Lily

MAVERICK AND I walked into the compound a few minutes earlier than expected. We headed straight to the kitchen and found Susie, Crow’s old lady. She pulled me in for a hug with a grin. “Have you set a date?”

I groaned. “Did Mom put you up to that?”

Susie laughed. “Maybe a little.”

“She’s insane.”

“From your lips to God’s ears, baby girl.”

I giggled. “What are we making tonight?”

“Burgers and dogs,” Susie said.

“I’m gonna go find Ace and Knight,” Maverick said.

“Chicken,” I accused. As sensitive as Maverick was, he was still the son of a Quinn male and a football man through and through, so hanging in the kitchen with a bunch of women was not his idea of fun.

“Nope, burgers and dogs,” he retorted.

Susie laughed, but I rolled my eyes. Maverick kissed me quickly and then left the kitchen.

“He grew up just like his daddy and uncles, huh?” Susie observed.

I nodded as I dumped the chips into bowls. “The Quinn men are all similar. Except maybe Josh, but he and Melanie have been married forever so, you know.”

“He’s been whipped longer.”

I giggled. “You said it.”

“Super happy for you, Lil.”

“Thanks, Suz.” I flattened the empty chip bags on the metal island for the compactor. “Is Ash coming tonight?”

“I think so.” Susie sighed. “Her old man is giving her grief, so she might be comin’ alone.”

“That sucks.”

“My girl’s drama... We all know that.” Susie smiled. “She needs a man who won’t put up with her shit but love her anyway. I don’t think men like that exist, though.”

“You found one.”

She shook her head. “I don’t cause drama. Crow and I have a good thing goin’, but if I pulled half the shit Ashley does, my old man woulda got free of me years ago.”

I found that interesting since Crow and Suz raised Ashley, but I kept my thoughts to myself. I didn’t know Ashley well. She was about fifteen years older than me, so we didn’t have the same friends. But she was pretty and funny, and guys flocked to her, so I was surprised she couldn’t keep one for very long.

“Well, hello, you two,” a singsong voice called from the doorway of the kitchen.

“Speak of the devil,” Susie said and I smiled at Ashley.

Ashley Butler was tall, blonde, and built (as I’d heard Flea lament, considering she wouldn’t give him the time of day). She was a biker chick through and through, and when she wasn’t busting brothers’ balls, she was usually drinking heavily. I had no idea what she did for a living, mostly because it changed from week to week.

“Hey, Ash.” I closed the distance between us and hugged her. “How are you?”

“Good, Lil. Heard you got yourself engaged.”

I smiled. “Sure did.”

“Who’s the lucky fella?” she joked.

“Cute.”

Susie grabbed her and hugged her. “Hey, sweetness.”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Booger with you?”

“Nah, dumped his ass,” Ashley said.

“Sorry, Ash,” I said.

“Don’t be. He was a dick.” Ashley grinned. “Now, if you don’t need help here, I’m gonna go help myself to the tequila.”

“We’re good,” I said.

Ashley walked out of the room, and I saw Susie roll her eyes before heading to the fridge. She pulled out the hot dogs and burger patties and dropped them on the island. “I shoulda raised her like your parents raised you.”

I was so shocked; I didn’t really know what to say, so I stayed silent.

“See?” Susie said. “You’re polite enough to neither agree nor disagree because you have class.”

“Ashley has class,” I countered.

“Where, honey?”

“Her class is just different. She’s super smart and one of the strongest people I know. She was amazing when she, Mom, and I were kidnapped. So maybe she does speak her mind, or say things that might be frowned upon in ‘polite’ society, but she’s kind, and that counts as class in my book.”

Susie blinked back tears and pulled me in for a hug. “Damn, sweet girl, you’re the best.”

“Just telling you the truth, Suz.”

She cupped my cheeks and smiled. “You sure you don’t want to marry Snake?”

Crow and Susie’s son was in his mid-thirties and good-looking but way too old for me and not what you would call “sensitive.”

“No, I think I’ll stick with Mav.” I grinned. “If we don’t last forever, I’m sure it’ll cause some catastrophic butterfly effect that will ruin the future for all generations.”

