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I should have known. Keeping shit from him was impossible. We were attuned to each other, existing on the same wavelength, the same frequency.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me about them now.” His demand was gentle, but a riff of something dark undermined his soft tone. He would make me pay for my silence. As he slid his fingers down my arm and caressed beneath the cuff of my sleeve, I knew he’d punish me for the marks as well.

Because Rafe never failed to punish, and despite the dread growing in my gut, I’d have it no other way.

“I was back in the cage, and you were just…gone.”

Vanished, disappearing from my life with no explanation. No recourse. Thinking about it made me angry—almost angry enough to blot out the hurt scarring my heart. Almost.

He gathered me in his arms, and I knew he was trying to calm me down, trying to take the burden from my shoulders.

If only it were that easy.

“I’m right here, babe.”

I couldn’t reply because he wouldn’t like what I had to say. Even though I wanted to believe he’d always be by my side, my subconscious didn’t.Wouldn’t. Something inside me still waited for the other shoe to drop, as if the past still chased us, licking our heels as we tried to outrun it.

But most of all…

I wanted something…noneededsomething that he refused to give.

“Why won’t you marry me?”

He whirled me around to face him. “Come back to bed.” Sidestepping my question, he tugged on my arm. I followed him into our tent as hurt welled in my throat and burned my eyeballs.

The dim light of the moon cast us in silhouette. Rafe shed his shorts as I shrugged out of the flannel shirt, and we returned to the sleeping bag, our naked bodies pressing together in the limited space. I couldn’t see his brilliant green gaze, but I sensed him seeking me out in the quiet—save for the frogs and crickets melodizing the night. Our spot deep in the woods enshrined us in comforting shadow.

“Tell me more about your nightmares.” A breathless quality stole his voice as he grabbed me by the nape.

“It’s always the same. I’m in a cage, it’s dark…someone else is there in the shadows.” I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. “I think it’s Jax, and he…he tells me you’re not coming back.”

The warm pads of his fingers trailed across the back of my neck before inching into my hair, hand tangling in my curls. “I came back, and I’mnevergoing anywhere again. I need you too damn much.”

I’d never tire of hearing him say it. It felt good to be needed by him. To be loved by him even though I deserved neither.

“Promise?”

“Fuck, yes.” As he rolled me to my back, he let my hair slip through his fingers.

Neither of us moved. Second by second, the shadow of his face came into focus, and the weight of his brilliant green stare pinned me to the spot.

“Touch me, Alex.”

I ran my hand down his ripped abs, hesitating at his belly button. Teasing the trail of hair below it.

He sucked in a breath. “Wrap your fingers around me.”

God, I melted at the hoarse need in his voice.

Reaching lower, I found him hard, his shaft smooth and warm. Tempting as fuck.

His cock had a way of suppressing my fears, of dragging me to a place where doubt didn’t exist. To a place where nothing mattered except the way our bodies came together.

“I need you,” I said, closing my fist around velvety steel, grazing the plump head with my thumb.

“Look what you do to me, Alex. I’m not going anywhere.” He let a long beat pass. “Except inside your tight cunt.” He pushed my hand out of the way and thrust into me in a single, violent joining of bodies.