Maverick

I PUSHED OFF THE WALL and dropped into step behind him. It was late. The street was quiet except for the odd car, or people returning home from their shifts at the bars and restaurants downtown.

People like Liam Denver.

After Lo had called me, I’d called in a favor from Luke. Despite being nine-hundred miles away at the University of Portland, it had taken him thirty minutes to find the information I needed. My best friend was going to make an excellent PI or detective one day. That, or he’d end up on the wrong side of the law, wanted for cyber-crimes most of us couldn’t even comprehend.

“That him?” Darnell whispered, and I nodded.

“Let’s go.”

Liam cut across the street, but we dropped back, blending with the shadows, giving him space. I didn’t want him to know we were there. At least, not yet, not until we were away from the built-up area of downtown. From the information Luke had gleaned, I knew he lived in a small residential area down by the Bay. We would be there in fifteen minutes max.

Me and Darnell walked in silence. He had been with me when Lo had called, and from my thunderous expression, he knew she wasn’t ringing because she missed me. When I told him what had happened—and what Lo wanted me to do—he had insisted on coming. Just like that. No questions asked. I'd figured another body wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t plan on hurting the guy, but if things went to shit, at least Darnell wouldn’t let me do anything too stupid.

“This is it,” I said when Liam turned into his neighborhood. My pace quickened, fire and fury burning through my veins. But a strong arm shot out in front of me, cutting me off.

“Stay chill, man. We’re here to spook the guy, remember?”

“I’m chill,” I ground out, keeping one eye on Liam as I kept walking. “There, look,” I flicked my head to the cluster of trees separating two blocks. Darnell glanced back, and I used the moment to my advantage dodging around him and jogging after Liam.

“Shit,” he muttered behind me. But it was too late. I was on him before Darnell could stop me. My body slammed into his, and he grunted.

“What the hell?” Righting himself, he spun around. “What’s your pro—” The words died on his tongue as I glared at him.

“You and I are going to have ourselves a little talk.”

“Do I know... shit.” Realization flashed in his eyes. “You’re Maverick Prince.” He backed away slowly, but Darnell came around behind him, caging him between us. “Listen, I don’t know what you think—”

“I think you got Lo fired from her job and she wants to know why?”

“Or what?”

The guy had balls, I had to give him that. But he’d clearly underestimated one thing.

Me.

I inched forward, clenching my fists at my side.

“Maverick, be cool,” Darnell said.

“I’m cool. Everything’s cool, right Liam?”

“I... hmm, listen, man. It’s nothing personal.” His wide-eyes darted around like a caged animal.

“You told my girlfriend that I was hooking up with someone else, and then lied to get her fired, and you’re telling me it’s nothing personal? Does that sound personal to you, D?”

“Sounds hella personal to me.”

“Look, I like Lo. I like Lo a lot.”

I narrowed my eyes, and he threw up his hands. “No, I mean... shit, this is coming out all wrong. I don’t like her, like her, but she’s nice. We hit it off. As friends... we’re friends.”

“Were.” I corrected. “You were friends, before you shit all over her.”

“I messed up, okay? But she threatened me. She said if I didn’t do it, she’d ruin me.”

“What?” He wasn’t making any sense. Lo hadn’t threatened him. But then I ran over what he’d said and sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re not talking about Lo, are you?”

“No, no!” He rubbed his face with frustration. “She doesn’t mess around, man. She had all these photos and I panicked. I didn’t want to hurt Lo, but this seemed like the safest way.”

“Who threatened you, Liam?”

I already knew, the truth heavy in my chest. But it didn’t stop my jaw clenching when he spewed out, “Caitlin Holloway.”

~

“I KNEW THAT BITCH WAS up to something,” Kyle paced back and forth as we all sat gathered in the pool house. It was late. Too late to be shooting the shit. But Lo had insisted on waiting up, and Kyle wouldn’t let her wait alone.

“What do you mean, you knew?” I gave him a pointed look and he blanched.

“Chill, I was handling it. She left Lo alone at school. I swear, Rick, she hasn’t stepped out of line.”

“But?” I slid an eye to Lo who sat motionless on the couch.

“But she was too quiet. Too nicey-nice at practice. I should have ridden her harder. I should have—”

“No, Kyle,” Lo sighed. “You did enough. One way or another Caitlin would have found a way to get to me. I just wish she hadn’t dragged Liam into it.”

“You’re defending him now?” I stared at her in disbelief.

