by L A Cotton
“Hello.”
“Lo, please,” Dad's voice cracked, and I regretted answering. But he was my father—the only person I had in Wicked Bay. If I cut him out, I was alone.
“You should have told me.” I sucked in a deep breath. “I deserved to know.”
“I know, Lo. God, do I know. But you were hurting so much and I was losing you. I didn't want to push you away for good.”
I doubled back and sat in one of the garden chairs, curling my legs underneath me. “Who is she?”
It hurt to even think the words, let alone say them.
He let out a heavy sigh. “I don't want to do this by phone, Lo. You deserve the truth, but I want to sit down and have this conversation. Like I should have all along.”
“Fine,” I clipped out unwilling to accept what was staring me in the face. There was another woman. Dad had someone in his life—someone who wasn't Mum.
“I love you, Eloise, more than anything. Losing your mother and Elliot, not knowing whether you were going to pull through or not, almost destroyed me.”
Silent tears trickled from my eyes and I closed them tight, swallowing the rest down. I didn't want to remember—I couldn't. Remembering brought pain and hurt and regret. It left me hollow and empty.
Numb.
I'd spent the whole summer numb. And although I’d survived the accident, I wasn’t really living.
“Eloise?”
“I'm here,” I choked out, swiping away the tears with the back of my hand.
“Maybe I should leave work, come back home, and—”
“No, no...” I inhaled, opening my eyes. They landed on a blurry figure across the garden. I blinked until the water dissipated and Maverick’s rigid profile filled my vision. “I'll be fine, Dad.” I didn't take my eyes off him as he watched me fall apart.
“If you're sure? We can talk later? Maybe go for something to eat? Explore?”
“Sure thing.”
“I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
He hung up, but I clutched the phone in my hand as if it was my lifeline. Maverick didn't approach or speak. He did nothing. Just stood there, watching me. And although we were outside, the air felt heavy, thick, as it pressed down on me.
“Hey, Cous, I'm waiting.” Kyle's voice filtered out from the kitchen, cutting the tension like a knife, and Maverick stalked off just as his stepbrother stuck his head out the back door. “Ready?”
“Yeah, I'm coming.” I jumped up, rubbed my damp hands down my jeans, and started to move.
I just had to keep moving forward and everything would be okay.
It had to be.
~
“No way,” Kyle tugged his hair, rolling his eyes dramatically. “No one beats me at pool, no one.”
Unable to hide my smugness, I shrugged my shoulders. “First time for everything.”
“Rematch. Rack ‘em up, baby.”
His friends—Matty and Trent—laughed, hurling abuse at him for losing to a girl. I put the cue back in its holder and sipped on my coke. “I’m done for the night. Face it, Cous, you lost to a girl.” I stuck out my tongue for good measure.
“Fucking awesome, wait until the rest of the guys hear about this,” Trent said, earning him a smack around the head from Kyle.
“No one breathes a word. I have a reputation to uphold, you know.”
It was my turn to roll my eyes as I hopped up onto the stool. A night out with Kyle had turned out to be pool at The Shack. It had been fun. No pressure, no questions.
No Maverick.
And I needed the distraction. Dad promised we would talk when he got home, but he’d already texted to call a raincheck. Yet again, I’d been put on hold for work, or worse, for her.
Kyle’s phone vibrated, and I watched as he pulled it out and read the screen. Something was wrong. I saw it in the way his lips pulled into a flat line.
“Kyle?” I said, but he glanced at Matty and Trent and they shared a look.
“Time to get you home, Cous.” He turned to me and I stared at him in disbelief.
“Are you kidding me? What’s going on? Who was that?” My eyes dropped to the phone still in his hand. He noticed and slid it back into his pocket.
“Nothing you need to worry about.” His voice was soft, but it only infuriated me more.
“You’re cutting me out? Just like that? If something is wrong…”
He grinned. “Nothing is wrong. Are you always so paranoid? I have to be somewhere. Somewhere you,” he pointed at me, “can’t be. Guy stuff.” Kyle winked, trying to ease the tension.
