-five feet next door, Hunt.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, I do.”

  “You’re so messing with the system, little brother.”

  “I get that women can do anything a man can do, Lil, and that we’re equals, but the truth of the matter is, most men are bigger and stronger than women are, so I want to make sure you’re safe.”

  I sighed. I couldn’t really argue with that logic. Especially when it came to me. I was barely five-foot-four, and although I was strong because dancing made me that way, I’m not sure I could take down a man Hunter’s size, let alone someone bigger.

  Maverick stepped out on his porch and gave Hunter a chin lift. “Thanks, man.”

  Hunter nodded in response. “No problem.”

  “Love you, Hunter,” I called.

  He grinned and headed back home. I climbed the stairs and walked into Maverick’s hug. He kissed my head and gave me a gentle squeeze then ushered me inside.

  “How did it go?” I asked, slipping my shoes off.

  “Good.”

  “And...”

  “And it went well, baby doll.”

  I sighed. “Okay, okay, I’ll drop it... for now.”

  He chuckled. “Thanks. Wanna come show Mom how good that ring looks on your finger?”

  “Yes!” I said, excitedly.

  Leaning down, he kissed me gently. “Needed that first.”

  “You can have that first anytime.”

  He grinned, taking my hand and walking me into the kitchen where everyone was eating. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt dinner,” I said.

  Cassidy gave me a dismissive wave as she rose to her feet. “You aren’t, honey.”

  “Hey, Lil,” Ace said.

  “Hey.”

  Liam gave me a chin lift, and I bit back a giggle. He was such a mini Ace. “Hey,” he said.

  “Lily!” Tillie said, excitedly. “Do you like my hair?

  “Ohmigosh, I love it, Till.” Maverick’s little sister had purple streaks on the underside of her blond hair, and it looked really cool.

  “Are you hungry?” Cassidy asked.

  “I just ate actually.” I hugged her and then glanced up at Maverick. “Did you eat?”

  “Not yet.”

  “I’ll come back,” I said.

  He held firm. “No. I’ll grab something later.”

  “Or you could eat with your family, and I can come back or sit with you while you do.”

  “Let me see the ring,” Cassidy ordered while Maverick grabbed himself a plate.

  I sat beside Cassidy and slid my hand toward her. Tillie wanted to see it next, so I obliged.

  * * *

  Maverick

  Maverick filled his plate and then sat across from Lily. The meeting today had been rough. He didn’t see a way out of patching in, and truth be told, he didn’t want one. He just needed to figure out how to get Lily on board.

  The Spiders were closing in, and Jenny was quickly becoming a bigger problem than anyone had anticipated. He didn’t feel he could effectively protect Lily from her mother’s bullshit drama if he didn’t have all the information, and he wouldn’t get all the information until he patched in. It was surprising Prez had shared as much as he had. Maverick chalked it up to the fact that he was Ace’s kid and Lily was Hawk’s, and both men were well respected.

  Lily raised an eyebrow pointedly at him, but he just smiled and took another bite of mashed potatoes while she continued to jabber with his family. She was a perfect fit, and he loved how much she completed a family that wasn’t broken.

  “Dad, can I play Overwatch?” Liam asked.

  “Homework done?” Ace asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Rinse your plate and put it in the dishwasher and you can have an hour.”

  Liam pushed back from the table and did as directed.

  “You too, Tillie,” Ace said.

  “I don’t want to play Overwatch,” she argued.

  Cassidy giggled. “How about you and I subject your dad to some chick flick?”

  Tillie clapped her hands. “Camp Rock?”

  “I’d rather be shot in the head,” Ace said.

  “Miss Congeniality?” Tillie countered.

  “Sandra Bullock I can handle.”

  “I bet you can,” Cassidy retorted.

  Maverick saw Lily attempting to bite back a smile, and he focused back on his dinner.

  “Mav and I’ll do the dishes,” Lily offered, and Maverick raised an eyebrow pointedly toward her. She cocked her head, and Maverick knew he’d do anything she asked.

  “Yeah, we’ll do the dishes,” he confirmed.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.” Cassidy pushed away from the table, kissed Maverick’s head, and dropped her plate by the sink.

  Maverick finished his dinner just as the rest of his family dispersed, so he and Lily cleared the table.

  “I’ll rinse, you load,” Lily suggested.

  Maverick backed her against the counter and kissed her. “Dishes, baby doll?”

  She slid her hands up his chest and grinned. “It was a nice thing to do.”

  “Hmm-mm, yeah, it was... at my expense.”

  Lily giggled. “Our expense, Möosh.”

  “Mine, yours, ours. Same dif, baby doll.”

  “The amount of time you’ve stood here bitchin’, we would have the dishes done by now.”

  He kissed her again. “But this was way more fun.”

  “Are you going to fill me in on the meeting?”

