I could feel the bile pushing at the back of my throat. "Hurry, Rafe." We were standing outside the door of my apartment after the prep shopping we'd done for my parties this weekend. Finally, he got the door unlocked. He dropped our stuff and picked me up and rushed me to the bathroom. We made it just as my stomach gave its last shove towards victory."Fucking Nico," Rafe said as he held my hair back as I emptied my stomach into the toilet again. I barely had time to wipe my mouth before more came gushing from me. He held me tight against his body. My abused legs were unable to support me or allow me to bend.Finally. Finally, he was going to pay. Granted, I didn't want it to be this way, but if this whole thing could be over? I'd submit to the rape kit even. They could poke, prod, take pictures of anything they wanted if it meant he would finally be stripped of his medical license and put behind bars. Another round of heaves shook my body as the five years of horror and ter

"Hey sleepy head. Time for dinner," Tali called sometime later. The last thing I remember was going to sleep after I cried myself out in Rafe's arms. Dom and Ryker had left as Rafe and I talked. I pushed myself upright and slid back into the arm of the couch. My lower body still ached. My right leg definitely more than my left. I still wasn't angry that Ryker had done it, though. I'd gladly suffer the extra pain to keep the mental demons away. I was still a little hurt that Rafe or Dom had been unable to help me. Or rather, unwilling. I knew I shouldn't be. Knew they just didn't understand. But their lack of understanding killed something inside me. Slowly. So freaking slowly. "What are we having?" I asked as I pushed the morose thoughts away. "Lemon garlic chicken and asparagus," she announced as she turned from the stove. "Sleep well?"I was in the middle of stretching when she asked, so it took me a hot minute to answer. "Yeah. Pretty well. What time is it?""A littl

"Penn," I mumbled into the phone. "Hello Mr. Penn, I have a Mr. Rafael Amatucci and guest here at reception. I'm calling to verify your connection," a pleasant feminine voice said down the line. My eyes popped open. I turned to see the glowing numbers of the clock on my side table. "It's four-fucking-thirty in the morning."The woman laughed softly. "Indeed, it is. Can you verify the relationship, please, sir?"I got my head out of my ass. "Yes. Rafael Amatucci is a friend and I'll vouch for him." It was the second time in as many days that I'd claimed a closer relationship to an Amatucci than I'd ever thought possible. "Thank you, sir. Enjoy your day." "Wait! Is the friend with him a female in her early thirties?" I asked before she could hang up. "I can't answer that information request, sir. If you would like to speak with Mr. Amatucci or his guest, you need to provide the correct name or visit during regular business hours. Have a good day." The line went dead.

I didn't have to see Willow's face to know that I was going to get an earful. The woman practically vibrated with outraged affront. Did it make me a little sick that I was looking forward to it? Maybe, but damn if I wasn't excited to see the flash of her anger fill those pretty mossy eyes.When she'd gotten lost in her mind again, I hadn't thought of anything except bringing her back. To the room. To me. I'd bullied my way forward to grab at her. Grab her hand, bring her brain some soothing pain. The look in her eyes as she'd drifted back into herself had made something deep inside me ache. Made me want something more from her than I've wanted from anyone. I had no idea what that was, but I knew I had to have it. This woman, this bruised and abused woman, was going to be mine. For as long as it took to get her out of my system. She was screwing with my mind and I didn't like it. Not one damn bit. No one shook me, derailed my thoughts. I was driven, focused, and ambitious. None

Little Willow wanted to play a game? She was about to find out just what kind of man I was. I didn't lose and I certainly didn't back down. She'd thrown down the gauntlet. I was only too happy to pick it up. I'd have to bide my time a little bit longer. She wasn't ready for what I wanted to do to her yet. But she would be. A small part of me laughed at my arrogance. This wasn't a woman who played with her life. She attacked it. I could see her walking away at the end of this...whatever this was...just as happy as she was now not to be in my bed. My body screamed in denial. She was mine. I had to taste her. At least once. Just one taste and then I could move on. The longer I was in her orbit, the more she consumed my every waking thought. I needed to get her under me and then get her out of my mind. My life. I pushed all of that aside. Nothing was happening tonight except food and making her legs feel better. I had to win this battle first. We made it back out to the livi