She felt as if the bottom dropped out from under her. His eyes bored into hers with an intensity that made her want to look away, but she refused.

“I didn’t know Lyla before the attack, but I saw her after. I saw her smile and laugh. I saw her humanize Gavin and put him in his place. She’s a walking miracle. I didn’t think anyone could come back from something like that. That’s why I care.”

A tear trickled down her cheek, but she didn’t look away.

“As for you, I wanted to meet the woman who put her life on hold to care for her cousin after she’d been attacked. I wanted to meet Vincent Pyre’s backbone, the woman in his notes. He was a great man who taught me everything I wanted to know.”

She held up a hand in a gesture of surrender, but he didn’t stop. He was so close that his warm breath feathered over her chilled face.

“And you dare ask me why I care? How could I not care when you’ve all lost so much?”

His words and the mix of sympathy, bad temper, and need on his face made her stomach contract. It was all too much. She paced away as flashbacks of the night Vinny was murdered hit her with the force of a freight train. The familiar slap of grief was accompanied by terror, worry, and anxiety.

The opulent nursery faded away as memories of her desperate run across a moonlit desert with Nora in her arms obliterated her surroundings. With the monster’s men on the way and no backup, Lyla had done the unthinkable.

“You run and don’t stop, Carmen,” Lyla said.

“Please.” Carmen shook her head as tears streamed down her face. She was very aware of Nora crying against her chest. “Please don’t leave me.”

“I’ll hold them off until Blade comes and distract them if I have to. Here.” Lyla tucked a gun into the pocket of her robe. “Go.”

Fear consumed her. “Lyla, you can’t do this to me.”

“I love you. Now, go!”

She made the impossible decision to save Nora and leave Lyla behind. She could still feel the merciless scrape of branches on her legs and the cold terror rushing through her as she ran. She suffered multiple strokes as she huddled against the canyon, listening to the deafening crack of gunshots echoing through the night.

“Talk to me, Carmen.”

Her throat swelled with anxiety as she paced. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You have to.”

“Why?” she snapped.

“Because you need to get it out. It’s killing you.”

She whirled to face him. Rage was better than worry, so she embraced it. A lethal combination of fury and panic collided in a vicious starburst in her chest. She felt as if she could breathe fire.

“What’s killing me is that this isn’t over,” she said through clenched teeth. “What’s killing me is that the motherfucker who killed my husband is still breathing. What’s killing me is that Lyla’s been kidnapped again, and Gavin is on his way to Hell!” She suppressed an angry roar. “It’s been almost three motherfucking years since Vinny and Uncle Manny were murdered. If he touches one hair on her head, I’ll rip his fucking heart out with my bare hands!”

“We’re gonna get through this. Gavin will bring her home.”

“Gavin told me he would take care of Vinny, and he’s dead! Gavin can’t stop him. No one can. He took everything from me! He took Lyla to finish what he started and I-I can’t …”

He reached for her, but she backed away, shaking her head so viciously that she felt dizzy. Pain threatened to split her heart in two.

“She can’t do this to me. I can’t lose anyone else. My heart can’t take it.”

Bravado fled, leaving only fear. She would shatter into a million pieces. She wrapped her arms around herself and heard her teeth chatter from emotional overload and shock.

Two arms wrapped around her and drew her against a solid chest. The urge to burrow against him, to lean on another human being was so tempting, but she couldn’t do that to him.

“Marcus, I’m fine,” she said as she pushed against him.

He didn’t budge. “You’re not fine.”

“I am—”

“Hush.”

His hand slid beneath her hair and cupped the back of her head as he held her close. She was immediately engulfed in his scent and strength. For a moment, she held herself stiff within the circle of his embrace and made a valiant effort to save him from herself, but he didn’t take the out she offered. He tucked her face into the hollow of his throat and hugged her tight.

“No matter what happens tonight, we’ll get through this together.”

Her attempt at keeping him at a distance crumbled. She was so fucking tired of being strong and holding everything inside. The need for human contact was stronger than her pride and mortification over her breakdown during their bathroom hookup. With a mewl of surrender, she collapsed against him.

He picked her up and carried her to the seating area on the other side of the nursery. He settled on the couch with her on his lap. She tucked her legs on either side of him and held on for dear life as her shields came crashing down. Fear had its talons lodged in her gut. She cried her heart out for Vinny, her father, Lyla and Gavin, and Aunt Beatrice who was in a coma. It was too fucking much. She wasn’t sure how long she cried, but when the storm passed, she slumped against his chest, and Marcus kissed her temple. It was a sexless, comforting gesture that made her feel coddled and safe.

