As Cal sat on Mara’s couch, waiting for her to change clothes and bring him a bottle of water, he’d never been more happy to lose a bet. The brown leather couch he sat upon was the softest material he’d ever felt. He wondered if she’d picked it out or if Michael had. His gaze slid to the French doors. The lights inside the pool made the water glimmer blue. Mara’s reflection appeared in the glass and Cal turned his head. She’d changed into a soft-looking pink t-shirt and cotton shorts. He fought to keep his feelings from his gaze. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. It had nothing to do with her appearance, even though she was astounding. Mara’s heart was gorgeous.

She handed him a bottle of water. “What do you do when you’re not with me?” Mara asked as she claimed the other side of the couch. She turned sideways and gave him her full attention as she waited for him to answer.

“I get up at five thirty each day and go for a run before heading to the gym. At precisely seven thirty—”

Mara laughed and slapped his shoulder, cutting him off. “No. I’m not asking your daily schedule. What do you for fun when you’re not with me?”

Cal thought about Kieran’s words. Something rose inside him. He told her the truth. “I have a membership at The Rabbit Warren.” He half expected she wouldn’t know the place, and he’d be forced to explain.

Instead, Mara calmly nodded. “I didn’t expect that answer, but I can see it.” A smile exploded across her face. “Can I guess your kink?”

“I don’t know, can you?” Cal hadn’t meant to sound as if he was flirting. He didn’t take it back.

Mara set her wine aside and clapped her hands like a little girl as she shifted onto her knees. She eyed Cal’s features, as if taking her task seriously. “I can’t see you getting spanked. You don’t like to be touched. Although I could see you doing the flogging. Still, I don’t think that’s it. No way in hell are you wearing a fake horse head with an anal plug horse tail while someone uses you to live out some bestiality fantasy.” Cal smiled in spite of himself. That definitely wasn’t him, but he’d seen it done. “Hmmm,” Mara hummed, getting serious in her inspection. “You’re a voyeur,” she said at last.

His lips parted in surprise. Not only had she guessed right, but Mara’s expression left no room for doubt. She knew she was right. “I am,” he admitted, since it was only fair.

She clapped her hands again and settled back down onto her butt. “Ha! I knew it.”

A sudden need to know everything about her rose inside Cal. “What do you do when I’m not around?”

“Drink,” Mara said without hesitation. “Seriously. Like copious amounts of alcohol. I should probably be dead,” she said, as if her life meant nothing. “Oh, I also swim nude while drinking. I like the way the warm water feels on my skin in the moonlight.”

“Does it feel different in the moonlight than the sun?”

Mara picked up her wine and took a sip before shrugging. “How should I know? I’m always drunk.”

Even though Cal couldn’t stop smiling, he still chastised her. “You could drown or someone could scale the fence. It’s not safe for you to do that alone.”

Mara shrugged again and set her glass aside. “You should go with me, then.”

The words popped out without his permission. “You should come to The Rabbit Warren with me instead.”

Mara settled deeper into the couch and buried her feet beneath his thigh. They were like ice. The cold seeped through Cal’s pants. He automatically rubbed her legs, trying to warm her. She didn’t shut him down. Instead, she looked thoughtful. “I’ve never been to a fetish club. What would I do there?”

Cal took her question seriously. “Are you asking me to choose a service for you?”

Mara nodded. “You’re the expert here.”

He focused on her, giving her the same inspection she’d given him earlier. “I can’t see you getting spanked.”

Mara laughed. Her cheeks pinkened, fascinating him. “Oh, I don’t know. I’ve been spanked. It wasn’t terrible.”

Cal felt his face harden. “No. No one hits you.” He tried relaxing his features. The last thing he wanted was to scare Mara. The flush on her cheeks deepened. Cal couldn’t look away or stop. “I equally can’t see you wielding a crop.” Mara curled her nose at the suggestion. His stomach cramped with desire. “Sensual massage,” he said, more voicing what he’d like to see than what he thought she’d want.

