He hit pause almost immediately. ‘Maverick changed these lyrics,’ he stated.
Nina nodded. ‘Yeah. I’ve listened to this song like a billion times now. It’s keeping me going.’
‘Girl.’
Nina nodded. ‘I know. You don’t have to tell me. I know.’
So, Markus didn’t. He went and sat beside where she’d plopped on the sofa, took her hand in his, and hit play again. And then simply sat by her side and listened to George Strait sing ‘Run’.
Chapter 27
At noon, Maverick pulled up to Amanda Black’s address. Though the assistant chief had refused to give him any of her details, whoever Sierra’s friend in the LAPD was hadn’t been quite as discreet.
He looked at the house for one long moment, knowing that what he was about to do wasn’t smart. Hell, it wasn’t even fair. The last thing he ever wanted to do was make another woman feel unsafe. But he had to try. For Nina.
The house was a small but neat hacienda style in East Hollywood. There was a red front door and flower beds full of flowers lining the pathway up to the porch. It was cheery. Homey.
He got out of the Jeep and walked to the front door, steeling himself for the rejection.
A dog started barking from inside the house, and before he’d even pressed the doorbell, a woman stepped out onto the porch.
She was small and blonde, only a fraction taller than Nina. Her eyes sized him up, not warily, but questioningly. ‘Can I help you?’
‘Amanda Black?’
‘Yes.’
Mav exhaled a deep breath. He didn’t know what to say, or how to start. All he knew to be true was that he loved Nina and would do anything for her, so he started with: ‘Have you heard the news about Nina Keller?’
Amanda’s eyes cooled immediately. ‘I have no comment.’ She turned to go.
‘I’m not media!’ he called after her, but he didn’t follow. He stayed well away from her front porch because he didn’t want to scare her. ‘I’m dating Nina.’ And because that wasn’t exactly true, he corrected with: ‘I’m in love with her.’
That seemed to give her pause. Amanda stopped at her door and turned to face him. ‘Look, I read about what happened – about what Alexander Cane said about her.’ She laughed bitterly. ‘Only an idiot would believe that bullshit. But I’m sorry. I can’t help you. Legally.’
‘You signed an NDA?’
She was silent for a long moment before ceding, ‘I settled the matter privately.’ She ran one hand through her long, blonde hair. ‘Not a day goes by that I wish I hadn’t. But I can’t take it back.’
‘I would never ask you to. I’ve seen how it weighs on Nina, and I understand that sometimes it’s easier to just let go. I just … I’m looking for something –anything– that might help. I promise that I will only share the information you give me with Nina’s attorney, and that she will keep your identity confidential if that’s what you want.’
Her blue eyes raked over him. ‘Why? Why would I trust you?’ she asked.
For Mav the answer was easy. ‘Because I love a woman who’s living what you lived through, and I would never do anything to hurt her, and – by default – hurt you. BecauseI know. I’ve seen the terror and despair and hopelessness.’
She nodded, though she remained stoic.
From somewhere inside, a little boy called, ‘Mom!’
Amanda Black glanced back at her house. She was quiet for a long moment.
Maverick held his breath.
‘Look, I won’t promise anything. But if you give me Nina’s lawyer’s details, I’ll reach out and speak to her confidentially. That’s all I can give you.’
Maverick felt a small glimmer of hope. ‘Thank you.’ He took out his phone and pulled up Linda Patton’s cell number. He rattled it off as she plugged it into her phone, and when he was done, he added, ‘Let me give you mine too.’ When she just stared at him, he explained, ‘Nina … She struggles to tell me everything. But if you ever feel like you need to talk to someone who’s been through what you’ve been through … I’ll ask her. I think it would help both of you, you know. To not feel so alone.’
Amanda didn’t speak. Her eyes shone with unshed tears. But after a long moment, she nodded, and Maverick gave his number.
