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Maverick
Maverick Blaine knew something was up when he showed up at his brother’s house and found him and his new bride babysitting Melody’s kid. As soon as he walked into their house, the toddler made a beeline for him and begged to be picked up. He didn’t mind kids, really, and Melody’s brat was the cutest one he knew. He asked her where her mama was, and she just smiled back at him, giving him that blank stare that she usually gave him as she checked him out. June was fascinated by his beard and tats. He just wished her mom felt the same way about him, but Melody was a married woman, and he wouldn’t cross that line, no matter how badly he wanted to.
Mav asked Tilly where Melody was, and she told him that her sister had some things to work out with her husband. That was all he got from her before she took June from him and whisked her off to the bathroom for a bath. It wasn’t until he found his brother sitting in the kitchen, drinking a beer, that he got a straight answer about what was going on. That was when Owen told him that Melody had caught her scumbag husband cheating on her, again. He couldn’t believe that anyone would cheat on her once, let alone twice. Hell, the woman he knew was sassy and confident and would never let some loser cheat on her.
Owen went on to tell him that he thought that letting Melody go back to her house to face her husband alone was a bad idea. He said that the asshole liked to smack Melody around and that’s when Maverick lost it. He questioned his brother for letting Melody face that jerk alone and then stormed out of the house, mumbling something about needing to beat his little brother’s ass.
He was right to show up at Melody’s house unannounced too. When he got there, he snuck into the back kitchen door and found her husband standing over her, shouting that he was going to beat the shit out of her. And from the looks of Melody, who was already lying on the floor, he had already started. It took all his restraint not to run in and pummel the guy. And when Melody stood and hit the fucker in the back of the head with a frying pan, he felt a sense of pride that he had no right to feel about her. She was one tough chick and had had the physical and mental scars to prove it.
He called the police, and they showed up at her house, taking Melody’s statement and arresting her husband for abuse. Maverick corroborated her statement, telling the cops that she acted in self-defense, and how he had found her on the floor after her husband had hit her. Mav’s only regret was that Melody didn’t kill the fucker. He was going to be taken to the hospital, to get checked out, and then, they were going to hold him until his bail hearing. He’d get out and then, he’d probably go after Melody and her kid, and Mav wouldn’t let that happen. He just had to figure out how to convince her to let him take both her and June back to his place. Her ex would look for her at home first, and then, when he couldn’t find her there, he’d head over to Tilly and Owen’s place. His brother could handle the guy, but Mav didn’t want Melody or June to have to go through any of that shit. Her asshole ex didn’t know where he lived and that would give them both a safe haven while Melody figured out her next move.
He watched as the last of the cops left and Melody looked around her kitchen. “What now?” she asked.
“Now, we get you out of here,” he said.
“Oh, yeah,” she breathed. “I forgot all about calling my sister. She must be worried to death about me.”
“I called Owen and filled him in. June is asleep and safe,” he said, knowing that would be her next question. The few times that he was around Melody and her kid, he could tell that she was a great mother. He just had no idea that she was dealing with an abusive asshole at home.
“Thank you for doing that,” she said. “God, what am I going to tell June about her father?” she asked. He really didn’t have any answers for her. His own father was an asshole, and his poor mother was constantly covering for him and his bad behavior. But he and his brothers knew the deal. His father was a jerk and when he happened to be around, things were awful. Mav knew how much his mother struggled when his father would take off. She worked two jobs to put a roof over her boys’ heads and food on the table. The thing was, they were so much happier when their old man was gone, and he had a feeling that June would feel the same way about her father not sticking around.
“When she’s old enough, you’ll tell her the truth. Tell her how her brave mother stood up to a man who liked to beat her up. Tell her how strong her mom is, but I’m sure she’ll already know all about it.”
“Thank you for saying that, Mav,” she whispered, swiping at the tears that were running down her cheeks. “I’m sorry I’m crying. I guess it’s just been a long day. I need to get over to Tilly’s. She’s expecting me.”
He grabbed her hand and she flinched, making him feel like a complete ass. Of course, she’d react to him that way. She had just had the shit beat out of her—Melody had the black eye to prove it. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’d never hurt you, Melody.”
“I—I know that, Maverick. I’m just a little shaky is all. I didn’t mean to react that way.”
“I just wanted to talk to you about staying with Tilly and Owen,” he said.
“Okay,” she breathed, “is there a problem with me staying with them?”
“Not a problem,” he said, “more like an issue. Owen is worried that after Adam gets out of jail, he’ll come looking for you here.”
“Right, and when he can’t find me here, he’ll search for me at Tilly and Owen’s place. God, I’m an idiot. He doesn’t want me there because he’s worried that I’ll put them in danger.”
“No,” Maverick said, “God, I’m screwing this all up. He’s worried that he won’t be able to protect you, Tilly, and June all by himself.”
“Yeah, that makes sense,” she said. “Um, I guess I’ll just have to find another place for me and June to stay—you know until everything dies down with Adam.” He didn’t want to be the one to tell her that things might never die down with her soon-to-be ex. If he got out of jail, he might not ever leave her and June alone.
“How about you stay with me?” Maverick asked. She looked up at him as if he lost his mind, and maybe he had.
“That’s not a good idea,” she said. “I mean, won’t I be putting you in danger then?”
He couldn’t help laughing at the idea of him being put into danger by a mom and her kid staying with him. “I think that I’ll be able to handle him if he shows up to my door.”
“Yeah, you do seem capable,” she said, looking him over. He liked the way that she took in every inch of him, letting her eyes roam his body. They had always had some unspoken connection, but he never acted on it knowing that she had a husband waiting for her at home. “But I don’t want to put you out,” she insisted.
“You wouldn’t be putting me out at all,” he assured. “I can keep you and June safe, I promise, Melody.” He was making promises and getting involved—two things that he swore that he’d never do. But then again, Melody had him doing things he never thought he’d ever do, and with her, playing the protector, felt right.
