CHAPTER TWENTY

Sadie

The Next Day

There's something about being surrounded by people but knowing that among this sea of people could be the very reason you have been running and hiding for years, is making me feel like I want to be sick right now.

The fact that I know Defiance is right here beside me and will do anything to protect me doesn't make me feel any less on edge. I know if they could have left Vegas, and we could have gone home to get me away from this situation, we would have.

Maverick and I talked about it last night.

But the fact is, the club needs this.

They need a Hail Mary to stop them from going into debt, possibly bankrupt. So I need to trust that they will do everything possible to keep me safe while they gather as much information today as possible. Then we will be getting out of here as fast as we can.

I just have to survive today.

That is, if my heart can handle the stress.

The guys are walking from booth to booth, talking to the vendors and dealers and getting the information they need to get their crops back up and running again quickly while us girls are merely a few steps behind them. But I have been dying to use the bathroom for the last hour.

So far, there has been no sign of the Serpents.

Not even an inkling.

So I turn to Haven. "I hate to be a pain. I know I have caused enough trouble this trip, but could you take me to the bathroom? I don't think my bladder can last until the end of the day. And if anyone can protect me in the women's room, I know you can."

Haven smirks and nods. "I got you. Let me go tell Alpha. Plus, the bathroom is literally at the end of this aisle anyway, and once the guys are done here, they will be there so they can stand watch for us."

"Thank you. You're an angel."

She walks over to Alpha, leaning into his ear, and he glances over to the bathroom and nods. Haven makes her way back to me. "Okay, woman, let's go."

My eyes meet Maverick's. He winks, letting me know he's watching, and I smile as we step to the bathroom. Two stalls are free, so Haven enters the first one as I continue to the one farther down.

Suddenly, I'm grabbed from behind, a hand around my mouth as I am pulled out of the bathroom to the side behind a planter box and shoved against a wall. My eyes widen as Bowser, one of the Steel Serpent brothers, glares at me. His rotten teeth snarling as the foul odor of his breath invades my nostrils.

My body begins to shake, my eyes widening and welling with tears as he narrows his eyes on me. "Hey, pretty lady, we've been looking for you. I'm gonna remove my hand. But you're not gonna scream. Are. You?"

Terror runs through me so deeply, I can't speak, let alone scream. He slowly drops his hand from my mouth, then chuckles while still pinning me to the wall. "Grave is gonna be so happy I've found you." He grips my arm so tight that I let out a small yelp. I can already feel the bruise it is going to leave as he starts to drag me off.

My heels instinctively dig in while he tries to pull me, and I struggle against him. His other hand comes up, ready to slap me. I flinch back, trying to avoid the inevitable hit.

"Hey!" a familiar voice calls out, making me turn back to see Wes has grabbed Bowser's arm, stopping him from hitting me.

Wes glares at Bowser, but Bowser shoves Wes hard in the chest. "The fuck you think you're doing, Prospect?"

"Saving you from getting your ass handed to you by the pres. You know Grave wants her face pretty so he can mess her up himself. I just saved your ass, Bowser."

My heart races rapidly, staring at my baby brother.

Bowser turns to me. "Fuck… you're right. Knew I liked you."

"Grave is looking for you anyway. I'll take care of this bitch." Wes grabs my arm, yanking on it hard, just like Bowser did moments before. I let out a small whimper, tears sliding down my cheeks.

Bowser looks me up and down, and I can already tell the disgusting shit he's thinking.

Atrocious.

Heinous things.

And I shiver.

Bowser chuckles, turns, then walks off.

Wes drops my arm as soon as the asshole is out of sight, drawing me into a tight hug. My arms wrap around him, needing to feel our connection, the one I lost for the last seven years. "I told you to run, Sades. What the fuck are you still d-doing here?" His voice cracks like he's broken.

I hold onto him so tight.

I never want to let him go.

"The people I am with needed to stay here and get more information. They will protect me from Grave."

Wes glances over his shoulder. "You have got to get out of here. The things Grave has planned for you when he gets you… it makes my stomach churn. Please, please, for me, tell the people you're with that you need to leave. If Grave gets to you, I won't be able to do anything to stop him, and I can't watch that, Sades. I love you too much. I had to watch what Grave did to Mom before he ended up killing her after Dad died and you left. I can't watch him do the same shit to you too."

