Maverick guided me down the hall, avoiding the throngs of people rushing forward to greet Cavil as the processional music played. The soundtrack of people cheering for his arrival echoed against my skull. In the back of my mind, I knew I should have been nervous, but seeing Maverick and Cyler again eased any fear I felt.

“Hurry,” Maverick said. I kept my head low as we passed guards. I kept sneaking looks from the corner of my eyes, but none seemed to pay us any mind. Maverick’s wrist still donned the fetter that I hated so much. I ran my thumb along its ridges, wincing as I remembered the day Maverick clamped it onto his wrist, tethering us together.

My heels clicked on the marble tile in time to the trumpets playing in the formal party room. The tower was a maze of places and people. We hit a staircase leading down to a lower floor, and Maverick pulled me inside a bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him and locking it.

“This is not good,” Maverick said in a shaky voice. He began pacing the floor while running his hands through his hair. “What were you thinking coming here? Was all of this for nothing?” he growled. I felt my blood boil with anger as he spoke.

“I had no choice. They saw me at the brothel and picked me to attend,” I said, strolling up to Maverick with a frown. “I came back for you, Mav.”

Maverick cupped my cheeks and stared into my eyes. He was like a predator debating over if it wants to devour its prey or snack on it. “You have no idea what kind of a risk this is.”

“I don’t care about the risks. I’d do anything to get you back,” I choked out. Maybe it wasn’t what Maverick wanted to hear. He’d been battling his own self-sacrificing habits for as long as I’d known him. He couldn’t believe that I loved him enough—that anyone loved him enough—to do the same.

“You don’t care?!” Maverick yelled, walking towards a bar cart off to the side of the room. I’d let him have his freak out. I’d let him be angry. When I’d learned that they stayed behind, I had time to process my fear. I’d give him the same opportunity. Love was patient, after all.

Scattered papers filled the room, and books were piled high upon an unmade bed. The tall windows overlooked all of Galla, showing off the night sky and giving the illusion of peace. I’d often wondered where Maverick was staying all this time. Many dark nights, I envisioned him in a prison cell, hunched over and working while Cavil and his guards electrocuted him. This was definitely preferable.

“This is a nice place,” I whispered while casually walking to his desk. I thumbed the papers sitting there and smiled when I saw a corner of pen doodles. My name scratched in bold letters sat proudly in the corner.

“Cavil keeps my workspace tolerable,” Maverick groundout. I sensed some discontent in his statement.

“Have you been okay, Maverick? I mean really. Has he...has he hurt you?” I asked, fearing the answer. I needed to know.

“Of course I’ve not been okay. Anytime I don’t have you in my arms, I’m not okay.” I watched as Maverick poured himself a drink then cursed when the liquor cart lit up a shade of red, prohibiting more liquid from being poured. I guess Cavil didn’t want his prized scientist drunk on the job.

“But all of this? It’s now for nothing. All the pain of being apart is for nothing because you’re here.”

“I’m not going to apologize for coming for you,” I said with a whisper. “I’m not going to apologize for fighting for us.”

“I’m surprised Huxley let you do this,” Maverick said before straightening some papers on his desk. It was like he had to keep moving, his fingers were itching to straighten things, put all the little pens and papers on his desk in order because it was the only thing he could control in this situation.

“I don’t need anyone’s permission, Maverick.”

I stared at Maverick, my chest heaving with anger, tension and...arousal. I wanted him. I didn’t care how it happened. Five months of wanting a man I didn’t know was alive became too much. It was all too much. I strolled forward, grabbing his hand and brushing my lips along his knuckles. Maybe I was selfish for pushing, but I needed to feel Maverick’s lips on mine.

“Kiss me, Maverick,” I pleaded. Instead of responding to my demand, he merely looked at the door with defeat. A sad sort of anger filled me. It wasn’t like the all-consuming one I felt when Huxley and I sparred or even the thudding outrage that always seemed below the surface. No, this anger was mellow and dark. It crept up, shocking me with its intensity. It felt hopeless, like it would never let me go.

Was this it? Was Maverick done with me? “Okay,” I said once I realized that he wouldn’t be giving in to my demand. Spinning around, I spotted a wingback chair in the corner and made my way towards it. I planned to sit things out and let the emotionless vacuum of Shade swallow up my feelings. She 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, my newly lightened hair falling around my shoulders, covering my breasts as he stared at me.

"What?" he asked.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him to me, smiling when our bodies became a tangled web of limbs on the soft mattress. I kicked aside the blankets and mess of torn clothes, pushing him onto his back before straddling his hips. He looked so good beneath me, his flaring nostrils ignited me from within. It was always Maverick. The sweet healer. The tortured scientist. The sacrificial friend. He'd held me while I cried. Saved my life. Cherished me.

