Maverick

“MAVERICK, THIS IS A surprise.” Gentry frowned as I entered the kitchen, but his brows hit his hairline when Lo trailed in behind me. “And Lo, this is...”

“Sorry, Uncle Gentry,” Lo said stepping around me. “Maverick surprised me at the bar last night after I got off work and we came back here. We should have asked first.”

“No, no. It’s fine. We agreed the two of you could stay out there and your father gave his blessing.” Gentry loosened his collar. “Just give us a little heads up next time. Wait until your—”

“Maverick?” Mom entered the kitchen, her eyes wide. “But didn’t I just say goodbye to you five days ago?”

“Hi, Mom.” I went to her, letting her wrap me in her open arms. “I wanted to surprise Lo.”

She held me at arm’s length and narrowed her eyes on me. “Surprise her, or check up on her?”

“I...” The words died on my tongue. Mom always could see past my bullshit. It just wasn’t until recently she decided to call me out on it.

“It’s okay, Rebecca,” Lo said from behind me. “Maverick gives me his full blessing to work at the bar. Right, Maverick?”

I glanced back at her. “Something like that.”

“Well that’s just wonderful. Isn’t it wonderful, Gentry? When Kyle told us about Lo’s new job, we were all a little worried at how you would react. I’m glad to see college is already having a positive impact on you.” Mom beamed at me before going to Gentry and giving him a peck on the cheek.

“Good morn—What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Kyle, language,” Mom scolded, color flooding her cheeks.

“Son, some decorum, please.” Gentry gave his son a pointed look.

“You’re not supposed to be here. Cous, why am I looking at Prince right now?” He bypassed me and went straight to Lo.

“Because you ratted me out,” she deadpanned, and he choked out, “I did no such thing.”

“Seriously, that’s how you’re going to play this?” I arched my brow at him.

“So much for bros before hoes,” he shot back, and Mom almost had a cardiac arrest.

“Enough!” she bellowed. “Maverick has been back one night, and this house has already turned into a zoo. You,”—she jabbed her finger at me—“Don’t you have classes to attend or a game to practice for?”

“Not until Monday.”

“Well, I’m sure there are other important college things you should be doing. Say your goodbyes and get back to SU before I personally drive you there. And you.” She spun around to face Kyle. “Stop pushing Maverick’s buttons. If there’s a drama in this house you’re usually at the bottom of it, Kyle Stone.”

“Momma P, your words cut deep.”

“Kyle,” Gentry warned, and he threw up his hands in defeat.

“Fine. I’m done. Prince, good to see you. Cous, we’ll talk about this later.” He stalked over to the refrigerator.

“Mom’s right,” I whispered to Lo who had come up beside me. “I should probably get back before anyone realizes I’m gone.”

Her body went rigid, but I slid my hand into hers and squeezed.

“Where’s Summer? I want to say bye before I leave.”

“What and no goodbye for your other sister?” Macey breezed into the room giving me a hard look.

“Mace, come on, things haven’t exactly been—”

“Whatever,” she said grabbing a banana from the bowl. “I’m out.”

We all watched her go. Mom released a long breath, squeezing her temples. “She’s getting worse. I don’t know how to reach her anymore.”

Gentry squeezed my mom’s shoulder. “She’ll come around, give her time. Summer is out. She stopped over at Nick’s house.”

“You let her what?” I growled at my stepdad. Things might have been better between us but what the fuck was he thinking?

“Before you put your fist through the wall, let me explain.” His voice was a damn sight calmer than I felt.

“It was Nick’s sister’s birthday and his parents invited her over. I spoke to them myself and they assured me Summer would share Callie’s room.”

“Hmm.” I caught Kyle’s eye and we shared a look.

“Boys,” Mom said. “Summer is fine. I talked to her just this morning myself. Nick is a good guy. He would never—”

“Okay,” Lo jumped in. “This is getting too heavy for a Wednesday morning. Summer is fine. Maverick needs to get back to SU, and Kyle needs to learn to keep his mouth shut. I don’t know about anyone else but I’m starving.” She went to the cabinets and started rooting around.

“She speaks sense. I need to head out anyway. I’m picking Kiera and Maria up. We’re going to drive down to Long Beach and check out the aquarium.”

“That sounds lovely, Kyle,” Mom smiled warmly.

“It’s okay to call her mom, you know, Son.”

“I know.” He shrugged. His eyes darted around his dad, and part of me felt like a royal jerk. The last month had been a whirlwind and although I’d been there for Kyle when he found out the truth about his birth mom and half-sister, Kiera, I hadn’t checked in on him recently. But I could see underneath his happy-go-lucky exterior now, and Kyle was still dealing.

“Why don’t you bring Laurie and Kiera up at the weekend?”

His head snapped up to mine and he frowned. “For real?”

“Yeah, come and show her around. Bring Summer and Nick too. We’ll all hang out and go explore Steinbeck before classes start and I’m too busy. I heard the surf is pretty awesome.”

“Thanks for the invite.” Lo’s voice was muffled over the mouthful of cereal she was eating.

“You don’t need an invite.”

She swallowed and stuck her tongue out at me.

“I’ll ask them today.”

I nodded, and Kyle said goodbye.

“Well, I have to get to work. Maverick, stay safe and don’t be a stranger,” Gentry said. “But perhaps try to stay longer than five days before coming home next time, okay?”

“I’ll try.”

“I have to go too, sweetheart.” Mom came over and leaned up to kiss my cheek. “I’m proud of you, Maverick.” Her eyes lingered on my face for a while and then she was gone, leaving just me and Lo.

“So you really have to go, huh?” She’d made herself comfortable on the counter as she drank her orange juice. I went to her, nudging her legs open and stepping between them.

