“I love you, baby,” he tells me, voice rough and broken. “I love you both.”
Livy sobs harder.
I close my eyes and rest my face against his chest.
“I know,” I whisper.
His heartbeat pounds beneath my cheek.
Fast, hard, and real.
“I love you too,” I say.
His hand trembles once against my back.
Only once.
Then the car door closes, shutting out the night, the house, and the monster who almost took us from him.
Maverick keeps us wrapped in his arms as the car starts moving.
No one speaks for a moment.
There’s only Livy’s quiet crying.
My uneven breathing.
Maverick’s heartbeat.
Then Livy whispers, “Can we see Uncle Steffy now?”
Maverick’s chin dips against her hair.
“As soon as the doctors check you and your mama, yes.”
“He’ll be mad I snuck into the car.”
A sound almost like a laugh breaks from him.
“Yes,piccola. He’ll be very upset.”
“But happy I’m alive?”
His voice turns soft.
“So happy.”
Livy nods like that answer settles something inside her.
Then she closes her eyes and curls closer to him.
I look up at Maverick.
His face is turned toward the window, but I know he isn’t seeing the road.
He’s somewhere else.
Somewhere dark.