Well, screw that. I leapt down off the stool and stepped up to him, my brows knitted together. “What aren’t you telling me?”
I saw it. The brief flash of panic. He was hiding something. And I’d bet my arse it had to do with a certain stepbrother of his. But he didn’t reply. We remained in a stare-down until someone cleared their throat behind us and I blew out a frustrated breath.
“Fine.” I swung around and marched toward the door. The three of them talked in hushed voices behind me, but I didn’t stick around to hear what they were saying.
When they finally exited the diner less than a minute later, Kyle’s face was a stone mask I’d never seen before. He usually wore a smile. The one person you could count on to crack a joke or say something to break the ice.
This wasn’t that Kyle.
And it worried me. Because if Kyle was worried… something was very wrong.
The Jeep bleeped and Matty and Trent piled in the back. I stood, hand gripping the handle. “Kyle…”
“Get in the car, Lo.”
His words were like a punch to the stomach.
I was Lo now? He never called me Lo.
I climbed inside and buckled up, but I didn’t meet his heavy stare, pressing my head against the glass instead. No one addressed the big fucking elephant in the room. But then, I suppose they didn’t know Maverick had taken me to that warehouse. They had no idea I knew about his extra-curricular activities.
When we pulled up outside the house, I climbed out without so much as a goodbye, but Kyle followed me. His door slammed. I sped up, but he was right there, behind me, calling after me.
“Come on, Lo, don’t be like this. If I could tell you, I would, but it’s not my place.”
I spun around and glared at him. “I thought we were family?”
“We are,” he sighed, dragging a hand over his face. “But…”
“Don’t worry, Kyle. I get it. And fuck you.” My hand was on the door handle behind me. Please be open, I thought to myself as I twisted it. It clicked open, and I turned and ducked inside. He didn’t call after me. But then I didn’t expect him to.
The disappointment crushed my chest. I thought he was on my side. When I’d arrived here, I thought Kyle was the one person in this messed up family who would make things easier for me. But I was wrong.
The lines had been drawn tonight.
And he’d chosen Maverick.
~
I sat up for two hours watching the main house for any signs of life. Summer’s bedroom light had turned off almost an hour ago. There was no sign of Macey. Rebecca was out with friends, and I figured—hoped—that Dad was with Gentry.
After running straight to the pool house, I realised I’d overreacted. Kyle didn’t know about my brief history with Maverick. He didn’t know I’d seen his bloody knuckles or gone to a fight with him.
At least, I didn’t think he did.
To everyone else, Maverick treated me with the same contempt as Macey did. I was an unwanted stranger in his home. A home I was realising had its fair share of problems. It was almost midnight. On a school night. And three of the Stone-Prince children weren’t home, and the adults of the family were all out, none the wiser.
Images of Maverick stepping into a crudely formed ring, plagued my thoughts. He harboured so much anger and bitterness. It radiated from him like a forcefield. Maverick was troubled. I
didn’t know why or what had changed since that night last summer. But something had happened. I knew because I had also changed.
When I’d woken up in hospital, barely able to speak or move, I knew. Knew something awful had happened. I had no memory, but it was a gut feeling. Intuition. Some higher power because I’d teetered the line between life and death.
Something was wrong.
Of course, I didn’t realise what I felt was grief. I’d lost my mother and brother in an accident that should have also claimed my life.
But it hadn’t.
I’d survived.
Physically at least, I was a survivor.
But I wasn’t the same. Something was missing. Something I doubted would ever return. I was angry at the world. But unlike Maverick, I didn’t beat the crap out of people to deal with my issues. Instead, I turned to drink and drugs. Anything to not feel.
Maybe that’s why I felt drawn to Maverick? Even after last summer. Even after finding out who he really was. The damaged parts of him called to the broken parts in me. They recognised something inside of him and gravitated to him. I didn’t want to. I wanted nothing more than to forget all about him.
