Chapter 14
Henley
“Something’s come up, Henley. You’re going to need to pack a bag,” Guardrail ordered.
“Why? What’s going on?” I asked, startled by his command.
“I don’t have time to explain it all, but you’ll be going to Tennessee with Maverick for a few days. He has some things to take care of, and since he is in charge of watching out for you, you’ll have to go with him,” he explained. “He’s taking his cage to save time, so feel free to pack a suitcase.”
“Really? Do I have to? I can’t hang out here until he gets back?” I whined like a three-year-old child. I hated long road trips, and the thought of being confined in a car for hours upon hours with Maverick freaked me out. I couldn’t even look at him without staring at those perfect, full lips and thinking about that damn kiss.
“Like I said, I don’t have time to explain all this shit to you, Henley. Just pack a bag and be ready to go within the hour.”
“I’ll be ready.” I couldn’t help but wonder if everything was alright. “Is Maverick okay? Is something wrong?”
“If he wants you to know, he’ll tell you.”
“Okay,” I mumbled as I turned to leave.
“Henley, I don’t know what you’ve done, but since you’ve been around, he’s been better. Don’t give up on him.”
“I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes,” I told him. I went back to my room and started cramming my clothes into my suitcase. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Guardrail said, and I wondered if it was really true. Was Maverick truly better because of something I’d done? I was lost in my own thoughts when Cassidy walked into my room.
“I just heard about Maverick. Road trip!”
I just grunted as I threw my make-up bag into my suitcase.
“Do you need any help packing?” she asked.
“No, I think I’ve got it,” I told her as I continued to shove all my odds and ends into my suitcase.
Her eyebrows rose as she asked, “Are you okay with this?”
“Honestly? No. I’m totally freaking out,” I confessed. “I have no idea what’s going on, and …”
“It’s going to be fine, Lee Bug. It’s just for a few days, and you’re going to love John Warren. He’s absolutely precious. I wish I was going with you, so I could see him too. I’ve really missed him,” she paused. She cleared her throat, trying to change the subject as she said, “I’ve heard that Paris is a really neat place, and they have a beautiful lake.”
“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”
“You never know. You might just enjoy yourself.” She smiled as she reached out and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “Be yourself, and everyone will love you, including Maverick.”
“Do you have any idea what’s going on with him? Guardrail didn’t tell me anything.”
She released me from our embrace and looked me in the eye as she said, “No, but I have a feeling that this trip is going to be hard on him.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
“You weren’t here to see him when he came back from taking John Warren to Lily and Goliath. It was hard to see him like that,” she explained with tears filling her eyes.
“If going back there is going to be difficult for him, then having me there is only going to make it…” I started.
“No matter what is going on with him, having you there will only make it better. Now, stop worrying yourself to death about it and let’s get a move on. If I know Maverick, he’s already in the car, ready to go.”
“Alright. Let’s do this,” I told her as I grabbed the handle of my suitcase, tugging it out the door.
She was right. Maverick was already waiting for me at the end of the hall. He didn’t say a word as I followed him out to the car. In fact, he didn’t say anything for the first four hours of the drive. He just drove with his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. The tension just rolled off of him, making it hard to know what I should do or say. I decided that this was one of those times when I just needed to sit there with my mouth shut. There was no need to poke the bear with a stick, so I just tried to keep my attention focused on the scenery outside my window. There were a couple of times when I noticed him looking over in my direction, but he never said a word. I wished he would say something. Anything. I had so many questions, but I couldn’t work up the courage to ask him.
When I couldn’t stand it any longer, I finally said, “I’ve got to go to the bathroom, and maybe get something to eat?”
“It’s a long drive. We don’t have time for a bunch of stops, Henley,” he grumbled.
“I’m talking about five minutes, Maverick. I’ll make it quick. I promise,” I pleaded.
Pulling off the interstate, he murmured something under his breath. As soon as he put the car in park, I got out and raced toward the front door of the convenience store.
“Five minutes!” I heard Maverick shout as the door shut behind me.
I was tempted to take my time, but I was afraid he wouldn’t stop again if I didn’t hurry. I finished in the restroom, bought a couple of drinks and a handful of snacks, then I quickly grabbed my bag of goodies, heading back to the car. Maverick was waiting outside for me when I walked out.
“I got us some snacks.” I smiled, hoping to get some kind of reaction out of him.
“You planning on feeding an army with all that?”
“I wasn’t sure how long it would be before we stopped again.” He took a drink and a bag of chips from my hand as he started the car and pulled out onto the road.
Trying to make the best of the quiet time in the car, I used my phone to check my emails, send out a few text messages, and finish reading my book. Every now and then, I would look over to check on Maverick, hoping he might say something or tell me what was worrying him. But without fail, his attention was focused on the road, letting me know he had no intention of talking to me. When the daunting silence got to be too much, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
I had no idea how long I’d been asleep when I felt myself being carefully lifted out of the car. Without opening my eyes, I knew Maverick was cradling me in his arms. The warmth of his body was too inviting, and I was too damn exhausted to protest. So I rested my head on his shoulder and let him carry me to the room.
I couldn’t even remember him putting me in the bed, but I woke up the next morning with my head plastered on his bare chest. I slowly lifted myself up, trying my best not to wake him, and carefully eased myself onto the floor. I stopped at the edge of the bed, unable to keep my eyes from roaming over his chest, marveling at the beautiful artwork that marked his skin. It was the first time I’d seen the large tattoo across his broad chest, and my fingers twitched at my side, longing to reach out and touch him. My body yearned for him, overwhelming me with a desire like I’d never known before. I hadn’t had much experience with men… just one real boyfriend since high school. After I caught him cheating on me with my best friend, I’d sworn off guys altogether and tried to focus on my studies. Until now, I hadn’t missed that spark, that desire to be with a man. I’d had my distractions with school and my family, and I was happy just being by myself. Now… it was different. Now, I wanted him.