“That sounds nice. What’s that like?”

Cal was so hard all Mara had to do was drop her gaze and she’d know. “You’d strip and stretch out on a massage table. They’d bind your hands to the wall to stop your natural reflex to push away their hands if they touched you in a way you’re unaccustomed to. Your body would be coated in oil and pleasured.”

Cal had wondered a thousand times how Mara would look turned on. He saw it now. Her hardened nipples showed through her thin shirt. The flush of her skin tempted him to sink his teeth into her flesh just to taste the heat. She licked her lips. “I don’t know. It sounds scary having my hands bound by a stranger. Anything could happen to me, and I couldn’t defend myself.”

“You could tell them to stop if you were uncomfortable, or I could stay with you and keep you safe.”

Mara nodded. “I’d feel better if you were there.”

Cal was captivated. She held him hostage with some invisible weapon he couldn’t see. “Does that mean we’re going?”

White teeth sank into pink flesh as Mara chewed on her bottom lip. Cal’s gaze locked on the sight. His teeth were jealous. Her bottom lip looked delicious. She gave him a sharp nod. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”

* * *

The Rabbit Warren was a large warehouse that looked like a mansion on the inside. The place also resembled its name. There was room after room—some with open doors and some not. Things she’d never seen and couldn’t unsee filled every space. People were openly beaten while others served people on their knees. Bare bodies and debauchery met her everywhere she looked. There was a guy on a leash being led around by a much older woman. They both looked pleased with the arrangement. Mara seemed to be the only person looking at anyone else. Every other patron appeared enamored by whatever fantasy they enjoyed. Still, Mara bit back a sigh of relief when Cal led her inside a private room and shut away the world. She wasn’t prudish. Not on any level. Mara just needed time to adjust.

Waiting for her was a woman. Mara felt like she should’ve suspected it would be, but then again, she’d walked into The Rabbit Warren with no idea what she was getting into. Being nude in front of people wasn’t a big deal. After all, she’d posed nude for magazines in the past and she had to be unclothed on set sometimes. Mara tried looking at things like that—like a professional. She was an actress. If things got too weird, she could pretend it was just another role. She undressed and allowed the woman to bind her hands without a qualm. The problem was Cal. His gaze never wavered from her face. It was unnatural for one person to possess so much self-control. He was almost rigid. As much as Mara would’ve liked to lie to herself, she couldn’t. She wanted Cal to eat her alive with his gaze, but he didn’t. His control only made her want to work harder to grab his attention. She craved seeing him break. Mara imagined, when he gave in to temptation, he was a sight to behold.

The small brown-haired girl in charge of her massage didn’t talk. It was a relief. Mara knew herself too well. If the woman spoke, then she’d fall into too-bright nervous chatter when she really wanted to focus on Cal. He pulled a chair near her head. His ice-blue stare held her gaze without wavering. It should’ve been uncomfortable. Instead, Mara fought not to pant as hot oil hit her skin. The woman’s hands smoothed down Mara’s body, starting at her chest, moving between her breasts, and ending at her hips. All the erogenous zones were skipped, making her want it even more. She thought about Cal’s confession. It didn’t surprise her he was a voyeur. He was deep. The type of man who would need his mind stimulated. She remembered the first time he’d seen her half clothed. I won’t see you unless you want me to. His words floated through her head.

“Cal.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It’s okay to see me.”

“No, ma’am. Not tonight.”

An invisible knife sliced through her heart. The pain showed in her voice. “Why?”

Cal set his elbow on the table and used his palm to prop up his chin. Still, his gaze never wavered from her face. “I can’t watch someone else touch you.”

The woman touching her may as well have disappeared. All Mara saw was Cal. “Why?” The question came out sounding like a parched whisper—like the embodiment of desperation.

“Because, even though I know you’re not—sometimes—you feel like you’re mine.”

