Page 81 of Maverick
“It’s okay, Van,” I said, soothingly. “Mama just needs to have a shower, then I’ll come and we can read all night, okay?”
“Mama…I sleep with you?”
“Yes, baby. I promise. I just need to shower and get ready for bed, okay? Go with Mari.”
“Do you want some hot milk?” Mari asked him. His little lip started to wobble, but he nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck. She headed toward the kitchen with him, while Maverick secreted me away, down the hallway and toward the end where a set of stairs led up into the top floor.
Maverick took my hand and led me to a door on the left hand side. Once I stepped inside, I marvelled at the beautiful bathroom. It didn’t look like it belonged in a MC clubhouse, and yet, I looked around at the beautiful marble walls, with a large shower stall off to the side and there, right against the wall was a large spa bath.
“Come on,” Maverick said, taking me further into the bathroom, after locking the door, and moving behind me. “I got you.”
I closed my eyes, and fell back into his arms, relishing the feel of how warm and supported I was. He was my safe place.
“Please tell me you’re real. I don’t think I could handle it if this were a dream.”
Maverick spun me around, my eyes opening to his. His strong hand coming up to cup the side of my face, his thumb moving over my lower lip. Maverick looked ready to devour me.
“I’m definitely real, baby, and I’m never letting you go again.”
Maverick
My lips touched hers tenderly, savouring her soft whimper, and the way her fingers dug into my shirt, to hold me in place. I wasn’t going anywhere.
Ever again.
“Come, baby,” I said to her, softly, kissing her quickly on the lips again. “You need to relax.”
She nodded, and made a move to remove her dress. I stilled her fingers, and undid the clasp at the back to release the sides of the skimpy dress. Although she looked like a ray of sunshine in the gold dress, I had a strong suspicion, she’d never want to be dressed up in gold again.
As the material slid down her body, it revealed to me all the bruises and damage that son of a bitch did to her. My heart raced, as more and more was revealed. Once the dress pooled around her bare feet, I didn’t want to touch her, for fear I was going to hurt her.
Rage burned in my throat, behind my eyes, in my chest, making it hard to form words.
“How bad is it?” she asked, her body stiffening, but she made no effort to look in the mirror.
“They’ll fade,” I told her, kissing her on the top of the head.
“I can bathe myself if it’s too much to look at.”
I raised her chin up with my finger, and kissed her lips softly. “Nothing is ever too much when it comes to you. I’m just glad I fucked him over before I killed him.”
She offered me a sweet smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Nothing is ever going to hurt you again, Tavi. I promise you that.”
“I trust you,” she said, and it almost did me in the same way it did when Van called me Daddy. “I just…don’t want to lose you.”
“Tavi, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”
A light chuckle and I felt my body easing, as I stepped her back toward the bath.
“Will you come in with me?” she asked, sitting on the edge. I nodded, and removed my clothing, tossing it to the side of the bathroom, before I stepped into the warm bath. The water was amazing as it soaked into my skin. Holding her hand, I helped her get in with me, before I sank down, pulling her into my lap, her head resting on my shoulder. I moved the loofah over her skin softly, coating her skin in the warm water.
“Van calling you Daddy…is that okay?”
“Of course it is. He called me Daddy the second he saw me. You never told me why.”
“Oh god, you’re going to think I’m crazy.”
