Don’t Make Me Beg Now Baby
Chapter 5 - Highway Tune
Chapter warnings: alcohol, swearing, asshole men (again)
As always, this is for @st-brigids-brew aka the love of my life who makes a sneaky guest star in this chapter under a pseudonym
Thank you to everyone who is reading this and sending me love. You all have been such a bright spot in my life and I’m very grateful.
Read on Ao3 | Masterlist
The roaring of the truck engine in the distance got louder and louder. The party-goers had started to hoot and holler as the sound got closer and closer to the group. The tree line in the distance was too dense to see the truck properly at first, but the boys watched as headlights flickered through the trees, accelerating faster and faster. The smooth sounds of the truck shifting, and then accelerating again reverberated across the open field.
Suddenly the nose of a lifted orange Chevy pickup popped out from behind the trees before taking a hard left, drifting slightly as it took the corner into the field. The crowd gathered for the bonfire turned out toward the worn dirt pathway that curved around the field as Maven careened closer.
All four Greta men looked on in shock as Maven quickly downshifted and flung the truck to the right, drifting into a perfect donut and revving the engine as the truck whipped around three times, kicking up dirt. Callie was cackling where she stood between Levi and Josh, nearly keeling over with laughter. Levi didn’t look shocked at all, just slightly exasperated as he put his forehead in his palm and shook his head.
Maven finally let off the gas and the truck skidded to a stop with the driver's side facing the party goers and the bonfire. She rolled down the window and stuck her head out. Maven had the biggest smile on her face as she locked eyes with Callie. Callie had barely calmed down from her first laughing fit when the two of them burst into giggles upon making eye contact.
“Someone toss me a beer!” Maven shouted. The whole party was wild with laughter and cheers as someone lobbed a Miller Lite into Maven’s outstretched hand.
Levi and the boys walked up to the truck window as Maven popped the tab on her Miller. “What’s up boys?” Maven called, a megawatt smile nearly blinding them all. “How’s the party?”
“It seems you brought it with you.” Sam called back.
“His truck, Maven?” Levi asked, exasperated.
Maven simply shrugged, taking another long sip of her beer before saying “It’s just a little joyride. He can have it back when I’m done.”
“Uh oh! Incoming!” Someone shouted. Maven quickly looked in her rearview mirror and spotted another lifted truck careening into the field, significantly less in control than her entrance.
Maven’s face broke into a devious smile. She leaned a little bit out of the truck and extended her hand toward Jake. “Hold my beer.” Jake laughed as he reached out to take the can from Maven. There was a brief moment when their fingers touched as the can passed between them. Maven winked at him as she pulled her hand away. Jake’s heart rate picked up in his chest as he watched her push the truck into first gear and rev the engine a bit.
“Let’s have some FUN!” Maven shouted as she punched the gas, flinging the truck onto the rough dirt track path that crisscrossed the field. Maven floored it, whipping around the corners of the track and flinging dirt everywhere. The adrenaline thumping through her body caused her hands to start to tingle. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. Her breaths were coming fast and the wind tearing through the open windows whipped her hair around her head.
She felt so good and so alive. Fuck Mason, but she could almost thank him for this opportunity. This was the best thing she’d done in a long time.
She glanced at her rearview and noticed that Mason had taken his truck onto the dirt track to chase her. She let her right foot fall heavier on the gas as she quickly punched in the clutch to downshift back to third gear, the deep bellow of the Chevy engine increasing as the rev limiter started redlining. She tore away from him, eating up the track as she took corners faster. She whipped past her starting point again and she heard whoops and cheers. From the quick glimpse she got, the boys were sitting in the tailgate of someone else's pickup watching the show.
Well, she thought, better give them a really good one.
When she checked Mason’s status behind her again, she realized he had pulled off the track right by where the group gathered. Sore loser. He had jumped out of his truck and was standing next to the dirt track with his hands on his hips and murder in his eyes.
