Mercy (Somerset University #3) - Ruby Vincent Page 0,43

so if you want one, claim them.”

Sofia squealed. Picking up one of the dogs, she kissed all over his yapping head. “I’ll take Blue.”

“And I’ll take you.” Maverick held out a hand for me. “Unless you’ve changed your mind and decided to bake cakes with your best friend and favorite son.”

“I did not.” I grasped him firmly. “Night, Sof. I’ll text you later.”

Maverick and I left the house with no further arguments or plys for me to stay.

We arrived at the Sam house at nine o’clock on the dot. Aiden came out as Maverick held open my door.

“Good. You’re here. We can leave.”

“Leave?” Maverick repeated. “Why would we leave?”

“We switch up locations of the game, so people don’t ask what we’re doing in the basement every week,” he explained like it was obvious. “Let’s go. We’re taking my car.”

“No. We’ll follow behind you.”

“No. You won’t. Nasir’s guards only let in guests who have their license numbers on the approved list. His parents’ rule, not Nasir’s. They won’t let you pass the gates unless you’re riding with me.”

Jaw tight, Maverick shared a look with me. He didn’t want me there at all. Discovering we were being taken to an undisclosed location and wouldn’t be able to leave on our own might be the nail in the coffin that made him stick me in the car and go home.

“Hurry up. I’m parked in lot 4G.” Aiden strolled down the walkway and turned up the street. He didn’t consider waiting for us.

“Forget this, Val,” Maverick hissed. “We’re going home.”

My love is as wonderful as he is predictable.

“He’s taking us to his friend’s house, not an underpass cockfight.” I rubbed his shoulders. “Relax. Everything’s fine. And if for one second it’s not, we’ll call Ezra to come get us. Okay?”

“He could’ve told us we were going somewhere else. Better yet. We could’ve met him outside of the gates. He’s messing with us and I’m not about it.”

“Aiden Connelly would jerk his nana around for shits and giggles. It’s second nature to him by this point. Don’t let him distract us from what we’re here to do.”

“Are you guys coming?!”

Maverick kissed me. A soft brush of the lips.

“I know, baby,” I whispered.

We didn’t say anymore.

Silently, we gathered our things from the car and followed Aiden to the parking garage. He led us up to the top floor where a lone Jaguar gleamed under the flickering fluorescents.

I wonder how he’ll explain his newest possession to his parents. Of course that assumes he truly was born, and not stitched together by an absentminded mad scientist who forgot his heart.

“Want to ride up front, Val?” he asked.

“Thanks, I’m good.”

He shrugged a telltale suit yourself.

“What’s the address?” Maverick demanded.

“Why? Going to give it to friends so they’ll storm the place if you’re a minute past midnight?” He tsked though Maverick didn’t confirm it. “You gotta trust a little, Rick.”

The ride to Nasir was as awkward as the silence smothering us. Aiden drove us in the opposite direction of where we came, taking us further from Evergreen Estates. It was only when he turned on Seabreeze that I realized where we must be going.

“The beach?”

Aiden nodded.

“Nasir’s a commuter, isn’t he?” A handsome face and three-pierced ear floated in my mind. “Winston too.”

“And Rowen and Hayes,” he confirmed. “They don’t spend a lot of time in the Sam house except for bonding activities. And the parties.”

“I vaguely recall those guys. But I don’t see why a bunch of guys too busy to hang around would be chosen for your club out of everyone.”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said easily. “They were chosen by my predecessor. I inherited them. Cool bunch of guys, though.”

“Why—”

“That’s the house on the end.” Aiden pointed through the window. “5637 Seabreeze Lane. Feel free to text your security detail.”

Maverick said nothing. My man didn’t respond to bait.

I turned to the window as our beach house flashed by. Hard to imagine it was a few days ago that I collected shells with Adam, learned to make seared scallops with Ryder, kissed Maverick on the sand, and basked in the sunset on a perfect day with my family.

I watched the house until it disappeared behind half a dozen more.

“Name?”

A flashlight sought me through the window, beaming directly into my corneas.

“Aiden Connelly, Maverick Beaumont, and Valentina Moon,” said Aiden.

A stout, hefty man bent and put his head half into the car. “My information says this car is registered to Winston Abernathy.”

“Winston lent me his car indefinitely.”

The guy