Mara’s throat swelled. His admission made her realize how many things she’d screwed up in her life. Cal’s one tiny confession cast a huge light on every time she’d turned a blind eye—accepted less than she deserved. Swallowed Landon and Early’s lies. As if the universe chose that moment to push her over the edge, the woman touching her stroked along her slit and brushed her clit. Mara felt nothing except the chill of the air on her skin. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

“She needs a break,” Cal said, taking control and sending the woman away. She left without question. Of course, Cal’s tone left no room for argument. Mara couldn’t watch the woman go. She felt like a coward. Why did Cal have to be so strong and steady at a point in her life when she was weak and useless? “Talk to me,” Cal demanded, using the same tone with her as he had the woman he’d sent away.

Mara swallowed again, trying to fight back the pain building inside her. Cal made her want to live again, but she was still the same fool, and her heart still ached. Another tear slid from the corner of her eye, falling back into her hair. She hated herself in that moment. “Am I making the same mistakes again?”

Cal brushed the moisture from her face. “No, ma’am. You’re not. The way you keep getting up every day, putting your heart on the line, is the greatest show of strength I’ve ever seen. The rest of us are just white-knuckling our sanity until death brings us relief.”

Mara took a deep breath. It stuttered in her chest. She wanted to know his secrets, but she was also scared to know what made him tick. “Cal.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Would you kiss me?”

Cal eyed her, as if assessing her seriousness. Mara couldn’t remember ever meaning anything more in her life. He was the definition of strength. She was the embodiment of weakness. He was always there—watching. His gaze weighed heavily on her skin all hours of the day—like a physical brush of his hand. Mara didn’t want some stranger’s hands on her. She wanted Cal.

“I can’t,” he said finally. His voice sounded pained. That was the only reason his rejection didn’t hurt. Cal fought battles she couldn’t see. Feminine pride had her wanting to cry. Here she was—sprawled out nude for his taking if he’d bend enough to look away from her face. Something else kept her from falling into that pit of despair—the heat in Cal’s stare. He wanted her. His rejection had nothing to do with her. “Tomorrow, you have to live with yourself. You should never do anything under this roof that’ll make you less once you leave it.”

“You think kissing you will make me less?”

Cal’s gaze was so solemn, she knew whatever he said next would be the god’s honest truth. “I think kissing me, while I still work for you, will be the straw that breaks you.”

She’d been right. He knew the truth. “I’m cold.”

Cal flew to his feet and grabbed a hot towel. He wiped the oil from her skin. A switch flipped in Mara’s head. Whereas the massage had done nothing for her, Cal’s touch had her grinding her back teeth to keep from begging. His face was hard. He was obviously disconnected from what he was doing. Mara’s body didn’t care. She ached. With every fiber of her being, she craved. Cal was efficient and thorough. With the oil wiped from her skin, Cal found her clothes and returned to her side. She expected he would untie her. Instead, Cal slipped her panties up her legs, urging her to lift her hips so he could clothe her.

Mara bit her lip to keep from moaning. She’d never experienced anything as intimate. Countless times she’d had men strip her bare. Never once had anyone dressed her. The act fucked with her head. Next came her shorts. Cal slid them up carefully. Mara obeyed his every silent command. He kept his gaze locked on his task as he zipped and buttoned her shorts. Mara was damn near panting as he put on her socks and shoes. Cal moved back to her head. She stared at his face as he worked. There wasn’t a hint of emotion in his features, but she’d never been more aroused. He slid his hands up her forearms, from her elbows to her wrists, touching her unnecessarily to untie her hands. A stuttered breath escaped her, sounding loud. Cal’s gaze dropped to hers. He held her stare and her hands as he pulled her into a sitting position. Their gazes never wavered as he massaged her hands, as if ensuring they had proper blood flow after being bound. The heat pouring off him made it impossible for Mara to breathe properly. He could refuse to kiss her or see her, but Cal couldn’t hide the desire in his eyes. There was so much tenderness in his touch.