My pleading eyes bore deep into his while I hold his hands in mine. "Leave. Come with me. Right now! I will take you to Alpha and explain that you don't want to be a part of the Serpents—"

"It's not that easy, Sadie. I stay so I can keep them off your tail. Whenever they get close to figuring out where you are, I push them in a different direction. If I leave, you're not protected."

My eyes flood with tears. "Wes," I whimper.

"I'm okay. As long as you're safe, I'm okay. So please, do me this solid and get the fuck out of Vegas."

Suddenly, a gun is aimed at Wes' head. A click sounds.

I gasp and snap my head to Haven, who is gritting her teeth. "If you know what's good for your health, you will let her go right fucking now."

Instantly, my hand snaps up, gripping the gun and pulling it to the side. "It's okay, Haven. He's my brother. The only good one among them. This whole time, he's been trying to protect me from them by being with them."

Haven raises the gun at Wes again, letting out a long breath. "Are they coming for her right now?"

Wes exhales. "Another brother saw her. I sent him off. There's a high possibility he has gone to tell them. As I was saying to my sister, I need her to get the hell out of Vegas. The shit Grave wants to do to her, I can't let that happen. I need her safe, and if you and your club truly care about her and her safety, you will get her the hell out of here and back to the safety of wherever it is you came from."

Haven clicks the safety back on, lowering the gun. "C'mon, Sadie, we gotta get you back home."

Widening my eyes, I gasp. "Wait, we're leaving?"

Haven nods her head. "I've worked with the Serpents. I know what they're capable of. You, of all people growing up with them, know what they're capable of. So when your brother is warning us to leave, we fucking leave. Thank you, Wes," Haven offers, then grabs my hand and starts rushing us off toward the Defiance Club brothers.

I don't even get a second to say goodbye to my brother.

Glancing back over my shoulder, he doesn't watch me as I go. He just takes off, not showing anyone he knows me.

My heart breaks for Wes that he has to go back to them while tears flood my eyes, understanding the fate that awaits him when he goes back to that club.

He let me go.

Grave will surely punish him for that mistake.

What terrifies me is just how far Grave will push that punishment.

My breathing intensifies as panic washes over me at the thought that this might be the last time I see my brother alive. Instinctively, my body begins to shift, urging me to go back to him, but Haven snaps me around to face her. "Hey! Pull yourself together. We know they're here. We have children, a fucking baby, and all our other women and men are here. A club you used to belong to is here with a view of taking you, no matter the carnage. We've got to focus and get back to our club.Your new club and tell them that we need to leave so every member of your new family is safe. Do. You. Understand?"

I let out a long breath and nod, understanding what is at stake. Right now, I have to hope Wes can handle shit on his own. "Let's go," I tell her, and we start running for the guys.

Maverick spots us first. He doesn't hesitate, pulling out his gun before reaching out for me. "Where are they?"

Alpha turns to face us.

"They're here. I got a friendly warning, but they are coming. I don't want anyone to get hurt. Alpha, I am so sorry but—"

"No need to say anymore. Defiance, we're leaving. Is everyone here?" Alpha asks before he checks off each person by name. "Good. Loki, get us a flight home right now."

"On it, Pres," Loki replies.

We move together in unison out of the convention hall and back toward the hotel.

I hold tight onto Maverick, my eyes darting all over the place, waiting for the strike to happen, but somehow, we make it back to the hotel without the Serpents finding us first.

We pack as quickly as possible, then head to the airport, flying back to LA and making our way to the clubhouse.

Somehow, in the chaos of getting home, I send off a text to Wes.

Me:Made it home. Please tell me you're okay.

I wait.

And wait.

And wait.

But he doesn't reply.

The longer my message goes unread and unanswered, the more it unsettles me.

I am so worried.

Grave will know Wes let me go.

And right now, right at this very minute, they are punishing him for it.

He may already be dead.

The problem is there is nothing I can do from here.

I just have to sit, wait, and hope he will return a message when he can.

We all head to bed after a long-as-fuck day, and I am lying in bed next to Maverick, but there's no possible way for me to sleep.

There's far too much racing through my mind.

The fact that the Serpents found me.

The fact Wes is in trouble.

The fact I ruined Defiance's chances at fixing their business issues.

Everything that is going wrong right now is all because of me.

Turning, I glance at Maverick, who is out for the count, so I slip out of bed, leaving him to sleep. I creep out of his bedroom, wearing one of his long shirts and my panties, and make my way down the hall into the darkness of the main clubroom.

It's amazing how different this place looks in the stillness of night when no one is around.

It is peaceful somehow.

