Laughing, I pull out the dishes and plate up our dinner.
Chapter Two
Maverick
“But it’s your birthday.”
Sighing, I shake my head, but I already know I’m going to cave.
“Yeah, Mav. Let us celebrate you,” Sunny says. “You need cake and presents.”
“I don’t need celebrating,” I tell Riley and Sunny. “And I don’t need gifts. Knowing my family and friends are safe and happy is the greatest gift you can give this old man.”
“Forty-five is not old,” Riley says, rolling her eyes. “I also don’t hear you saying no to cake.”
“Who in their right mind would say no to cake?” I tease.
“Well, go tell your henchmen that you’ll be back in a few hours,” Riley says, already ushering me back inside my own home like she has every right to boss me around. “We’ll wait here.”
“You can ride on the back of my bike on the way back,” Sunny says sweetly. “I promise not to go too fast.”
I stop walking and slowly turn my head to look at her, doing my best to keep the horror off my face.
“I’m not riding on the back of your bike, Sunny,” I say carefully. “Also, I know for a fact Bones has no idea you left the compound on that death trap.”
Her mouth drops open.
“How do you know?” Sunny asks, slamming her hands on her hips. “Maybe I’m a total badbutt, and he knows that.”
I nearly smile.
“Honey, if there’s one thing I know about that man, it’s that he would never agree to anything that could even remotely cause you harm.”
“Well, he’s not really the boss of me now, is he?” she asks, jutting her chin into the air. “I’ll have you know my man trusts me completely.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” I say.
Bones may trust her, but he is going to lose what is left of his mind when he finds out his woman rode that bike anywhere without him knowing.
“Why don’t you two come inside while I get ready?”
Turning, I walk inside and gesture for Luca.
“Yes,Don?” he asks.
“Would you please get my guests something to drink and cancel any appointments for the evening?”
His expression doesn’t change, but I see the faint flicker of surprise in his eyes.
I rarely cancel anything.
“Sir, you have a conference call with Texas in an hour,” Luca says. “It’s about the new turf wars in the area.”
I glance back at Riley and Sunny, who are both watching me like they fully expect me to choose work.
For a moment, habit pulls at me.
The empire. The responsibility. The endless fires waiting for my hand to put them out.