“Well, shit, that’s probably true,” Susie agreed. “Okay, I’m good here for the moment. Go get yourself a drink and find your man.”

“Okay. Call me if you need me.”

“I will.”

I headed into the great room, grabbed a beer from behind the bar, and then went to find Maverick. He was in the back where the grills were set up talking to Devon and a few of the other club kids. When he saw me coming, he held out his arm without pausing his conversation, and I slid into his embrace.

“Hey, Lil,” Devon said.

“Hey. Is Poppy here?” I asked, and Maverick gave me a squeeze.

Devon frowned. “No.”

“Is she coming?” I asked, but Maverick gave me the “double squeeze,” which meant I should probably drop the subject.

“She’s supposed to be,” Devon said with a growl.

“I’m sure she’s on her way, Dev. Hatch and Maisie aren’t here either, so I bet she’s coming with them.” I didn’t really know what else to say.

“We’re gonna go get more beer,” Maverick said, taking my beer and setting both bottles on a table before leading me away from Devon’s scowl.

“What was that all about?” I asked in a whisper.

“Stow it for a sec,” he warned.

“You stow it.”

He grinned and pulled me into the alcove off the main room where a bank of computers was set up. The Club kids would use them for homework or games although right now, it was empty. Pushing me up against an empty wall, he kissed me, his hands sliding to my bottom and cupping it firmly. I wrapped my legs around his waist, confident he’d hold me up, and deepened the kiss as I slid my fingers into his hair.

“Missed you,” he said after he broke the kiss.

I giggled, lowering my feet to the floor. “I was in the kitchen for less than half an hour.”

“Your point?” he challenged, and I grinned. I didn’t have a point. He adored me, and it was sweet.

“Love you, Möosh.” I patted his chest. “Now, what’s up with Devon?”

“Not entirely sure,” Maverick said. “The gist is that Poppy just dumped boyfriend number sixteen, and Dev’s pissed about it.”

Maverick’s friend Donnie had been boyfriend number thirteen, but Maverick had been right about his player reputation. Poppy had quickly figured out Donnie wasn’t the monogamous kind, so she dumped him about two weeks in.

“Wait, he’s pissed because she dumped another guy?”

Maverick shook his head. “He’s pissed there ever was another guy.”

“Ohmigod, he’s pushed her away forever. What does he expect from her?”

“What every guy expects. Total devotion even when we’re being assholes.”

“Ahh, yeah, that makes more sense,” I deadpanned. “Can I just say I’m really glad you’ve never been an asshole?”

“I’ve been an asshole,” he said defensively.

“It’s not a criticism.” I rolled my eyes. “And you’re not an asshole, Mav. You’re not perfect, but you’ve never been an asshole.”

“Wait.” He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not perfect?”

“You’re perfect to me,” I corrected.

“Better.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I chuckled. “Do you think she’ll ever figure out she’s still in love with Devon?”

“Don’t know.” Maverick shrugged. “Don’t really care, either; just need Devon focused when we have shit to do.”

“And this makes him unfocused?”

“More than a lot.”

I scowled. “Which could put you in danger.”

“Don’t go there, Lil. It’s not that serious.”

“But it could be.”

“Baby, don’t make this a thing.”

I hissed through my teeth. “Don’t tell me not to make this a thing! Ohmigod, Maverick. If he’s distracted, and you’re somewhere you need backup, you could be shot or worse.”

“Baby, what exactly could I possibly be doing that would get me shot... or worse?” He leaned back slightly with an incredulous expression on his face. “And as a side note... what would be worse than being shot?”

“Paralyzed by a fall, car crash, or some other freak accident... raped—”

“Okay, got it,” he said with a chuckle.

“This isn’t something to laugh about.”

“Lil, I’m not going to be paralyzed or raped... or shot,” he added before I could give him other examples. Which I could. Several. “And if I did, it wouldn’t be because Devon’s distracted by his feelings for Poppy,” he continued.

“It’d better not be.”

“Okay, can we acknowledge you’re being a little crazy right now?”

“No, we cannot,” I retorted.

He laughed. “Okay, baby doll, let’s go back to making out then.”

I wrinkled my nose but stood on my tiptoes to reach his mouth anyway. He lifted me again, but before anything fun like heavy petting could happen, we were interrupted.