With quick steps, I pad over to the bar, walk behind it, and grab the bottle of tequila to ease my tension. I reach for a glass, then shift to the freezer to grab the ice bucket and place it on the bar. Setting the glass down, I toss some ice cubes in and pour myself a healthy shot. I close my eyes, throwing it back, the intense hit burning all the way down. It's exactly what I need right now, and I let out a relieved exhale as I feel my muscles easing already, so I pour myself another, throwing it back just as easily.

Moving to the other side of the bar, I sit on the stool, getting comfortable.

I'm going to be here for a while.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps behind me makes me spin to Maverick, dressed in his boxer briefs, walking out into the clubroom while he wipes at his eyes. "I was wondering where you had gotten to."

Lifting my glass full of tequila, I smile at him in the dim light. "I need something to take the edge off."

He chuckles, stepping up beside me. "Pour me one of those?"

I reach over the bar, grab another glass, and pour him one. Then he leans up against the edge of the bar beside me, and we tap our drinks together, throwing them back.

"I hope you're not feeling guilty about us having to come back early."

Letting out an obnoxious snort, I fill the glass again, then down the hatch. "That is exactly what I am feeling. And a little useless and pathetic.And worried about my brother."

He scowls, reaching out to grab my arm. "You're definitely not useless and pathetic. And you absolutely should not be feeling guilty."

"But I should be worried about my brother?"

Maverick grabs the tequila bottle and starts pouring more tequila into the glasses. "That I can't help you with. But to ease the discomfort… we drink."

I throw back another shot with ease. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have. I wanted to. So many times. I was just so scared you would… I don't even know what I thought you would do."

He pours another, filling one for him too. "It's my fault. I never gave you a reason to trust me with that kind of information, especially with how we started things. I was always at your throat because you were so against the club. But I get it now. I get that it's because of where you came from and your experiences with the Serpents."

The tequila isn't burning as much now as I down another shot and nod. "I judged Defiance because of them. But you guys are absolutely nothing like those bastards. That's my fault, not yours. I came in swinging, throwing around accusations about Clover's progress, and I couldn't have been more wrong."

"You've more than made up for it. Now, have another drink," he suggests with a smirk.

"You trying to get me drunk, sir?"

He laughs. "Maybe?"

I take the drink and throw it back, but somehow, it misses my mouth, and half of it drips down my chin, falling onto my chest. "Oh, dammit!" I blurt out, placing the glass on the bar and pulling my shirt up to try and wipe the liquid up, but Maverick smirks.

"I got it," he chimes, grabbing my hands and stopping me. He lifts my shirt over my head so I am sitting in the middle of the darkened clubroom wearing just my panties and a tequila neckline.

He grabs the bottle of tequila, and I tilt my head at him. "I thought you were meant to be cleaning me up?"

He licks his bottom lip—the move so fucking sexy. "I wanna get reeeal dirty first." His tone is deep, carnal, instantly making my clit throb as he steps between my knees, pushing them to the sides. He turns the tequila bottle upside down, spilling droplets of liquid down my breasts.

I gasp when he leans down, his tongue trails along my now goose bump littered skin. My fingers slip into his hair as his tongue slides around my taut nipple, lapping up the tequila. I don't know if it is the buzz from the alcohol, the adrenaline from everything that has happened over the last couple of days, or just the natural endorphins that Maverick causes to surge through me. Still, my head begins to spin as he trails rough kisses along my chest, grazing his teeth along my skin.

He licks, nips, and sucks his way up my throat, his fingers gripping my thighs. I whimper under his touch, then suddenly remember we aren't in the privacy of his room. "Mav, someone could come out and see us."

"I guess you better be extra quiet then."

"Easy for you to say," I argue, knowing there's no way I will be able to stay totally silent, and with how quiet the clubhouse is, any little noise will carry.

"Mm… I guess I'm going to need these." His fingers shift up my thighs, and once again, my panties are torn.

"Dammit, Mav. You can't just keep tearing my pant—" My argument is cut off, and said panties are pushed into my mouth, leaving me trying to talk around them, but it sounds like a muffled garble.

"There. That should do the trick," he states with a smirk. "And I know I don't have to tear them off, but it is so much faster."

I can only roll my eyes in response because as much as I complain, it really does turn me on that he is so needy for me and doesn't want to take the time to slide them off me properly. It's a heady feeling that I've quickly become addicted to.

