before collapsing onto the bed, the mattre

irst day back pressed down on her che

es as she shifted restlessly beneath the covers. Long minutes passed before ex

cene rewound to whe

e teenage boys ran and laughed, their movements

urried over with bottles of w

she wiped the sweat from Ke

Kevin, take a look at Roselyn-sweet, obedient,

s she froze in place, her hands hanging awkwardly at

, the corners of his mouth lifting into a soft, unguarded smile. "Of course," he

m, his friends hooting and

er emotions swell all at once, c

inally broke free-what had once been a vague, shapeless pull sharpe

then, sharp and unforgettable. She had sworn to be good, to wait patiently

ery image fractured at once, collapsing into n

ct, a powerful arm locked around her. She was dragged a

d with a dangerous, possessive edge, "Roselyn

esley's devastatingly hands

r released what he claimed. With relentless strength, he pinned her in place and thrust

st her ribs. She bolted upright, dragging a shaky hand

at dream, every touch and shift had felt terrifyingly real, and Wesl

dry, restlessness humming through her like an aftershock. Dr

ned out, she rose, washed up, a

ame into view-and with it Beth, already sea

er back remained straight and her bearing steady, refine

he didn't dare sit; instead, she lowered her head

ept eating, her attention

elyn's mouth as she remain

knife down and finally lift her eyes. "You returned without say

oselyn said nothing, her si

ace before Beth demanded, her tone icy, "So w

oselyn answered quietly, "I

ough the air. "Don't be ridiculous. Kevin's about t

lyn replied hoarsely, "Why does his engag

question trembling out of h

came engaged, she was supposed to keep her dist

flatly, "You'd better know your place, Roselyn. If you dare cause another shameful mes

That incident three years earlier had left her wounded from beginning to end, yet in Be

at Roselyn, Beth rose from her chair

y, steadying herself. When she opened them again and slowly took in the house she had lived in for