It just made Maven cackle.
She whipped off the worn track and toward the middle of the field before whipping the truck into donuts again. Revving the engine over and over as she spun and spun. She felt high. She felt dizzy. She felt so alive.
She finally let off the gas and let the truck's momentum carry her to a skidding stop, basically parallel parking it next to Mason’s other truck. She ripped the keys out of the ignition and hopped down from the cab. She sauntered toward where Levi and the boys sat, swinging her hips and throwing her shoulders back. She was putting on a show after all. Mason came storming across the field toward her and she couldn’t help but chuckle.
She held up her hand toward the boys and said “Toss me a fresh beer.” Danny lobbed another Miller toward her, which she caught in her right hand. She used the keys from the truck to stab a hole in the bottom. She then tossed the keys over her shoulder, calling “Thanks for the ride” in Mason’s direction.
She heard Mason curse, the keys hitting the dirt behind her somewhere, as she lifted the beer to her face. She spun around and made eye contact with Mason as she popped the tab. She sucked down the entire beer as Mason just kept trudging toward her. She wiggled her eyebrows at him, releasing a loud “ahhh” after she finished swallowing. Her adrenaline must have helped her shotgun it because she’d never been able to finish a whole one before, let alone that fast. She tossed the can in the direction of the large trash bin near the fire, just narrowly missing the lip.
“You crazy fucking bitch.” Mason spat at her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“Drinking a beer. What are you doing?” Maven quipped.
Mason’s face had gone all blotchy red. “Don’t fucking be cute with me. You stole my fucking truck!”
Maven rolled her eyes at Mason exaggeratedly before responding calmly. “Correction, I borrowed your truck. Aren’t those the keys in your hand?”
The whole party had gone mostly quiet to watch the exchange. Everyone was sipping beers and choking back laughter at Mason’s expense. There only seemed to be one or two local guys who were on his side, along with a little brunette standing near his truck who looked very uncomfortable.
Poor girl. Maven thought. Not her fault she got dragged into this.
Maven spun around to reach for the half finished beer she’d handed Jake earlier when she felt a hand wrap around her bicep like steel. Mason whipped her body around, causing her head and neck to lash back and forth a bit with his force. “Don’t fucking turn away from me.” He spit in her face.
All four boys and Levi immediately jumped off the bed of the truck and stalked forward toward him. “Take your hands off her.” Jake demanded, his voice low and calm. Mason removed his hand and shifted on his feet a little. The boys were still walking forward but Maven held out her left arm and Jake halted when her forearm came in contact with his sternum.
Maven sighed heavily and turned her focus on Mason, crossing her arms over her chest. She’d been rattled for a moment. But, having Jake just over her left shoulder, Danny over her right, with Sam and Josh flanking them and Levi standing right behind her… her god complex kicked back in.
“You should see your face right now.” She murmured low to Mason, a ruthless laugh bubbling up from her chest. “I really have nothing to say to you so you should probably just get in your truck and leave.”
“What the fuck Maven?” He breathed. “Why did you even take my truck?”
Maven dropped her head back and laughed. “Because I felt like it, Mason. Because I walked in on you taking a little joyride in bed with someone else and decided I wanted to go on a joyride too.”
A few folks around the circle gasped, having finally connected the dots. Mason sputtered. “Why were you mad about that?”
Maven barked out a laugh. “Why? You really want to ask me that? You, the person who practically begged me to be exclusive when I was fine with just going our separate ways? You’re seriously going to ask me why I maybe got a little upset when I found out you weren’t following your own rules?”
“Why did that matter to you?” Mason shouted. “You were clearly fucking Jake behind my back so I just figured I could have some fun too.”
Out of the corner of Maven’s eye, she saw Jake clench his jaw tight, grinding his molars together. The boys all shifted uncomfortably at the false accusation, waiting to see who might throw the first punch. Maven was struck dumb. This was all because of what he assumed happened in the loft.
