Page 54 of Ruling in Flames (Reborn 5)
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MARCO
I knewwhat Maya would want to do following the information we were given, so I hadn’t even asked her. My beautiful mate was one of the most compassionate and loving individuals I’d ever met, so I was aware the minute we found out that Malcolm did in fact have two captives we could either lie to her about it, which I would never be able to fucking do, or we would go and prepare to keep her safe the best we could.
Honestly, I wasn’t very concerned about the threat Malcolm posed, but did I like the idea of Maya being around him?Absolutely not.
Ever since our one argument, though, I’d learned that because Maya trusted me to take the reins so often, when she felt strongly about doing something herself, it was usually for a good reason. This time it wasn’t even a point I could argue.
I only hoped that she understood Malcolm would die tonight. I don’t think the concept would bother her in theory, but I also knew she would never directly ask us to do it.
She didn’t need to ask, though—I would take great pleasure in slitting his fucking throat for her. Or better yet, ripping it out with my dragon’s teeth.
I blinked away from that violent thought as I watched her get dressed and move around the room, the delicate ‘tink’ of her new necklace making me tilt my head in thought. I nearly shook my head at the scene I’d walked in on moments ago, not out of anger, but out of…frustration? No, I wasn’t frustrated—especially not at Maya. Maybeworriedwas the best word. The idea of bringing someone else into our family caused me stress, even if it was someone that seemed to do fairly well on his own without any aid and was extremely helpful.
It still stressed me out.Despite any bravado we put on, my dragon would automatically consider Az someone who was part of our flight now, someone we needed to protect. I had no idea how I felt about that, so I was trying to go with the flow, hoping that this would work out how it was supposed to.
I may have been a possessive motherfucker, but I wasn’t blind, and it was clear to me how much Maya cared for Az. It was obvious that they shared a special connection, and while my instinct was to initially be defensive, something had held me back following his rebirth, and not only because he’d sacrificed his life for my mate.
I’d known somehow, on a subconscious level, that he would be sticking around.
Running a hand over my face, I tried to not let my thoughts draw to Maya dying—or how much had changed in such a short amount of time. My gaze darted to the place where Maya’s crown sat, and I smiled at the thought of how beautiful and nervous she had looked up there. She hadn’t faltered once, and while she was still getting used to the concept, I could tell she believed in herself to an extent. I just hoped I could convince her to believe in herself completely—I didn’t think the world was ready for Queen Maya, but I couldn’t wait.
“You’re quiet right now,” she noted softly, drawing my attention as she slid on a dark hoodie with her leggings and sneakers. I know she didn’t plan on shifting, so I was glad she was dressed warm. I also noticed she had packed a bag of clothing and supplies for our rescue mission. I was hoping it would distract her enough that she wouldn’t see the brutal revenge I planned to enact on Malcolm.
“Thinking about everything that happened today,” I admitted.
Maya approached and slid a hand up my chest. “Your father—”
“Was exactly as he always is.” I covered her hand in mine, not wanting her to think that was where my thoughts were. That moment had been relatively inconsequential. “He asked to be invited to our wedding, but that was it—nothing else. The man isn’t bad, he’s just obsessed with his own work and his own life. Same as my mother. It was why it was so easy for me to leave. They weren’t cruel, they were just nothing.”
“Maybe it’ll get better,” Maya said. “Maybe if they spend more time with family… Well, unless you don’t want that.”
“Let’s take it slow,” I hedged. Even though she hadn’t said it directly, I knew Maya wanted a large family. I could tell it made her happy to be surrounded by those she loved, and I was damn well willing to give her anything she wanted.
“We will, of course, have to invite them over more once they have grandbabies to see,” I added.
Maya’s eyes shaded with a soft heat as she blushed. “Yeah? Well, if this freakin’ mating heat ever started—”
I lifted her and pinned her to the wall, brushing her lips against mine as I tightened my hands underneath her legs, unable to help my reaction to her talking about her damn mating heat. She wasn’t the only one impatient for it, especially now that the largest threat had been taken care of and the secondary would be finished by the end of the night. “Eager?”
“I’m slightly nervous,” she murmured. “But mostly eager. I just don’t like waiting—that’sthe part that’s making me nervous. How will I know when it starts?”
Oh, she would fucking know.
“And then there is everything to consider that comeswiththe mating heat, like the entire pregnancy situation. I mean, that is a huge aspect to consider.”
“How do you feel about the idea of getting pregnant, baby girl? How does that possibility make you feel now that we’re drawing closer to it?” As much as the primal part of me demanded we make it happen right the fuck now, I also wanted Maya to be comfortable with that. She had spent so much of life locked away, and now that she was finally experiencing freedom and starting on a new journey, I wanted to support her in any way I could.
Even if every base instinct wanted to overflow her pussy with cum until there was no fucking way she wouldn’t get pregnant. The idea of starting a flight of our own fledglings was so damn appealing, it made my cock pulse with eagerness, wanting to take her on this damn bed in hopes of instigating her heat
Maya’s eyes filled with a warmth as her cheeks flushed. “I think I want that. I know we will be busy with so many other things going on, but I want to grow our family, Marco. I want to start living life and stop living in fear.”
I pressed my forehead to hers. “Then that’s what we'll do, Maya. I’ll always try to give you exactly what you want.”
A knock on the door had both of us looking to Henry, who offered me a low rumble but focused on Maya. “You ready to go?”
Maya shimmied down, her hot body rubbing against mine and causing me to grunt as she waltzed across the room, zipped up her bag, and pulled it over her shoulders. “Yes, totally good—let’s finish this.”
