Page 40 of Bane's Beginning

Chapter 21: Thea

“I’m not going to therapy, '' I said, laughing. It was Wednesday afternoon and two weeks had passed since Marcusgate, which Anna had coined to describe my ex’s dramatic return into my life.

“Thea,” my brother urged. “We talked about this.”

I tried to pretend like the pleading look in his eyes didn’t pull at my heartstrings, but it did. We were lounging in the pool to cool off from the midday New Mexico heat. Maverick was looking absolutely delicious in his swim trunks and bare chest. He sat against the edge of the pool and his sunglasses hid his expression, but I knew he was eavesdropping.

“No,” I said. “You were talking, I was listening. I don’t need therapy.”

“You do need therapy,” he said. “You have PTSD that hasn’t been properly treated in nearly 10 years.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been treating it just fine, thank you,” I said, saluting. Who was he to judge how I had been taking care of myself? I had been doing it alone for just as long, and now he wanted to be brother of the year or something.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Maverick stand up and walk over to us.

“Come with me,” his deep voice said as he peered down at me with his hand stretched out. Excitement pooled in my stomach as a smile crept on my face.

“My hero,” I said, cheekily and placed my hand in his.

He laughed as he swiftly pulled me up onto my feet. “I’m not trying to fuck you, babe. Let’s go for a ride.”

“Gross,” my brother said, walking away toward Serena, Anna and Hollywood.

“Not the type of ride I was hoping to take, but fun all the same,” I said. “I’ll go change.”

Walking away, I felt his rough hand quickly slap my bathing suit covered ass cheek and I shrieked.

“We’ll take that other kind of ride later, babe. Don’t worry.”

I heard whistles and cheers coming from the table of eavesdroppers and laughed, flipping them the bird as I walked upstairs to my room to change into more appropriate clothes for riding.

I didn’t know where he was taking me, but the calming feeling of the wind grazing against my skin and the warmth coming from being pressed against Maverick’s back made me not want to question it. I loved riding on the back of his bike, his woody, warm smell and watching how he carefully glided his bike along the road, completely in control.

Like his bike, my heart was being led by him and I often wondered if he felt the same sense of control as riding. The more time I spent with him, the less I thought about leaving. I knew this was dangerous since I was on borrowed time, but no matter how many times I reminded myself that I couldn’t hold on to Maverick, something inside of me just wouldn’t let go.

We rode around under the desert sun for what seemed like an eternity before we started to approach a lake covered in trees and shade. Thank god, I thought to myself.

He pulled off the road and stopped where a narrow trail disappeared into the trees. Maverick ushered me to get off. I obliged and swung my leg over, smoothing my hair down as I watched as the smolderingly sexy man dismounted his bike.

Sometimes I felt like just watching him could get me off, but part of me knew that was mostly from the vibrating contraption that I had just ridden on.

After grabbing a blanket that was folded in his saddlebag, he turned around to face me and noticed me checking him out and a smart-ass grin crossed his face. “Like what you see, babe?” He said gruffly in my ear. His smooth, enchanting voice sent a shiver down my body. God, he was so full of himself, and I hated how much I liked that about him. I slapped his jean covered ass and laughed.

“You know I do, babe,” I teased.

He let out a sexy chuckle and grabbed my hand. “C’mon, horndog.”

I rolled my eyes and let him lead me down the trail. We hiked the trail for a while, and my urge to pretend like I wasn’t huffing and out of breath was fleeting with every step.

“If you’re taking me out here to kill me,” I said between huffs of breath. “Can you at least do it now and then carry my body to bury it up there.”

He laughed at me. “We’re almost there, love.”

Love. I hated how the nickname made me feel, even weaker than when he calls me babe. Instead of letting myself blush from the new term of endearment, I continued walking.

We finally made it to the top of the trail. I was breathing hard while trying to take in the scenery. It was a beautiful hilltop covered in a bowl of trees overlooking the water. I was starting to think Maverick was a sucker for a good view.

I let out a steady whistle to acknowledge the beautiful view.