Maverick doesn't take the time to pull his boxers down all the way, letting them sit just below his ass. Gripping his length, he steps in closer, lining his cock up with me. My heart beats faster as his eyes lock with mine. The tip of his cock presses against me, then, without hesitation, he thrusts inside me in one go, his tongue sliding down, licking and sucking the remnants of the tequila off my collarbone.

I lean back and use my arms to help balance myself, letting my elbows rest on the bartop while I scoot forward on the stool. My head falls back, giving Maverick access to my throat. He must have licked up all the tequila because he reaches for the bottle, pouring more over me.

The trickle of liquid as it drops onto my skin causes me to groan, and though it's muffled, it's still loud in my ears and has Maverick's eyes widening. He stills, looking around, waiting with bated breath to check if anyone is up. When he's satisfied no one is heading into the main room, he drives into me as he leans over, firmly placing his hand over my mouth. "Damn, cupcake. You have to stay quiet. If you can't, I'm going to have to stop. You don't want me to stop, do you?" he asks, and I frantically shake my head back and forth.

He lets out a low chuckle then grips my hips, driving into me at a steady pace. The faint light glistens off his sweat-covered skin, and I would lick him if I could. Instead, I let my head loll back on the bar and close my eyes, giving in to this moment.

To him.

With so much unknown riding on our future, I lose myself in everything that is Maverick.

"Look at me, Sadie. I want to see you fall apart," he whispers.

My head snaps up, my eyes meeting his. There it is again. Something behind his deep brown eyes draws me in. I rock my hips, meeting him thrust for thrust. The only sound is the echo of our heavy breaths and the force of our bodies joining together.

The ache of my orgasm builds, but also a new yearning forms in my chest.

This man is going to ruin me.

Hell, who am I kidding?

He already has.

He thrusts deeper, his cock pulsing inside me as the mix of tequila and adrenaline causes my head to spin. The fact I have to keep quiet is making this all the more intoxicating while I pant furiously out my nose, trying to keep my moans at bay, but I am struggling so fucking hard.

My nails dig into his back, surely drawing blood to try to release some of the tension as he hisses through his teeth at the pain I'm causing him. But he doesn't stop. If anything, it spurs him on more, thrusting deeper, pulling out, rotating a little, and then thrusting again. He shifts me up, angling me so I lay back on top of the bar, his cock at just the right angle.

My eyes roll back into my head with this new position, hitting me right where it needs to. I spit the panties out, and they fall to the floor as I need to breathe deeper. "Fuck, Mav, I… I'm so close."

He reaches for a cube of ice from the bucket, pressing it straight onto my clit. I inhale sharply at the tingling sensation. He circles my clit with the ice, the cube now being used as a lubricant. At the same time, he's pounding into me.

My muscles tense the second the sharp contrast of cold penetrates, and it's almost too much to bear, but I take everything he's giving me because it's so fucking good. Reaching out, I grab the bar mat, needing something to hold onto, holding it with my fingers as I begin to whimper.

"Shh, cupcake," Maverick whispers.

Panting, I gasp. "A… almost t… there."

He thrusts deeper, circling on my clit a little faster, the ice melting. My body trembles, and heat flushes over my entire being as I clench my eyes shut, feeling his cock throbbing inside me. He jerks, his movements becoming erratic when his grip on me tightens. Both of us begin to pant, our breathing ragged as those dramatic stars sparkle behind my eyes, letting me know the wave is close.

"Oh God, Mav," I can't help but blurt out louder than I should have while my orgasm slams through me.

With a low growl, his cock throbs inside me. "Fuck!" He groans loudly, too, then lifts me from the bar, yanking my body to his. My arms wrap around his neck, and he slams his lips to mine as he comes hard inside me.

Our tongues collide, the kiss frantic as we fall from our mutual high. We kiss, still joined for I don't even know how long, not caring if anyone comes out to find us.

Eventually, we slowly pull apart, his forehead resting on mine as we take a much-needed breath.

His hand gently caresses my cheek as he lightly chuckles. "I told you to be quiet." He grins.

I giggle. "When have I ever done anything you told me to?"

Ever so slowly, he pulls out of me, then slides me down his body. "Can't argue that. Wanna take the tequila to bed?"

I nod and reach over the bar, grabbing the bottle and the ice bucket. "Yes… yes, I do."

He waggles his brows, then bends down, grabbing my panties and shirt as I turn for the bedroom. I stride past him, and he reaches out, slapping me on the ass as I go. I skip a little with a smile and take off running, hearing him laughing as he follows behind me.

Yep, I am in for a good night.