Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,355

traced lines down his back, dodging the raised, healing wounds. I briefly wondered if they would scar, as some of them were pretty deep. He pressed his forehead against mine and went still. We both just sat there, connected but unmoving. I allowed him to fill me up and took comfort in that he was really here—really okay.

“You scared me, Mav,” I said in a whimper. “When are we going to stop with the near-death experiences, huh?”

He chuckled then started moving in and out again, his pace leisurely and slow, like he wanted to make this last as long as possible. “I solemnly swear to try and not die ever again,” he replied cheekily.

This sex was completely unlike anything I’d ever had before. It was slow but intense. It was a connection our bodies craved like none other, a passion that couldn’t be disrupted. But even more so, it was like our souls were holding hands, reassuring one another that it wasn’t over—yet.

His thumb was massaging me to my peak as he drove in and out, in and out. I felt myself quiver as he kissed my neck. My orgasm was like an explosion of relief. Every muscle in my body contracted and relaxed. He sighed as I went limp in his arms, then he started pushing harder and faster. With his lips parted in ecstasy and a quick grunt, he came in an instant. His eyes burned into mine with each jerk of his body. It was perfection.

“I love you, Maverick,” I whispered, not really knowing what else to say. It seemed love was enough just then.

“I love you too, Ash.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

I had to take a moment to center myself when I walked through the front door of Stonewell Manor. In all my years of living there, I’d never seen it so alive and happy. Maverick had his hand at my lower back when we walked in, and everyone whooped and cheered the second they saw us. Huxley was in the formal sitting room with his feet propped up on the table. I knew that if Mistress Stonewell were here, she’d have a fit and give him a lecture about table manners.

Cyler was scrolling through his tablet when he looked up to stare at me. And Jacob was rounding the corner wearing my old apron and licking a chocolate covered spoon. He paused mid-step, and his mindspeak broke out, “Do you think they’ll notice that I’ve been eating the batter?” He then cursed and waltzed up to me. “Happy we’re all together. Tonight we’re celebrating,” his mindspeak said before he tapped the chocolate covered spoon on my nose. I used my finger to wipe it off, and Maverick grabbed my hand. Within an instant, he was licking the batter from my fingertip, swirling his velvet tongue around it to get every decadent drop.

“Hey, there are children here,” Patrick scolded, and I drew my attention to the corner of the room where they were playing cards. The moment I saw Payne, my entire body seemed to light up. He still looked pale and thin, but he jumped off the table and eagerly ran to me. I wrapped my arms around him as a sob shook in my chest.

“I was so worried about you,” I said before crouching down to meet him eye to eye.

“Mistress Stonewell was really nice, Ash. She even gave me chocolate from her purse. Pa-Patrick told me what happened. I’m going to miss her,” he stuttered while hot tears welled up in his eyes. I felt so sorry for him. The poor boy had experienced so much loss. We all had.

“She cared for you a ton.” I ruffled his hair and made a mental note to give him the violin once things had calmed down.

“And I know about my momma,” he added in a darker tone. I was then brought back to the memory of me promising to bring Dominique back to him. Would he hate me for not fulfilling my promise? “Mistress Stonewell said she died to keep me safe,” he choked out. The room had gone completely still, and I silently thanked Linda for that private mercy. I wasn’t sure Payne was old enough to comprehend exactly who his mother was and what her involvement in Influenza X was. Payne was safe because he had the cure running through his veins, but that didn’t necessarily mean that extremists wouldn’t want revenge. For now, we’d keep the explanation to a minimum then give him the entire