Chapter 169 BACK, BABY

Chapter 169 BACK, BABY
Maverick’s Pov

I… What the fuck? “Bill, wait, stop what are you talking about— “

He cut me off with a deep belly laugh that I could only describe as unhinged. “But I’m going to blow this whole thing wide open. I'm at least going to do that for her.”

“I think you should get some—”

“Thaks for listening, Maverick.”

I was really beginning to panic now. I knew how that sounded. I'd sounded like that once, when I thought my world had ended.

“She liked you, you know. Said she saw a bit of the anger she had in you. But you'd be fine, like she is—was.”

“Bill, wait—”

“Keep… keep an eye on the news.”

The line went dead.

I called back immediately but he didn’t pick up. Then I called back four more times. After that I put my phone down, closed my eyes and went to sleep.

I just needed to shut the world out for a couple of hours, and sleep was the beat way to do that.

I was wrong.

Because even in my dreams, I had no respite. I couldn't stay asleep for long.

I'd close my eyes and my mind would just wander away from me.

Sometimes Joe would be in them, but somehow she was never dead. And I always forgot too. Then something, something would happen, jolting me awake and immediately I would realise that it had been a dream, her death would hurt anew.

I had no respite when I didn't dream of Joe either, because I dreamt of Rocky's father.

Him though, he was always dead. He would always be covered in blood, or so sallow-looking he couldn't possibly be alive and he was always coming at me with that damned bottle. I'd run and run and run, but he was always there.

After about six hours, I decided to pause my efforts on sleep.

I picked up my phone. I tried to call Bill back but the phone just rang and rang and rang. Bodhi, on the other hand, had been texting me updates on his flight.

I read through every one, imagining him in the plane. He was there, on his way back, alive and healthy. Could I put him in danger? Could his proximity to me hurt him?

I wouldn’t let that happen.

I didn't care what I had to do to keep him safe… if he'd let me be near him.

My phone pinged with another incoming message from him. ‘I'm here, landed at the airport.’

My heart jumped in my chest, attempting to run away from the fucked up situation I had found myself in. He’s here!

I jumped to my feet, starting to pace. He wouldn't know, he couldn't.

I swallowed. Right?

I tossed my phone down and hurried into the bathroom for another bath. I hadn’t consciously avoided looking in the mirror the first time but I did now.

By the time I came out, drying myself, he had sent another text. ‘In a cab.’

The one pinged in my hand again. ‘Im almost here.’

I tossed on my clothes and hurried out of the room.

“Sir!” The body guard whisper-yelled but I didn't listen, didn't stop or even slow down.

“Sir,” he repeated, trying not to be obvious. “Sir you need to be inside.”

“I'm waiting for my partner.”

He sighed, as if he knew he'd already lost the battle. He had. It was good of him to realize that so we didn't have to keep going back and forth.

“Let us at least get out of the open,” he sighed.

I shrugged. If I did this I hoped it would satisfy him enough that he would stop talking. I Iet him lead me to the side of the building standing by the wall. And there we stood, waiting.

Bodhi's cab pulled up five maybe then minutes later. The driver got down first and went to the boot to get his bag down before Bohdi opened the door.

I took a step forward, a little out of the shadows when I saw him. Bohdi looked the same as when he left, he looked like his heart wasn't burdened.

Did I look burdened?

I couldn't move. I saw Bohdi point I to the forms, sending the man off on his merry way and then start looking around.

How did he know I was outside?

Bohdi turned and saw me. A smile lit up his face immediately and he flounced over. Then he was in my arms, planting a hot, quick kiss on my lips.

I blinked at him, and that seemed to snap him out of it. “Um, shit, oh! We're outside, oh my God.”

“It's okay, baby,” I said, fighting the urge to reach for him, “No one saw.”

He glanced around twice more before he nodded. He looked at me, and I could see him trying to force a stern look in his face. Cute.

“Did I not say you should stay inside?”

“You asked the body guard to ask me who my partner was?”

He blushed and I felt like I should puff out my chest that I could get that type of reaction out of him.

“I didn't have a picture of you to show him. I described you but I wanted to make sure it was you so he wouldn't be guarding someone else.”

“And that's the question you used?” I teased.

“There's only one person who knows I have a boyfriend. Sorry two now. Wait, plus Kane,” Bohdi gestured to the bodyguard, “three. I wasn't sure you knew my middle name.”

Plus him three, which meant Elais knew. He was the only other person that could, plus Bohdi just based the last forty-eight hours with him. I wondered how he received it. Did he not care? Should I ask?

“I don't,” I chuckled.

“It's Milan,” he said, beginning to lead me inside.

“Good to know. Mine’s Ken.”

“Ken? Really?”

“Yeah. Ken the third. And why do you sound so surprised?”

“I don't know,” Bohdi chuckled, pulling the door open. “I just didn't expect that.”

We walked in, leaning Kane outside and the atmosphere began to heat up. He reached for me again.

“I’m really glad you’re okay,” he whispered, his lips pressing against the side of my mouth with a soft moan, “And I’ve missed you so much.”