Maverick
“PRINCE, GET OVER HERE.” Vinnie and the guys were huddled in the kitchen, drinking and laughing. Celebrating our first win of the season. First of many if I had anything to do with it.
I squeezed Lo’s hand and glanced down at her. It was the first time she’d been back here since everything went down, and part of me had wondered if it was a bad idea bringing her to Delta Pi house. But Zac Lowell was gone. Word around campus was the administration were looking at bringing criminal charges against him, but I didn’t expect to see any headlines of an SU student serving time for hazing and assault allegations anytime soon. People like the Lowells were like my father—they used money to bury their problems. He’d probably get a slapped wrist and a fresh start in another school. But as long as it wasn’t my school, and he was far away from Steinbeck I could live with it.
“You okay?”
“Maverick, I’m fine.” Lo smiled up at me as we made our way over to the guys.
“You sure?” I couldn’t help but ask. Things were better. Even more than that, they were pretty fucking great. Lo was having grief counselling to help her deal with the accident, and since she handed Caitlin a public SmackDown and broken nose, the Queen Bee of Wicked Bay High had backed off. Things were even better with her dad and Stella. They still had a way to go to be a family, but she would get there. I had no doubt. Because the girl by my side, the girl that owned my heart and soul, was a fighter.
Lo shook her head and moved ahead of me, pulling me along.
“Lo, looking good.” Vinnie smirked, and I flipped him off. We’d developed a strange relationship since Zac was hauled out of the gym, the whole team gawking after him and the dean.
“Hi, guys. Congrats on the win, you were all great.”
“Damn straight.” Balor puffed out his chest. “With Maverick running the show we could go all the way.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” I ran a brisk hand through my hair. “It was one game. The opening game. We still have a way to go.”
“Nah, man. With Zac gone everyone feels the change. You’re our lucky charm, Prince,” Mac said around a shit-eating grin.
“Lucky charm?” I repeated. “Never call me that again.”
Vinnie and Balor howled while Lo snickered beside me.
“What’d we miss?” Jamie’s head appeared over my shoulder and he and Darnell slipped into our group.
“Lo, you came. Is Kyle—”
She bit back a grin and I frowned at my teammate. “You like my stepbrother more than me?”
“No, I mean... I just... ah shit, man, don’t be like that. We’re soul-sisters.”
“Soul-sisters?” I shook my head. “The two of you are—”
“Freaking awesome?”
“Try fucking annoying.”
“Didn’t know if we’d see you tonight,” Darnell said holding my stare. I started to reply but Lo cut me off.
“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
He nodded at her and then caught my eye again, silent understanding passing between us. He’d been pissed when he found out I’d gone to Vinnie behind his back. But he got it. He got me, and I was grateful to have him in my corner.
Lo tucked herself into my side as the guys chatted, analyzing every play and shot. The team was amped, the high of the win crackling around the house. It was nothing like the last time we’d been here. The night when Lo saw me take orders from Zac. He’d had the power and abused it. People didn’t respect him, they feared him. Feared what crazy stunt he would pull next. But leading a team was an honor. And I was going to do everything in my power to be the kind of captain my teammates wanted... and deserved.
~
“YOU’RE QUIET,” I SAID as we walked back to my dorm. We’d spent a few hours at the party with the guys. But now I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and bury myself in my girl.
“Just thinking.”
“Penny for your thoughts?” I smoothed my thumb over the curve of Lo’s hand.
“I was so scared about this year, you know, with all of the changes? But I realized now that change doesn’t have to scary. It can be good.”
“Yeah?” I gulped.
“Yeah.”
We reached my room and I unlocked the door, pushing open and waiting for Lo to enter. I’d behaved all night which had taken every bit of my restraint given the way Lo’s jeans hugged the curve of her hips and ass. And her blouse. Shit, I’d nearly dragged her off to the nearest bathroom just so I could touch her. Take what was mine. But now we were alone and finally in the privacy of my room, she seemed distant.
“I’m so proud of you, Maverick. Of how you handled Zac and everything.”
The door clicked shut behind us, and I snagged her hand tugging her back to me. “Nothing will ever come between us again, Lo.” My lips brushed the shell of her ear and she shivered. “My father. Zac Lowell. Caitlin. They mean nothing. There will always be people out there who want to hurt us, but they can’t touch us if we don’t give them power.”
“I know,” Lo breathed out, and I tucked my other arm around her ribs, pulling her further into my chest.
“Basketball is the dream.” I brushed her hair off her shoulder and pressed a kiss to the soft skin there. “But you’re the reality. My future. Regardless of where this leads. Regardless of whether I make it to the NBA. It’s you, Lo. You and me. Always.”
A beat passed. The silence heavy between us. Something else was on her mind.
“Lo, talk to me.”
“You know, Kyle wants to name our baby,” she blurted out, and I went rigid.
“Baby?” I turned her in my arms, my heart thumping against my chest. “You’re preg—”
“W-what? Oh God, no.” Her face paled. “Shit. That came out all wrong.”
My pulse settled as relief crashed into me. One day I could totally see Lo, stomach round with my child but not until I’d had her all to myself for long enough.
“Maverick, I’m not pregnant,” she said as if she knew I needed extra reassurance.
“I’m not going to lie, I just saw my life flash before my eyes.”
“Hey,” she scolded, pinching my nipple. I yelped, and she grinned. “Is the idea of having a family with me really that disturbing?”
“Let’s get one thing clear, London. I want that. One day in the future. When we’re much, much older.”
Lo chewed her lip looking up at me through hooded eyes. “You really want that?”
“How many times do I need to say it? It’s you and me—”
“Always,” she finished. “God, I love you.”
“The feeling’s mutual. Now I’ve waited all fucking night to get you naked.” My fingers crept to the hem of her blouse, but she snagged my wrists.
“Wait.”
“Wait?” I groaned.
“I have something to tell you.”
“There’s more?” I racked my brain for all of the possibilities but came up blank.
“Wait here.” Lo pressed a quick kiss to the corner of my mouth and left me standing there wondering what the fuck had just happened. When she returned with an envelope in her hands, I stared down at it with pinched brows.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and see.”
I took it from her and pulled out the stack of papers, my eyes straining to make out the lines of letters and words. But turns out, I didn’t need to read it. The second I saw the college’s seal on the letterhead, I knew.
“Does this mean what I think it means?” I lifted my eyes, locking them on Lo’s. The corner of her mouth lifted in a small smile as she nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Fuck.” I felt winded. “But I thought you’d decided to take a year out?”
We’d talked about it in great length after everything went down. Lo wanted time to work through things with her therapist, and I told her I supported whatever she decided to do.
“And spend another year away from my home?”
“Fuck,” I repeated.
“Is that a happy fuck or a bad fuck?” The uncertainty in her voice ignited something in me. I dropped the papers to the floor, looped my arms around her and smashed my lips to hers. Consuming her. Losing myself. Silently promising her a future together.
When we were both breathless, I pressed my head to hers. “That was an 'I love you so fucking much'.”
It hadn’t been easy, and we’d had our fair amount of shit to deal with, but finally things were exactly how they were supposed to be ever since that night the brown-eyed angel saved me on the beach.
Her.
Me.
Always.
––––––––
Thank you so much for reading Wicked Games. Don’t forget to leave a quick review.
The next book in the series, Wicked Needs, will be coming later this year.
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And if you enjoyed Wicked Games, keep reading for an excerpt of Loyalty and Lies (Chastity Falls #1) currently available free on all platforms.