“I don’t know why I even bothered with you.” Mason continued to dig his own grave. “Band boys are clearly your type, given your history.”
There were gasps around the circle. All at once, Danny and Jake flinched forward, fists rising.
But Maven beat them to it.
The loud crack of a slap echoed across the field as everyone went silent. The fire crackling was the only sound left for a few moments.
“Maven I--” Mason started, suddenly sheepish.
“Never fucking speak to me again.” Maven hissed.
“Maven, that was fucked up. I’m sorry.” Mason tried reaching for her arm again. This time Jake’s hand clamped around his forearm tightly, stopping his forward momentum before shoving him backward. Mason stumbled back a few steps before speaking again. “That was out of line, I know--”
“The thing is Mason,” Maven started, tone casual, “I genuinely kind of don’t give a shit what you think of me. I wasn’t that into you in the first place. I only said yes to dating you because I couldn’t think of a good reason to say no. It’s not like you’re some incredible prince charming who swept me off my feet. You were an average lay, at best.” Maven glanced over his shoulder at the little brunette who stared wide eyed back at her. “I’m sorry I interrupted you earlier, but it’s not like he would have gotten you to finish anyway. My recommendation? Catch another ride home. He’s not worth your time.” Maven’s eyes sliced back to Mason, who’s whole neck and face were flushed bright red. “And you. I suggest you get out of here before I really hurt your feelings. I’ll apologize for one thing, and one thing only. I never should have said yes to you in the first place.”
Mason just stared at her for a few more moments. Emotions flitted across his face one after the other. Anger, embarrassment, disappointment, sadness. She just smiled a sweet smile at him. One of his buddies finally walked across the circle and said “Let’s go man” softly before dragging him toward his truck. Maven watched them go. A few members of the party stalked off to jump in the other truck to bring it back to Mason’s house. A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth when she saw the brunette asking Callie for a ride home. From across the fire Callie looked at Maven and mouthed. “You okay?” Maven nodded, giving her the okay to take the other girl home.
Cautiously, Jake stepped in front of Maven, reaching both arms out to grab her elbows gently. “You okay?” He asked softly. His eyes tracked back and forth between hers, looking for signs of distress. Maven nodded, a soft grin spread on her face. Before she could chicken out, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face in his chest.
Jake was momentarily frozen, arms stuck straight out behind her. He was sure he was imagining Maven wrapping herself around him. When she took a deep breath, her nose wiggled into his sternum, he finally circled his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in tight. Jake rested his chin on her head, taking a deep breath of Maven’s scent.
They stood there for what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes. The party resumed around them with animated discussions and boisterous laughter.
Maven took another deep breath before pulling back from Jake. His hands lingered a bit on her shoulders before dropping back down. He put one in his pocket and the other swept up to run through his hair. “Sorry.” Maven sighed. “I just really needed that.”
“No problem. Hug me anytime.” Jake said back, flushing and looking at his toes when he noticed the slightly desperate tone of his own voice.
“I’m sorry that he implied--”
“I told you not to apologize for him.” Jake interrupted.
“I know, I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable--”
“I’m not. It’s okay, Mave.” Jake smiled softly at her. She flushed at the nickname and looked at her toes. They stood in silence for a few moments, both grappling for something to say. Just then Sammy approached them.
“Well hot damn girl, you sure can drive.” He finally handed Maven her half finished beer from earlier. Maven flushed even brighter as she took a sip, shrugging her shoulders dismissively.
“That was pretty insane.” Jake found his voice again. “Where’d you learn to drive like that?”
“My Dad.” Maven smiled softly to herself. “He started having me fly around in golf carts and ATVs before I could even really reach the pedals. Definitely wasn’t my first time flying around in a suped up truck. I learned to drive stick on a truck just like that.” Maven sucked down the rest of her beer quickly before turning toward the coolers. “I’m gonna go grab another, anyone want anything?”
