Page 68 of August 20
"Is everyone okay?" She looked over Skye and turned to Maverick, who'd taken the brunt of the storm.
He placed his hand on her thigh and looked behind him at his daughter. Skye clung to the blanket around her. He reached back and buckled her into the booster.
"That came out of nowhere," she whispered.
"I don't like it," whispered Skye.
"We're okay," whispered Maverick, making everything feel better.
As Maverick drove them home, Brooke thrust her fingers into her hair. There was sand on her scalp.
She'd always enjoyed a good storm, but being caught out in one, next to the ocean, when a child who only weighed fifty-two pounds and could be thrown about by the wind struck fear in her.
"It'll be fine when we can watch the storm inside the house." She placed her hand on Maverick's thigh.
He turned onto the road home. The car left the asphalt and hit gravel as Maverick drove up the hill.
As they rounded the last corner, several black motorcycles filled the driveway.
"We've got company." She looked around the yard. "Where are they?"
"Inside." Maverick put the car into Park.
She raised her brows. He shrugged, unbothered by the fact that she'd locked the house when they'd left earlier. She had no idea the bikers had a key to his house.
Maverick squeezed her thigh, then stepped out of the car. She opened her door. The wind at the house wasn't as severe without the added sand.
She helped Skye out of the car. Maverick walked ahead of them and opened the door—the unlocked door.
Stepping inside, she took in the men loitering in the living room as if they belonged there.
Jagger, Bane, Link, Rush, and Dio sat around, watching the football game on the television. She dropped the backpack off to the side of the door.
"Aunt Brooke?" Skye yanked her arm. "Will Flower be afraid of the storm?"
She snapped out of her shock of finding Havlin members inside the house and nodded. "You might want to find her and make sure she stays in your room. If someone leaves the door open, you don't want her running out in the storm."
Maverick walked Skye to the hallway and then turned back to his MC brothers. He stood in front of the television, silently asking for answers to why they were there.
There were puddles of water all over the floor. Most of the men had wet hair hanging on their shoulders, dampening their shirts under their vests.
"Storm came down on us." Jagger glanced at Brooke and back to Maverick. "Your house was closer than the clubhouse, so we're holing up until it's safe on the roads again."
"I'll get some towels." Brooke stepped away from Maverick.
"Hey, Brooke." Jagger pushed back his wet hair. "Some coffee would be good."
She nodded and changed direction. In the kitchen, she started a pot in the coffee maker, went to the bathroom, and brought out a stack of towels.
Each Havlin member grabbed one. She returned to the kitchen and grabbed the mop. Working quickly, she soaked up the puddles when Skye came out holding Flower.
"Damn, sweetheart." Dio hooked his finger and motioned Skye closer. "Is that the stray's kitten?"
"Her name is Flower." Skye held the kitten up to Dio. "See her yellow eyes? Aren't they pretty?"
"She's getting big." Dio scratched the kitten under the chin. "You're taking good care of her."
Skye stepped over boots, wiggled her way to the middle of the couch, and squeezed between Bane and Rush with no hint of shyness. Astonished by how she made herself at home among the men, it hit her how much Skye had grown since arriving in Seaglass Cove.