Although he’d untied her hands, Cal still didn’t let her dress herself. Mara let it go on. She didn’t want his show of affection to stop. He slid her arms through her bra before pulling her close, encircling her in his embrace and re-clasping the material like a pro. When he pulled away, Mara fought the urge to hold on. Instead, she lifted her arms and let Cal work her shirt over her head. With her shirt in place, Cal swiped her hair aside, making sure it wasn’t caught beneath her collar. He stood between her knees. Mara was hyper-aware of how far she had to keep her thighs spread to accommodate his large frame. She felt tiny and safe. Cal’s hand moved from beneath her hair to her jaw. His gaze dropped to her mouth as his thumb brushed her bottom lip. The fluttering in her stomach damn near had Mara squirming.

Cal’s gaze lifted to hers. Her breath caught. His heart was in his eyes, and Mara wanted it. “I won’t kiss you, but I’ll pretend I did later.”

Mara couldn’t ask for more. She’d rather be Cal’s fantasy than anyone else’s reality. What a fucked-up mess she’d become.

* * *

Kieran’s phone rang as he set his belt aside, as if whoever waited on the other end of the line had a camera poised on him. His dick leaked in his pants. Henley’s harsh breaths filled the air.

When Kieran answered, lust sounded heavily in his voice. “Hello?”

“It’s Cal.”

Kieran eyed Henley’s bare muscular chest. His gut twisted with need. “Hey. Did you get Mara home okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

The man’s voice was hard and tight. Kieran knew without being told he wasn’t in a good place. “How did her first visit to the club go?” He didn’t bother explaining how he knew Cal had brought Mara in tonight. He knew everything. Everyone expected it.

“It’s hard to say.”

Kieran sucked a breath through his teeth. “That good, huh?” His gaze never wavered from Henley. His husband looked ready to spring. Kieran wanted to see it happen. “Henley and I are still at the club, if you need something to keep you grounded.”

Cal sucked in an audible breath, as if he fought to keep his shit together. “Thank you. I’ll be there in fifteen.”

“Cal,” Kieran said before the man could hang up on him. “You know you’ll have to stop working for her, right? If you want to fix her.”

“Yes, sir,” Cal said without hesitation, and proving his suspicions correct. “But she doesn’t need me to fix her. She needs someone to love her.”

“Do you?”

Cal blew out a breath. “Does it matter? I can’t be fixed.”

A chuckle escaped Kieran before he could stop it from happening. “You’re just a little bent. That’s nothing Mara can’t handle. I’ll see you in fifteen,” Kieran said, disconnecting the call before Cal could argue. He’d left his husband on his knees and needed to fix that.

Kieran tossed the phone aside. “Cal’s on his way.”

Henley’s eyes looked half crazed, but he still sounded focused. “I heard.”

“You let that Mike kid eye you like he wanted to fuck yesterday.”

A line appeared between Henley’s sexy eyes. “What are you talking about?”

Kieran hated repeating himself almost as much as he hated the jealousy eating away at his stomach. “Mara’s assistant. You knew he had lust in his eyes, but still you took your sweet-ass time putting a shirt on.”

Henley stood, as if he wouldn’t have this conversation from his knees. Anger boiled in the man’s gaze. “First off,” he said, ticking fingers. “He wasn’t looking at me. His hunger was for Gavin. Hell, they spent over ten minutes in the driveway, chatting after I got out there. Secondly, fuck you. How many times have people watched us together in this club? Not once have I given anyone an ounce of my attention. I’m always all about you. Maybe I should walk out that door,” Henley said, pointing toward the door to their private room inside The Rabbit Warren. “And give you a reason to look at me the way you are now.”

Kieran swiped his tongue over his teeth. He wanted to fly to his feet and tackle Henley, but he didn’t budge. “How am I looking at you?”