“Gavin will bring Lyla back,” he said as he ran his hand over her quivering back. “He’s gonna end this. After tonight, it’ll be over.”

“How can you be so sure?” she whispered.

“Because I know Gavin. Besides, he doesn’t want us raising Nora. That’s reason enough for him to make sure he and Lyla make it through this.”

For the first time in days, her lips lifted into a ghost of a smile. “I should have warned Gavin I’d teach Nora to dance on a stripper pole before she’s seven if he doesn’t come back.”

She heard the rumble in his chest before he laughed. She tipped her head on his shoulder so she could watch. One hand stroked her back while the other sifted through her hair. The polite reserve was gone, and the easy affection was back. She soaked it in.

He looked down at her, green eyes filled with mirth. Heat unfurled in her stomach and spread. Memories of their hookup flashed through her mind—Marcus holding her against the wall, the feel of his cock stretching her, and the image of his ass flexing as he thrust into her … She breathed in his musk and that scent that made her mouth water with need.

Marcus ran his hand down her cheek. “You have a scratch here.”

“Cactus.”

Amusement faded. “You’re safe now.”

Her fear was morphing into something else, something she welcomed. For the first time in years, she felt a pang of hunger that had nothing to do with food. After being so close to death, the need to reassure herself that she was alive overrode everything else, even fear. Marcus was the only man who had been able to rouse an iota of passion in her since Vinny passed. On a night of uncertainty and death on the horizon, she needed this.

“Cold?” Marcus asked and looked around for a blanket.

“Not for long,” she said.

“What?”

She kissed him. Marcus stiffened. She clasped his face, delighted by the simple pleasure of feeling his smooth skin beneath her tingling palms. Why hadn’t she noticed before how soft his lips were? That they were perfectly shaped? He pulled back, and she followed and gained access when he opened his mouth to speak. Her tongue swept in. Fuck. He tasted like … She rubbed her tongue against his to get a better sample.

Firm hands on her shoulders pushed her back until their mouths parted with a smack. She was panting as he held her away from him. One of her hands were locked in his hair, the other cupped the side of his face.

“Stop,” he said in an unsteady voice.

“You taste like classy sin.”

He blinked. “What?”

“I don’t know why I didn’t notice the first time.”

His face closed down. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

She shifted and felt the hard ridge in his pants. He wanted her and didn’t want a replay of their last hookup. Neither did she. Last night, when she killed that soldier, she made a decision. She decided to live. Vinny was gone, and he wasn’t coming back. She could either live the rest of her days in misery or enjoy the pleasures life offered. Her eyes roved over Marcus Fletcher. He was definitely a pleasure to look at, but she would enjoy him even more if he was inside her. This was the longest she had been celibate since she was fourteen. She shut down after Vinny died, and now, she was awake and ravenous. She watched the hypnotizing rise and fall of his chest for a few seconds and savored the simple sight. Marcus was alive. She stroked her thumb over his bottom lip and had the pleasure of watching his pupils dilate. He was warm, responsive, and all male.

“You’re drunk on adrenaline and fear,” Marcus said in a gravelly voice and gripped her hips to push her away.

She rocked her hips on his erection, and his teeth came together with a snap.

He glared at her. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

She didn’t care why Gavin trusted him. He’d had ample time to abduct Nora or kill her for holding a gun on him, but he didn’t. He held her while she cried, and now, he was trying to save her from making a mistake he thought she would regret. She looped her arms around his neck and sucked on his earlobe.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“For what?”

She brushed kisses along the sharp line of his jaw. “For putting you in that position that night.”

He tried to pull away, but she clasped his face and did what she wanted to do that night in the bathroom. She brushed gentle kisses over his face.

“When Vinny died, I did too,” she whispered. “I’ve been taking care of other people, so I didn’t focus on what I don’t have.” Words she couldn’t have spoken a week ago were coming out of her mouth. She couldn’t stop if she wanted to. “I’ve been a walking zombie. Not really tasting what I eat, not really feeling anything. I thought I’d be better off dead. I didn’t want to live in a world without him.”

“I shouldn’t have—”

She slanted her mouth over his. He opened his mouth, and she took. Her hands dug into the back of his neck as his taste hit her starving senses. Classy sin. She moaned and shifted restlessly against him. He groaned into her mouth and leaned back.

“Carmen,” he panted. “You … we can’t …”

He tried to stand, but she couldn’t allow that. She shoved him into the couch.

“Last night, when that guy came to execute Nora, I fought back.” She stroked his face and stared into his eyes, trying to get through to him, to make him understand. “I want to live.”

Her words hung in the air between them. He stared at her, lips parted as his lungs worked double time. His face was drawn with need, but his eyes were still calculating. She leaned forward, drawn to that delectable mouth and taste she couldn’t get enough of.

