When the Hawk landed at the Enclave, Ash scooped Marin into his arms and carried her off the quadcopter.

“Taking her to the infirmary,” he bit out.

Tane nodded. Ash didn’t say anything, just dodged around Holmes, Noah, and Elle, and stalked out. He took the shortest route to the infirmary.

“Ash, I’m okay—”

He ignored her. “Getting you checked out. End of story.”

“Bossy biker,” she huffed.

“That’s right.”

He marched into the infirmary and saw Doc Emerson’s head jerk up, her blonde hair swinging around her pretty face. She was standing near a row of bunks. One was occupied by an older woman with a bandage over her eye.

“Marin needs to be checked,” he said. “She took a fall off a bike, got squeezed by giant alien cables, and she was oxygen deprived for several minutes.”

“Busy day.” The doc’s white lab coat flared out as she hurried over.

“I’m fine,” Marin said again, sounding pissed. “And you fell too, and broke my fall, and had low oxygen, as well.”

Doc Emerson looked from Marin to Ash and back again. She looked like she was fighting a smile. She nodded to one of the beds. “Set her down here.”

Ash obeyed, ignoring Marin’s glare. She subsided, and let the doc check her over. The doc’s face turned focused and she waved a scanner over Marin.

Ash leaned against the wall. Fuck. When Marin had fallen off the bike, he’d never, ever felt the level of fear that had consumed him at that moment.

Then watching her being squeezed to death by the cables… He’d been frantic and helpless, and he hadn’t liked it one fucking bit. He blew out a breath, and ran a hand through his hair. Caring for a woman was hell on a guy.

Emerson stepped back. “She’s in perfect health.”

Thank fuck.

“Told you,” Marin said primly.

“A few bruises and scrapes,” Emerson added. “But that’s it.” Then, the doc tried to run the scanner over Ash, without success.

He sidestepped and snatched Marin off the bed. “Thanks.” He strode out.

“You’re welcome,” Emerson called out after them.

Levi was waiting in the hall. He’d stripped his upper armor off and his T-shirt was lined with sweat. “Everyone okay?”

“I was okay before we went in there,” Marin said. “But no one’s listening to me.”

“Glad you aren’t hurt, Marin,” Levi said. “You fucking held your own out there tonight.”

Marin’s cheeks pinkened. “Thanks.”

Levi looked at Ash. “The general wants a debrief.”

“Later,” Ash said.

“He’s a general, brother. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting. Especially when the fate of the world is on the line.”

“Marin got into the hub. She said the data will start to flow soon.”

Marin nodded. “He’s actually—”

Ash cut her off. “For now, she needs rest.”

Levi grinned. “That what they’re calling it these days?”

“Fuck you, King.”

“No, thanks. You’re not really my type.”

“I can walk,” Marin said with a sniff.

“No,” Ash growled and stalked down the corridor.

Ash realized he was in full caveman mode, but he didn’t care. Marin was his. He’d claimed her. He was going to make sure she was fed, watered, rested, and well fucked.

When he reached the door to her quarters, he waited while she unlocked it. He carried her inside, and set her on her feet.

“Comp, lights on,” she said. “Low level.”

Lights clicked on around the room. “Nice.”

“I’ve added some tech I’ve been playing with.”

“Go. Take a shower. I’m going to head to my room to shower, then get some food from the kitchen.”

“Oh.” Her face fell. “Right. Thanks for saving me—”

He gripped her chin. “You held up out there, Marin. You did your job, and you were fucking fierce.”

She blushed prettily. “Thanks.”

“Now, get your sexy butt in the shower. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.”

She startled. “You will?”

He stepped closer until the toes of his boots bumped hers. “Yes, Marin. You’re mine. Got it?”

“Got it,” she whispered.

“Good.” He stalked out of her room before he grabbed her, stripped her naked, and tossed her on the bed. Back at his place, he called the kitchen to order food, then started stripping off his armor. He took a quick shower, washing the stains of the mission away. He didn’t want to go to Marin with any of it still on him.

But even after the shower, he felt edgy and energized. Marin. He needed Marin. He wanted to hear her sweet cries, feel her tight body clamp down on his cock, hear her heart beating under his ear.

He pulled on jeans and a well-worn Harley Davidson T-shirt he’d managed to save from before the invasion. After a quick trip to the kitchen to pick up a tray, he headed back to Marin’s.

When he knocked on the door, she answered it, only wearing a towel. Her damp hair looked longer when wet, her curls tamed for the moment. She held the door open. “I didn’t know what to wear. I—”

He slammed the door behind him and set the tray down. “You hungry?”

“Not really.”

“Good.” He spun, picked her up, and slammed his mouth down on hers.

She tasted so good. Fresh, clean, alive. She’d brushed her teeth, and she tasted like mint, and smelled like lemons. Sweet, sweet, Marin.

He angled his head, tongue sliding into her mouth. He knew he was edging on rough, but he couldn’t make himself be gentle. Not this time.

He pushed her so she fell back on the bed, and then he stripped the towel off her. This time, she was watching him with a hungry gaze, and didn’t try to cover herself.

Ash moved to sit near the head of the bed and tore his shirt over his head. He shoved a pillow behind his back and leaned against the headboard. Marin was watching him curiously.

“Touch yourself,” he growled.

“What?”

“For weeks, I’ve sat in my room, knowing you were stroking yourself. Drove me out of my mind. I want to see it.”

White teeth sank into her bottom lip, but she lifted a hand and slid it down her belly. Ash felt his muscles tense, and watched as her fingers brushed through the curls between her legs.