Henley’s face transformed from anger to hurt. The devastation was in his eyes. Kieran took it like a kick to the gut. “Like you don’t trust me. All I have is your belief in me. If you stop…” Henley shrugged. His throat worked, as if he swallowed down words he didn’t want to say. When Henley spoke again, his voice came out scratchy. “I can’t fight you and me too.”

Kieran had never felt like a worse husband. Henley was an addict. A recovering one, but it would never leave him, and that was the whole reason they were there. Pain play kept Henley level. Kieran would be as kinky or as tame as Henley needed. They could go home now and never return to this place, and Kieran would be fine. They could take this to the main floor, and Kieran would fuck Henley in front of everyone if he asked. There was no length too far for Kieran when it came to his husband.

Unfortunately, Kieran realized too late, his anger wasn’t about Henley or Mike. It was him. It was Henley’s speech about not pleasing him with witnesses. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Henley’s confession since he’d given it. Failing wasn’t in his blood, but he felt like he was failing Henley.

Kieran did something he only ever did for Henley. He apologized. “I’m sorry.” He stood. “You deserve better from me.”

Henley blinked. “Did you just apologize?”

Kieran nodded. “I’m looking for issues that don’t exist because I’m scared.”

The line between Henley’s eyes deepened. “Wait. Did you just say you were sorry and admit to being afraid?”

The space between them disappeared as Kieran nodded. “I’m terrified of failing you. Of not being enough or giving you everything you need. I don’t want you to go looking elsewhere for everything I’m lacking.”

Without warning, Henley went back onto his knees and wrapped his arms around Kieran’s waist. He pressed his face to Kieran’s stomach. “No one could replace you. If you wake up tomorrow and decide you don’t want me, no one will ever touch me again until death comes for me.”

Kieran ran his fingers through Henley’s hair, while wishing he hadn’t let his mind get the best of him. His only excuse was—he’d loved Henley from the first moment he set eyes on the man, even before the man knew Kieran existed. The idea of being without him killed Kieran. “Cal will be here soon. Is it okay if I ask you something before he gets here?”

Henley lifted his gaze to Kieran’s. “Anything.”

“I don’t want to hurt you anymore tonight. Can I make love to you instead?”

Henley’s gaze moved over his face, as if assessing his seriousness. “Don’t do this just to make me happy.”

Kieran’s mouth pulled at the corners. “I love you. Everything is about making you happy, but that’s not why I’m doing this. Well, that’s not entirely true,” Kieran said with a smirk. “I intend to make you very happy, but I want you.” He took Henley’s hand and led it to the bulge in his pants. Henley moved closer. His nostrils flared, as if barely keeping himself in check. Kieran sucked in a breath at the sight. Henley massaged Kieran’s erection.

“Cal will be here any second. If you want to back down and go home to our bed, I’m okay with that.”

Kieran unzipped Henley’s pants. He’d said everything he needed to say. His heart needed for him to get as close to Henley as possible. He couldn’t go on feeling like something was wrong between them. The next time his jealousy got the best of him, Henley might not take it as well as he had tonight. He needed to fix them now. Something this beautiful shouldn’t have cracks. Kieran pushed Henley’s jeans down his hips, taking the man’s underwear down too. He dropped to his knees, stripping Henley bare. His gaze never wavered from Henley’s. Kieran’s intensity never ebbed. Henley’s hard cock looked delicious coated in pre-cum. Kieran licked it. Henley moaned.

“There’s never been a husband more loved than you,” Kieran swore as he came to his feet. As Henley tore at the front of Kieran’s jeans, Kieran found a sample packet of lube among the goodies provided by the club. Once Henley set Kieran’s erection free, Kieran ripped the packet open and coated his cock. He tossed the foil package aside and tugged Henley forward. Kieran captured the man’s lips as he walked backward. When the back of his legs hit a wooden-backed chair, Kieran sat, leaving Henley no other choice but to straddle his lap. There was nothing sexier than Henley showing off his strength, clinging to the back of chair while easing himself down onto Kieran’s waiting dick.