Danny started to say yes, but Sammy slapped his hand into his sternum to shut him up. “Nope we’re good.”
Maven eyed them both suspiciously, muttering “Ooookkaaayy” before sauntering toward the coolers. After she’d turned her back, Sammy spun on Jake and gave him a significant look. Jake paused with his beer halfway to his mouth. “What?”
Sam gestured wildly in the direction of Maven’s retreating form. She was headed toward a section of coolers set away from the fires, a quiet spot where no one else was standing at the moment. Jake slid his eyes back to Sam’s and raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, you oblivious man. Go get me a claw.” Sam said, slapping Jake on the back.
“Why can’t you get it?” Jake asked incredulously.
“My legs are broken.” Sam said simply, before turning and walking in the other direction. “Come on Dan. Let’s see if those dudes will let us ride their dirt bikes.”
Jake groaned to himself before walking over toward where Maven was digging through a cooler.
“Can you grab me a white claw while you’re in there, for Sam?” Jake called.
“Flavor?” Maven tossed over her shoulder.
“Whatever you think is the grossest one.”
Maven chuckled. “What’d he do this time?”
“He’s my little brother, does there have to be a reason?”
“Touche.”
She reached in and pulled out a black cherry White Claw before tossing it at Jake. “Just my personal opinion.”
“Understandable.” He chuckled.
Jake watched her as she dug around a bit in the cooler, trying to decide on her next drink. He tried to think of something to say. Literally anything that would start the conversation between them again, but after a while of watching he was too nervous and self conscious to think of something to say. He spun on his heel and sauntered toward where Sam and Dan were climbing onto dirt bikes. Sam frowned as he saw Jake approach. “What the hell are you doing?” he hissed.
“What?” Jake responded, handing him his white claw. “You said you wanted another, so I got you one.”
Sammy rolled his eyes dramatically. When his eyes landed on Jake again, they jumped over his shoulder where he saw Maven approaching the group, and then back to Jake. Sammy broke into a devious grin before hopping off the dirt bike, muttering “Let’s have some fun.” Jake furrowed his brow in confusion at Sam’s sudden shift in attitude. He should have known he was up to no good at that point, but it wasn’t until he heard “Maven! Take a shot with me!” that it really hit him.
Jake heard Maven’s warm giggle bubble up from behind him. When he turned around, Sammy had his arm thrown over her shoulder as they walked toward where the liquor was sitting next to the coolers. Jake glanced at Danny who just shrugged. It was a gesture Jake saw a lot. It meant approximately “He’s Sammy, who knows what he’s up to.”
Jake watched from across the fire as Maven took a huge pull from a bottle of tequila before handing it to Sam, who did the same. Maven spluttered and cackled at something Sam said, leaning forward and grabbing onto Sam’s arm for support.
There was a small pit of jealousy in Jake’s stomach as he followed Danny toward the two of them.
~0~
An hour and a half later, Maven was hammered. She didn’t really know when she’d crossed the threshold from tipsy to stumbling, but she was having way too much fun to care. She was wedged between Josh and Sam on a log around the fire, giggling as they bickered about a song. She couldn’t quite remember if they were fighting about one of theirs or someone else's, but their repartee was so funny she didn’t care.
“That statement is based entirely on opinion Sam, why don’t you offer me some facts!”
“Facts are subjective! I’m just trying to be realistic.”
Maven could barely keep up, but she felt the muscles of her cheeks twinge with how long she’d been smiling. The day could have definitely been a disaster, especially after walking in on Mason, but it had actually turned out for the better. She was drunk in a field with her friends instead of home with a guy she was only kind of interested in.
Her hazy eyes drifted over the collected party, her perma-smile was stuck on her face. When she caught a glimpse of Jake, standing off to the side in a conversation with Levi and another man she didn’t know, her smile softened and a slight blush tinged her cheeks.