But something happened that night—something that tethered us. Only we weren’t the same people anymore. We were both hurting.
Both angry.
Both fighting our own demons.
Maverick’s parting words when he left me cold and alone on that beach were ‘You saved me’. But we’d come full circle now. Because as I stared out of the window, willing for any sign of their return, I knew he had the power to ruin me.
I’d fallen asleep.
Damn it.
I stretched my neck, rubbing the knotted muscles. The pool house was bathed in shadows and I strained my eyes to try to find my bearings. Dad’s sofa bed was still neatly made, but I didn’t have time to be angry with him. I was still furious at Kyle’s stunt earlier.
And, for as much as it pained me to admit, I was worried about Maverick.
It was irrational—he didn’t deserve my concern. But over and over, I’d imagined him in the middle of those blood-thirsty spectators, rivulets of red running from cuts and bruises on his annoyingly gorgeous face.
I slipped out of the pool house and walked over to the main house. Light streamed out of the kitchen window, and I paused at the low rumble of voices coming from inside. Pressing my back to the wall, I stayed in the shadows like a thief in the night. It was wrong. So wrong. But Kyle had cut me out, treating me like I was no one. Pushing me out, like I didn’t need to know. Like I didn’t matter.
It stung.
“The fuck were you thinking?” Kyle spoke. His voice cracked with frustration, a stark contrast to his usual light-hearted banter.
“Back off, Stone. I’m okay.”
“Okay?” My cousin laughed bitterly. “You look like you went ten rounds with Mayweather. Your mom will shit a brick when she sees you. I don’t even want to know what my dad will do. Remember last time?”
Last time? How long had this been going on?
“I don’t need you getting in the way, okay?” Maverick’s voice was low. More of a growl, really.
Kyle scoffed, and I imagined him shaking his head, his messy blond hair falling over his eyes. I inched closer to the door, my back plastered to the wall, and craned my head around the glass. Kyle’s form disappeared leaving Maverick alone. Hands pressed hard against the counter, he leaned forward, the muscles in his back straining against his t-shirt. His head was bowed, hiding his face, but I saw the tape around his spread hands, the red smears across the dirty material. My hand lingered on the handle. I didn’t want to go in there, but my actions were no longer my own. I wasn’t in control anymore.
When it came to Maverick Prince, I never was.
I hesitated, and he twisted, two dark pools stared back at me. Had he heard me? Or did he sense me there, lurking?
The spot lighting illuminated his face. His lip was split and swollen and a new bruise was forming over his old injury. I didn’t make a move to go inside and he didn’t approach.
We just stood there.
Watching.
Waiting.
I cracked first, overwhelmed by the intensity in his eyes. Yanking my hand away, I staggered backward and jogged back to the pool house. The door slammed shut behind me and I fumbled to lock it. My eyes fluttered shut as I tried to catch my breath—tried to tell my heart to calm.
“London.” There was a soft knock at the door. It was jarring. Maverick wasn't gentle. I froze. I hadn’t expected he would follow me.
“Go away, Maverick,” I called back, unable to disguise the quiver in my voice.
“Not until you open the door… please.”
My resolve cracked—like I had a choice when it came to him—and I turned around, twisting the lock. It swung open, and he slipped inside, pressing it shut behind him. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to spy?”
“I wasn’t spying.” My voice caught in my throat, and he gave me a look that said he didn’t believe me. I lowered my eyes, looking anywhere but him. “I was worried.” It came out barely a whisper.
Why had I admitted that?
He closed the distance between us and then he was there, warm fingers gliding underneath my jaw, tilting my face. I met his gaze. Some of the darkness was gone, replaced with something else. Something that made my stomach flip wildly. “You shouldn’t waste your time worrying about someone like me.”
I could see his face now. The bruises forming under the surface. The cuts and grazes. My heart ached, imagining every time a fist connected with his skin, and before I could stop myself, I reached out for him. He caught my wrist. Holding it in mid-air.