After that cocksucker admitted everything, I’d wanted to beat some sense into him. Darnell had talked me down, and we’d come straight back to the pool house. But not before warning Liam Denver that if he didn’t set the record straight with Gus, the owner of Hitters, Caitlin Holloway wouldn’t be the only person he needed to worry about.

“She blackmailed him, Maverick. She’s poison. I’m tired of it. She isn’t going to be satisfied until she ruins my life. Just like we ruined hers.”

Kyle scoffed. “Cous, that is not true. Caitlin Holloway deserved everything that came her way.”

“What do you want to do?” I asked Lo, leaving the other part of my question unsaid.

Lo knew I’d set things straight with Caitlin. One way or another, I’d put an end to her games, but Lo had told me she didn’t want me to save her. That she didn’t want to keep using me as her crutch.

“I’ll handle it.” My girl rolled her shoulders back, sitting a little straighter, and I smirked at the flash of determination in her eyes. My Lo—the girl I’d met over a year ago—was still there. Under all the games, the doubt, the distance; she was there, and it was time for her to stop running and start facing things head-on.

“Whoa,” Kyle chimed in. “What do you mean you’ll handle it? Prince, what does she mean?” He looked to me, but I shook my head. This was Lo’s fight. Now she had the truth, now she knew it was Caitlin who had blackmailed Liam to ruin her job at Hitters, to ruin us, it was up to Lo to do something about it.

“We really need to get back before someone realizes we’re missing,” Darnell said, cutting the tension crackling around the room. “We have early practice.”

“Walk us out?” I said to Lo, and she got up and came to me, slipping her hand in mine.

“Come on, Rick, you can’t just expect me to—”

“Stone, Lo said she’ll handle it. So let her.”

He flopped back down into the chair, grumbling to himself. I loved my stepbrother something fierce and we always had each other’s backs, but right now, my attention was focused solely on the girl beside me.

“Come on.” I tugged her hand gently, leading her outside while Darnell lingered behind.

When we were out front, I crowded Lo against my car and dipped my head to hers. “Are you okay?”

“I think so.”

“Caitlin can only hurt you if you give her power, Lo.” She was well connected, sure. But we were the Stone-Princes. She could continue playing her silly games—trying to hurt Lo and make things difficult for her—but she couldn’t hurt where it hurt most. Because if she did, shit would rain down so quickly, Caitlin Holloway would be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Lo stared at me and I couldn’t get a good read on where her head was at, so I whispered, “Just say the word and I’ll handle her. I’ll make her wish she never even—”

“No,” Lo breathed. Her lips so close to mine I could almost taste her. “It’s time I fought my own battles. Caitlin. My past. Dad and Stella. Us. I need to stop running, Maverick.” Her hands curled into my t-shirt, yanking me closer as her lips crushed mine.

Lo didn’t just kiss me, she devoured me. Stole the breath clean from my lungs. With every stroke of her tongue against mine, every soft sigh that left her mouth, Lo cleaved every shred of doubt that had wormed its way into my heart. For the first time since moving to SU, I knew we were going to be fine.

Felt it all the way down to my bones.

Would we have ups and downs, highs and lows? Sure we would. What couple didn’t? But at the end of the day, what Lo and me had was real.

Messy. Raw. Breathtakingly real.

“I love you,” she said between kisses. “I love you so much.”

Burying my hands in her hair, I held her steady and said, “I know.” Because this time, Lo didn’t need to hear I loved her back. She just needed reassurance that I knew how she felt. That after weeks of doubt and uncertainty, I still knew she loved me.

“I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“Me too,” I sighed touching my head to hers. “But it’s ten days until our first game. You’re coming, right?”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but we really need to hit the road. Coach will shit a brick if we don’t show in the morning.”

“I’ll text you when we get back,” I whispered against Lo’s hair, feeling her shiver. “I love you,” I added. Because although she didn’t need to hear that tonight, I needed to say it.

“Drive safely.” Lo folded her arms over her chest and stepped back, waiting until we were inside the car.

I backed out of the drive on autopilot, my eyes never once breaking away from hers. Something had changed tonight. We both felt it. And as I did a one-eighty and turned out of the driveway, I felt lighter. Like I could take on the world and win.

“What now, Prince?” Darnell gave me a sideways glanced and I smirked.

“Now,” I said feeling adrenaline zip up my spine. “Now we take down Zac Lowell.”