Page 41 of Tainted Tempos

“You’re not broken, beauty.”

I scrunch my nose. “Right now, I feel that way.”

Mav watches me intently.

“When I’m with you, I’m happy,” I continue.

“I’m happy too, baby. You make me happier than I ever thought possible. I love you, beauty. And no matter what, we’re in this together.”

I nod in confirmation and snuggle deeper into his embrace. Then, I press a kiss to his chest, where the fabric of his robe parts. “I love you too, Mav.”

I turn to give one last, lingering look at the Azores. Even if it’s just the airport.

Because once we board the plane, we’ll be saying goodbye to the bubble we’ve wrapped ourselves in for the past ten days and saying hello to the reality that awaits us.

“Come on, baby.” Mav reaches for my hand.

I let him take it and guide me through the check-in and security process. Once we’re seated beside each other in first class, Mav smiles at me. “Thanks for a beautiful honeymoon.”

I snort. “Thank you, Mav.”

“We got this,” he reminds me, but it almost sounds like he’s assuring himself.

“I know,” I agree. “I just hope no more surprises await us. Lately, things feel like one step forward, two steps backward.” I pause, collecting my thoughts. I want to be as honest and transparent with Mav as I can be. “We started as reluctant roommates.”

He grins at that.

“Then, your scandal, which led to our fake dating. That turned into a spontaneous marriage in Vegas and the next day, I recalled all this past trauma. We’re finally in a good place and in another week, I start the semester and have classes with Bran and?—”

“Don’t,” Mav warns, shaking his head. His eyes dart around the first-class cabin but no one is paying us attention.

I reach for Mav’s hand and lace our fingers together. I need him to acknowledge what we’re up against.

Mav pulls a shaky breath in, his nostrils flaring. He stares straight ahead as he tries to control the emotions he’s battling. He tilts his neck to the side, cracking it. His breathing is audible and harsh. In fact, his anger emanates from his pores, coloring the space with a tension I can taste.

“Mckenna, I have to ask you something,” he says, turning toward me.

“Okay.”

“Are you going to press charges?” His voice is barely above a whisper. Mav’s lips are pressed into a thin slash of anger but his eyes bleed with pain.

“Press charges?” I repeat, dumbfounded. Realization dawns and I shudder, shaking my head slowly. “Maverick, it was two years ago.”

“So fucking what?” he implores. “He deserves to be punished for what he did to you. You can’t seriously sit beside him in class now that you remember that night. You’ll drive yourself insane.”

I close my eyes, hearing the logic in his words but not wanting to accept them. Not wanting to relive and rehash the past any more than I already have. “I’m so close to graduating,” I whisper. Now, my eyes dart around the small space. This is not the place to have this conversation and yet, we can’t exactly put a lid on it either.

Mav closes his eyes as if he doesn’t want me to read the hurt in them. The blood drains from his face. But when I try to pull my hand away, he grasps it harder. I watch as his shoulders slump and acceptance washes over his expression. When he opens his eyes, they’re shaded in resignation. “Okay, love. Okay. Tell me what you need. How can I make this better for you?”

I want to weep at his understanding.

Relief flows through my limbs, and I squeeze his fingers. He presses mine back in a silent show of support.

“Just you,” I say seriously. “I need to know that we’re navigating this together.”

His expression softens and he leans closer to kiss my forehead. “You have me. I’m yours and I’m here for you.”

I bite my bottom lip and tell him the truth. “I need you to be my husband and my friend. My best friend. Someone I can count on and trust. Someone I won’t hurt as I work through all my complicated emotions.”

---