Page 53 of King of Pride

She paused before adding more softly, “I’ll be waiting here for you.”

Something in Maverick’s expression softened.

His eyes lingered on her face, clearly pleased by her words. Then, without saying anything else, he leaned down and kissed her.

Rose startled.

The kiss was brief this time. Maverick didn’t linger or deepen it. His lips remained against hers for only a moment before he pulled away.

Then he turned and walked toward the door.

Rose and Zoe watched him disappear from view. A moment later, the front door closed behind him.

Silence settled over the house.

Rose and Zoe stared at each other.

Then Rose finally let out a helpless cry and collapsed against Zoe’s shoulder.

“Oh my God. I was scared out of my fucking mind. Your brother is so intimidating and scary. I can’t even tell you how terrified I was.”

Chapter 8 Jessica

Zoe immediately patted her back.

“I know. I know.”

She guided Rose toward the couch and helped her sit down before settling beside her.

Once they were comfortable, Rose finally began telling Zoe everything that had happened after she left the party.

She told her about the misunderstanding, about Josh, and about how she had somehow ended up in bed with Maverick instead.

She described how everything spiraled out of control, her heart racing as she recalled the events leading up to Zoe’s unexpected return, carefully omitting only the details of her second wild sex session with her brother that had taken place that morning.

Zoe sat there with a thoughtful look on her face, her brows drawn together as her eyes narrowed in concentration. She looked as though she were trying to piece together what the hell had gone wrong.

After a moment, she turned toward Rose.

“I keep wondering… who sent that photograph of you and my brother kissing to your dad?”

Rose blinked.

“Who the hell would stalk you, take a picture of you, and then send it to your father anonymously?” Zoe continued, clearly baffled. “And how did they even get your dad’s number? It’s not like he goes around giving it to random people. His number is extremely private. Hell, I don’t even have it. So how did someone just happen to have it and send him that photograph?”

Rose’s expression slowly changed.

“You mean someone is plotting against me?”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, her mind already racing through the possibilities.

Then, after a moment of thought, she lowered her voice.

“Is your brother behind this? Does he have some ulterior motive?”

Zoe stared at her for a second before immediately shaking her head.

“That’s not possible. My brother is very straightforward about what he wants. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He doesn’t play shady games. If he wants something, he simply takes it.”