Maven was so glad he had been here tonight. There was something about him that instantly calmed her down. He’d held her so tightly earlier, like he could tell she just needed something to hang on to for a second, to ground her again. She had been flying, high on adrenaline from the moment she had cracked the door to Mason’s bedroom.
She knew she shouldn’t open the door. She wasn’t an idiot, she could tell what she was going to find based on the women’s shoes at the front door and the jackets thrown haphazardly on the furniture. She couldn’t hear them exactly, but it’s like she could feel the tension of the moment she was about to break, so she’d opened the door to the bedroom and saw them tangled up together.
She hadn’t felt much of anything, which was the real reason why she’d freaked out in the first place. She’d panicked, more at herself than Mason. Sure, it was a little humiliating to see the person who she was supposed to be dating tangled with someone else, but that wasn’t what struck her.
When she opened that door, the first thing she thought of was Jake.
She thought of the way he’d looked at her when she had explained her indifference about Mason in the loft. She was embarrassed that she’d wasted her time on someone like Mason, and Jake knew it. The look he’d given her was almost disappointment, but also full of concern and a touch of something else she couldn’t place. Frustration maybe, if she had to put a word on it.
Mason had been saying something to her. Probably like “what the fuck?” or some bullshit line about how it “wasn’t what it looks like.” She didn’t hear any of it, she had simply turned and hurried back through his house and toward the front door. Grabbing the keys to his truck had been an afterthought. She’d walked to his house in hopes for a ride to the party, and now she needed a ride. She’d numbly climbed into the truck, her hands tingling, when finally the adrenaline kicked in. She assumed it was a delayed shock response, but once the blood rushed in her ears and the roar of the engine drowned out her thoughts, she hadn’t looked back as she’d gunned it toward the party.
It wasn’t until Jake’s arms had wrapped around her that she finally crash landed back on earth. And now, in her warm and fuzzy state, she wanted him to ground her again.
She was up and wandering toward him before she was consciously aware of what she was doing.
Jake’s back was turned to her, so she was able to sneak up on him and slip her arms under his to wrap around his torso. He tensed momentarily when he felt her arms go around him, but relaxed when he registered who was touching him.
“Hey there.” He murmured, chuckling a little as he felt Maven bury her nose into the place between his shoulder blades. “You okay?”
“Mmmhmmm.” Maven mumbled, taking a deep breath of his scent. Jake smelled like worn leather, campfire and Old Spice. She wanted to drown in it.
Jake brought his hands up to settle over where Maven’s were clasped at his sternum, dragging his thumb over the back of her hand.
“Did Sammy get you plastered?” Jake murmured. Levi and the other man looked on in amusement as Jake spun a bit in Maven’s embrace to get a better look at her face. As he turned, Maven’s balance teetered and she started to careen a bit to the side, tripping over the doc martens on her feet. “Whoa whoa whoa.” Jake said, snagging his arms tighter around her and securing her to his side.
Maven giggled and then hiccuped, burying her face against Jake again, this time the crook of his neck. Jake heard her mumble something he couldn’t quite make out, he thought he heard the word “safe.” “What, Mave?” He leaned down a bit so his ear was closer to her mouth.
“You’ll keep me safe.” Maven mumbled. “So sleepy Jakey.”
Jake felt a little twinge in his chest. He didn’t know which part of those mumbled words made it happen, but he didn’t have time to unpack it. He rubbed Maven’s back, turning his head toward where Levi stood. “I think it’s time to get someone home.”
Levi, who had offered to DD them all, nodded his head. “You get her to the truck, I’ll get the other boys.”
Jake nodded before adjusting his hold on Maven so she was propped up against his shoulder. “Alright mamas, let’s get you home.” Jake grunted as he shifted most of her weight onto him as he steered her toward the car.
“I had so much fun tonight!” Maven slurred excitedly as they walked. “Sammy is so funny.”