Henley’s heated gaze locked onto Kieran’s as Kieran pushed his way inside Henley’s hot tight ass. Kieran’s balls immediately drew up tight. He’d been on edge from the first lash tonight. No one could make him hotter. Kieran’s body begged for release. His mind pled for the moment to never stop. Henley rode him. The man’s muscles bunched and flexed with every move he made. Kieran couldn’t stop touching him or watching him like a hawk. He was mesmerized by the sexy man he’d sworn to share his life with. There was so much love in Kieran’s heart when he looked at or thought of the man in his arms, Kieran thought his emotions would explode from his chest sometimes.

Kieran was so close to the edge, he worried he’d come first. He reached between them and palmed Henley’s cock. He stroked, keeping time with Henley’s motions. Henley’s lips parted on a pant. Kieran could barely breathe. Henley’s motions sped, and Kieran knew he was close. He pulled out every trick he had to make Henley come as fast as possible. When hot cum coated his stomach and chest, Kieran cried out as Henley’s ass tightened around his cock, nearly crippling him. An orgasm slammed into Kieran without warning. One second he reached for pleasure and the next the air was gone from his lungs. He couldn’t see or hear. His eyes fell closed. There was nothing except the sensation of Henley, taking what he wanted. When Kieran opened his eyes, he found Henley staring at him with his heart in his eyes.

“I think I’m done.”

Kieran’s heart dropped to his stomach. He would rather die than lose Henley. “What?”

“With this place,” Henley said, making things slightly better. He stroked Kieran’s face. He looked scared, making Kieran want to rip his own heart out and give it to Henley. “When we started coming here, I was fighting a lot of shit. Now the withdrawals are farther apart all the time. For a while now, I’ve known something wasn’t right, and I thought maybe it was this. It’s not. The problem is me. I don’t want to do this any longer. That’s not fair, I know. You married someone different.” Henley swallowed, looking like every word he spoke tore at his throat, or he expected Kieran would be done with him after this. “I don’t want to share any part of us any longer, Kieran. I’m exhausted with playing hockey, being the recovering addict, and with this place. Can we just go home?”

As Kieran listened to Henley speak, he realized the man said all the words he’d been waiting to hear since they said their vows. The only reason they were here was for Henley’s sake. “I thought you’d never ask,” Kieran said, never meaning anything more.

* * *

Cal’s phone rang the second Kieran ended their call. He checked the face. It was Mara. He nearly drove off the road trying to answer as fast as possible.

“Hello?”

“Cal, I think someone’s been in my house.”

Cal’s foot eased off the gas when his brain stuttered to a halt. His mind fired back to life and he whipped a U-turn without bothering to check if the road was clear. The road was always clear. No one drove down this back stretch. “Go back outside. I’m on my way.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t hang up,” he ordered.

“I won’t.” Mara sounded scared. The knowledge fueled his panic, but his training kicked in, and Cal’s heart slowed.

“Tell me what happened. I’m almost there.”

Mara took a breath. He heard the harsh gasp through the phone. Damn, he hoped she wasn’t crying. Cal hated her tears. “I went to the den to take my wine glass to the kitchen. Your empty water bottle was still there, but my glass was gone. So I went to the kitchen, hoping maybe I’d carried it there earlier and forgotten, even though I know that’s not the case. I clearly remember draining the glass and leaving it on the table. Anyhow, no glass.”

That was fucking odd. “Did Michael come by?”

“No. That was my first thought too,” Mara said, dashing his hopes something fucked up wasn’t happening. “I called him and he said it wasn’t him. So, at this point, I’m still thinking it’s no big deal. It’s just a missing glass, but then, I went to my bedroom, and one of my dresses was spread out on the bed. In my spot. Like it was me.” Mara’s voice broke. Cal’s foot pressed harder on the gas. The house came into view. His training went out the window. If anything happened to Mara...