The white cotton sheet rested just below his hips, taunting me, begging me to crawl back into that bed next to him. My eyes slowly traveled up along the muscles of his chest, gradually stopping when I reached his handsome face. My heart ached as I looked at him sleeping so soundly, the burden he carried with him every second of the day had seemed to melt away. Lying there with his face free from his dark thoughts, he actually looked peaceful, almost vulnerable. I wanted to curl up next to him and hold him close. I wanted to try to keep the demons from finding their way back to him.
“How long are you planning to stand there, staring at me like that?” he grumbled with his eyes barely squinting open. Damn. The spell was broken.
“Well, you ruined it. For a minute there, you actually looked kind of sweet.”
“Nothing about me is sweet, Slick,” he smirked.
“Why don’t you go back to sleep, and let me enjoy Sweet Maverick for a little while longer?” I teased, but he wasn’t in the mood for it. “What time is it, Henley?” he demanded.
I looked over at the clock and told him, “8:30.”
He closed his eyes and growled under his breath. For a second, I thought he was going to do like I suggested and sleep longer, but instead, he threw the covers back and sat at the edge of the bed. He dropped his head into his hands and rested his elbows on his knees, letting out a low, deep sigh.
“How much longer is the drive?” I asked apprehensively.
“We’ll get there late tonight, but we need to get rolling,” he said as he stood up and headed toward the bathroom. He stopped at the doorway and glanced back at me, lost in a thoughtful gaze. After a few seconds, he said, “I slept better last night than I have in months, even though you’re like sleeping next to a damn heating pad. Hell, I’m surprised I don’t have third degree burns after lying next to you all night.” I noticed just a glimmer of a smile creeping across his face before he closed the door behind him. Damn, I loved that smile… it was going to be the end of me.
I was already dressed and ready to go by the time Maverick had the car loaded. I knew he was in a rush, but I was in dire need of a cup of coffee. “So, how about some breakfast before we go?”
“Drive-thru,” was all he said as he started the engine.
I’d already given up any hope for pancakes and bacon, so I said, “Cool beans.”
After we grabbed something to eat, it was several hours before we stopped again, and that was only to get more gas. The long drive was killing me. It would be different if Maverick actually talked to me, but he just sat there, stewing in his thoughts. I wanted to know what was going on in that head of his, but I was afraid I’d set him off. When I had finally worked up the courage, I asked him, “How’d you get the name Maverick?”
“Cotton.”
“Okay… but why Maverick?” I pushed.
“He used to watch reruns of some old show called Maverick. He thought the guy reminded him of me,” he said, looking over in my direction. “I’ve always stood up for what I believe in, even when it was easier to just let things go.”
“I like it. I think it suits you.” I finally had him talking, so I thought I would push a little further. “Are you going to tell me why we are going to Tennessee?”
“I have some papers to sign.”
“Couldn’t they just fax them to you or something?”
“No.” One word. That’s all I got, so I kept trying.
“Will I get to meet your brother while we’re there?”
“Probably.”
“Does he have a delightful personality like his brother?” I taunted. Surely, one of them knew how to have a decent conversation.
He looked over to me with a smirk and said, “Of course.”
That smile! I’d do just about anything to keep that smile on his face. I felt like I was getting somewhere, so I just kept talking. “Good to know. How about the others? Is this MC club like yours?”
“They’re different,” he clipped.
“How?” I prodded.
“Just different… safer, but a club nonetheless.”
“By safer I’d assume you mean they don’t deal in illegal activities, so there are less threats to deal with?” When he didn’t reply, I kept talking. “I guess that would make it easier. I mean, not having to worry about who’s waiting to take you down at every corner must have its advantages.” The muscles in his throat began to twitch, letting me know it was time for me to redirect. “Cassidy says they have a lake there.”
“Yeah, their club is just a few miles from the water.”
“That would be so cool. I’d love to have a place where I could sit out on a big, wide porch and drink my cup of coffee while I looked out over the water. Perfect way to start the day.” Just the thought of a place like that made me wonder what I was going to do after college. After two more classes, I would be graduating, and I really had no idea what I was going to do. I’d always dreamed of being a graphic designer—creating images that could be seen all over the world. Now, I found myself wondering if Maverick would have a place in my life when this thing was all over. What did his future hold and would I be a part of it somehow? It was silly for me to even think about it. We barely knew each other. It was ridiculous, but a part of me liked the thought of having him in my life.
“If anyone could manage to get a place like that, it’d be you,” Maverick said, pulling me from my thoughts.
I wondered about that remark. It seemed like a real compliment, but I didn’t respond. Instead, I sat there in silence, looking out the window, wishing we’d hurry up and pass the Tennessee state line. When the minutes rolled into an hour, I finally just closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
I woke up when Maverick nudged me with his elbow and said, “We’re almost there. It’s late, so we’re just going to stay at the club tonight.”
“Okay,” I yawned with a deep breath, trying to pull myself awake. I was too tired to get nervous about meeting a bunch of new people, but I did have enough sense to know that I needed to brush out my hair and fix the mascara smudges from under my eyes. Just as I finished making myself look halfway presentable, he pulled through a small gate and stopped in front of the Devil Chasers’ clubhouse. It was much smaller than Maverick’s club, but even in the dark, I could tell it was a really cool place. It had a rustic feel to it, and I couldn’t wait to see what it looked like inside.
“Most of the guys aren’t here, so it should be a pretty quiet night.”
When I opened the car door and finally stood up and stretched wide, the muscles in my legs cried out in relief. “At this point, I don’t care if Satan himself is in there. I’m just glad to be out of that damn car.”