Maverick

to think about what kind of shit put that look in her eyes or who the fuck marries a fourteen-year-old.
Or what kind of parent allows that shit.
I run my hand down her arm, my finger circling her wrist, when I feel small ridges like scars.
I look down and see a ring around her wrist like she has been tied up.
I turn my head away before she can catch me looking. I will not fucking embarrass her.
An hour later the movie ends and she’s asleep on my chest. The front door opens. River walks inside and looks at the both of us.
“Which room is hers?” I ask softly so I don’t wake her up.
“I’ll show you,” River whispers.
I lift her higher in my arms, standing with her. She snuggles deeper into my chest and my fucking heart does a little skip.
River leads me up the stairs and pushes open a door. I walk over to the bed, laying her down gently, pushing her hair out of her face.
Her beautiful eyes flutter open, looking at me. She smiles sleepily. “Did you carry me to bed?”
“I did, darlin’. Get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning,” I whisper.
She nods. I take the blanket and cover her, tucking her in.
How could someone hurt someone as angelic as her? I will never fucking understand.
Evil is the only thing they can be, but good news for them is I’m the Grim fucking Reaper and I’m coming for them.

4
I walk downstairs already dressed for the day. My mind hasn’t stopped racing with thoughts of Maverick since the second I woke up. The other side of my mind is on Ronny.
Jessica is in the kitchen feeding Hunter his breakfast. “Good morning, sweetheart.” I kiss the side of her head and then Hunter’s cheek.
I walk over to Chase and give him a quick side hug, taking over breakfast for him. “Good morning, Chase.”
Chase helps me set the food on the table. We eat our breakfast and I start to clean when there is a knock at the door, “That’s probably River; she must have smelt the food from the guesthouse,” Jessica jokes as Chase walks to the door.
“Hey, man, come on in,” Chase says, and I peek around the corner. Maverick is standing there.
I look at Jessica in panic, my face heating, my stomach in instant knots at the thought of seeing him.
They come around the corner, and Maverick immediately comes to me. I smile. “Want some breakfast?” I ask.
“I already ate.” He smiles back.
I try not to close my eyes at the beautiful sound of his voice. I walk over to him. “You ready to go see Ronny?” I ask, excited.
He nods, smiling at my excitement. “Bye guys, see you later!” I yell over my shoulder and walk out with Maverick.
“Do you want me to drive or ride with you?” I hope he chooses the latter since I loved being on the back of his bike.
“Ride with me, darlin’.”
“Okay, let me get something out of my car.” I walk over and take out the next book in the series in case he finishes the other.
“He loves to read; he’s obsessed with these books so I make sure he has the next one whenever he finishes.” Maverick takes the book from me, putting it in the saddle bag.
“I got you something.” He walks to the other side of the bike, pulling out a helmet and a leather jacket.
Wait, did he really buy me something?
He walks over and puts the helmet on my head, tightening the straps and snapping it closed. “This is a leather jacket. If somethings happens, I don’t want anything happening to you. Road burn is a bitch.”
I take it from him gently, shocked that he even thought to do this for me. “Thank you, Maverick.” He cared enough to make sure I was as safe as possible; he wanted me safe.
My heart aches. It’s a good ache and a shock to my system. He lifts it out of my hands and holds it up for me to slip it on, then zips me up.
“You look fucking hot.” He whistles. I duck my head, trying to hide my smile and not blush for the tenth time today since I saw him.
He pulls me to him. “Come on, darlin’. I’m excited to meet your boy.” I beam at him calling Ronny “my boy.”
I know that he’s not mine. I love him and I want him to have the best in life. I just want him taken care of; he needs that. Maybe I can speak to his mother today, maybe try to have a breakthrough? Share a part of my story.
He turns on the bike, holding out his hand for me to hold onto so I can get on.
I wrap my arms and scoot as close to Maverick as I can, loving the feel of his hard muscles pressed against me.
I’m attracted to Maverick and I would be naïve to not admit that to myself. The sad part of me is thinking that once he knows my past, he won’t want me anymore.
I close my eyes and let the warm air beam down on me, stopping my toxic thinking. I have not faced what I have in life to be my own enemy.
Michael is still out there. I hope and pray that he has gone back to Michigan. I hope that I never see him again. It’s been months, so that’s very unlikely. We were poor, we didn’t have any kind of money for him to be living here and not working.
He worked for the church—all of the men did. They did whatever the pastor in the church wanted and then they were paid a short wage.
My husband was lazy, so half of the time he didn’t complete the jobs. He ate well and I did not. Everything comfortable we had in life, it went to him.
He counted every single grocery we had in the house. He knew everything. Not one second in my day