Page 36 of Savage Hearts

My brow furrowed, and he offered a small smile. “Cover you from head to toe in diamonds.”

It took everything in me to hold back a sneer.

“What’s the point?” I asked.

He raised his hand. I would have applauded myself for not flinching had I not been sure my own hands would’ve shaken.

He played with my hair. He liked it, I realized. I’d noticed him doing that back at the hotel in New Orleans. What would he do if I just chopped it off?

I almost smiled at the thought.

“The point,” he answered mildly, “is for me to take care of what’s mine.”

I shook my head. “So that’s all I am? Your property?”

He shrugged as if he couldn’t care less and let go of my hair. The strands fell and brushed over my shoulder as he grabbed my hand and led me out of there.

We went to a store two doors down, and there, another beautiful woman who looked at him the same way Sarah had looked at him—with fear and fascination—greeted us.

“She needs everything,” Maverick instructed.

I barely opened my mouth before I was pulled away toward a small platform surrounded by three huge mirrors.

Another woman I didn’t notice when we came in stepped up to me and took my measurements. Neither woman talked to me.

I looked back at Maverick, who had settled down in yet another recliner while someone brought him a glass of wine. He smiled when he found me looking at him.

I shivered, wondering if my response was in disgust or something else entirely.

“I am going to enjoy spoiling you, little monster.”

Beside me, the woman taking my measurements sighed, as if Maverick had said something swoon-worthy.

How would she react if I told her she could have him?

I almost smiled from the thought.

Three excruciating hours later, we were finally done, and I looked… different.

Still very much like me, but different. My brows were shaped to match my face, my hair was cut in layers without taking away the length—Maverick’s instruction—and I was given what I was told was a Brazilian blowout. The clothes I wore probably cost more than what most people made in a month and, as Maverick said, I was covered from head to toe in diamonds. Diamond earrings, diamond bracelet, diamond anklet.

I was almost afraid someone might try to rob me.

Why I needed so much luxury, I didn’t fucking know.

We were back in the car, and I leaned back against the seat cushion, taking in Maverick’s scent. It seemed to dominate the entire interior of the car.

I didn’t want to take comfort in him, but I did.

I tensed when Maverick leaned down close to my ear. “You did good, Mila. Such a good girl for me.”

First the threat of a hot ass, and now he was praising me. I scoffed, but kept my eyes closed. I didn’t want to look at him. He seemed to have the uncanny power of making me feel lost just with his eyes alone.

“You seem to think I’m like a little girl you need to praise and discipline,” I said calmly.

He pressed a smile against my cheek. “Trust me, little monster. There is nothing about you that makes me think of a little girl.”

I shook my head but didn’t respond. Maverick was older than me by over a decade, at least.

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