Lo

“My god, I thought I'd never escape.” Laurie flounced into the pool house looking every bit the sun-kissed beauty. I still hadn’t adjusted to seeing people dressed in t-shirts and sunglasses despite it being December. Winter in England was usually cold, wet and dreary. But not here. Every day was summer.

She stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes landed on the small group of people playing Monopoly. Laurie grabbed my arm tugging me to one side. “Is that Maverick Prince?” There was a lilt to her voice that had me smiling. “Maverick Prince playing Monopoly?”

I shrugged. “Stranger things have happened.”

“No,” she glanced back over at them, her brows furrowed. “No, they haven't. So, you and him, it's the real deal?”

“Ssh,” I whisper-hissed. “You promised not to make a scene. He just wanted to lie low. Dinner was... intense.”

“I can only imagine.” Laurie blew out an exasperated breath. “Jesus, Lo, you sure don't do things by halves. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into.”

It wasn't the first time she'd offered her advice, but like I'd told her then, there wasn't a choice to be made.

“Will you two quit gossiping and get over here, already?” Kyle called. “You need to witness me kick Prince's butt.”

“Sore loser, Stone?”

Laurie rolled her eyes, “Here we go,” she sighed just as Kyle grumbled, “Low blow, Prince. It wasn’t like we didn’t give it our all.”

“I know. I’m just yanking your chain. Chill,” Maverick conceded, hearing the disappointment in his stepbrother’s voice. Kyle had sulked for two weeks straight when the football team didn’t make it past the semi-finals of the regionals. 

We joined the boys, Summer, and a wary looking Nick. I didn't blame him. Maverick almost strangled him when he’d found out he slept with Summer, but things were calmer now. Although dinner had been awkward for other reasons. The conversation about college had taken a strange turn and I couldn't help but feel I was missing a piece of the Prince puzzle. I'd tried numerous times to ask about his father, but every time his impenetrable walls slammed down, and Maverick forced me out. 

He wasn’t shutting me out now though as his eyes dropped to the spot beside him. I arched my brow, flicking my gaze to Nick and Summer. Kyle and Laurie knew about us. Talk of the dance had spread like wildfire through the school hallways, but we hadn't officially gone public yet. Not even to Summer or Macey. Although from the cold-shoulder she’d been giving Maverick, I suspected Macey believed the hallway gossip, despite Kyle being as good at starting rumours as he was killing them. I’d heard more than one story which painted Maverick as the doting step-cousin. A real knight-in-shining-armour, swooping in to save me—the poor defenceless British relative—from the big bad bitch Caitlin. 

Most didn't buy it. Especially Caitlin. And for the last few days of classes, her eyes followed me, burning holes into my back. She knew the truth. But you didn't argue with a Stone-Prince. Strangely, Maverick neither confirmed nor denied anything, only stoking the fire. In public, he went back to ignoring me and I ignored everyone else. The stares. The whispers, pointed fingers and smirks. They could believe what they wanted for all I cared. The people who mattered knew the truth. Well, most of them.

I didn't mind the kids at school not knowing, but I hadn't expected him to want to keep it from our families. Or maybe I had. I mean, this was Maverick Prince. The world's most closed book. But I didn't want to sneak around. Not when I’d fallen out with Dad over the very same thing.

“Lo, you're up.” Summer smiled over at me from the shelter of Nick's side. I reached for my playing piece, purposefully brushing Maverick's arm. He stilled, his breath hitching, and I couldn't help the smirk tugging at my mouth. He wanted to play games, fine?

But it didn't mean I had to play fair. 

We played until the main house became pitched in darkness. Rebecca stopped by more than once to check on us and try to persuade us to hang out with them. Each time she slunk off with disappointment gleaming in her glassy eyes.

It was Kyle’s turn to roll, but I was too busy watching Summer and Nick. They were so cute, pressed close to one another. The way he touched her tenderly as if she was the most important thing in the world to him. They were young, Summer not yet sixteen, but their love was obvious. It was nice, being here with them and her brothers. Even with the odd growl from Maverick, and Kyle’s inappropriate comments about Nick’s hands and what would happen to them if he didn’t stop groping his baby sister, and I made a mental note to thank them both later for giving her this.

“Babe, I’m getting tired.” Laurie yawned, stretching her arms out in front of her. She stood up wiping her hands down her jeans. “I should probably head home.”

