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East’s eyes go wide and Mav snickers behind Linc. “I’ll do as I’m told,” he huffs.
“Good, then I have no issues discharging you. We’ve liaised with the private rehab center your brother set you up with, so they’re aware of your rehab schedule. If you have any pain or any of your incisions become infected, you need to come back here immediately. Am I making myself clear?”
He nods, and I fold my arms. “If he gets so much as a slight temperature, he’ll be back.”
The doctor nods, smiling. “Oh I like her. Hopefully, I won’t see you again, Mr. Saint.” She nods and turns, leaving the room.
“Is there anything else I don’t know yet?” I ask, my glare bouncing between the four of them.
Finn scrubs the back of his neck. “Did you tell her about Indi yet?”
Lincoln groans as I screech, “What about Indi?”
“Guess not. My bad. I’m going to go get the car,” Finn says, bouncing out of the room.
“I’ll come with you!” Mav shouts and runs after him.
“What the fuck happened to Indi?”
* * *
After the run down on the drive home of everything I missed while I was with Panda, I swear to storm the fucking gate if Lincoln doesn’t get Indi back here by the end of the goddamn day. Otherwise, Alexander Saint is going to answer to me and all of my fury. I’m giving him sixteen hours, and if Indi isn’t in my house before the clock strikes midnight, I’ll riot.
But for now, I ask Maverick to stay with me while Linc and Finn help get East settled. He’s going to need more help than me, and Mav has barely looked at me since Panda announced that Edward killed my dad, let alone spoken to me.
I’m not about to let anything like that come between us.
“Oh, Miss Octavia, you’re home!” Smithy greets us as the door closes behind us and he wraps me in a hug so tight my ribs practically creak.
“Smithy, need to breathe and you’re going to pop one of my stitches,” I push out and he drops me.
“Sorry, I was just so worried.” He brushes his hands down my arms as if looking for injury. “Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine, Smithy. I promise. I just need some good food, a bubble bath, and a night of relaxation.”
“Food I can do!” he says, almost flustered, before heading back toward the kitchen.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about Matthew either!” I shout behind him. He just raises his hand as if to wave me off before disappearing into the kitchen.
I feel restless and I want to talk to Mav, so rather than head upstairs, I take his hand and lead him to the stairs down to the music room. Once we’re sealed in the soundproof room, I sit on the piano stool and he sits on the small sofa by the door.
Fluttering my fingers across the smooth ivory, I trill out a couple of quick scale runs. I’ve missed this, but it isn’t why I came down here. Without looking at him, I play a soft melody, pouring some of my pain and anger into it.
“Why won’t you talk to me, Mav?” I ask quietly, continuing to play.
He doesn’t respond. When I turn to face him his elbows are resting on his knees, hands in his hair, and he’s bent forward staring at the floor.
“Mav?”
He glances up at me and the pain on his face breaks my heart. “How can you even look at me after what Evan told you? I’m a monster that comes from a long line of monsters. That is my legacy. We’re all legacies and you deserve better than that.”
I move to stand before him and crouch when he still won’t look up at me. “I don’t care what he said.”
He still doesn’t look at me and my heart breaks. I need him to know I don’t blame him and whatever guilt he’s feeling isn’t his to feel.
If Edward did kill my father, then that’s something he needs to pay for. Not Maverick. Just another line on my list of reasons that all of their dads need to jump off a fucking cliff.
“Look at me,” I say, gripping his chin. “You are not your father, and you are not accountable for his sins either. Whether or not what Panda said is the truth, that doesn’t fall on you and I will never hold you responsible, do you understand? I love you, Maverick Riley, and nothing and no one is going to change that.”