  Maverick pulled away and stepped to the sink. Lily started to rinse the dishes, and Maverick tried to think about what to say.

  “Just spit it out, honey,” Lily said.

  “What I know is that the Spiders are closing in. They’re starting to mess with a few of the recruits... mostly because they can’t get close to anyone else. And Jenny’s gunning for you.”

  “Shit,” Lily whispered.

  Maverick met her eyes. “She won’t get near you, Lil.”

  “I’m not worried about that. I know she can’t get near me.” Sh
e sighed. “I just don’t understand why this is all coming down now.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Lily stared at him for several seconds. “I’m in, honey.”

  “Yeah?”

  She nodded. “I talked to Mom.”

  “There’s no going back.”

  “I know.” She reached out and fisted her hand in his T-shirt. “You have to promise me you won’t shut me out, though. I can’t be an ol’ lady whose ol’ man doesn’t talk to her.”

  He chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her again. “I promise, baby doll.”

  “Then I’m in.”

  Maverick cupped her face and smiled. “I love you.”

  “I love you more, Möosh. Never doubt it.”

  He ran his nose against hers. “I never do.”

  “When do we start looking for our own place?”

  “This weekend.”

  “Really?” she squeaked.

  “Yeah. I already have a list.”

  “Shut up. When did you make a list?”

  “A week ago.”

  She threw her arms around him and pulled him close. He stepped around the dishwasher door, so they didn’t fall over it and held her tight. “We movin’ in first?”

  She nodded against his chest. “Unless you want to marry me on Friday.”

  He chuckled. “I’d marry you tomorrow, baby doll, don’t doubt that.”

  Lily licked her lips and whispered, “Do you think everyone would hate us if we eloped?”

  “I think the bigger question is how bad would you feel if everyone hated us?”

  “Bad.”

  “Worse than having everyone focusing on you?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Whatever you want, Lil.” He smiled. “Talk to your mom. See what she thinks.”

  “You sure you don’t care?”

  “Couldn’t care less, baby doll. Just want your last name to be the same as mine.”

  “I’ve actually decided I don’t want to change my name.”

  Maverick cocked his head. “Really?”

  She nodded. “Lily Quinn is just so—”

  He squeezed her middle, and she squealed with laughter, cutting off her offensive remark.

  “Do you want to change that answer?” he challenged.

  “I can’t wait to take your name, Möosh.”

  He studied her. “You sure? ’Cause if you want to—”

  “Maverick,” she interrupted. “I was messing with you.”

  He relaxed. “Just checking, baby doll, ’cause it’d break my heart, but if it’s something you feel strongly about...”

  “I can’t wait to be Lily Quinn.” Lily patted his chest. “Jeez... when did your ego get so delicate?”

  Maverick hummed in suspicion. “No way to answer that without looking bad.”

  Lily giggled. “I know. It’s why I asked.”

  “When did you get an evil streak?”

  “That was gifted to me at birth.” She grinned. “You’re welcome.”

  “Fuck, I love you.”

  “Back atcha.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. “Let’s finish the dishes, so we can make out for a bit before I have to head home.”

  “Can’t wait to get hot just to let you go,” he deadpanned.

  “This is why we’re looking for a place.”

  “We’ll figure out some way to be alone this week.”

  “Can’t wait,” she said and they finished the dishes.

  Lily

  “NOT HAPPENIN’,” DAD ground out.

  I was standing in the kitchen with Mom and Dad and talking about Maverick’s and my plans to look for a place to rent.

  “What? Why?” I demanded.

  Dad scowled. “You’re not leavin’ this house until you’re married.”

  “There goes our plan to elope,” I grumbled.

  Mom gasped. “You wouldn’t really elope, would you?”

  I bit my lip. “Not if it would devastate you.”

  She sighed. “It would devastate me. But I wouldn’t have a problem with a small wedding.”

  “Us and the Quinns?” I asked, hopefully.

  “Us and the Club,” Mom countered.

  That meant a hundred people, minimum. I frowned. “That’ll take some planning... so I’m back to my original plan of finding a place with Mav.”

  “Lily,” Dad said, his voice pitched low in his “serious” voice. “You’re not gettin’ married until all this shit with Jenny’s sorted. And you’re gonna stay close where I can protect you.”

  “Dad—”

  “You’ll obey me in this, baby girl.”

  I threw my hands up. “Dad, I’m almost twenty-four years old. I start working at Legacy as a nurse in two weeks, and I’m engaged to be married, so which part of this indicates I’m still a child?”

  “Daddy just wants you safe, Lil,” Mom said.

  I took a deep breath and faced Dad again. Arguing with him was not the way to go here. “I know you want me safe, Daddy. But Mav and I want to start our lives together. He can keep me safe... will keep me safe. Or better yet, I will keep myself safe.”

  Wrong thing to say.

  “What the fuck!” Dad roared.

  “Ohmigod, Alex,” Mom said. “Take it down a notch.”

