The Next Chapter: Twisted Series Next Generation

Chapter 58: Maverick Harper

A strange animosity fills the air the moment I step into the penthouse.

Vacant. Again.

What was the point of even buying a building if none of them chose to live here? As much as the peace and quiet provides solace for me, there is something strange going on that nobody feels the need to fill me in on.

Like I care.

"Maverick."

My body jolts at the sound of my name in a gruff tone. The widening of my eyes as I turn around in a firm stance, ready to face whoever the abrupt presence is.

Only to see Jeremy standing there, a normal stoic expression plastered on his face as he stares at me with piercing eyes.

"For someone so big, you walk like a cat."

He remains unamused. Tough crowd.

Pressing my fist to my mouth as I clear my throat, my gaze lifts to meet his as I cross my arms over my chest. "You would tell me if you wanted to murder me right?" His expression is beckoning me into realizing he may be interested in slashing a knife into my neck.

I always believed he would do Sofia before me and I can not help the betrayal that pretends to convey my features.

With no response to my dramatic adherences, he lifts a hand only to rest it on his nape while his gaze diverts. "I need your help."

My brows pinch. "Not Niko's?"

His foot taps with impatience as he struggles to meet my gaze. "This is more your roundhouse." Muttering out while he runs his palm over his clean shaven jaw. "Help me pick out an outfit."

For a moment it was like the air was sucked clean right out of me. My hands fall and my bag drops from my grip as disbelief tightens its hands on my expression.

Am I dreaming?

A man who has stayed committed to outfits of bland shirts and even blander jeans, he comes to me with help to create a new.

Jeremy Chen is letting me pick his outfit before flying cars were invented.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He speaks in frustration as a glower covers his face.

Snapping back into my senses as my eyes widen and I wave my hands as white flags. "You cannot fault me for being shocked. I've seen you in nothing but a black t-shirt for the past year."

That does nothing to alleviate the narrowness of his harsh features as his jaw clenches. "Yeah well pigs fly now apparently. Look it's nothing serious but it's to go meet a girl."

You could hear a pin drop, or in other words a pin that is a metaphor for my shock. Two for two.

The last time I saw Jeremy with a woman, it was his Mother. I was not even aware his vocal cords worked in the presence of a woman who was not related to him.

"Maverick." He growls out at my silence again. "Can you help me or not?"

"I'm sorry but we're glossing over the fact that you have a date?"

A frustrated breath escapes him. "It isn't a date, just catching up with a girl from high school. But stupid Sofia got into my head about it so now I feel like I have to do something and put effort in."

"Sooo, you in no way have feelings for this woman?"

He glares at me. "No, am I not allowed to put effort in anything?

"I've never seen you do so."

"Maverick."

A smile threatens my lips. "Yeah yeah I'll help. Show me what you got to work with."

His feet do not move, he remains frozen as he continues to rub his nape. "Actually uh that's the thing. I realized over the years that I continuously bought clothes that looked the same. So I don't particularly have a variety and in this case I uh." He trails off before clearing his throat. "Can I borrow some clothes?"

Surprise pinches my brows. "You wanna wear a suit?"

He immediately glares at me. "I'm not a lunatic, no. Do you seriously have nothing besides suits?"

I click my tongue at him. "That's insulting. I'm the son of a fashion designer. Unlike your bland disposition, I don't shy away from multifariousness." It suddenly hits me why he was hesitant to ask about my clothes, only leading to frustration ruining my mood.

My stupid OCD. He thinks he might trigger it.

As kind as that is of him, especially as he did not make an insane effort to make me feel fragile about it, it still angers me.

"Yeah yeah you can borrow my clothes." I manage out as I wave my hand at him. "Only if you answer my questions."

He lifts his gaze to meet mine as his arms crossed over his broad chest. "Listening."

"What's going on with my siblings? Both of them. Why is Callum never staying a night here and why is Dahlia determined to wipe away her personality?"

Not a single movement occurs from him to my dismay, the only thing I notice is him scratching his jaw. "Don't know why you think I'd know anything about your siblings. Dahlia and I speak once in a blue moon."

I smooth a hand over my jacket. "Yeah but you and Callum are best friends."

His jaw clenched as he dropped his gaze. "Aren't you the one who said your brother is a wild card, nobody knows what's going on with him?"

He had me there I suppose.

A part of me wondered if my siblings were purposefully keeping me out of the loop in attempts to spare me.

The urge to roll my eyes castrates me at that thought.

Apparently they thought I had the stability of glass.

Dahlia was not even planning to tell me that she cracked her head open.

Someone take me seriously please and thank you.

Stretching my shoulders back as I crack my neck and motion with my head for him to follow me. "Come on, I'll show you what you can pick from."

"No no no no and no." Jeremy firmly clarifies for the umpteenth time like I am some neanderthal that cannot hear.

We had been in my room for an approximately amount of ten minutes and he had immediately rejected every option I had given him.

What a hillbilly.

"It's a catch up with a girl from high school." He emphasizes as he stares at a piece from my moms summer collection. "Not a trip to a winery with Oprah, don't you have anything low key?"

"Have you met me?" I scoff out as I lean against my dresser. "Not my fault you have the taste of a man who's never stepped into a mall."

"I'm all about being practical." He scoffs out. "Wearing a shirt with rhinestones should be against principles."

My gaze narrows and I lift my fingers up to create a comparison. "They are literally this big, and they aren't rhinestones."

He stretches his taunt shoulders while rolling your eyes. "This closet is better suited for Prince than it is for me."

What was the point of asking if he was going to reject everything? Sucking in a deep breath as I push myself off of my dresser. "Since when do you care about fashion? Just wear your normal clothes if you're going to insult everything in my closet."

"Don't be so dramatic." He scoffs out while falling back to sit on my bed.

A moment of silence passes over us. He looks beyond frustrated which only furthers my confusion.

There is no way I frustrated him that much. A defeat sigh escapes me as I shake my head. "I have one last option you can try on, and I think you may like it."