\[Maverick’s POV\]
I look from Rosco to Serenity and back, feeling the tension growing more and more between the two while knowing that neither was going to get anywhere. Like father, like daughter, that was for certain.
“Come on,” I murmur, gently grabbing Serenity’s hand only to release it as a growl of warning escapes Rosco. “What?”
“What do you think you’re doing?” He asks, narrowing his gaze on me. “Who gave you permission to touch my daughter?”
“She’s my mate,” I say, remembering that we were putting on an act. “Isn’t it only proper that I try to comfort her?”
As I speak, Serenity reaches out and wraps her slender fingers around mine, being defiant against her father in the only way she currently can.
“We need to finish packing.” She says, giving me a gentle tug. “If you’ll excuse us.”
She doesn’t wait for Rosco to respond before she begins to pull me away, and when Rosco lets out a snarl, I hear Denali say something to immediately calm him, stopping him from saying anything more or even stopping us.
When we reach Serenity’s room, she releases me and heads to her bed, collapsing as a breath of frustration escapes her.
“That was a big sigh,” I point out, walking over and dropping down beside her. “But you should have known that your father wouldn’t agree to your suggestion.”
“I did,” she confirms, turning and fixing her gaze on me. “But I half expected my mother to get him to agree. How can I possibly go back to Emerald Moon, where I’ll become a prisoner who has to wait for the mess she made to be fixed before she can be free? And what if I’m not free after that? What if they keep me locked up to avoid things like this from happening again?”
“Slow down,” I murmur, reaching out and touching her cheek as I see the mania forming in her blue eyes. “None of that will happen.”
“How do you know?” She demands, panic dripping from her words. “And what if they separate us? My father has it in his head that you’re to blame for all of this! What if he sends you away and…”
Before she finishes, I press my lips against hers, shutting her up and causing her to tense, but after a moment she relaxes and begins to kiss me back. And when she sits up and presses her body against mine, I can feel all rationale disappearing.
Groaning, I begin to lead us down onto the bed so that she is beneath me, her perfect body pressing against mine. But just as quickly as the moment comes, it disappears, and I’m left working to remain in control despite everything in me screaming to take her.
“We will figure something out.” I say slowly, placing another gentle kiss on Serenity’s lips. “I promise you.”
For a moment, she doesn’t speak as she just stares at me, clearly considering what I’ve said, and when she gives a small nod, I release her and stand.
“Let’s finish packing. Your parents already made it clear they want to be back in Emerald Moon by evening.”
Later, Serenity and I sit in the back of William’s car. To my surprise, the woman who was claimed to look like Serenity’s Aunt Elise sits in the passenger instead of the annoying woman who was clinging to him. If she wasn’t here, did that mean that he got rid of her? That was the only obvious explanation, especially since he knew that Elise was still alive in a way.
“Did you grab everything you need?” He asks now, eyeing Serenity and me in the rearview. “Because once we leave, it may be quite a while before we come back.”
“Yep,” Serenity responds. “Everything is present and accounted for.”
“Good,” William beams, revving the car to life and slamming on the gas. “Because you’ll need it where we are going.”
“What?” I hiss as we zoom out onto the highway. “Why would…”
“We aren’t going to Emerald Moon,” he explains, causing a wave of shock to rush through me. “We’re going to Jose directly.”
With wide eyes, I look to Serenity, who looks just as shocked and confused as me.
“Didn’t Rosco say...”
“He did,” William confirms, smirking. “But Rosco is just a stubborn fuck.”
“Stubborn or not, he will come and hunt you down and drag Serenity back home when we don’t show.”
“He won’t do that,” William assures me. “Denali has already agreed to make sure that he doesn’t try to stop us.”
“How do you know she will be able to succeed?” I challenge, not trusting any of this.
Even though I was aware that the only person Rosco would yield to was Denali, I also knew that he was much more stubborn and insistent when it came to his daughter. To let us go off without him or the protection of his men was a lot to ask.
“Because she is his kryptonite.” William chuckles, merging onto the main highway and then speeding up. “Even if he argues and grumbles, he won’t go against what his queen says. Honestly, their relationship is quite enviable.”
Nodding, I consider what he is saying as I sneak a peek at Serenity, who silently listens on. When she catches me watching, she begins to slowly slide her hand toward mine, and when our fingers meet, I feel my very soul come to life.
Denali was Rosco’s kryptonite, huh. Well, I could honestly say that Serenity was mine. Since the day she appeared in my life, she has become my reason to live, my reason to grow, and my reason to exist. But did her feelings for me go half as deep as my own? And would this whole charade end the minute she found her mate? Just the thought of her being touched, kissed, and... No. I wouldn’t think about that. Not right now. Not when there was something much more important to be done.
‘What’s wrong?’ Serenity’s voice asks, taking me by surprise.
‘Nothing,’ I respond, deciding not to dwell for now. ‘Just wondering how your father will react once he realizes we are going behind his back to find your Uncle Jose.’
‘He’ll live,’ Serenity sighs, turning her gaze out the window to watch the city as it flies by. ‘This way I have a bit more time before I become a prisoner.’
As she speaks, her fear and sadness over what fate she could suffer, and it pisses me off.
‘I won’t let you live that way.’ I growl, tightening my hold on her hand. ‘No matter what, I won’t let you live like a prisoner in your own home.’
‘And how do you plan to stop it?’
‘We’ll run away together.’
It was the simplest of solutions and one that I wouldn’t mind at all given my desperate need to monopolize her. If only she realized just how badly I sometimes wished we could stay in our own little bubble where I got all her attention and didn’t have to share her with someone else.
If only you knew, sunshine. I whisper inwardly. How much I too want to trap you beside me. I wonder, would you hate me if you were ever to find out?