Maverick by Ashers, LeAnn (classic books to read TXT) 📗

next few days. We have some shit we need to handle.”

Shaylin pouts. “You mean no more fun?” She drags her gun down the mom’s face.

“Let me fill you in.” I wave them to the door and onto the porch and tell them all of the info.

“This is so fucked up, Maverick. I can’t stand this shit. Can we just kill them all and move on?” Shaylin throws out.

“Don’t I fucking wish.”

* * *

Bell is deep inside of her head, but the kids are keeping her happy. I can see that this shit is riding her head.

I can’t say I blame her.

The horrors she has faced fucks me up. Every night I have bad dreams. It goes against every part of me that she was hurt and I couldn’t save her.

The door is pushed open. Gage enters first and then River, grinning. “I’m here. Who’s ready to fuck some shit up?”

Shaylin tilts her head to the side, studying her, eyes narrowed. “Can you shoot?”

River smirks. “Just the balls off of an ant.”

Shaylin gets that crazy fucking grin on her face, “Do I have a mini me? I think I do. I shall teach you my ways.” She grabs River’s hand and pulls her to the side of the room where she has her guns laid out.

I look over at Butcher, who should be panicking but he’s just sharpening his knife. Smiley is grinning that fucking grin. Gage sits beside Butcher, sharpening his knife also.

River stops talking. “Where’s my mom?” she asks.

“She’s over here.” I nod to window, where Bell is partially hidden by the chair.

River walks to me. “Is she okay?” she asks.

I shake my head. “Her mind is racing with the what ifs right now.”

River walks to her mom, hugging her. Bell hugs her so tight. “I love you, my sweet girl.”

Gage watches River. “You really do care for her?” I ask him.

He nods. “Fuck yeah I do. When you know you know.”

That is without a doubt. The second I met Bell everything changed, but it’s the best change.

“We’re ready,” Smiley says.

Adeline comes over and sits beside Bell. Bell looks so sad and defeated.

I approach her. “We’ll be back soon, honey.” I kiss her on the lips, my hand on the back of her neck, pulling her in deep.

I’m not sure what to hope for.

* * *

We pull up to a small cabin in the middle of nowhere. We drove for close to an hour outside of an already small fucking town.

There is not a single soul around the cabin, just a small light on inside that looks like a fucking lantern.

“Maybe I should go first?” Shaylin suggests.

“Fuck no you’re not,” Butcher hisses, taking her hand so she can’t charge right up to the fucking door.

“I’ll go around back.” Smiley runs behind the house. I don’t listen to them bicker.

I peer inside of the window. I see a small figure sitting at the table. She turns to look at me in the window, and she jumps up from her chair, the force topping it over.

But I’d know those eyes anywhere.

Fuck, I hope that I didn’t scare her.

“I think that’s her,” I tell River. She steps up to the door and knocks. “Daniella?” River yells.

I hear faint footsteps from behind the door. “Who is it?” I can hear the shaking in her voice, even from behind the door.

“My name is River. What’s yours?”

She doesn’t speak for a few moments. “Daniella.” Her voice is barely audible, but we all hear it.

My heart is beating so fucking hard in my chest. “I’m your niece; Bell is my mom.”

The door opens so fast, I step back, taking River with me. Daniella’s eyes go to River, looking her over. “Bell is dead.” I can see the anger on her face.

“She’s not; she’s my girlfriend. This is her daughter.” I put my hand on River’s shoulder.

She shakes her head no. “You’re lying to me. She is dead. That’s what they told me!” she hisses, her eyes lit with fire.

I take out my phone and show her a picture of Bell. “This is her.” She takes the phone, studying the picture.

She covers her mouth with her hand. “I thought I lost her. I thought I had lost everyone.” She smiles. “I’m glad she got out; that makes me happy. I never got to meet Bell, but I hoped I would always get to.”

She sighs, stepping away from the door. “Would you like to come in?”

I slip in beside her and the others follow me. My eyes go straight to a framed frame of a newborn baby.

I walk closer, picking it up. “Please don’t break that. That’s all I have of her.” She takes the frame from me, tucking it to her chest.

I study her. Her face is showing her pain. “What happened to her?”

Daniella’s head drops. “The flu. I was very sick and then I just woke up after being sick for days and they told me she died from it.”

Please fucking tell me that they lied to this girl. “What was her name?” I hesitate to ask, the others scooting closer to listen.

She smiles, looking at the frame. “Anna, my sweet baby.”

FUCK.

15 Maverick

This is much fucking worse than I thought. I cannot imagine thinking that my baby was dead but in reality she is not.

Fucking heartbreaking.

How do I tell someone that their kid is not dead but she was pretty much fucking sold?

They used her as a bargaining chip.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?” Her eyes widen. She looks so much like Bell, but her hair is dark brown like her father’s.

“Until earlier today we didn’t know you fucking existed. We came here to confront your parents about what they did to…” I let out a big fucking breath. “To Anna.”

She steps back. “Why are you doing this to me? I have suffered enough.” She puts the picture onto the table, cradling her head. “You have hurt me enough, please leave!”

God, this hurts.

“No, look!” I take out