“Did you ever hear the entire story?” Maverick asked.
“Um, no. I was six, and I haven’t really wanted to revisit that memory.”
Maverick dragged his hands through his hair, and I realized his hesitation to talk to me had nothing to do with Club rules and everything to do with trying to protect me. I closed the distance between us and slid my hands up his chest. “I’m okay, Möosh. Whatever you need to tell me, just tell me.”
He dropped his hands so he could wrap them around me. “Hawk said Jenny had sold you but—”
“What?” I snapped. “She fucking sold me? To whom?”
“The Spiders, in a roundabout way. They work with the Russians and have a little trafficking business on the side.”
I held Maverick tight. “So...”
“So Jenny didn’t deliver. She owes them... with interest.”
I shivered. “There’s still a price on my head.”
“Yeah, baby, there’s still a price on your head.” He kissed said head. “A big one.”
“I...” I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed. “I get that now’s not the right time to move, but the thought of not waking up with you every morning is... well, really not a good thought.”
“I know. Hawk and I came up with an option.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. Actually, we have two choices,” he said. “We move to the compound, or we make some changes to your parents’ basement and move in there.”
I leaned back with a frown. “We’d move into my basement? Really. And you’re okay with that? Okay with knowing my dad’s upstairs? Better yet... is he okay with that?”
“He suggested it, Lil.”
“He’s gonna know we’re doin’ it,” I said with a groan, dropping my head to his chest again.
Maverick chuckled. “He’ll get over it.”
“I don’t think he will.”
“Then we’ll move to my place... or the compound.”
“I don’t want to live all the way in Beaverton, Möosh. It’s too far from work.” I looked up at him again. “And your basement isn’t particularly private.”
“There is that,” he agreed.
“What about Uncle Brock’s place?”
“No.”
“Why not? His tenants just moved out.”
“Not secure enough.”
“That’s a lie. Brock’s FBI, Möosh. He’s got security cameras and—”
“No, baby. It’s already been decided.”
I scowled. “By whom?”
“Your dad and me.”
“Without talking to me about it?” I demanded, pulling away from him.
“Don’t make this a thing, Lil.”
“Ohmigod, Maverick, you made this a thing!”
“I’m trying to keep you safe!” he snapped.
“You’re kowtowing to my dad!”
“I’m not fucking kowtowing to your dad, Lily! I’m trying to keep you in the safest place possible... close to me, close to the Club.”
“You promised me you’d talk to me,” I pointed out. “This is not a good way to start our new life together.”
“Baby, I had all of five minutes to make a judgment call. Give me a break. I couldn’t talk to you about any of this first. That does not mean I didn’t want to.”
He was right, I knew he was, but I didn’t want to let him off the hook entirely. I needed to set a different precedence.
“Lil?”
“I’m thinking.”
Maverick chuckled, reaching out and pulling me against him again. “Stop thinking about ways to punish me, unless they’re in the bedroom with both of us naked.”
I forced back a laugh and fell against him. “I thought you said no strap-ons.”
Maverick groaned. “Gross, Lil.”
“I still want to talk to Brock.”
He sighed. “You can talk to him, but the answer’s gonna be the same.”
“Don’t piss me off, Mav.”
“I’m not bending on this one, baby doll. Wrap your mind around it.”
“Then you’d better make that basement resemble something other than what it does now because if my dad hears me scream while you’re fucking me, even once, we’re out of here.”
He relaxed. “I will.”
“You have a week.”
“Babe.”
“One week, Maverick.” I cupped him over his jeans and then slid my hand under the waistband. “I can’t live without this at my beck and call any longer than a week, so figure it out.”
Maverick lifted me and carried me to my bed, kissing me deeply as he stretched out beside me. I tugged the button free from his jeans and slid the zipper down so I could get better access to his growing erection.
“We shouldn’t do this here, babe,” he said between kisses.
“Let me do my thing,” I whispered.
“Lil—”
I sat up. “Off.”
He stood and pushed his jeans and boxer -briefs from his hips, before sitting on the edge of my bed. I knelt between his legs and kissed the tip of his cock before sliding my mouth over the head. Maverick grunted, and I smiled up at him. “Shhh...” I gripped his length gently and pulled down as I took him into my mouth again.
“Lil,” he whispered.
I slid my hand under his T-shirt and ran a nail over his nipple, continuing to work his cock with my mouth and hand. It took him a little longer to relax, but when he threaded his fingers through my hair and gripped my scalp, I knew he was finally there with me. I loved giving him head. I’d heard friends complain about having to do it, but I genuinely loved it.
“Now, baby.”
I sucked a little harder, flattening my hands on his thighs as his body locked, and he came in my mouth. I waited until his hands left my head, and then I released his cock with a gentle smack, swallowing.
“You just get better at that,” he said, stroking my cheek. “Love you.”
I grinned and rose to my feet so I could reach his mouth. “Love you more.”
“Can I put my pants back on?”
I giggled. “In a minute.” I kissed him a few more times and then let him get dressed.
