Page 60 of Bane's Beginning

He sighed, as he scooted over to me and I adjusted so I could lay my head into his lap.

“No, I’m not talking about the deal. I’m talking about your connection to me and the club. People could try to use you to get to me, and it would work because I love you so fucking much. I’d do anything to protect you, even if it meant letting you walk away.”

His words pulled at my heart. Was he trying to break up with me?

“Babe, I’m not breaking up with you,” he added as he started to play with my hair. “I just mean, I’d understand it if that’s what you wanted.”

“I don’t want that,” I said. “Maverick, you’re the first person in my entire life who ever really saw me, the real me, the darkness I’ve kept buried for a long time. You saw it the first night we met, even though I thought I had been doing such a good job at hiding it, and you didn’t run away. Since then you’ve been pushing me to not change, but be a better version of myself. I love you, Maverick, and I don’t care what comes our way because I don’t ever want to let you go. I’m in this.”

He didn’t say anything, he just bent down to capture my lips and we stayed cuddled up together for a while. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Maverick smiled before he told the person to come in.

To my surprise, Chase walked into the room wearing a cheeky smile.

“Chase! What are you doing here?”

“I called him when Luca said he was going to come and get you,” Maverick said as he carefully moved out from under my head and got off of the bed. “Thought it might make you feel better.”

“Hey, kid,” Chase greeted me. “I brought some food and figured we could just watch some movies.”

I mouthed a thank you to Maverick and he winked before leaving the room. Chase got into bed next to me and began scrolling through Netflix.

“I can’t believe he called you,” I said to my best friend. “What did he say?”

“Nothing much,” Chase said. “But he did say I’d make a nice prospect.”

“Shut up,” I gasped. “He did?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Could you imagine the look on my parents’ faces if I joined an outlaw biker club?”

We both laughed at the idea and he finally picked some random action movie to watch. I couldn’t help the tears that came as we sat there in the silence.

“Everything is going to be okay, kid. Maybe not now but eventually. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Epilogue: Thea

“How are you feeling today?” Doctor Morgan asked me from his desk. Two months had passed since Matteo had broken in. As I promised Maverick on the hill, I started seeing a therapist to work out some of the issues from my past. I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and I’ve been seeing Dr. Morgan a few times a week this past month.

“Today, I’m okay. Tomorrow, I will be better,” I repeated the stupid mantra he likes for me to start our meetings with. He smiled at my words.

“And the nightmares?”

“They’re getting fewer and farther between.”

“Good,” he said and scribbled some words onto his notepad. “And you seem to be in a good mood today. No?”

“I am,” I gushed. “I’m planning my first party as Maverick’s old lady and it’s a big deal.”

“That’s exciting. Why is it such a big deal?”

“Because his vice president is getting out on Friday and we are having a special gathering at the clubhouse on Sunday. Members from several chapters will also be in town to celebrate. Jane also said it’s kind of like my coming out party,” I said.

“That is a big deal,” Dr. Morgan agreed. “And how are you and Maverick?”

“We’re great. Still fucking like rabbits,” I said, sheepishly.

“So I take it you told him about your nightmares?”