Page 27 of March 5

"Yeah, of course." She frowned, glancing back and forth from Dio to her dad. "Why is everyone acting so weird?"

"Cord called me." He pulled Skye into his arms. "He told me you were stuck on the side of the road."

"I got a flat tire, and then some guy stopped, probably to help me, but I didn't want to get out of the car when he was there." She kissed her dad's cheek. "Dio and Brett came and changed the flat for me."

"Good call." Maverick kissed her forehead and looked at her bag on the ground. "Are you heading home?"

"No," she said.

"Yes. She is." Dio leaned against the doorframe. "Go home."

"But, what about your back?" Skye put her hand on his forearm.

His skin heated under her palm. She had him burning up.

"Something else came up." He motioned toward Maverick. "I need to talk to your dad."

"About what?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Club business." He wasn't going to let her control the situation.

She was playing with fire. He was only a man. His life was on the line.

"Come on, I'll carry your bag to your car." Maverick looked over his shoulder at Dio. "I'll come back."

Dio walked into the house to keep his gaze off Skye's ass and went to the kitchen. Pulling the whiskey bottle out of the cabinet above the fridge, he never bothered getting a glass, he tipped the bottle back and took a healthy swig.

Before he took another drink, Maverick walked into the house. He couldn't let Skye go on like that any longer.

His MC brother took in the alcohol and said, "Do you want to explain why my daughter has decided to change the way she dresses?"

Thank fuck he'd noticed. It would be hard toexplain everything if Maverick was unaware of what his daughter was wearing.

Even though Maverick wasn't a drinker, Dio offered him the bottle and set a glass on the counter in case he needed one at any time during their conversation.

"I've tried to send her away whenever she's come over here lately." He itched for a cigarette. "I told you she spent the night."

Maverick leaned against the fridge and crossed his arms over his chest. The silence was killing him. He should shut up and let Maverick handle his daughter, but he had to tell someone.

"I think she's..." His jaw ached. "I don't know, brother. I don't know what's going on in her head. Ever since—"

"Ever since she walked in on you with that bitch at the clubhouse, Skye has changed," said Maverick.

He raised his head and nodded. "Yeah."

"Brooke has said the same thing."

"I'm worried about her." Dio straightened. "She can't be coming over here when she's acting like that."

Maverick cleared his throat.

"I'm only human, man." He picked up the bottle and took a drink. "She's a beautiful girl."

Maverick remained quiet. Dio gripped the back of his neck. He was pussy-footing around the truth.

The more Skye was around him, the more he wanted her. All her teasing had him strung up tight. And that couldn't fucking happen. Eventually, hewould explode.

"What are you saying?" Maverick frowned. "Is my daughter safe with you?"