Page 37 of Wild Side

“I am,” I confirm. “Under strict rules. Very strict rules. And I never broke them.”

Maverick’s lips twitch. “Except once.”

“Except once,” I confirm.

Then, without another word, I feel his hand on my belly before he shifts forward, and his lips are on mine. “I’ll get the bathroom and the room cleaned up today. You’ll stay here, honey.”

And that is that.

He’s made the decision, and he seals it with a sweet,sweetkiss.

MAVERICK

As I walk out of the bedroom, I bring my phone to my ear. “Yeah?” Bullet asks.

“Can Zadie use your bathroom today while I get the girls to clean up the communal one?”

It’s an ask. I know it is. That space isn’t just his any longer. It’s his and his wife’s. His and Dakota’s. Bullet clears his throat, then I hear him chuckle. I know he thinks this shit is funny. He likely thinks this whole situation is funny.

“Yeah, she can use my bathroom. I bet she got a rude fucking awakening when she saw the way you people live.”

“Slightly,” I grunt.

He laughs again. I thank him and start to end the call when he says my name, causing me to pause. “This shit with Goose will work itself out,” he murmurs.

“Yeah, it will.”

And I know it will, even if right now, it doesn’t feel like it. But Trent is my brother, and we have shared everything, which is why this is hitting him hard. We’ve never not shared something. He feels like he could lose me, and to a degree, he’s right, but he’s also wrong. He won’t lose me, not all of me anyway. I’ll always be his brother, his twin, his best friend.

And I will always.

Always.

Have his back.

Shoving my phone in my back pocket, I head back into the bedroom. I only peek my head inside, though. Zadie’s eyes find mine. She’s standing in the middle of the room, and I can’t helpbut laugh, because she’s fucking right. This place is gross. I never gave much of a shit before.

This was where I slept and fucked.

Nothing more.

And right now, it’s crystal fucking clear that that is all I did here because I sure as fuck did not clean it.

“Get your shit for a shower. Bullet says you can use his, and I promise it’s clean.”

Her eyes widen, she smirks, and I watch as she moves toward me. “He’s okay with it?” I cup her cheek, my gaze searching hers before I shift closer to her and touch my lips to hers.

“C’mon and shower, honey.”

Releasing her, I take a step backward. She doesn’t respond immediately. Instead, she smiles, and I watch as she moves toward her things. I put them next to the nightstand in an empty spot last night.

Seemingly the only empty spot in the whole place.

Once she has her shit, I jerk my chin and walk away. She follows behind me. And a few moments later, she’s in the bathroom, the water running. There is a knock on the doorjamb, and I turn my head to look at who is standing there.

It’s Viking. “Hey, need you to come down to the shop and meet with the trucking company with me. Won’t take long. Just got a proposal for him, and then we can maybe iron out a kink or two if he’s got it.”

“I got you,” I murmur. “Give me until Zadie gets out of the shower so I can tell her I’m goin’?”