“Yes he is.” Jake agreed. He loved his brother, but he wanted to throttle him for letting Maven get this drunk and not monitoring her. When Jake finally got Maven by the truck, he leaned her against the rear wheel well for a moment so he could pop open the back door. He was debating how to get her into the truck when Levi’s voice spoke from behind him. “You two sit up front. She gets really car sick and it’s worse when she’s drunk. The front windshield helps. You get in and I’ll hand her to you.”
Jake climbed into the passenger's seat, and then reached out to help maneuver Maven’s limbs onto his lap. She was sniffing softly and kept saying “sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Shhh.” Jake whispered, brushing some of her hair back from her face. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” Maven closed her eyes and rested her head on Jake’s chest, sighing deeply before going still.
Jake caught Sam’s eye as the other three piled into the back. Sam was definitely hammered, but able to use his own two feet at least. “Why did you leave her alone, Sam?”
“I didn’t.” Sam piped up, one finger in the air to make his point. “I saw her get up and was going to follow until I saw she was headed toward you. I figured you were a safe bet.” Jake just rolled his eyes.
The car ride back to Maven’s apartment was short and quiet. The radio was playing classic rock that everyone was softly jamming to. Maven seemed mostly dead to the world, but halfway through she stirred and sat up, looking back toward the men in the backseat.
“Can we go to the arcade tomorrow?” Maven slurred.
“What?” Came the chorus from the back.
“The arcade!” Maven emphasized. “Can we pretty please go tomorrow and play some games? I love it there and they have such good beer and you guys would love it too I swear.” Maven took a deep breath before turning her blurry gaze on Levi and pouting out her bottom lip. “Can we please?”
“Yes, Maven.” Levi laughed. “We will go to the pinball arcade tomorrow.”
“Yay!” Maven exclaimed, clapping her hands and bouncing a bit on Jake’s lap. Jake swallowed and clenched his teeth a bit, adjusting his hands on Maven’s hips to keep her still. “I love that place.”
After that, Maven let her head plop back down on Jake’s shoulder and she didn’t move until they arrived at her apartment complex.
“Someone should bring her up.” Levi said, reaching for his seatbelt.
“I got her.” Jake said, popping open the door to the truck and lifting Maven out onto her feet before sliding out after her.
Walking Maven to the front door of her building was filled with giggles and Maven breathlessly begging Jake to slow down. “My feet aren’t working!” Jake couldn’t help but laugh along with her.
“Here.” He finally said. “Just get on my back.”
Maven pouted, giving him a forlorn look before slurring “I’ll crush you.” Jake rolled his eyes. “You will not crush me, just hop on.”
Maven gingerly (or as gingerly as she could in her inebriated state) hopped onto Jake’s back, her arms circling around his neck. He took the keys from her hand and opened the front door, and carried her all the way to the elevator before setting her down. They stood quietly as they waited for it to reach the ground floor. Maven’s arms wrapped around his torso, her head buried in his neck. He ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly, staring at the distorted reflection of them in the silver elevator doors.
Once he finally got her upstairs and through the door of her apartment, she flopped down on her couch. Jake gave Stacy a few pets before she curled up next to Maven on the couch and closed her eyes. He wandered into the kitchen to grab her a glass of water.
He’d never been to her apartment before, but it looked exactly like what he assumed it would after seeing how she decorated the loft. There was barely a clean spare inch anywhere. There were posters, paintings, tapestries, antique mirrors and musical instruments hung on every wall. The eclectic furniture pieces were rich in pattern and color, and every inch was covered in candles, incense, ashtrays, plants, books, coffee mugs, wine glasses and beer bottles.
The kitchen was clearly well loved. He noticed lots of high end kitchen appliances and cast iron skillets. There were bins of fresh made cookies and a box of homemade bread on the counter. The dishwasher hummed softly in the silence. He quickly poured her a large glass of water before walking back into the living room. He sat on a small ottoman in front of her and shook her shoulders a bit to get her to open her eyes. “You should drink this.” He handed her the glass, which she took and drank down greedily. Once she finished he took it from her and placed it on the end table next to the couch. “Let's get you to bed, yeah?”
