“Yeah, so?”
“You told him Carly had your spare key and he used that information to impersonate you and lure her to your office. When she dropped everything to help you, he forced her inside and strangled her.”
Cassie flicked her gaze to Carly and barked out a laugh. “Ha! Good one. I don’t believe you.” She pointed at Maverick. “You need to pay for damages or I’ll…I’ll sue you!”
Ross shifted back and forth. “Hey, baby, maybe we should go easy. Your sister’s got a piece.” Pausing, Ross eyed the vessel. “I wouldn’t mind going out for a…a…what do you call it? A sail? This ain’t no sailboat. A spin? A roll down the Potomac?”
“Oh, shut up, Ross,” Cassie said. “You sound like a blathering idiot.”
A deep growl shot out of Maverick. “If you’d shown any concern for your sister, I would have paid for the damn locksmith.”
“Just because you saved a few hostages doesn’t mean a goddamn thing to me,” Cassie said, glaring at him. “It only adds to your arrogance and pretentiousness.”
Stepping forward, Carly glared at her. “Shut your mouth. Do not talk to him like that.”
“What’s your problem?” Cassie asked, furrowing her brow. “Speak up. I can barely hear you.”
Moving with care, Carly climbed onto the pier. “You’ve been a total witch to me my entire life and I’ve let you walk all over me. Not anymore,” she said, hitching her hands to her hips. “You don’t get to talk to Ash like that and you don’t get to talk to me like that anymore, either. I don’t want anything to do with you. We’re done.”
“Go to hell. You’re lucky I’m being so nice about this. I’m a lawyer, and a damn good one!”
Maverick stepped onto the pier, dwarfing everyone. He placed a protective arm around Carly and drew her close to him. “For the past twenty-five years you’ve been nothing but a bitch to your sister. I’ve never opened my mouth, never interfered, but that all ends today. Here’s what I have to say to you, Cassie: Go. Fuck. Yourself.”
“What…er…how dare you talk at me like that!”
Ross removed his sunglasses. “If your sister and the dude have known each other for twenty-five years, are they, like, fifty?”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “No, you idiot, they met when they were kids.”
“Now, get the hell off my pier and don’t ever set foot on my property again.”
Cassie flipped Maverick off and marched away, with Ross trotting after her.
Maverick jumped into his yacht and pulled Carly into his arms, then he kissed the top of her head. She hugged him tightly, then stared into his eyes. “My family is an example of everything that doesn’t work. Now, do you see why I’m so scared of losing you?”
He smiled at her. “Do you know now that my family is your family?”
Her rueful smile was filled with love. She nodded. “I do.”
“C’mon, honey, time to sleep.” He guided her back inside.
“Will you stay with me?”
“Only for the rest of your life.”
Rising on her tiptoes, she laid a tender kiss on his lips. They returned to the sofa and cuddled while he caressed her back and reminded her how much he loved her.
But reminding her and showing her were two completely different things…
2 8
A B I R T H D A Y T O R E M E M B E R
C arly woke excited to give Ashton an early morning birthday present, but the other half of the bed lay empty. Five days had passed since her horrific ordeal. While her body continued to heal, she was struggling mentally. In addition to wearing her weapon everywhere but in bed, she felt restless and unsettled.
She also worried that the stress was starting to take its toll on Ash. He’d figured out a short-term strategy to keep his recruits on ThunderStrike’s payroll, but confided he was running in the red.
She padded out to find him in the galley, on the phone. He mumbled a quick goodbye and hung up.
