Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,267

wouldn’t be bothered if the man she loved refused her. She would move on.

“Ash,” Maverick said, his voice like a sad moan of disapproval. “Don’t be like that. You risked yourself.”

From my perch, I crossed my legs and stared back at Maverick head on. “You risked our family. I understand why you stayed behind, I truly do. But you didn’t include me in that decision. Maybe too much time has passed. Maybe we missed our opportunity if we ever really had one. I’ll leave here and help you escape, but we don’t have to go back to how we were,” I replied. All I wanted was some sort of affirmation that he was at least happy to see me, that he wanted me still.

That he hadn’t moved on.

“Ash,” Maverick began, “stand up this instant.” Maverick ran a shaky hand through his red hair and stalked towards me.

“You think I’m not happy to see you? I’m ecstatic. I dreamed of kissing you again. Tasting you. Filling you up. Marrying you. It’s all I could think about the last five months.”

I still didn’t stand, even when he was right in front of me, his pelvis at my eye level. I looked up at him through my thick eyelashes, unshed tears blurring my vision as I took in his angry expression.

“But I didn’t want it like this.”

“Show me how you wanted it to be, Maverick. Pretend this isn’t Cavil’s home. Pretend we’re back in Dormas. In your lab. Show me how you’d greet me.”

My fingers trembled as I reached up to unbutton his pants. I slid the zipper down and swallowed when I saw his hardness ready for me. It was thick and proud. Maverick let out a gasp, and the sound was like a bulldozer to my insecurities, tearing down each doubt as I accepted that his pent-up anger would be a part of our reunion.

Licking my lips, I looked up once more at Maverick, asking permission to continue. Without answering me, Maverick slid off his pants and stripped off his shirt. He yanked me up to a standing position and crashed his lips to mine.

His kisses weren’t like Cyler’s, it was pure anger coursing through where our lips touched. He wasn’t tentative, sweet, or even reverent like before. He moved against me, burning his touch to mine like it was his punishment.

My dress ripped further up the thigh, and I took advantage of the freedom to wrap my legs around him and hike it higher so that I was grinding against him.

Breathing in his heady scent, I let my lungs fill, brushing my breasts against him as his tongue teased mine. I threaded my hands through his hair, grabbing hard on the rusty locks and yanking him away from me so I could speak. "Don't you ever leave me again," I said, my voice throaty and hoarse. His wild eyes stared at me as I released his hair and dragged my nails down his back, making him squirm.

"Don't you ever risk yourself like this again," he replied.

He threw me on the bed with a thud before ripping apart my sheer ivory dress. He didn't stop tearing until it was nothing but shreds of white fabric around us, a cloud made up of lies and the part we were expected to play. Standing over me, Maverick dipped down and nibbled my inner thigh before nipping at the lace covering my clit. "Maybe I should want to make this sweet for you. I'm the one expected to make all the sacrifices, right? Save the world. Save the girl." He dragged his teeth along my sensitive skin, the sharp points taunting me. "I'm tired of being the hero. I'm tired of watching the world burn."

In one quick movement, my hips were lifting up for his nimble fingers to slide the lingerie off of me. Once it was gone and I was completely naked before him, he let out a little gasp of appreciation that had me melting. "You think I'm worth risking your life for? I'm no one. I'm nothing. I’ll make this all about you because I don’t deserve a bit of your body, Ash. But fuck, I’m going to take it."

This sadness wasn't what I ever expected for my first time, and especially not from Maverick. I realized that this wasn't about me anymore. He might hate that I showed up, but he was still hell-bent on punishing himself.

"This isn't about me, Maverick. Get on the bed," I said while sitting up,