Lily
MY FIRST DAY at work was upon me, and I was nervous. Silly, maybe, but I was embarking on a career where people relied on me to keep them alive. No pressure.
Adding to my stress was the fact that the basement was still a work in progress. I wasn’t waking up with Maverick yet, and since I was starting the graveyard shift, I wouldn’t be anytime soon.
“Lil?” Maverick called from the foyer.
“In the kitchen,” I called back. I was staring at the coffee machine, willing it to go faster.
Maverick wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my neck. “You look sexy in scrubs, baby doll.”
“Thanks.” I smiled up at him. “What are you doing here?”
“Driving you to work.”
“The hospital’s less than ten minutes away. Pretty sure I can get there in my own car.”
He kissed my neck again. “It’s your first day as a nurse. I’m taking you.”
“You’re going to pick me up at seven a.m. as well?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
“Möosh.” I turned to face him. “I can drive myself to work. There’s also no reason for you to get up two hours early to come and get me.”
“Don’t make this a thing, Lil.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Oh, I see how it is.”
He kissed said nose. “Good.”
I decided to let him have his overprotective moment... mostly because my coffee was ready, and I knew I was going to need it, considering I’d only managed a one-hour nap earlier... but I wasn’t overly happy about it.
“How much longer on the basement, Möosh?”
He smiled. “Not long.”
I harrumphed, turning back toward the coffee and filling my travel mug.
“I made you a promise, baby doll.”
He did, bu
t he was smart and didn’t promise me an actual timeframe. I’d said a week, but he’d never agreed to it. Maverick kept his promises, just like my dad, and the fact I chose someone similar to my dad probably wasn’t lost on anyone.
“I can help, you know,” I pointed out.
“I know.” He patted my bottom. “Let me handle this, okay?”
“I am.”
He laughed. “Okay, Lil, we’ll go with that.”
I’d bugged him a lot less than I had been inclined to, but it is possible that I’d harped a little more than he appreciated. I faced him again and rolled my eyes. “Come on, big man. take me to work.”
He kissed me gently. “I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks, Möosh.” I smiled, stroking his cheek. “Now, let’s see if I can stay awake all night.”
“You’ll do it, baby. I have no doubt.” He hugged me briefly, and then we headed out.
* * *
Maverick
Maverick walked Lily into the hospital, made sure she was safe, and then headed back to her house. Hawk and the rest of the Dogs were meeting there to finish the basement once and for all. Maverick wanted a dark place for Lily to fall into bed in the morning so she could get her sleep patterns normalized.
Making his way back to Hawk’s house, he jogged downstairs, arriving to find Hawk and Ace already hard at work. Hatch’s brother, Cade, was supervising the job, which was a good thing, considering he owned a construction company. Hatch’s other brothers, Cullen and Cameron, were hanging drywall in the newly constructed bedroom while Cade and Hatch were installing the kitchen designed by Hatch’s wife, Maisie.
“She good?” Hawk asked as Maverick joined him in the bathroom to help paint.
“Yeah. She’s inside, and Flea’s on her.”
Hawk nodded, and they got to work.
An hour in, Hatch stuck his head into the bathroom and gave Hawk a chin lift. “Flea’s got somethin’.”
“With Lily?” Maverick asked.
“Yeah. Spiders are at emergency.”
“What the fuck?” Hawk snapped.
Maverick was out the door before either one of them could comment further, his heart in his throat. Jumping in his truck, he peeled out of the driveway and headed to the hospital. He heard Harley pipes behind him, and it brought a measure of relief knowing the Dogs had his back. He parked illegally and rushed to the ER.
He found Flea rushing toward him, shaking his head. “It’s all good, Mav. She’s okay.”
“Where is she?”
“She’s workin’,” Flea said.
Maverick scowled, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“Her phone’s in her locker.”
“Fuck,” Maverick snapped. He’d promised he wouldn’t interfere with her job, and the only reason she’d acquiesced to Flea’s presence was because Maverick assured her he wouldn’t be seen. “Does she know you’re here?”
Flea nodded. “And she’s pissed.”
“I’m not leaving until I see her.”
Flea shrugged. “Your funeral, man.”
Before he could demand to know details of what was going on, Hawk and Hatch arrived and pulled Flea aside.
“Mav,” Lily admonished, stalking toward them from the nurse’s desk, and Maverick faced her.
She looked fine... pissed but fine. His body finally relaxed, and he pulled her against his chest. “You’re okay.”
“Möosh,” she whispered and tried to push him away. “I’m working.”
“Give me a sec, Lil,” he begged, kissing her head then finally releasing her. “What happened?”
“Patient privilege, honey. I can’t tell you.”
“What’s all this about Spiders?” her dad asked.
“A few of them are in the waiting room,” she said.
“You need to stay clear of them,” Maverick demanded.
She squeezed his arm. “It’s fine, Möosh. Jenny’s not here, and neither is Brick. They probably don’t even know who I am.”
“Oh, they know who you are, Lil.”
She sighed. “I’m okay. I’m better than okay, but I need to get back to work.”
Maverick studied her for a few seconds before giving her a quick nod. “I’ll be here to pick you up in the morning.”
