I allow him to help me into the passenger seat beside him.
Trying so hard to get my breathing under control, I stare at the ground and count to ten. I’ll be ok, I can do this. It’s just ice-cream.
“Pia, what’s your favorite flavor?”
Cassie’s voice brings me back and I say softly, “Vanilla.”
Maverick snorts beside me and whispers, “That figures.”
For a moment, I just stare at him in confusion and then the penny drops and I feel myself blushing furiously as the look he sends me tells me vanilla would definitely not be included on his menu.
As he starts the car, Cassie and Jack start chattering excitedly in the back and I lean back and close my eyes, letting their soft, innocent voices wash my fears away. I’ll be ok, I must be ok because being not ok, is no longer an option.
6
Maverick
How the fuck did this happen? I left Ryder and Snake, intent on burning rubber, not taking two kids and the one woman I should avoid most in the world on a trip into town. Lou had me over a barrel and she knew it. How could I say no to her, or the children? I should have done. I should have just walked away, but one look at Sophia and the terror in her eyes made up my mind in an instant. She’s petrified and it can only be because of that bastard that took her. The trouble is, I don’t want to know the details. I don’t want to hear her story and I don’t want to spend any time with her because if I do, I may have to act and I am not prepared to destroy everything I’ve worked so hard to build the past few years, to be destroyed in a heartbeat.
Yes, this woman will destroy me and everything I’ve worked hard for if I let her and so I must keep away for both our sakes.
I let the kids chatter the nonsense that is usual for their age and try to distance my mind from the woman sitting like a statue beside me. I may not see her but I feel her and it’s surprising me more than I thought. I can’t tear my mind away from the scent of the woman sitting beside me and find myself imagining inhaling every part of her as I make her mine. I want to growl in frustration because she doesn’t know it but she is mine. She always was and now fucked up fate has delivered her to me on a platter. But I’m not hungry and I should hold that thought because the beast in me is roaring to be set free. Just a fraction of movement causes my attention to stand guard and the air cracks between us with an electricity that could set us on fire.
By the time we reach town we have not shared two words and that’s how it’s gonna stay if I get my way. The kids will distract us and then I will return them home and get the hell out of here. Maybe a road trip is just what I need right now because I need to get my shit together.
Fucking mafia, how ironic is that?
We find a space outside for the truck and by the time we head inside, I’ve got my head in the game.
Grabbing a booth in the corner, I curse as the kids slide in beside each other, leaving me to share the confined space with Sophia.
She edges into the corner and looks around her fearfully, shrinking into her seat so as not to draw attention to herself. The waitress heads over and looks at us with interest. “What can I get you all?”
“Strawberry please.”
Cassie smiles with an excitement which makes me chuckle inside. So happy over an ice-cream, kids are easily pleased.
“Chocolate for me please?”
Jack grins and I have to smile because he is one heap of trouble waiting to grow up into an even greater one. In fact, they both are because these kids don’t know it yet but they will have the world at their feet and god help anyone who gets in their way.
I turn to Sophia and she smiles nervously. “Um…”
I quickly interrupt, “She’ll have the house special with lots of toppings, same for me.”
Sophia opens her mouth to speak and I whisper, “Allow me to introduce you to the wild side.”
I wink as she stares at me in shock and I laugh softly, whispering, “Vanilla is most