Maverick pointed a finger directly at his chest.
“Give me a fucking explanation I can accept,” he growled through clenched teeth, “or I swear to God I’ll kill you.”
His voice shook with anger as he stepped even closer.
“You were hiding my sister from me all this time?” he shouted. “All because you were trying to protect your goddamn wife from the consequences of what she did?”
His breathing turned rougher with every word.
“You kidnapped my sister and kept her hidden in this damn hospital just to save your fucking wife!”
The fury in his eyes became even darker.
“What? Were you scared Zoe would send her to jail?” Maverick barked harshly. “Scared she’d expose the fact that your wife hit her with a car and almost killed her?”
“It’s not Amara’s fault,” Elias snapped immediately.
He shoved a hard hand against Maverick’s chest and pushed him back roughly before stepping forward himself, fury blazing in his eyes.
“I was trying to save your goddamn ass!” he shouted angrily. “You were injured in the accident. I was trying to help! Zoe is getting better. She’s improving. She’s going to wake up soon.”
“Yeah?” Maverick laughed bitterly, his voice filled with rage. “That’s what you want me to believe, isn’t it? Do you think I’m a fucking fool?”
Before anyone could react, Maverick grabbed Elias by the collar and yanked him forward violently.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he roared in his face. “You and I have been friends for years, and what did you do? You threw away half your damn life for your woman and turned into her servant!”
His grip tightened harder around Elias’s collar.
“You betrayed me for the woman who hurt Zoe!” Maverick barked furiously. “The woman who hit her with a car! And you still married that bitch!”
The very next second—
Elias’s fist slammed hard across Maverick’s face.
The punch landed with enough force to make Maverick stumble backward. Blood immediately burst from the corner of his mouth, and a dark bruise quickly began forming on his cheek.
But Elias was already grabbing Maverick by the collar again before he could steady himself.
He jerked him upright harshly, his expression terrifyingly dark.
“Don’t insult my wife,” Elias growled dangerously.
His jaw tightened as he stared directly into Maverick’s furious eyes.
“I’m telling you, she had nothing to do with it.”
His voice lowered coldly.
“And I have proof.”
He shoved Maverick back roughly.
“If you were smart enough to track down your sister, you should’ve been smart enough to look into the evidence too,” Elias snapped, his voice cutting through the tension. “Did you even watch the goddamn footage of that accident? Amara had nothing to do with the accident.”
“She had everything to do with it!” Maverick shot back instantly, stepping forward again like he couldn’t stay still. “Why the hell would her car hit Zoe’s if she wasn’t involved?”
His breathing grew heavier with fury, shoulders tense, fists curling at his sides.
