Bounded Passion

eaceful condo, a very dif

pay again. It's like he wants you to collect the

ounting bundles of cash. The bills were stacked high-each one inten

y, "Give him one more warning. If he still doe

cussing the weather. Dean didn't react. He knew Maverick's nature too wel

lining up the stacks with precision.

't given out his personal number in a long time-not even to his most truste

phone buzzed again. Another mess

timing-and maybe a strange feel

Maverick suddenly

Boss? Is some

t his movements were quick and sharp. He pointed to th

ghtly. Maverick was pacing now, one hand rubbing t

ng wasn

tried again

"Have you given anyone my

ss. Nev

g. Forg

carefully. Maverick rarely showed emotion-yet here he was,

screen. This time, the m

fro

as he read the w

onfusion as Maver

fast I'm getting dizzy. C

dn't answer

e," he finally sa

now? Nice!" Dean joked, rais

, his face serious. "Don't jo

ss! I thought-never mind. What did

N

at? Who

ed. Then, without a word, he tossed

nted at t

ach other again?" he read out loud,

wly looked u

d softly. "Bos

t the wall-his thoughts racing, his heart

but deep down, he already ha

averick suddenly shouted,

boss's outburst. He slowly lo

ike something from a girlfrie

averick snapped again, his bro

onfusion. "Then w

Do you think I'd be acting like this if I knew who it was? Tra

on the table and packing it tightly into two large attaché cases. Once they were filled, he secured th

He wasn't used to this-feeling thrown off by something so small. But that message had hit a

stepped out of the vault, Mav

car. I'm

, Boss? The

" Maverick growled, alre

Got it," Dean said,

n followed Dean to the car. The sky was already starting to dar

h inside the vehicle, "I sent the number to Sy

updates. I want to know

, Bo

his phone tightly. His eyes kept flicking down to the screen, hoping for another me

him more

ilding, Dean parked near the e

Boss? Should I come pick

averick replied, o

e and grinned. "No wandering off,

ou out alone, you're dead," Maverick sa

hed the back of his head. "Geez, B

walked away and entered the buildin

ticed was the silence. The lights were on, but

when he reached the dining table. H

for him. Neatly placed were a bowl of pesto pasta. A dish of

loud in a quiet vo

dn't usually leave notes like that. Still, he shrugged i

e smell alone was inviting, but when he took t

... de

much-but now, he co

d into two... then

back in his chair, the

otless. The air smelled faintly floral. Even the clutter

as happening, but som

a mile today?' He wasn't sure. But he was too

the living room, stretching his arms as he yawned. A f

he opened the

locked on

one lying ther

wasn't

s Ros