“I love you.” She smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m good.”
“I’m gonna kiss you now.”
She raised her head. “Quick.”
Maverick kissed her gently and then watched her walk back to the nurse’s station.
* * *
Lily
I arrived back at the nurse’s station just ahead of my boss, Alana. I glanced sideways and saw that Maverick, Dad, and Ace were still talking with Flea, but at least they weren’t all in my face anymore. Maverick caught my eye, and I smiled, hoping he’d get the point that I was fine.
“Who the hell are they?” Alana asked.
“Hmm?” I asked as I faced her.
She nodded toward my family. I debated lying and saying I didn’t know, but I couldn’t. “Superman’s my fiancé, Maverick, and the guy next to him is his dad. The blond guy’s my dad, and the other guy’s name is Flea.”
“Flea?” she asked. “Seriously?”
“Motorcycle Club name,” I provided with a shrug.
“Ohmigod, he’s gorgeous,” Alana breathed out.
I grinned. “That’s Katie’s brother.”
“Katie Jameson?”
“Yep.”
Alana and Katie had gone to school together and had started out nursing at the same hospital. Katie had actually gotten me the job at Legacy.
“I’m surprised you haven’t met him,” I continued.
“She’s super tight-lipped on her family. I didn’t even know she had a brother. He’s gorgeous. They all are.”
I grinned. “This is a fact.”
“So do they like have get-togethers or parties? You know, ones you would invite your boss to?”
I chuckled. “I’m sure I can set something up.”
“That would be great.” She studied my guys again. “Lordy, lordy.”
Her ogling was cut short by a new emergency, and we were once again in the thick of work.
By the time Maverick picked me up that morning, I had this strange sense of an adrenaline high as well as the need to sleep for a year. “Thanks for picking me up,” I said, biting back a yawn.
Maverick took my hand and squeezed. “Anytime, baby doll.”
“Are you going to be late?”
Maverick was scheduled to work with his uncle at the pet clinic all week, but he was on a normal day shift, which meant we wouldn’t see each other much.
“I’m good,” Maverick said. “Knight knows my time constraints.”
I smiled sleepily. “You don’t have to pick me up every morning, you know. I can drive myself or Flea can bring me, since he’s being forced to babysit me, anyway.”
“Don’t make this a thing, Lil.”
I rolled my eyes. “What would you do, honey bun, if I actually made this a thing?”
He grinned. “You don’t want to find out, pookie pie.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“You’re the only one who thinks so,” he retorted.
“Pretty sure that’s an incorrect statement.”
Maverick laughed. “Maybe so, but no one but you says it to my face.”
“You got me there.”
I bit back another yawn as Maverick pulled up in front of my house, and I waited for him to open my door before climbing out. He grabbed my bag, and I led him inside, where he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him. “I have a surprise.”
“I’m kind of tired, Möosh. Can we get naked after my nap?” I joked.
He grinned. “Follow me.”
I took his outstretched hand and let him lead me down to the basement. Instead of pushing open the door, he unlocked it. It hadn’t previously had a lock on it. “Is it done?” I asked, excitedly.
Wit
hout a response, Maverick pulled me in front of him and gently pushed me through the door, flipping on the light as I walked in. I couldn’t help letting out a quiet gasp. “Ohmigod, honey. It’s amazing.”
The basement was no longer a basement. It was a bonafide apartment. A large sliding glass door led to a small patio outside. Because it was a daylight basement, our bedroom and bathroom had small windows to let light in. Maverick had hung blackout curtains over the bedroom window under which a king-size bed sat. We’d need to work on better bedding, but for now, it looked comfy, and considering how tired I was, comfortable sounded pretty darn good. I adored our compact but lovely kitchen. It had everything we’d ever need, and they’d even fit a small island in the middle of the space that helped to define it.
The bathroom was the bomb. Somehow, they’d managed to get a soaker tub in it with double sinks and shower.
“Cade took some space from the closet to get you a tub,” Maverick said.
I wrapped my arms around his waist. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
He kissed me, stroking my cheek. “I have to go, so I’ll lock up. We have a separate alarm down here, so I’ll set it. Code’s our anniversary.”
“Which anniversary?”
“First kiss.”
I gave his waist a squeeze. “I love that one.”
Maverick chuckled. “I’m aware.”
“You’re going to be late,” I pointed out. “I’m going to shower and then crawl into bed.”
“Okay, baby. I’ll see you later.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too,” he said, kissing me again and then heading out.
In the end, I didn’t have the energy for a shower, so I stripped down and fell into bed.
* * *
When my alarm woke me at three that afternoon, I was a little confused for a second as to where I was. I smiled when I remembered I was in the love den Maverick had created for us and dragged myself out of bed. I texted Maverick and let him know I was awake then decided to see if I needed to run to the store.
Opening the fridge, I couldn’t stop a giggle. Maverick had stocked it with his favorite beer, my favorite soda, and all the labels were facing forward in perfect lines. He was a little OCD that way, and it was something I adored about him.
The Promise (Dogs of Fire: Wolfpack Book 1) Page 8