CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

MAV

All five of us lay in bed, taking a breather after our primal fuck session. I've got an arm around each of our women, holding them tucked into my side. Sebastian lays in Gage's arms, making out with him even though they just finished fucking each other's brains out earlier. I glance down at Lucy and Stella and breathe out a long-contented sigh. This is everything. How can an asshole like me deserve fucking bliss? The answer is simple, I don't. We took these stunning women and violated them in every possible way. I don't regret it for a single second, but I do know we don't deserve them, and we never will. Yet, for some reason I'll never understand, we get not only these gorgeous women, but our children. Fucking children. We're going to be fathers. People might think we'll be the worst fathers, but we won't be. We'll watch over our kids with the same obsession we have with our women. All three of us are only too happy to destroy anyone that even considers hurting them.

Stella kisses my chest softly. "Mav, can I ask something?"

Leaning my head down, I kiss her hair. "You can ask me anything, baby."

Oddly enough Lucy finishes her question, like this is a topic they've discussed. "Why don't we know anything about you?"

I chuckle. "I'm an open book, ladies. What do you want to know?"

Stella pops her head up and smiles softly at me. "Where are your parents? We don't know anything about them."

In an instant, I freeze. I'm an open book about anything except that. There's a reason we have never discussed it.

I groan. "You want to know me better? Favorite color; red. Drink; whiskey. Position; doggy style. Book; anything you two write. You know me better already. Happy?"

Lucy gazes at me with profound sadness. "You'll marry us, commit to us forever, but you can't let us in even a little bit, can you?"

Gage stares at me with a concerned expression, knowing I don't talk about this, and exactly why.

"Lucy."

Not surprisingly, Stella joins in with her friend, "She's right, Maverick. You should be willing to tell us everything. Gage told us about his sister."

I snort loudly. "Sure. After locking you in a bedroom all night. Maybe that's what I need to do."

"You wouldn't," Lucy bites.

"I'm considering it."

I get up off the bed and groan, "I'm getting a fucking drink," and storm out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

Once I make it to the kitchen, I grab the bottle of whiskey, which literally has one fucking swallow left. Nice. I toss it in the garbage can and grab the scotch and pour myself far more than I should probably be drinking. I'm so lost in my own personal hell, memories that still haunt me to this day, that I don't hear either of them come up behind me. I have no clue they are there until I feel small warm hands on my back.

Lucy whispers my name, and I turn around to both women staring at me with concern. It's too much. I can't handle it, and I know before I even open my mouth, it's not either of them causing the vile words to spew out of me.

"If I wanted you around, I would have invited you."

They both step back at the same time, but don't speak a word.

"You'll learn your places. When I want you around, your legs will be spread. Until then, get out of my sight."

If I thought the shit with Hannah still haunted me, it's nothing compared to the pain in both of their eyes. Still, they don't say a word. I move past them both and walk to the bedroom, my drink in my hand.

"Hey, man," Gage says, as I throw back the rest of my drink before setting the empty glass on the dresser. I grab sweatpants and a t-shirt and get dressed quickly. Taking the keys from the drawer, I pocket them. "I'm taking the Range Rover."

Gage sits up. "Where are you going?"

"Away."

"Maverick!" he barks, which is interesting because he's never called me by my full name, for the entire time I've known him. I grab the door jamb with one hand, grip it hard, and close my eyes, and when I speak, my voice comes out drenched with emotion I wish I could push down.

"Take care of them."

I open my eyes to Lucy and Stella in front of me, begging me with their gazes. They don't need to say a word, because I already know what they're feeling.

"Stay," Stella whispers softly.

I don't acknowledge her; I simply step between them and walk away from them. From everything I've ever wanted. Did I just blow my life up? I guess I did. Some of us can't handle good things coming our way, and self-sabotage is the only way we can deal with it.