"I've been thinking about this moment," I whispered before looking into his eyes. If he wanted me to stop, now was the time. I leaned forward to kiss him, pressing my soft lips to his with a moan. I took my time, trailing my tongue along his jaw, sucking on his collarbone, nipping at his abs.

I placed my lips on his thigh, smiling to myself when his cock, proud and assuming, brushed against my cheek. Slowly, I traveled back up and settled right above him, teasing him as I rubbed our bodies against one another. “I want you, Maverick Black. I want all of you. Forever. No matter the cost, no matter the dangers. I want you.” When he didn't move, I lowered, making sure to stare into his deep eyes as I slid down and hissed in pain when he stretched past my barrier of innocence. Maverick grabbed my shoulders, guiding and squeezing as he tried not to buck beneath me. I needed him to be still as I broke apart. It hurt, but it was a good hurt. An earned hurt, amplified by my control and the five months we spent apart. "I'm glad you've finally stopped pretending to have everything together," I gritted out as he stretched me. His head rocked back against the pillow, the first moan escaping his lips. Watching him let go of his burdens was my focal point. I didn't feel pain or anger. I saw each emotion as it crossed his face and stored it in my memory, savoring the look of his joy.

"But you're gonna save me, Maverick. You're gonna save everyone." Once I was sure I could handle it, I began slowly moving up and down, feeling each painful pulse disappear and turn into a throbbing need. I needed Maverick to take control. I needed Maverick and Cyler to succeed. I needed my guys all back together.

Maverick bucked forward, and I fell upon his chest, laying there for a moment and enjoying how he felt inside of me. I pulled off of him and rolled over on my back, urging him with a whimper to take over. "I love you, Maverick," I whispered.

He rolled on top of me and positioned himself at my entrance. I bit my lip as he slowly slid inside once more. Every pretense fell away at that moment. I had no expectations of Maverick, no expectations of what would happen next. He moved with deliberate intention, our skin softly rubbed against one another like silk. My moans were in time with his thrusts, and he kept his steady gaze on me, drinking in my blissful expression.

I wanted to absorb each sensation, each glance, each touch and cling to it, knowing that I'd only have a memory to hold onto once I left here. There were no guarantees. "You're so beautiful. So strong, Ash. I carry the world on my shoulders, and you carry me." His voice was dark, but he tenderly stroked my cheek, pushing my hair behind my ear as he thrust once more. His steady movements pressed against that sweet spot deep within me, and it was so hard to hold back and make this moment last.

It seemed like hours that we moved, slowly rocking to the beat of our hearts. Each loving thrust was slow and intentional. I wrapped my legs around his back, arching up and claiming the intense, electric zap of pleasure each time he moved within me. “I love you so much,” he murmured into my hair over and over and over. Each whispered affectionate declaration like a war cry. I whimpered my replies while clenching tightly around him. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

The slow building orgasm tore through us. I let it wash over me in waves and crawl through my veins. I clung to my intoxicating climax, begging it not to end. Begging this moment not to stop. After having Maverick torn from me for five months, I didn’t want to lose having him as close as physically possible. He was in my soul just then, settling deep in my heart and branding himself to me in a way that no one else ever had.

"Was this okay?" Maverick asked while settling beside me. I rolled over to cling to him, not worrying about the mess we made of my clothes and my shattered innocence. There was blood between my thighs, but I liked the evidence of it. I loved knowing that I finally dived into the physical relationships with my men.

"It was more than okay," I whispered while squeezing my eyes shut and absorbing every last piece of this moment. His smell. The rhythm of his heart. The love on his lips and the passion in his thrusts. "Now I've really got to get you out of here. I want a lifetime of that," I said with a small smile.

Maverick chuckled while stroking my hair. He didn't say anything for a while, and we lay there, basking in the post-sex bliss. "You remember our first kiss?" Maverick finally asked. I smiled at the memory.

“Of course,” I replied. “We were in Lackley’s lab. It was the first time you told me you wanted forever together.” I snuggled into Maverick’s chest and listened to his steady heart as he spoke.

"We've got to stop doing these things right before I know you have to leave."

I glanced at the clock in the room. As a rule, Companions had to leave by two in the morning. "Do you remember what you said to me?" I asked. "Your kiss tastes like the rest of my life.” I smiled before continuing, “I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with you, Maverick." There was no fear that I was speaking too soon or assuming things. I didn't worry that I would scare him away with talk of my feelings. He wasn't Josiah, there was no status lingering between us. We were pure love. I felt safe diving off this cliff because I knew he would catch me.

"I'm trying to build a world we can spend forever in, Ash," Maverick said, and our moment started to dissolve into our reality. It was like I could feel each brick of responsibility being piled onto his chest. The cure. Cavil. Escaping. Dormas. The empire. His family.

Me.

"I know, Maverick. I know."