Chapter 12

Grace

Iknew this day would come, it was inevitable really, but still I hoped I would have more time to prepare. The thunderous expression on Maverick's face when I exited the ride with Leo told me that today was the day, and when he spoke, it was confirmed.

I nodded and wrapped my arms around my middle. "Yeah? What do we need to talk about?" I knew it was the wrong thing to say, but I was already on the defensive.

His gaze darkened and his jaw clenched, and I instinctively took a step back. Not because I thought Maverick might hit me, but because I couldn't be sure, and I was conditioned to respond that way. "Not now," he whispered. "Let's get the kids home first."

A war waged inside me caused by his words. On one hand it was nice to feel—however falsely—that we were a family and we were going to argue like civilized adults, in quiet and not in front of the kids. But on the other hand, a sinking sensation settled in my gut at what was about to happen. "Okay." I hated that the word came out barely above a whisper like I was still that scared woman who fled Ohio almost a year ago.

Thankfully, Leo and Sophie were completely unaware of the tension between the adults as they skipped along the wide aisles, stopping and asking for corndogs, funnel cakes, and cotton candy as we made our way to the crowded parking lot.

No matter what happened after tonight, I was happy to be able to give Sophie some normalcy by spending an afternoon and evening with another kid, doing something so regular. Of course, it was all about to be ripped from her once again and it was all my fault. Again.

A few minutes into the drive, both kids were sound asleep, leaving the inside of the car painfully silent and so tense I felt my pulse increase with every passing block.

Somehow Maverick knows I lied about, well, everything. He's pissed and he's going to kick us out of Mabel's house. It wasn't the end of the world, I knew that, but now he knew whatever it was he knew, we couldn't stay here.

We had to leave.

"I'll be right back," he said as he pulled into a parking spot in front of a one-story brick building.

Leo stirred first and then Sophie. "Where are we?" she asked.

"This is the clubhouse," Leo answered in a groggy voice. "Mama and Daddy are in there."

Sophie pouted and pulled Leo close, squeezing him in a suffocating hug that clearly made the little boy uncomfortable. "Goodnight, Leo."

"Goodnight, Sophie," he said, and scooted towards the door. "G'night Miss Ruby."

"Thanks for a fun day, Leo." I smiled and he flashed a shy smile in return, just as Maverick opened the door and scooped the boy into his arms.

I watched his long, strong legs carry the boy inside, wishing we just stayed with Mrs. P. Would it have been better to keep dancing at the club? I couldn't say, but right now I wished for any other outcome than this one.

Sophie and I loved living with Mabel, loved having the old woman in our lives. She was spirited and spunky, and she had a big heart. She was just the soft spot we needed after years of tension and fear and abuse. And now it was all over.

Maverick marched back to the car, slid behind the wheel, and started driving without a word. Tension radiated off every inch of him and I found myself sliding closer towards the door, the need to flee so deeply ingrained in me, I had to dig my heels into the floorboard to avoid simply jumping from the moving vehicle.

No more running from a fight, Grace. Have this conversation like an adult and then move on.

We made it home, no, not home, we made it back to Mabel's quickly, and I jumped from the car briskly, opening the back door to grab my daughter. Maverick was there beside me, moving to assist. "I got it," I told him, my voice small once again. "I'll be down to talk in a few minutes," I said, and disappeared upstairs.

The house was quiet, but Mabel had left the front hall light on for us. I'm gonna miss that woman, I thought as I undressed Sophie and tugged pajamas on her limp body before tucking her in and pressing a kiss to her forehead. I could've wasted more time by making her wake up to brush her teeth, but I grabbed a wet wipe and gave her face a gentle scrub instead. Another goodnight kiss and I knew I was testing the limits of Maverick's patience.

It"s now or never, I told myself as I made my way down the steps and out onto Mabel's front porch. Maverick was there—of course he was—pacing the length of the porch and raking big hands through his hair. "Okay, you wanted to talk. What are we talking about?"

His gaze narrowed and if I hadn't been so aware of his every movement, every shift in demeanor, I might have missed it. His jaw clenched again, and anger radiated off his broad shoulders in almost visible waves. "Is that how you want to play this, Ruby? I let you into my grandmother's house and you've been lying to me, and you want to act innocent?"

"Lying to you about what?" Confrontation wasn't my strong suit, but I couldn't back down.

"That's the part that pisses me off. I don't know everything you're lying to me about. What I do know is that you came here to start a new life."

The blood drained from my face and my whole body froze over. "What makes you say that?"

"Sophie told me. Said you told her you had to give up some of the things you loved so that Daddy doesn't find you. That's why she didn't go on the roller coaster."

"No," I whispered, and covered my mouth. I never wanted Sophie to feel the impact of fleeing our old life in that way, but I should have been more explicit about what I meant. "Shit."

"You said her father wasn't around."

I nodded. "I said he wasn't really around, and he's not."

"Ruby." He growled that one word, my fake name, and it held all of the anger coiled in his big body.

I took a step back. And then another. "Fine, there are some things I didn't tell you, but I don't owe you my life story, Maverick."

"Maybe not," he agreed, nodding slowly in that way that said he was trying to control his anger. "But you're living in my grandmother's house. What if the trouble you're obviously running from finds you? Or what if it finds her in search of you?"

His question knocked me down, literally. My legs simply gave out and I fell towards the ground, but I never made it because Maverick was there with his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Whoa, Ruby. Whoa, it's all right." He spoke to me like I was a wounded animal, and I liked it. Too much.

I shoved away from him, suddenly angrier than I was terrified. "No, it's not all right, Maverick." It was my turn to start pacing the length of the porch. "You think I would dye my hair and change my name because everything was all right? Do you think I would work at a fucking strip club if I didn't have to?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but it was a rhetorical question and I kept going, suddenly on a roll.

"You have no idea because you don't know me to tell me what I owe you. Marco paid me under the table so I wouldn't have to use my social security number or my name, so I didn't have a choice." Fear trembled my limbs, forcing me to stop pacing and drop down on the top step. It was foolish to think Trent wasn't still searching for us, and I knew better than anyone what he was capable of when he was upset, and he was always upset. "But," I said on a sigh after a long moment of quiet passed between us. "You're right, I wasn't thinking about my trouble causing Mabel harm, and I am sorry for that. Truly."

Maverick grunted in reply, which told me everything I needed to know about how this was all going to end.

Abruptly.

"Right." I gave myself a minute to make sure my legs were solid before I stood and turned to his angry, scowling face. His furious expression was as good a sign as any that it was time to move on. "I'll need a week, possibly less, to find a new place to stay and then we'll be gone. That should give you enough time to find someone else to help Mabel."

In the next city I would have to keep my head down. Make no connections so there was no one to ask too many questions, and maybe find a way to work online.

Maverick didn't say a word, which said all I needed to hear. He wanted me gone and I wouldn't stay where I wasn't wanted—not ever again—so I slipped inside the house, packed our bags, and spent the rest of the night plotting our departure.