“Why do you do this to yourself?” I asked, searching his eyes for an answer.
“You wouldn’t understand.” His voice was quiet, and I saw a glimpse of the vulnerable boy from that night. His eyes shuttered, and he leaned closer, inhaling a shaky breath, until his face almost touched mine. At the last second, he pulled up and his lips connected with my forehead.
“Maverick?” I swallowed hard. I didn’t understand what was happening, but I didn’t want it to end either. I felt it. The flow of energy between us—the same thing I’d felt last summer.
“Are we just going to pretend it never happened?” My voice was quiet, and I hated how insecure he made me feel. I wasn’t that girl anymore.
I wasn’t.
He didn’t get to hold power over me. No one did.
So why couldn’t I tell him to go?
“What happened that night, Maverick?” I whispered. I had to know—deserved to know—but he tensed and I didn’t need to see his face to know his mask had slammed back down.
“I should go.” He was already pulling away, but it was my turn to catch his arm. “Wait, talk to me.” I pleaded, my stomach twisting with pain, knowing if I let him walk away that would be it.
His gaze slid to mine again, but my Maverick was gone. “It was a mistake. I was never supposed to be there that night. You need to let it go, London. Forget about it. It. Was. A. Mistake.” His words were measured, but I didn’t miss the way his jaw clenched as if he was in pain. “This is a mistake.”
I reared back at his words and narrowed my eyes, calling his bluff. But he didn’t flinch. He’d already pulled away. I felt it in the air shift around us. For a brief moment, it had been warm and electrified with anticipation, but now it was cold and empty. Maverick moved for the door, pausing to look back at me. “It’s better this way, Lo.” His expression was torn, but I was too angry to care.
When he was gone, I sank to the floor and hugged myself tight. I didn’t cry—I wouldn’t. Not over Maverick Prince and his mind fuck games. He wanted me, I could sense it. Had sensed it that night last summer. But something held him back then, and it was holding him back now.
As I fought back the tears, I realised for the first time since arriving, he’d called me Lo.
~
�
��You look like shit.” Devon offered me a tight smile. “But not as bad as Prince.”
“Oh my God, did you see his face? Principal Delauder hauled him into her office this morning.” Autumn’s eyes flickered to where he was sat with his friends, hunched over. “Maybe he finished what he started at JB’s?”
“JB doesn’t have a scratch on him,” Laurie added.
“Maybe that’s because Prince got his ass handed to him, it’s been a long time coming.” Devon’s voice was bitter, and he glanced over at me. I don’t know what he expected to find, but I schooled my features, feigning indifference.
When I realised the three of them were watching me intently, I said, “What?”
“Well,” Laurie spoke for the group. “You do live with him. Didn’t you see anything? Hear anything?”
“Seriously?” I stared at her incredulously. Even if I did know anything did she really expect me to go running my mouth off?
About my family.
Ugh. I hated that word.
Laurie’s eyes dropped away, but Devon finished what she’d started. “Come on, Lo, you can’t expect us to believe you live there and know nothing? I bet his mom lost it, your uncle too?”
I felt the irritation growing into something darker and clenched my fists at my side. “If you’re only friends with me to get the latest Stone-Prince gossip, you’ve got the wrong girl.”
Devon rubbed his temples, guilt flashing across his face, while Laurie and Autumn’s mouths dropped open. I didn’t stick around to hear their apologies. I shoved off the bench and cut across the lawn toward the main building. It meant walking right past Maverick and his friends, but what other choice did I have? Besides, he’d made it perfectly clear where we stood last night.
They were talking and joking but as I neared them one of them noticed and nudged the boy beside him. Then Luke spotted me. He gave me a small nod, so small I doubt anyone saw. But then another couple of the boys looked up and before I knew it they were all looking. All except Maverick. Then he twisted around and our eyes collided. I forced myself forward. Forced myself to break the connection.