“I’m here,” he said, tearing into the driveway. He caught sight of Mara standing outside the glass French doors by the garage. As he looked on, she disconnected their call. He jumped from his truck and was headed her way before the phone left his ear. Even in the dark, he could see how pale she was. He didn’t hesitate pulling her into his arms and holding her against his chest.

“We need to call the police,” he said, speaking against the top of her head. It wasn’t until his lips brushed her skin with each syllable that he realized he’d been kissing her head. His heart raced from the fear and other things he didn’t want to admit. “They need to dust for prints and have a look at your surveillance cameras.”

Mara nodded against his chest. “Okay.”

“I’ll take care of everything.”

“I know.”

The trust in her voice was undeniable. She was the only person Cal didn’t know how to let down. He could and probably would fail the rest of the world, but never her. Even after the police arrived, Mara never moved from his hold. She answered every question from his arms. No one batted an eye. To the rest of the world, they appeared normal. Cal realized something as he rubbed Mara’s back and waited for the police to finish doing their part. Mara had spent the last few months taming him like a wild animal. His revelation came at the worst moment. He tried not to laugh at the train of his thoughts. While she’d been protecting him from other people’s touches, she’d been brushing and stroking his skin every chance she could. Now, in her time of need, he couldn’t stop holding her, trying to keep her physically safe. Before Cal could find the words to express how she impacted his life, the police officer who’d responded to her call reappeared.

“I’m not sure how to classify this one, Miss King,” Officer Davies said after searching the house and checking the surveillance. “Is anything missing other than a wine glass?”

Mara shook her head. “Not that I noticed, but I didn’t look too closely. Cal told me to get out and wait for you.”

The officer nodded. “That was the smart thing to do.” He wrote something on a card and handed it to her. “If you notice anything else missing after I’m gone, call that number and let me know. I’ll add it to the police report. Otherwise, I’m not sure what to tell you. There’re no signs of forced entry. Your alarm didn’t go off, and your cameras didn’t catch anything. It seems kind of strange to me. Are you sure you didn’t just set the glass down somewhere and forget it?”

Cal felt Mara’s muscles tense, as if she fought the urge to snap. “Yes, I’m sure.” The way she said the words through clenched teeth spoke volumes about her level of irritation.

Officer Davies scratched his chin. “Well, I could swing by here a couple of extra times tonight to check on you, if you’d like.” Even though his tone didn’t change, Cal saw a glint in the man’s eyes he didn’t like.

Cal steered Mara toward the back door. “That won’t be necessary. Miss King won’t be staying here tonight. Go get what you need for the night,” he told Mara, giving her a small push toward the door. He turned his attention toward the cop, ready to send him on his way.

Mara didn’t budge. He glanced her way. The way she chewed on her bottom lip ripped at his heart. “Will you come with me?” There was no resisting her plea.

“Yes, ma’am.” Even Cal heard the affection in his tone. He focused on the cop once more. “Thank you for your assistance. If anything else is missing, Miss King’s assistant, Michael, will send you the list.”

The man didn’t look happy about his contact being downgraded to an assistant, but he nodded. “I’ll keep an eye out. You two have a good night.” With a nod, he walked away.

Cal walked Mara inside, keeping one hand pressed to the small of her back. The house had been searched by the police, but Mara was still spooked. He would do whatever she needed. As he watched her pack a bag, and dip in and out of the bathroom, brushing her teeth and washing her face, he couldn’t lie to himself. His need to protect her had nothing to do with his job. The way he felt about her extended way beyond that. They were friends, but he wanted more. He’d already admitted as much to her back at the club. Filming was almost at an end. Soon she wouldn’t need him any longer. The problem was, he didn’t know how to stop needing her. Someone had been in her house tonight, he was sure of it no matter what the police thought. If he’d gone home earlier, rather than inviting her out, he couldn’t think about what might’ve happened to her. Cal couldn’t leave her here and go home. She was his responsibility. Not because of a job, but because she was his, even if she never really was. He’d do anything for Mara, even if it meant walking away from this bullshit job so he could be what she really needed.