ch that smelled like baby f

ntly Elida's only refuge. She curled her knees to her ch

ated against t

to silence it. The screen l

rc

head of

e the call. She wa

ext previe

He's refusi

mmered again

developed in the first year. It meant the pain was unmanageable. It meant the

sa

ée-by-proxy. She wasn't El

s The

eather bag she kept hidden in her luggage. She moved si

tood by the rear door, his face grim. He did

lve minutes. Mercer drove like the

in the penthouse hallway smelled wrong.

open the be

was on t

He was curled on his side, his shirt ripped open

w, guttural keen that she

to her knees

voice stripping away all

is eyes were blown

s neck. His pulse was thr

didn't need to think. He

had formulated for his physiology to bypass th

the syringe. She flicked

m. It was prominent, bulging

sting," she

hed the

olent spasm, and then he co

nd hand on her watch

ed. The tension dr

yringe and sat b

rasped. His eyes were half

she said, pa

did

cer

od up t

nd sho

r wrist. His

li

he lost her balance,

sweat and ex

triumphant smile touching his lips.

her like a p

he was here

, his hand tangled in her

isse

s angry, desperate, and fueled by the drugs f

est, but he was heavy, hi

elp her, she st

e years of conditioning kic

. A terrible, be

was sex as a weapon. He was proving he still owned her.

out almost instantly, his

at the ceiling, listeni

felt

arm. She rolled away, g

ark. Her fingers fum

st time. He looked peace

wallet on th

d exactly twenty-thre

out the

htstand, weighing it dow

r services

he penthouse, leavi