“No way.” Kyle leapt up and slung his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. “You’re staying. They’ll all be sleeping off one of Loretta’s infamous nog hangovers, you can sneak out first thing.”

A shudder rolled through me. I didn’t want to imagine Dad in one of their spare rooms cuddled up with Stella, her daughter sleeping soundly next to them on a blow-up mattress. Why we couldn’t have just gone home was beyond me, but Rebecca and Gentry insisted we stay over for the night. I suppose it had its advantages. My eyes roved to Maverick beside me, heat flooding my stomach. When I looked back at my friend, she was chewing her lip nervously.

“I’m not sure,” Laurie said, “I don’t want to cause any problems.”

Kyle leaned in and whispered something in her ear and her cheeks flushed a deep red. “Okay.” She had that dreamy look about her and it didn’t take much to work out what he’d promised if she stayed over.

“I guess I should head home too,” Nick declared. “Thanks for letting me hang out.”

“Jesus, Nick,” Maverick groaned raking his hand through his hair. “We’re not that bad.”

Nick’s jaw fell open, but Kyle chimed in, “Speak for yourself, Prince.” He flashed his stepbrother a cocky grin, but it soon slipped away when Laurie elbowed him in the ribs.

“Ignore them, Nick. It’s been fun hanging out. We should do it again sometime.” Laurie smiled. “Lo, are you coming?” She gave me a pointed look, and I narrowed my eyes back at her.

“I, hmm…” Heat flared in my cheeks and I was unable to meet Summer’s gaze as Nick helped her up.

I hated lying to her, the one person who had been nothing but nice to me since I arrived in Wicked Bay four months ago, but Maverick had asked for time. And I couldn’t deny that the thought of keeping this—us—to ourselves for a little longer was tempting.

“Come on, babe.” Kyle saved me. “She’s a big girl. I’m sure she can find her way back to the house.” Laurie mumbled something under her breath, but Kyle was already pulling her out of the pool house. Nick said goodnight and followed them, but Summer lingered behind.

Maverick had disappeared somewhere, leaving just the two of us and when Summer’s eyes fixed on mine, I knew she knew.

“You could’ve told me, you know?”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I understand, but I’m here for you, Lo. Always.”

I nodded over the lump in my throat.

“Everything okay?” Maverick said from behind me and I twisted around to him.

“Yeah. Summer was just saying goodnight.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She hesitated, as if she wanted to say more, but with a faint smile she disappeared into the darkness.

“What was that about?” Maverick dropped down beside me.

“She knows.”

“And?”

“And what?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Did she try to warn you off me?” He leaned closer, taking the air with him, and my reply died on my tongue as his hungry gaze dropped to my mouth. “I thought they were never going to leave.”

I blinked, trying to focus. “Oh, I thought you wanted to hang out?” 

It had been his suggestion, much to everyone's surprise.

“No.” He inched closer until we were eye-to-eye. “I wanted an excuse to get you in here.”

“Someone might see us.”

“Right now…” His breath fanned my cheek, fluttering over my earlobe and a shiver danced up my spine making my hairs stand on end. “I’m not sure I care.” Deft fingers glided up my shoulder and curved around my neck, and then his lips slanted over mine, gentle and unhurried. A complete contrast to the hot-headed ruthless boy I knew Maverick to be.

He pulled me closer, pressing the lines of his chest against the soft curves of mine. His other hand slipped around my hip and down my thigh, dragging me onto his lap until I was straddling him, my knees either side of his thighs.

“Maverick, wait.” I pushed my hands against his chest, steadying myself. Catching my breath, I pulled back to meet his heated gaze. “It’s too risky.”

“I need you, Lo. I need to know we’re okay.” Uncertainty flashed over his face, rendering me speechless. “I need you.” His lips connected with my neck and he sucked the skin, teeth scraping the sensitive spot, eliciting a breathy moan from me.

“Not here,” I pulled away again.

“You’ll stay?” Victory danced in his eyes and I shook my head with gentle laughter.

“On one condition.” The words flew out before I could stop them. It was the perfect time and although using sex wasn’t entirely fair, I didn’t know how else to reach him.

“You have terms? I’m not sure that’s how this works, London.” His voice was low, a flicker of irritation in the way my nickname sounded rolling off his tongue. But I wasn’t about to back down now.

“I do.” An amused smirk tugged at my lips. “I’ll stay if you tell me what that was all about at dinner?”

His expression was unreadable. “Lo,” he warned, but I held firm. “Maverick. If we’re doing this, you’re going to have to let me in eventually.”