“There you are,” Mom said, sounding a little peeved.

I removed my lips from Maverick’s and turned my head to face her. “Um, ever heard of knocking?”

“Um, open room, no door,” she retorted. “And maybe don’t do that kind of stuff where your dad can see, hmm?”

“Killjoy.” I giggled and removed my legs from Maverick’s waist. “What’s up?”

“Wanna meet an ex-biker and his ex-nun wife?”

“Come again?” I said.

She waved us forward. “Ryder and Sadie. His dad’s part of the Gresham Spiders.”

“What the fuck?” Maverick snapped, positioning himself in front of me.

“Don’t worry, honey,” Mom said. “Ryder’s got inside information. Hence the ‘ex-biker’ title. Sadie and Dani work together, and Dani adores her.”

“Can this guy help get the Spiders off our back?” I asked.

“This isn’t touching you, Lil,” Maverick growled. “I’ll meet this Ryder guy, and then you can talk to Sadie after that.”

“Mav,” I admonished.

“Don’t make this a thing,” he said and stalked away.

“Don’t make this a thing,” I mimicked in a male voice.

“I can hear you,” Maverick called. I met Mom’s eye, and we both laughed.

“Let him do his thing,” Mom suggested.

“He’s ridiculous.”

“So’s your dad, baby girl. But again, choose your battles.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to Sadie. We won’t tell Maverick.”

I followed Mom out into the great room where I saw Maverick standing with my dad, his dad, Knight, Booker, and a tall, built blond man I assumed was Ryder.

Hatch and Poppy walked in and she smiled distractedly at me as I approached. I stopped walking so they could finish their conversation without me interrupting.

“I hear you, Sid,” Poppy said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said.

“‘Cause I feel like you’re brushin’ me off.”

“I would never,” she deadpanned.

“Okay.” He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Love you, sweet girl.”

“Love you too, Dad.” She kissed his cheek and then closed the distance between us and hugged me. I saw Maisie rush into the room and Hatch kissed her deeply, then gave me a chin lift and led her out to the patio.

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“Sid’s just giving me boy advice.”

“So fun,” I retorted.

“Right?”

“I’ve never heard you call him Dad before,” I admitted.

She giggled. “I only do it when he’s doling out sage wisdom. Sometimes I need to drive home that I see him as far more than just my stand-in dad.”

“Sweet.”

“Shh, don’t tell anyone. It’ll ruin my tough exterior.”

I chuckled. Mom interrupted us, hugging Poppy and pulling me to where Dani, Kim, and Cassidy stood with a drop-dead gorgeous brunette. Seriously, her hair was to die for, and she looked more like Mila Kunis than a nun.

“Sadie, this is my daughter, Lily,” Mom said. “She’s engaged to the tall jock glaring down your husband.”

Sadie chuckled and shook my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Lily. And don’t worry about Ryder, he’d do the same thing.”

“Mom said you and Dani work together.”

“We do,” she said. “Dani dragged me to the dark side.”

Dani laughed. “You love it, admit it.”

“Love pre-pubescent girls who ‘totally love’ every cute boy they meet? Sure, we’ll go with that.”

“It doesn’t change after puberty,” I said. “Not that I’d know... I’ve been in love with Maverick since I was five.”

Cassidy smiled. “Maverick saw her and claimed her early.”

“Smart boy,” Sadie said.

“Do you have kids?” I asked.

“Not yet,” she said.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and I grinned up at Maverick then focused on Sadie again. “Sadie, this is Maverick.”

They shook hands, and then Maverick resumed his position, my back snug to his front. Dad and his posse were carrying plates of burgers and dogs out to the patio to grill. “Don’t you need to help?” I asked Maverick.

“Too many cooks,” he said.

I faced him and met his eyes. “I’m good, honey.”

“Good.”

“No, I mean—”

“I know what you mean, Lil.”

“Maverick,” I whispered.

He smiled down at me. “Don’t make this a thing, baby.”

I rolled my eyes but chose my battle and faced the group again. I had to get used to the overprotectiveness and let the irritation go, or I’d fight with Maverick every day. Once the threat from the Spiders was eliminated, he and I would have a sit-down talk about boundaries.