Maven nodded, standing on wobbly legs and stumbling toward the bedroom. Jake cautiously followed her. He wanted to make sure she was safe and taken care of, but a bedroom was personal space. Not to mention he didn’t want to cross any lines while she got ready for bed. His need to make sure she didn’t fall and crack her head open outweighed anxiety, so he followed her into her room.
Her room was the same as the rest of the apartment. Bursting with color and clutter, however, the art and photographs on the wall here were more personal. He saw a few black and white prints of Maven in the store that he assumed Levi took. One where she was sitting behind the counter, laughing with a cup of coffee in her hand, and another wider shot of her climbing a ladder with a guitar in her hand. There were a few with who he assumed were her parents, along with a couple framed shots of her and Levi. He smiled when he spotted a few polaroid's they’d taken on their boating day. There was one of Jake, Josh and Danny all holding up Sammy between them. One of Danny and Josh, both of their wild hair flying in the wind at the back of the boat. And one of him, holding Stacy like a baby in his arms. Josh had snapped the photo, and you could see Jake’s eyes weren’t on the camera but somewhere to the left and behind it. His sunshine grin pointed in Maven’s direction, instead of his twins.
Jake watched as Maven stumbled to her vanity, pulling out a makeup wipe and then flopping on her bed, wiping off her makeup. He sat in her desk chair, swiveling it to watch as she scrubbed at her face and then tossed the wipe on the floor next to the bed.
“Do you need anything else?” Jake asked quietly. Maven sat up in bed and stared at him for a moment. Then she stood and climbed back onto Jake’s lap, straddling him and burying her face in his neck. “Whoa, you okay?”
“Mmmmhmmm.” Maven mumbled. “Just anxious.”
Jake smoothed his hand over her back. “Why anxious?”
“Embarrassed I guess. About today.” She mumbled again.
Jake scoffed. “You have nothing to be embarrassed for.”
“I just don’t know why those things keep happening to me.” She slurred. “I’m sorry I got so drunk.”
“Stop it.” Jake said, tangling his hand in her hair at the nape of her neck and holding her head against him. “It happens. No big deal.”
“I don’t like getting this drunk. I don’t like not being in control.” She muttered, voice wavering a bit. Jake’s heart slammed in his chest, cold rage and sorrow slicing through his stomach. He was definitely going to help Danny kill Ryan of Undercover Heart if they ever got the chance.
“You’re okay.” Jake whispered. “No one’s gonna hurt you, I swear.”
“I know.” Maven sighed. “You make me feel safe.”
Jake squeezed Maven slightly against his chest. “I’m glad.”
Jake felt Maven shift, and tensed when he felt the soft press of her lips against the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Her hands swept down his chest and slipped under his shirt where he’d left it unbuttoned. He quickly leaned back, snagged Maven’s wrists and stopped her momentum. “Alright, time for bed missy.”
Maven pouted at him in the most adorable way and he almost laughed. He was holding his whole body still, trying to control his heart rate and keep both of them calm. “Are you mad at me?” She said softly.
“No mama. The boys are waiting downstairs. I should get going.” Jake stood them both up, gently letting Maven fall back onto her bed. He turned away, averting his eyes as Maven popped open the button on her jeans and started to pull them off. “I’m going to grab you some more water.”
When he returned, Maven was curled under her fluffy comforter in a giant T-shirt with her eyes closed. He pulled the string on her lamp, plunging the room into darkness, before turning to leave.
“You could stay.” Maven mumbled, voice heavy with sleep and liquor.
Jake paused before turning to look at her. She’d already snuggled back down into her blankets, her breathing even. She was probably asleep before she had even really finished her sentence, but he whispered a response anyway.
“Not tonight.”
