Beyond the Bond

Maverick’s POV

The weight of what transpired between Valerie and I last night remained heavy on me. No matter how hard I tried to brush it from my memory, the images kept coming back, over and over again. Every moment replayed in my head like a videotape—the kiss, the way she shivered in anticipation as my hands ran over her body, and then the shattered look in her eyes when I told her to leave.