He’d said that this was real, that we were real, but I needed more. It had to be more than just a physical connection.

Maverick scooped me off his lap and moved me beside him, dragging a hand down his face. “My dad wants me to attend Cal State East Bay in the fall. It’s where he went to college and I guess he wants me to carry on his legacy or some bullshit.”

“That’s not so bad, is it? You can still play basketball there, can’t you?” Didn’t all colleges have sports teams? But when Maverick tensed, his jaw clenched in frustration, I had my answer.

“He doesn’t want you to play basketball?”

“He’d prefer I pursued business studies.” His fist clenched against his knee, the anger in his voice startling me. I’d seen Maverick bruised and bloodied; I’d witnessed his temper first hand, but I’d never seen him like this. The corded muscles in his neck pulsated, and I knew if I reached out and touched him, I’d feel the tremble of fury underneath his sweater.

“But you’re good, right? You can get a scholarship and go to another college? Kyle said—”

“It’s complicated.”

“But it’s your dream.”

“Dreams don’t always come true, Lo.” All the fight, the need to hurt, melted away in those six words and he hunched over, staring at the floor.

“Maverick.” I slid my hand over his bicep and squeezed. “There has to be another way.”

His head turned slowly, and a sad smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Maybe.”

I didn’t know the first thing about basketball, college scholarships, or going pro, but I couldn’t imagine a world where a parent didn’t support their child’s dream. And despite my lack of knowledge, I’d seen Maverick play. I’d witnessed the boy he became on the court. He was at home. Free.

He belonged on the court.

“But—”

“Come on.” Maverick cut me off as he stood and pulled me up with him. “I’m beat and it’s late.”

He guided us to the bedroom, to the room that used to be mine, his palm pressed against the small of my back. Once inside, he let me go, and I turned to face him. Soft light filtered in through the blinds casting shadows across his face. His profile was so strong, so confident. But I knew it was the armour he wore to keep people out. To protect himself and the secrets he carried. And I wanted nothing more than to strip it away, piece by piece.

Maverick wasted no time stripping out of his clothes until he stood before me in just black boxer shorts that hugged his thighs. My gaze swept down his body, the years of physical training and conditioning evident in his lean sculpted muscles. My insides coiled tight as warmth spread through me. He was breathtaking. But when my eyes landed on his, he didn’t return the sentiment. He looked lost… defeated. And I hated it. In that moment, I hated Alec Prince, a man I barely knew, for causing Maverick such pain. Because that’s what I saw in his expression. Raw pain.

“Maverick,” I whispered closing the distance between us.

“No more questions, Lo. Not tonight. Please?”

My heart cracked. This wasn’t my Maverick, and I realised that he was still keeping things from me. That although I’d peeled away one layer of him tonight, there were so many more I had yet to uncover.

I went to him, sliding my hands over his broad shoulders and pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. Maverick responded by hooking his hands underneath my jumper and sliding it up off my body. His fingers traced a path down my chest between the swell of my breasts, and I sucked in a shaky breath as they continued down, pushing my leggings down my hips.

“I don’t deserve you,” he said in a broken whisper. “The way I treated you when you arrived.” His cool gaze dropped away.

“Maverick, look at me.” I grabbed his jaw forcing his face to mine. “We all make mistakes. This, us, it isn’t a mistake.”

He wanted to protect me from something—most likely his father. I understood that now. But I wanted to do the same for him. I wanted to help.

I crushed my lips to his, trying to pour everything I felt into the kiss. It ignited something in him and he scooped me up. My legs went around his waist as he carried us to the bed, and we didn’t speak another word as he lay me down, hovering above me. Dark eyes, almost black with need, stared down at me as he ground his hips against me before capturing my lips and kissing me hard.

We became a blur of limbs and breathless moans. My hands explored his chest, shoulders, slid into the hair at the base of his neck. Maverick’s mouth owned my skin. Nipping and biting, soothing the sting with his tongue. He walked a fine line of control. It poured from him, crackling in the air around us. But then he rolled us, settling me on top of him, handing me the power, and I felt the shift between us. His walls had come down tonight. He’d let me in. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe that tomorrow, when the sun rose and the light streamed in through the blinds, everything would be the same. But as I wiggled into position and sank down on him and his head tipped back, eyes shuttering in ecstasy, it didn’t matter. Tonight, I’d helped him forget. I’d grounded him.

In some small way, I’d helped.