“There’s a team thing at eleven I need to be at.” I pried the glass from her hands and placed it beside us. “I need forty-five minutes to get back and grab my stuff from my dorm room.”

“That leaves what?” Her eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. “Less than thirty-five minutes.” Lo’s hands trailed down my chest hovering dangerously close to the drawstring on my shorts, as she stared at me through hooded eyes.

“I only need thirty tops.” I slid my hands under her butt and hoisted her up.

“Maverick,” she shrieked. “Put me down.”

But I didn’t listen. I carried her out of the kitchen, across the yard, and into the pool house. The second we were away from prying eyes, my mouth crashed down on hers and her legs tightened around my waist as she rolled her hips against my dick.

“Hurry, you need to hurry,” she panted, and I dragged her tank top strap down her shoulder, leaning down to capture her nipple in my mouth. “Oh, God.”

“This is going to be quick and hard and when it’s over I’ll have to leave,” I said into the valley of her tits.

She tugged my hair, forcing my face back to hers. “Then you’d better make it memorable.”

A smirk tugged at my mouth. “That, I can do.”

Last night, I’d taken my time. Reacquainting myself with her body. Every freckle and curve and sensitive spot. But now... now was about satisfying a need deep inside of us both.

My chest constricted as I walked us into my bedroom. The room where we’d spent almost every night over the summer. The room where I’d loved her and laughed with her and held her while she fought back tears. It was our place. “I love you, Lo. So fucking much,” I said kicking the door open.

“I need you to show me,” she whimpered, clawing at my skin as if I was her air. As if she’d starve if she couldn’t get more of me. But what Lo didn’t realize was, it was me who was starving. Me who needed her like the blood running through my veins.

Lo was my lifeline.

And I’d spend forever showing her if she let me.

~

“HEY MAVERICK, OVER here.” Jamie waved and pointed to the empty chair beside him. A couple guys greeted me as I slid in beside him.

“Hey, do we know what this is about yet?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, but if Zac Lowell is behind it, it won’t be anything good.”

Which was exactly what I feared.

I’d only just made it back in time. After imprinting myself on Lo, on loving every inch of her, I drove back to SU. But it had taken me longer than I had anticipated after getting stuck behind an old rust bucket who struggled to get over sixty.

“Welcome,” Zac Lowell’s voice came over the PA system and all the guys started looking at one another, confusion creased into their features. But it was when the room plummeted into darkness and the screen at the front of the rows of chairs lit up I sat up straighter.

“What is this shit?” Jamie whispered, and I offered him a dismissive shrug.

“Some of you may be wondering why I invited you here. Well, gentleman, this day marks the beginning of your rebirth as a Scorpion.”

A movie reel burst to life documenting the highs of the Scorpions. The gathered crowd cheered every time a red, white, and black jersey, scored a point; and booed when someone fumbled the ball which was more than I would have liked to see.

“This is kind of embarrassing.” Jamie wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t a complete shit show, but it wasn’t exactly like watching the Lakers either.

“Tonight, marks the start of initiation. You’ll all be put through a series of tests to find out if you’re worthy of wearing a red, white, and black jersey. And for those of you who aren’t... well, let’s just say your athletic journey at SU might be cut a little short.”

“Who the fuck does this guy think he is?” I hissed between gritted teeth and the guy next to me—I think he was called Tribeca—snorted. At least, I wasn’t the only one who thought this was complete bullshit.

A photo filled the screen of last year’s team; Zac Howell standing front and center with a smug look painted on his face. Vinnie, Balor, and Mac were there. I realized I was looking at his inner circle.

“We meet at sundown. At East Shore. Don’t be late.”

The screen changed again to the Scorpions emblem, and the lights came back on. But Zac and his friends were nowhere to be seen.

“What do you think they have planned?” someone asked, and another guy replied, “I don’t know, but from the things I’ve heard, nothing good.”

“Yeah, I heard they made the team run a naked gauntlet last year.”

Jamie had said something similar.

“Yeah, well, whatever it is, we don’t have to play his game.” I stood up running my eyes over each of them. “I don’t know about everyone else, but I didn’t come here for this, I came here to play basketball.”

“Maverick Prince, right?” someone said, and I found him two rows in front.

“Yeah.”

“You could take him, I don’t doubt that. I’ve heard the rumors about you, man. But Lowell has connections. I heard he got two kids kicked out last year. Not just the team, but school. Gone. Just like that. Are you really prepared to risk that all in the name of your pride?” He stood up too. He was a big guy, tall and stacked. “The initiation is meant to break us. That’s what he gets off on. So the way I see it, if we don’t break, if we take whatever they throw at us, that’s going to hurt him more.”

“What’s your name?” I asked him.

“Darnell. I hail from San Diego. My old team was the Bayside Bulls. Trust me when I say I hate this as much as you do.” I believed that. There was a fire in his eyes I recognized.

“You talk a lot of sense.”

“Hey, I’m not just a pretty face.” He cracked a grin and a couple of guys around him laughed.

“Okay, so we’re doing this? Tonight, at East Shore?” I couldn’t believe I was saying the words, but Darnell was right. It would hurt Zac far more if I took everything he had to throw at me.

Darnell nodded, and Jamie said, “I’m in. Always was. I need this scholarship. Besides, it can’t be any worse than my freshman year in high school. Those senior players were brutal. I had the welts for a month.”

My eyes went wide as I looked at him. “A story for another day,” was all he said.

“There’s nothing they can throw at us we can’t handle,” Darnell added. But I wasn’t so sure about that. Every college student had heard the whispered rumors of hazing initiations gone wrong. The humiliation, and physical and emotional abuse. Colleges denied the tradition, of course, but it didn’t mean it didn’t happen.

But he was right about one thing.

I would never bow at Zac Lowell’s feet.

Over my dead body.