a promise in your sexy dark eyes. That’s the sort of proposal I want from you, not a rushed knee jerk attempt to keep what you think you own. I want the world Maverick and I kind of think only you can deliver it.”
Once again, we kiss—a seal on an agreement that both of us want to honor. The trouble is, it may be out of our hands.
We reluctantly head back and I feel the interest of the family watching us approach. I can tell they are expecting some kind of resolution, but I take my seat beside Elena and smile. “It’s a little chilly out there.”
She smiles slightly and looks at Maverick with a thoughtful expression and he just raises his glass to her and knocks back the brandy in one. If I see a little disappointment in her eyes, it is quickly replaced by a loud yawn. “Well, the perils of getting old I’m afraid. I need to retire to bed and leave you all to gossip about me when I’ve gone.”
She winks as Romeo offers her his arm and we bid her goodnight as she is helped sweetly from the room.
It feels a little awkward as Maverick nods toward me. “Ready?”
Lucian laughs darkly. “So, you’ve made your decision.”
I feel my breath hold of its own accord as the room turns silent and Maverick shrugs. “Sophia is my woman, Lucian and we will not be bullied into something that neither of us want. You will just have to think of another reason to make me stay, or is the point of this that you want me to never return? Either way I’m done with your threats and for the record, the Moretti deal is blown. There will be no alliance and no marriage. If it comes to it, you will start a war with more than Tobias Moretti. You see, you forget that I have contacts with every mafia family in the country and if it came to it, I would use them to stop you getting your hands on something that belongs to me.”
Lucian jumps up and I stifle a scream as he advances menacingly toward Maverick, backed up by his brother Dante. I can feel his rage in the air, it’s a tangible force that promises the deadliest revenge. It’s all too much as Lucian snarls, “So you would turn your back on your own blood to save another family, treachery at its most stupid. I never had you down as a fool, brother, you know how this will end.”
Maverick stands his ground and immediately I see my future before me. A deadly war with casualties on every side. Family against family all in the name of love and I will not be responsible for that. Standing quickly, I say loudly. “Enough.”
The men stop and look at me and I say in a cold voice. “There will be no war, not because of me. I will not be the catalyst that forces destruction. I don’t want to marry any of you. I want to be free of this fucked up life and live among normal people. If it comes to it, I would rather take my own life than be witness to any more bloodshed, so you can all go to fucking hell.”
Without even looking in their direction, I storm from the room intent on getting out of here as quickly as possible. I’m not sure if that’s an option but I need to try at least and there is only one man who can help me, god help him.
Somehow, I make my way back to my room and slam the door. I drag a chair across and prop it under the handle and try to take a few deep breaths. With shaking fingers, I do what I should have done in the first place and type out a text that I never wanted to send.
As I press ‘send’ I try not to imagine the problems that text will bring the one person who is ignorant to his life being bargained in this way. My brother has the right to an opinion, so I send for the cavalry and wait for the battle to commence.
29
Maverick
I am so angry. At myself, my brothers and Sophia. More than any of that, I am upset that Sophia walked out. As soon as she left, I pushed past my brothers and headed for my room. She needs to cool down, but I will not give up on her without a