wallowed e

ind of dark that comes fro

was total. Hea

mian. Couldn't see the glittering skyline that h

ing hitche

her waist, fi

ed, voice low and edged w

echoed through the penthouse. Damian shifted beside her, his move

dark came again,

pping with

she couldn't

blood

o

his v

e but

uried years ago-the cold floors, the locked door, the threats wh

, his lips brush

hat?" he

ned so painfully

low. Deliberate. As if the

e voice crooned. "Wo

t the shift, the precise moment compr

a felt his body curve around hers, his breath steady against her

alk," he

dn't need

coul

he knew t

rayed to

ve shadows insid

click

pped on from somewher

der didn't sh

, illuminating only h

an t

oots, they were military

stomach

no

the man's legs... the expensive charcoal slack

er barely carr

Who i

her head

t

like

ng, bleeding, and secon

trolling as though

. "But you were better at hiding. I have to give you c

p tightened

b that threatened t

r's footste

h

on the ma

l twi

oti

g exactly where Ari

into something possessive and vile. "Do yo

muscles

ing, calculating the shot

e knew

ark," she whispered into Dami

didn't

use he d

se he alr

his heartbeat, steady, strong, terrifyingly calm. He was shielding her completely,

Damian whis

forced out the

pa

breath

intruder

d. I was worried freedom h

snapped in

o

d not br

front

front o

ood hand. Damian noticed, she felt the way his bod

t

ntruder was s

g into something mocking and sharp. "The Ghost Hunter him

eath froze

fel

You think I wouldn't know who she ran to? Who could h

s jaw c

s tone droppe

ut. Exposed her. H

gers flexed

in f

f

fury that vibrated

keeping her behind his broad frame. "Show

r soft

shlight

wly... del

g the ma

gs nearly

d black eyes. A crue

m earn, across his jawline, from

th hissed bet

ou

er smiled

alf an inch, not in surr

are you doing

lungs s

rc

ill tasted

n kne

vagu

n pas

't just A

n's world coll

ran from me? Aria is mine, Damian. And you'v

s body fully between Marcus and Ar

ngs to me more than she belongs to

ntire body

his arm. "D

as alrea

, Damian s

e

lun

ed Marcus against the wall, forearm crushing into his

d. "Still the same, Damian. Always reactive. A

harder. "She's

whispered. "Then w

s grip

sli

rcus s

did

had hun

h

h

h did h

. "He didn't tell y

Damian... What is

idn't lo

dn't

e he didn'

poke over him, voice

ll her why you were looking for her

eart cra

ha

t the other man stumbled, but

mply

embled. "Damian

he heard the grind of his teeth.

ly. "Because she wasn't mine

s hea

ch to steady herself. "Damian,

toward h

a

fli

hadn't seen i

didn't know who you were. I didn

whispered, "

le

grin st

looked

g, her vision swimming, the wound in he

exhaled a slow,

r fa

world c

ggered

hed. "No he's d

d cheerfully. "Quite

ed for her.

m me." Her vo

ri

y ba

oice cut throu

. you didn't

ile wi

rom your o

g, breath breaking ap

he wasn

her was

er was s

d paid Damian

er. "Aria, I swear, I didn't know

only saw

never meant

cause her fath

engul

yal.

der al

eper

her wanted

us was

sn't runnin

nning from

ees bu

nged to c

inding white light as the pent

e sudden

s was

ish

rved into the wall in som

E'S