Naked Defiance

Valerie’s POV

I spun around, my heart racing a frantic, erratic rhythm against my ribcage. The heavy collision had knocked the wind straight out of my lungs, but the sheer panic flooding my veins demanded oxygen I did not possess. Standing there in the middle of the hallway was Maverick. His towering presence immediately demanded all the air in the space, suffocating my sudden burst of rebellion.