on the bedside t

as deep and rhythmic. He lay on his

et. She moved like a ghost. Her ba

room door. Her target wa

somew

stopped

pun a

on one elbow, watching her. His chest w

t way," he said, poi

nted to the door, the

. He wore only silk pajama b

ed. And there is wat

ou weren't going for water. You were g

p. She hit the

for her shoulder

d in the dark. Erline panicked. She grabbed th

AS

's forearm as he blocked the blow. The meta

His eyes went

round her throat. He slammed

touch me?"

ist, her legs kicking uselessly. She couldn

ed terrified. Her eyes were wide, pleading, filled

look of a p

was the look of a victim. He felt a flicker of something other than rage-a cold, possessive cur

let

he dresser, gasping, coughing v

Then he looked at the red marks fo

walked into

ll, waiting for him to

a wet towel and t

r. He grabbed her hand, pu

me

flin

t," he

He applied a soothing gel to the red marks. He wasn't being gentle; he was do

e said, his voice devoid of em

hen he wiped the blood from

her in the eye. "Next time you try to leave

oped her into his a

o the bed and dropped

ed. "Beside me. If

and pulled t

listening to his heart slow down, wo