~0~
When Jake got back outside however, Levi’s truck was nowhere to be seen. Jake cursed a bit under his breath before sliding his hands in his pockets and turning to walk home. He was pleasantly surprised when he found a spliff someone had given him earlier in his pocket. He whipped it out with his lighter and lit the end, shoved his hands in his pockets and started his trek.
~0~
About 45 minutes later he pushed open the door to the boys cabin and stepped into the kitchen. The very end of the spliff still hanging out of his mouth. He’d smoked it slowly on the walk home, savoring it for as long as he could.
He was shocked to find the boys still up, sitting in the living room drinking water and passing a joint around. Sammy had quickly sat up and looked over his shoulder when Jake had walked in. “What the fuck are you doing home?”
“Thanks for waiting.” Jake muttered, toeing off his boots and walking toward where they sat. He dropped the end of his spliff in the ashtray and flopped onto the couch next to Danny, who passed him the joint.
“Sam made Levi leave, I said we should stay but Sammy was quite persistent.” Josh spoke up. “So do not blame anyone but him.”
Jake fixed his eyes on his little brother, raising an eyebrow at him. “Why would you leave?”
“Why didn’t you stay?”
“I don’t know Sam, maybe because someone got Maven so piss drunk she could barely stand on her own.”
Sam flinched. “Well, did anything happen at least?”
“Like what, Sam?” Jake snapped. “Did you honestly expect me to do something tonight? To try something when she was that inebriated? I’m not gonna be like fucking Ryan…” Jake trailed off, passing the joint to Josh to continue to rotation.
Sam flinched again. “Okay, I didn’t mean that. I just thought you would have time alone. I don’t know…you could have hinted at something.”
“It’s never going to work, Sam.” Jake sighed. “Just let it go.”
Sam opened his mouth to say something again, but a sharp look from Danny shut him up. He huffed, standing up from his spot on the couch throwing one last remark over his shoulder as he walked toward his bedroom.
“Well, your loss then.”
~0~
Maven woke up at what she assumed to be around six in the morning based on the angle of the light coming through the slats in her curtains. Her brain felt like it was pounding so hard it might split her skull, and when she shifted a bit in bed her stomach lurched. She rolled over, squinting her eyes open. When she saw what was on her nightstand she nearly cried.
There was a large glass of water, a bottle of Gatorade, two Tylenol, a lighter and a joint. Next to them was a small scrap of notebook paper with scrawling script on it. She reached out slowly and picked up the note, pulling it closer so her blurry vision could focus on the words.
Please consume upon waking. The recommended order is joint, water, Tylenol then Gatorade. Then either more sleep or greasy food. Text me if you want me to bring you anything when you wake up.
-Jake
P.S. If you can stand on your own two feet tomorrow, we should definitely go to the pinball arcade. Just let us know.
There were tears dripping out of Maven’s eyes, and she honestly couldn’t say whether it was from her hangover, her embarrassment of her behavior yesterday or the note. It was probably a giant mash of all three.
She sat up gingerly, snagged the joint and lit it. Between hits she started alternating choking down Gatorade and water. She also popped the two Tylenol, having to take a long drag afterward to keep the nausea at bay.
Right before she fell back asleep, she snagged her phone, snapped a selfie and shot it off before passing out.
~0~
Jake stirred when he heard his phone buzz on the table next to him. He normally turned it off at night, but he’d left it on last night. He worried Maven might need him in the middle of the night, so he’d kept it on loud.
He rolled over, noticing the alarm on his bedside table said 6:23am. He squinted at his phone, the brightness burning his eyes until he turned it down. A sleepy grin stretched over his face when he opened the pic Maven sent him.
It was an adorable selfie, although she probably thought she looked ugly. Her hair was rumpled, her eyes swollen and half shut and the joint he’d quickly rolled her last night hung off her lips. The photo was accompanied by a text.
Tell your brother I hate him.
Jake shot a text back before laying back down to try to get a couple hours more of sleep.
I’ll be over with breakfast sandwiches and a bloody mary whenever you wake up again.
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