His hips moved faster. His arms held tighter. His eyes burned brighter. “Again.”
Sensation spiraled hot and low in Alexa’s belly. “You and me against the world.”
He groaned. “Again.”
Her orgasm detonated, stealing her breath. “You and me,” she managed.
“That’s fucking right,” he yelled, his release pulsing inside her and drawing out her own. “You and me, baby. You and me.”
When their bodies calmed, he eased out of her but didn’t let her go. He settled her at his side, his arm around her shoulders holding their bodies tightly together. He kissed her forehead and sighed, the sound full of satisfaction and ease even as his heart pounded under her hand on his chest.
Or maybe that was her heart she felt, because he’d stolen it totally and completely.
CHAPTER 25
I don’t like this,” Maverick said as he pulled up in front of the model home where Alexa was working on Monday morning. A number of work trucks filled the driveway of the otherwise empty development. His gaze cut to her, looking so pretty and put together in a pair of navy dress pants and flowy lavender shirt.
“I don’t love it, either,” she said, giving him a brave smile. “But Grant never comes out here, which is perfect because I can do what I have to do in peace. He won’t be here until the walk-through on Wednesday, and then the whole team will be with us. It’ll be fine.”
Mav clenched his jaw, not wanting to open the argument they’d already had this morning even though everything inside of him demanded he push. For her own good.
Because he wouldn’t be able to stand it if anything happened to her. Not when he knew she was in danger. And not when it was on his watch.
It would be him failing his mother all over again—only worse. This time, there’d be no excuses that could absolve him. Unlike then, Maverick knew fully that Alexa was in trouble.
“Look, your guys are nearby, right?” she asked, reaching over and putting her hand on his thigh. He gave a tight nod. Renner and Blake’s presence just out of direct sight of the house was the only reason he could entertain the idea of her being out in the world without him all day. “If anything happens that even remotely worries me, I’ll call or text them immediately.”
You and me against the world.
Her words rang in between Maverick’s ears, and he needed them to be true so fucking bad he could hardly stand it. But Alexa needed to be safe in his life and at his side for that to have a chance. For them to have a chance.
“Don’t even let it get to the point of being worried,” he said, arching his brow and nailing her with a stare.
“I won’t,” she said. “I get it, Maverick. I won’t take any chances.”
He thought just going back to work was taking one, but they’d already been down that road. No matter how much Maverick wanted to lay down the law and tell her what to do, he couldn’t. That was the controlling shit Slater had done and not even a little of what Alexa needed from Mav. He wanted to take care of her, not dictate to her. Damn it all to hell.
Sliding his hand behind her neck, he released a troubled breath. “I need you to come home to me. Safe and sound. You understand?”
Her expression went so soft and sweet. For him. “Aw, I think that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
He scowled. “I mean it.”
“So do I,” she whispered. And then she leaned across the big bench seat and kissed him.
He wanted to convince her with his mouth and hands and cock not to go. But he finally released her. “Have a good day,” he managed.
She chuckled. “Thanks, even though it sounds like what you meant is, I sure hope that house burns to the ground.”
He grinned and nodded. “Pretty much.”
She shook her head, and then her expression grew serious. “Keep me posted on Dare and Jagger. I’m really nervous for them.”
“I will,” Maverick said, his gut in all kinds of knots over the fact that his cousin and one of his best friends had been sitting in a fucking jail cell overnight. At least their bail hearing was today. “We’ll get them out on bail and go from there.”
“Yeah,” she said, sliding out of the truck. She turned and leaned back in. “You and me against the world?”
The words came out sounding like a question, and Maverick looked her right in the eye. “You better fucking believe it.”
He watched her walk up the sidewalk through all the brand-new landscaping and disappear inside the big brick colonial. Pulling away and leaving her there was one of the hardest things he’d had to do in a long damn time. Besides Renner and Blake, the only thing that gave Mav any ease of mind was the belief that what Slater wanted more than anything else was to get her back under his control and walking up the aisle to the altar. So she was probably safe for now.
After she left him standing at that altar? All bets were probably off.
“WAITING FUCKING SUCKS,” Phoenix said, expressing all of their views as they cooled their heels at the Ravens’ clubhouse. Walter had thought that Dare and Jagger would have a better chance of a lower bail if the whole club didn’t show up and emphasize the fact that, you know, they were a big fucking motorcycle club. So only Haven, Bunny, and Doc—wearing a suit instead of his colors—had gone.
“Christ, it really does,” Maverick said, dropping his head back against the leather couch. This whole day sucked as far as he was concerned. Between his worry about Alexa being at work, the anticipation of hearing from Walter, and the tension ricocheting around this room, Mav felt like a rubber band pulled tight and ready to snap.
“It’s gonna be fine,” Cora said, sitting on a stool at the bar next to Phoenix. “The hearing will be over any minute and then the guys will be on their way home.”
Murmurs of agreement went around the room.
“That’s right,” Rodeo said, the stress of the situation clearly weighing on the old man—Dare’s great-uncle by marriage. It looked like Rodeo had aged five years since Maverick saw him here the night before. Doc had looked even worse.
Maverick heaved a breath. Crossed his ankles on the table. Got up and went to the bathroom. And still the fucking phone didn’t ring.
“It’s taking too long,” Caine said. He’d been leaning up against one of the pool tables, standing statue still and not saying a word since they’d all gathered.
Fuck. The words struck a chord with the feeling of dread stirring in Mav’s gut.
Sitting on the coffee table by his feet, Maverick’s cell phone finally rang, the ringtone cutting through the thick tension like a knife. He wrenched forward and grabbed it, then held out a hand to quiet everyone as they moved closer. He answered and put the call on speaker. “Mr. Walter, it’s about time.”
“I’m sorry for the delay, Maverick. The hearing just concluded.” Walter’s tone deepened that sense of dread.
“And?” he asked, fearing he already knew the answer.