Page 74 of Ascension

“You love it,” she said, smirking.

Then, inevitably, someone else called out, this time to me. “Hinata! Can I get a photo?”

I nodded, posing easily. As soon as the guy finished snapping his shot, he lingered a little too long, his smile sliding into something else. “You’re beautiful, I’d love to get to know you better, maybe do dinner this evening if you're free?” he asked, too casually.

Before I could respond, James stepped closer, one gloved hand resting on the small of my back. His tone was calm, but the look in his eyes? Not so much. “She’s good,” he said evenly.

The guy laughed awkwardly and shuffled off. I glanced up at James, biting back a grin. “You okay, Sensei?”

His jaw tightened a little. “Fine.”

“Mm-hm,” I teased. “You sure? ‘Cause your eye twitch says otherwise.”

Behind us, Calla chuckled low and smooth. “Easy, Carter,” she murmured, brushing her hand along his back as we started walking again. “They’re just fans, not threats.”

He exhaled, tension loosening under her touch, and I couldn’t help laughing. “You two are ridiculous,” I said.

Calla smiled knowingly. “We’re protective of what’s ours.”

“Mmmm,” I moaned softly.

Leaning forward, Calla whispered in my ear, “Keep moaning like that and we can take you back to the hotel and fill every hole.”

My body jerked in desire as I looked at Calla, her eyes glazed over with lust.

I just shook my head, smirking. “Mistress, I love when you threaten me with a good time, so if you feel I need all my holes filled, fill ‘em.”

Calla’s body stiffened as heat radiated from every inch of her, my desire to be obedient radiating from every part of her being as I walked away with a smirk on my face.

The day rolled on like that, light, playful, and full of tiny moments that felt like home. Between the photo ops and the panels, between the teasing and the inside jokes, I realized something quietly terrifying and wonderful.

This wasn’t just fun.

This was love in real time.

And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t afraid to let myself enjoy it.

The crowd thickened around one of the vendor halls, all flashing lights and costume wings. We were laughing at something Calla said when I heard a voice behind me, familiar enough to turn my stomach and make my skin crawl.

“Amiyah?”

I turned and froze.

Jason Anderson.

Of all places, of all days.

He looked the same as I remembered him, clean-cut, confident, the kind of smile that used to look like charm until I learned how often he used it to talk over me—seeing him hit like cold water on bare skin.

“Wow, it is you!” he said, stepping closer. “You look incredible. I almost didn’t recognize you. It’s been far too long.”

“Hey, Jay,” I managed. My voice was calm, but my pulse wasn’t. “Didn’t think I’d see you here, you seemed to hate everything I loved back then, so this is certainly a surprise.”

His face went straight when he realized I wasn’t enthused to see him. “I’m in town for a panel. We should catch up, maybe grab a drink later? I can give you my number. There’s a lot I owe you an apology for.”

Before I could find a polite way to shut it down, I felt a familiar presence slide in beside me, James. He didn’t say a word at first, just stepped close enough that I could feel the heat of him through the fabric of his vest. Calla’s eyes flicked from me to Jason, her expression unreadable but sharp enough to cut glass.

Jason’s smile faltered a little when he noticed them. “Oh, friends of yours?”