Page 50 of The Maverick (WaterFyre Rising #7)

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

ATTIKUS

As soon as my meetings concluded in California, I headed to New York City to meet withRemi and Orion. We had scheduled a meeting with a group of popular gamers with a wide following to discuss their help in promoting WaterFyre Rising.

When everything was set, I left Remi and Orion to complete the negotiations so I could attend another meeting.

I was dead tiredby the time I returned to my hotel room after dinner.

Vanessa had sent me a text saying she missed me earlier, but I hadn’t had time to reply to her.

I had back-to-back conferencesbecause I’d squeezed a week’s worth of meetings into a few days so I could return to my love.

Just two more days, and I would be home.

I’d never experienced a stronger desire to be home. My other half was waiting for me. What was Vanessa doing now? Was she missing me the way I was missing her?

After a quick shower, I called her, “What’s my Lily Pad doing?”

“In bed, thinking about you.”

I smiled as my cock hardened in my boxers. This woman could affect me from miles away.

“How was your day?” I asked.

She told me she sold three paintings and was in the process of hiring two associates. But she feared her income could drop. Selling art didn’t offer a stable income. Some days, she didn’t sell any art.

“Continue with the hiring process,” I told her. “I’ll help with whatever you need.”

“I can’t do that, Attikus. This is my business. And you’re the landlord.”

That comment hurt. “I’m more than a landlord, Vanessa. I’m your boyfriend who loves you, but I’m also your husband. So I can help. Besides, I want to invest in you. If you need more associates to run the gallery,hire them. I want you to succeed, and I’ll ensure you have the capital to do so.”

“Why do you care so much?”

Her voice held an edge that told me something had happened.

“Because I love you.” It was a simple and true statement. I heard her sigh on the other line. “What happened today? I can hear the tension in your voice?”

“Miranda stopped by, looking for you.”

“I received two missed calls from Miranda and some text messages. Haven’t checked them yet. Agnes also left me a voicemail about Miranda looking for me. What did she want?”

“She said you fathered a son with her. He’s now five years old, and she wants you to pay child support.”

“ What? ” I sat up in bed. “That’s absurd. I didn’t father any child.”

“How can you be sure?”

I raked a hand through my hair, trying to wrap my head around why Miranda was suddenly accusing me of this.

“Our relationship was short,” I said. “I can count how many times I slept with her on one hand. And I used protection every single time .”

“Condoms aren’t a hundred percent guaranteed.”

I didn’t like the doubts I heard in Vanessa’s comments.

“Do you trust me?” I didn’t care what the rest of the world thought of me, but I needed Vanessa to trust me.

“Yes,” she said. “I trust you, which is why I’m talking to you.”

Relief settled in me. “I don’t know what’s going on. She obviously wants money, but why? Her family has money. She has money.”

“She was behaving strangely today compared to when you introduced me to her. She seemed extremely agitated. Her pupils were dilated, and she was muttering to herself.”

What happened to Miranda?

“Today, she acted like the spoiled brat from elementary school. There’s one more thing. She showed me a picture of your son. “

“That’s impossible.”

“Sending an image right now to your phone. Miranda said she sent you a copy already.”

My phone buzzed, and I glanced at the image.

“It’s fake. An amateur could do this on Photoshop or any AI software.”

“I didn’t think about that.”

“Your judgment was clouded because you were angry and hurt.”

“She also showed me a video of the boy at the park playing by himself.”

“Don’t think about it too much. The video is also fake. AI software can easily create these things. It can take pictures or videos of people and blend them. Technology is highly advanced these days, and that’s one of the dangers we have to face.”

“I’m afraid she’ll hurt your image.”

“Don’t worry. I’m heading home tomorrow, and I’ll reach out to her.”

“How was your day?” Vanessa asked, sounding calmer.

“Chaotic, but efficient. Missing you like crazy.”

I could picture her smiling on the other end of the phone.

“You know what I want right now?” My voice grew hoarse as I imagined her in bed with me.

“A cheesy plant joke?”

I laughed. “That wasn’t on my mind, but I’ll take whatever you want to give me.” My dick needed attention, and I gripped it, wishing it was her hand stroking me.

“I know what you’re doing right now.”

“Do you now?”

“You’re doing what I’m doing. But I wish it were you . . .”

She was fucking hot and perfect.

“I didn’t realize I had such a wicked wife.”

“That’s because I’m learning from my wicked husband.”

Twenty minutes later, my seductive Lily Pad had me rushing into the bathroom to clean myself.

I fell asleep with her voice in my head.