“Open your legs, Marin. I want to see it all.”

She let them fall open, her mouth parting. Her fingers brushed through her folds. Her touch was tentative at first, but when she saw he was riveted, her desire amped up a notch and she lost her inhibitions. Her hips were shifting and he watched her fingers moving in circles over her clit.

Her moan echoed around them and then she slid a finger inside herself.

Fuck. Ash’s cock was rock-hard, pulsing in his jeans. “You are so fucking gorgeous.”

Her skin was flushed and her fingers went back to rubbing her clit.

“Good girl. Now I want you to come and say my name when you do.”

* * *

Marin had never felt so sexy or so alive.

Sensations were burning through her, and with every stroke, she felt her orgasm looming. Ash’s gaze was on her, hot and burning.

This outrageously sexy man had protected her, saved her, helped her do her job, and now was looking at her like she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

Her release hit her and she cried out Ash’s name. She felt her legs shake and her back arched. She rode through the wave of pleasure.

When she could finally see again, she turned on her side and her belly clenched.

Ash had opened his jeans and shoved them down. His beautiful cock was free and he was stroking himself. When he looked up, his face was set in hard lines.

“You want this, Princess?” He stroked his cock again.

She nodded.

“Climb aboard.”

Heat rushed into her cheeks but she crawled up the bed toward him. He pulled her into his lap, clamping his hands on her hips. Then he helped lower her down on his cock.

“Holy fuck,” he bit out.

“Oh,” she breathed. “You feel so big this way.” She pressed her hands to his shoulders for leverage.

“Keep going, Princess. You can take me.” He said the words through gritted teeth.

She moaned, her body sliding down around his cock. The stretch was the perfect balance between pleasure and pain. Her breasts bobbed in front of his face, and he leaned forward and sucked one nipple into his mouth.

Her hands flexed on his shoulders, and she sank down another inch. Then another. His hands dug into her hips.

“I’m so full,” she moaned.

“Ride me, Marin.” He moved her hips.

She took over, rocking on his cock and finding her rhythm. Soon, she was slamming down on him hard. So. Good. “I like this. Oh, God.”

He slid his hands around to clench her ass, driving her on. “Any time I’m inside you, I like it. Hell, even when I’m not inside you, I like it, too.”

She kept moving up and down, whimpering with pleasure.

His gaze dropped. “I love watching you take my cock.” He slid a hand between her legs, and rubbed a knuckle over her clit.

She gasped. “Oh, I’m going to come again.”

“So come, Princess.”

The pleasure built, and then cascaded over her in a rush. Her nails bit into his skin and she cried out his name.

Ash sank a hand into her hair, pulling her head back. “I want a clear view of your face, Marin. Give it all to me.”

Suddenly, he pulled her off him. As his cock slid out of her, she cried out. “No.”

He spun her around on her hands and knees. When his hands cupped her ass, she went still. Then she felt the fat head of his cock notch between her folds. Before she could prepare, he slammed inside her.

“Oh!” Marin dropped her head down to the covers. He was rough and she liked it.

“Need to fuck you. Mark you.” His skin slapped against hers. “Look at that pretty back and upturned ass. All mine.”

The next orgasm came out of nowhere. Marin gave a shocked, choked cry.

Ash’s thrusts got harder, jerkier. “I’m gonna come, Princess.” He lodged himself inside her and groaned. “Fuck. Gonna pour everything I’ve got into your hot, little body.”

Marin was wrecked. She had her cheek to the covers, her ass still in the air and Ash was still inside her. She could hear the air sawing in and out of him. Felt the perspiration sticking them together.

Then he pulled out, and she moaned. She felt one strong hand on her thigh and looked back. God, he was looking at her. She should be embarrassed, but she felt too good to care.

“Watching my come slide down your thighs.” He smiled. “Marked. Mine.”

Marin quivered. This harder, rougher, rawer Ash was new. And sexy as hell.

He climbed off the bed and went into the bathroom. When he came back, she hadn’t moved far, just dropped down into a sprawl. He leaned over her and she felt a warm, wet washcloth stroke between her legs. She made a small sound, but didn’t move.

“I’m wrecked,” she murmured. “Think I’ll sleep for a week.”

He chuckled and went to discard the cloth. He’d just sat on the edge of the bed, and Marin was fighting off taking a nap, when a loud ding came from a tablet resting on the bedside table. Marin scrambled up like she’d been hit with a shockround.

“Apparently, you aren’t quite as wrecked as you thought,” Ash said dryly.

She snatched up the tablet, the light illuminating her face. She scanned the data.

“I probably shouldn’t mention the sexy picture you make, naked in the center of the bed, hunched over your comp screen.”

“Ash!” Then she grinned. “We got through! We’re getting alien data.” Her gaze flicked up and met his. “I need to get to the lab.”

Ash nodded. “Let’s go.” He grabbed his jeans off the floor.

She threw her legs over the edge of the bed and paused. Her gaze was running over his body. “Um, sorry.”

He paused. “For what?”

“Well, we were, um—”

“Fucking each other’s brains out?”

“Right. And now I want to rush off to work.”

He cupped her cheeks. “Marin, your work is important, and you’re good at it.”

Her insides softened. “I keep thinking you’re too good to be true.”

He released her to pull his T-shirt over his head. “Nah. I’m going to have you make it up to me later by sucking my cock.”

Her mouth opened, her gaze dropped to his fly, and desire flickered in her belly.

Ash looked like he was fighting back a smile. “Alien data. Lab.”

“Work. Right.” She pushed off the bed with a wide smile.