Page 74 of August 20

Skye whispered, "You shouldn't say that word."

Dio dipped his chin in Brooke's direction and slapped Maverick on the arm. "Are you coming back and partying with us tonight?"

"No." Maverick swallowed, watching Brooke's reaction instead.

Light reentered her gaze, and she caught her lip between her teeth. He'd put off telling Skye the truth for long enough. It was time to make sure his family stayed together.

He slid his hand up Brooke's back, palmed her neck, and pulled her closer. With his other hand, he palmed Skye's head, keeping her in front of him. He was tired.

Tired of pretending.

Tired of hurting.

It was time to go home. He walked his family out of the clubhouse and coughed hard.

Brooke put her hand on his back. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, opening the car door for Skye. He walked to the driver's side while his daughter jumped inside and buckled herself. Pushing Brooke up against the door, he captured her mouth and kissed her.

Brooke arched against him. Stroking his tongue against her tongue, he inhaled deeply, wishing he was inside her body. He pulled away, keeping her nearby. She'd stolen his breath.

"Is everything okay?" she whispered against his chest.

He nodded against her head, straightened, and opened the car door. "Home."

She frowned, watching him. He backed away until he reached his Harley and straddled the bike.

Skye waved from the back seat. He held up two fingers and winked. What he had to tell his daughter could ruin her life. But whether she liked it or not, he was her dad. He wasn't going anywhere.

Chapter Thirty Six

Maverick paced the living room. Brooke looked at Skye and shrugged when her niece silently questioned why Maverick told her to sit and not move. She had no idea what he planned to do.

After the way he'd kissed her at the clubhouse, she was still a little unsteady. He acted like something was wrong.

Skye leaned closer to her and whispered, "I'm hungry."

"I know," she whispered back. "Let's wait to see what Maverick wants to do first."

Maverick left the room and returned with a pack of graham cracker bears and a juice box. Brooke frowned. Those were only for school lunches. Skye could survive on teddies and chicken nuggets if she had her way.

Maverick sat on the coffee table in front of Skye. Suddenly, she could sense where tonight was going. She scooted to the edge of the sofa, put her hand on Maverick's thigh, and turned in her niece's direction.

Her heart raced. She believed telling Skye the truth was the right thing to do. She deserved to know her father wanted to be a part of her life. That Maverick fought through fire to be with her.

She squeezed Maverick's leg.

He cleared his throat. "I knew you when you were little."

"Me?" Skye cocked her head. "Did you know Aunt Brooke when she was little, too?"

He shook his head. The lines across his forehead deepened. Brooke wanted to laugh at the obvious age difference because Skye's question wasn't impossible. She was only seventeen when Skye was born. Suppose Janelle had kept in contact with the family and had a regular relationship with Maverick without drugs. In that case, she might've met him as a teenager.

But now was not the time to distract Maverick. It took everything out of him to talk and get Skye to understand.

"Skye." Maverick ran his hand down his face. "I never forgot about you."

Skye put the box of graham crackers beside her. "Was I a baby?"