#brokenhartist

Derek rolled his eyes so hard they probably should have rolled out of his head. “My job is to keep you safe,” he reminded. “That means listening to what I tell you to do sometimes.” Maybe more often than not these days. But he only bossed her around for her own good.

The Boy Toy auction was one of their annual fundraisers started by a senior when Derek had been a freshman. It was always a pretty great success. He’d known a couple of guys who’d gotten their girlfriends through the auction in the past, going out with girls they may not have otherwise and realizing they actually liked them. Maya bidding on him had been a surprise, and her actually winning too had also been one, but he wasn’t really bothered by either. And he’d done his best to make sure the date had been worth every penny she’d spent on him.

“You make it sound like it was such a hardship,” Derek said with a soft laugh. He returned the soft kiss, a warm smile on his lips when she pulled back. “Goodnight, Maya. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Protecting Maya was always his first priority. Normally it wasn’t a difficult job. But when they got attacked, he immediately put himself between the rebels and their charges. It was a rough fight, he and the other guard outnumbered. But Maya and Clarke managed to get away and that was the important part. Luckily both of them made it out as well, a bit banged up but in one piece. What was the real surprise was Maya practically pouncing on him when they came through the doors. He caught her easily enough, grunting softly at the impact, but let her hug him. “You being okay is the important part. But yes. I’m okay,” he murmured.