Page 78 of Savage Hearts

Maverick mostly ignored the receptionists.

They might as well have had the same importance as the bonsai tree artfully placed in the corner.

I wondered if each of these ladies hoped to be the one to change him.

That was laughable.

Still, they were all beautiful and sophisticated.

They were better matches for all the brothers, so why the hell were they so intent on keeping me?

And why did the thought that theymightlike to entertain one of these women, or some other women someday, bother me so much?

I met the eyes of one of the receptionists as I passed, and she didn’t bother to hide her surprise.

Maverick and I took a corner once the receptionist area was no longer in view we walked to the door of a large meeting room.

I realized there were men in there already, and Maverick wanted me to go in with him. A rectangular window took up the top half of the wall that separated the meeting room from the hallway, and the men turned their attention our way.

A huge square table took up most of the room, and almost every chair was filled, except for the one at the head of the table.

These weren’t respectable businessmen. I knew that from the first glance.

They didn’t belong in this supposed legitimate side of Maverick’s business, but they were here, and he wanted to take me in there with him.

For what?

I was afraid to find out.

I spotted three menacing men standing guard out in the hallway. They mostly ignored us, but their presence wasn’t something that could easily be missed.

Maverick turned to me when I dug my heels into the carpet, his dark eyes assessing.

“What, little monster?”

“Why do I have to go in there?” I asked. “Can’t I just wait for you in your office?”

One corner of his lips pulled up in a smirk. My fists clenched by my side as I resisted the urge to punch it off him.

I wasn’t a violent person.

Or, at least, I hadn’t been before I met the Tiernan brothers. They just had that effect on me.

My jaw clenched when his smirk widened.

“Don’t tell me my little badass is scared of a whole bunch of men.”

“Absolutely,” I answered. There was no reason for me to act tough. I was scared. I didn’t want to be. I was so fucking sick of being scared all the time, but that didn’t change the fact that I was.

He didn’t say anything for a moment. I tried not to squirm beneath his heavy stare.

Then he said, “Do you really think I would ever let any of those fuckers touch what’s mine?”

His words shouldn’t make me feel better, but they did.

I took a huge gulp of air. “Then what am I doing here? I’m sure you don’t want me to hear whatever it is you’re about to discuss with those men.”

He leaned down to me and I fought the need to step away from him.

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