“Hmm.” The agent stuffed his hands in the pockets of his navy FBI jacket and rolled back onto his heels. “Not quite sure what you mean. You trying to tell me you have knowledge of an impending criminal act?”
The urge to rip this man’s throat out nearly overwhelmed Maverick. He wasn’t a violent man by nature, but there had been a few times in his life where a leashed beast broke from its chains and ran wild. This couldn’t be one of those times, but the creature was yanking pretty hard on the fucking shackle.
When he didn’t respond, the agent shook his head. “Didn’t think so. Stay outta trouble, boys. We’ll be closing the case on Shark’s murder. It was a tragedy, the FBI losing two agents during this operation, but it looks like Lefty killed Shark.” He tsked. “Damn shame.”
Wait, two agents?
Mav exchanged a look with Copper. Who the fuck was the second agent?
With a mock salute, Baccarella turned and walked out the door. The room was so quiet, you could hear an ant fart. Then slowly, the men started to rise. Within seconds, an entire MC full of pissed-as-fuck bikers were staring at Stephanie.
She ignored them all, turning to face Maverick. Black streaks tracked down her face, and her legs trembled. He wanted to run to her, gather her in his arms, and promise it would all be okay.
But it was so far from okay, it might never be okay again. His chest hurt, ached like he’d taken a hit from Zach’s beloved baseball bat.
Stephanie sucked in a shaky breath, squared her shoulders, and gave him the respect of eye contact. Unable to stop the trembling in her legs, she vibrated and quivered. She offered no explanation for her actions, no justification, no apologies that he wouldn’t have believed anyway. “What I told you before lying down? I meant it with my entire soul.”
I love you, Maverick.
Fuck that. She loved him?
Anger burned low in his gut, spreading through his limbs and finally kicking him into gear. The only problem was, his mind was still a fucked-up mess. He lunged forward toward her, not sure if he was going to wring her neck or kiss the hell out of her just to see if her responses were real.
Stephanie’s eyes widened with fear, but she didn’t so much as take a shuffling step back. Copper darted between them and shoved Maverick with a hard palm to the chest. Pain speared through his ribs, and he staggered back.
“Zach, get her the fuck out of here. Take her to The Box.”
Stephanie gasped, and Zach hesitated.
“Gave you an order, Zach,” Copper barked.
The Box? Jesus, he couldn’t let this happen. Not to Stephanie. She’d been held in a basement once before. She’d be fucking terrified. “No,” Mav said. “Don’t—”
Copper shot him a look that had him freezing in his tracks. “Get the fuck in my office, Maverick.” When Mave didn’t move, he said, “Now!”
“Let’s go, Agent Little,” Zach said as though the word felt disgusting in his mouth. He guided Stephanie from the room.
No one spoke, suddenly looking at any and everything but Mav or Steph. It was no secret what The Box was used for. And it certainly wasn’t to hold presents.
She didn’t put up a fight, letting those silent tears slide down her cheeks. Mav felt his world shrinking to a pinpoint as he watched her walk away, head held high but devastation all over her face.
“Maverick,” Copper growled.
He nodded and trudged toward Copper’s office. The last thing he saw before disappearing into the office was Stephanie’s tearstained eyes staring at him with so much pain and longing it was like a punch to the gut. With a hand on her lower back, Zach guided her out into the night.
Zach was gentle with her, and for that Maverick would owe him a debt of gratitude. She’d been hurt not long ago and still had some residual discomfort. She didn’t need to be manhandled. She was going to be terrified enough.
Jesus, listen to him.
His brotherhood was the most important thing in his life. He’d always thought himself loyal to his MC above all else. Never once did he think he’d feel for a woman what he felt for Stephanie. And now he felt like a disloyal son of a bitch for not immediately condemning her to hell.
“Fuuuck!” he screamed as the door slammed shut. He rubbed at his arms while he paced the length of the small room, feeling like coarse sandpaper was being dragged over his skin. It was slow torture, not knowing the whys and the hows. And not knowing what was happening to Stephanie was akin to having hot needles shoved under his toenails.
Copper erupted into the room with an expressionless face, but his body language spoke to his fury.
“Prez,” Maverick began.