  “What’s wrong?” Hunter demanded, rushing into the room with Cash on his heels.

  “Nothing,” Mom and I said in stereo.

  “Why’s Dad yelling?” Cash asked.

  “See what you’re doin’?” Dad accused.

  “Hold up there, handsome,” Mom interjected. “You roaring down the house has nothing to do with Lily wanting to move out.”

  “Lily wants to move out?” Hunter asked.

  “Oh, yeah, you can’t move out,” Cash said in all his teenage wisdom.

  “And why can’t I move out?” I challenged.

  Cash crossed his arms, much like my dad was doing. “’Cause me, Dad, and Hunter can’t make sure you’re safe if you move out.”

  “I can keep myself safe, Cash. Plus, I’ll have Maverick for backup.”

  “No. You need us,” he continued. “You’re a girl, and girls need us men to protect them.”

  I watched Dad try not to laugh.

  I threw my hands up again. “Seriously, Dad? This is working for you?”

  “Which part of it isn’t working for you?” Dad challenged.

  “Forget it. I’m no longer talking about this with you. Maverick and I are going to look at apartments this weekend, and since I’m an adult, you have no say in it.” I stomped up the stairs, you know, because I was an adult and slammed the door to my room.

  I glanced out my bedroom window and saw that Maverick’s was open, so I opened mine and leaned out. “Mav?”

  He leaned into view and then stood and leaned out his window. “What’s wrong?”

  “Dad’s being unreasonable.”

  “I’m coming over.”

  “No, don’t,” I said. “It’ll just piss him off.”

  “Baby, I don’t like seeing you like this.”

  “I don’t know why he still has this power over me,” I complained. “I’m an adult. I don’t need his permission.”

  “I’m coming over.”

  “Möosh—”

  “Two minutes, Lil.”

  I couldn’t say anything else because he was out of view, so I closed my window and rushed downstairs, arriving just as Maverick knocked. I disarmed the alarm and pulled open the door, shaking my head as Maverick stepped inside. “Don’t poke the bear.”

  “Fuck the bear, Lil. This is bullshit.”

  I reset the alarm and followed Maverick into the kitchen.

  “Wanna talk to you, Hawk,” Maverick said, his voice gruff.

  “Oh, yeah?” Dad said, his tone demeaning.

  “Don’t patronize me,” Maverick ground out. “You talk to me like a man, or I’m takin’ Lily home with me.”

  Mom raised an eyebrow in my direction,
and I shook my head. With a grunt, Dad led Maverick out of the kitchen, and I stepped over to Mom.

  “Maybe not the best move, honey,” Mom said.

  “Didn’t have much of a choice, Mom.”

  “Well, there is that.” She smiled. “Tea?”

  I sighed. “Yeah, tea would be good, thanks.”

  She handed me a mug, and we sat down at the kitchen table. “How do you deal with this?” I asked.

  Mom smiled. “The alpha male, beat-the-chest, I-am-man thing?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You just have to let them do their thing and then talk it out when they’re calm. Your dad’ll come around.”

  “He doesn’t get it.”

  “He gets it, Lil. It’s just hard to let his little girl go. Give him a minute.” She sipped her tea. “Glad you have an alpha man by your side. He’s the only one who could stand up to your dad and win.”

  I nodded. “I know. But the challenge is managing that alpha man so that he remembers we’re equal.”

  Mom chuckled. “Oh, honey, he doesn’t forget; he just likes to see how far he can push you.”

  “I was talking about Dad.”

  “I was too.”

  We dissolved into giggles, and all was right with the world again. “Thanks, Mama.”

  “Anytime, baby girl.”

  Dad and Maverick returned, and Maverick held his hand out to me without comment. I stood and grabbed my tea, taking his hand and letting him lead me up to my bedroom.

  “What’s going on?” I asked after I closed my door.

  “We can’t look for a place this weekend.”

  “Why the hell not?” I snapped crossing my arms.

  “It’s not safe. Your dad’s right. We’re gonna have to postpone until this mess with the Spiders is finished.”

  “And?” I pressed.

  He didn’t respond.

  I raised my hands and shook my head. “No.”

  “Babe, seriously.”

  “No, Maverick, I need information. No ‘club business’ bullshit.”

  He sighed. “Do you remember when you were little and Payton beat the shit out of some guy in a store?”

  “Yeah. Vaguely. I remember being stuck in that gross basement after Payton and I were kidnapped more, though.”

  The memories of being thrown into a dirty basement and seeing my mom on a mattress, bound and out cold, came flooding back. I thought Payton was dead and I was so scared. Ashley, Crow’s daughter, had been hurled down the stairs and she and Mom had worked to get us free. In the end, Dad had found us and the Club had rescued us, but Dad had been shot in the process. It was the Russian Mob, from what I understood, but Dad didn’t really fill me in on the details. It was awful.