“I’ve been sleepwalking,” she said against his lips and looked into his eyes. “Wake me up, Marcus.”

He stared at her as still as a statue. The fact that he was resisting made her want him even more. He was trying to be honorable, and she liked it even though it was getting in her way. It was rare to find a man who would resist the chance to get laid.

“Don’t you want me?” she whispered and kissed a line down his throat, unbuttoning his shirt along the way.

“Carmen.” His voice sounded strangled, but he didn’t stop her.

She nuzzled the hollow of his throat and ran her tongue along the smooth line of his throat. His shudder of pleasure and the feel of his hands digging into her hips made her smile. He wasn’t going to make a move this time. This seduction was up to her. She mentally licked her lips in anticipation as she unbuttoned his shirt and viewed her gift in all its masculine glory. He was lean and cut just right.

“You’ve been training with Gavin in the ring?” she asked absently as she ran her hands over his abs.

Stomach muscles rippled. “Yeah.”

“It looks good on you,” she said as she ran her hands over his pecs and hard nipples.

He flinched. One of his hands moved from her hip to her ass, and she froze, waiting for a smack. His hand kneaded and then stopped. He closed his eyes as if searching for the strength to push her away.

The tables were turned, and now she would be the one to make the moves. Her conscience was curiously silent. There was a time for mourning, and hers officially ended last night. She was going after what she wanted, and the first thing on her list was Marcus Fletcher.

When she started to slip off his lap, his eyes opened. He didn’t say a thing, but the hand on her ass flexed. He thought she was backing out. She saw reason and lust battle before his hand disappeared. He had more control than any man she had ever met, and she would enjoy breaking him. His eyes glowed with temper as she knelt in front of him. She sat there for a moment, staring at him. His hands flexed at his sides as he waited.

Her heart beat in time with the ticking clock. She savored the mix of elation, excitement, and anticipation rushing through her. She settled her hands on his knees and smiled when he tensed. She ran her hands up his thighs, and he jolted.

“Carmen.”

Her name growled in that sexy voice was music to her ears. After running for her life, she was in the mood to play with fire, and Marcus was the perfect partner. She reached for his belt and kept eye contact as she unbuckled it and pulled down his zipper.

“What are you doing?”

He had Black Calvin Klein briefs with that white elastic band against a toned stomach. She had to take a breath to calm herself. The space between her legs begged to be filled.

“You went down on me. I think it’s time I repaid the favor,” she said and gripped his cock through his underwear.

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Carmen, if you back out this time—”

“I won’t,” she promised.

She hooked her fingers into his slacks and briefs. He lifted his hips so she could drag them down and tossed the two guns to the side. He shuddered as she ran her nails down his muscled thighs. She teased him by panting over the engorged tip. He bared his teeth and shifted, brushing his dick against her lips. When she gripped the base of his cock, he bucked. She clucked her tongue and placed kisses all down the length of him to his balls and then licked delicately.

Marcus hissed through his teeth and sank his hand into her hair. “Suck me.”

“Yes, sir,” she said obediently and closed her mouth around him.

She kept eye contact as she played with him. His fist jerked in her hair, sending spikes of pain and pleasure through her. Watching Marcus lose control was one of the hottest things she had ever seen. His stomach muscles flexed as he resisted the urge to move. His breathing was ragged and labored, and his eyes … Those fucking eyes revved her up so much that one of her hands left his shaft and dropped between her own spread thighs.

Marcus yanked her back with a stinging grip in her hair and pushed her. She toppled backward and couldn’t hold back a delighted laugh as he ripped her leggings and sank two fingers inside her. She bucked and gasped when his thumb landed on her clit. She was trembling like a plucked bow. She felt fevered and frantic. Oh. My. God.

“Marcus,” she gasped.

“You’re soaked,” he said harshly.

“I need—” she began but didn’t have to finish.

His mouth landed on hers, and he pushed until she was flat on her back. He ran his penis along her folds, and she clawed his back. He grunted and then slid home all in one motion. She focused on the delicious stretch and sudden fullness. He buried his face in the crook of her neck for a moment.

“Do it,” she panted, so turned on she thought she would die if he didn’t fuck her right now.

“Give me a moment,” he whispered.

She bucked beneath him, trying to begin the rhythm that would bring her the relief she needed.

“Behave,” he growled into her hair.

“Make me,” she challenged.

She wasn’t in the mood to be placated. The need to savor was gone. She was shaking like a junkie in need of a fix. She needed him to finish the ritual so she could start anew. She needed to be fucked raw, needed a climax that was so mind-blowing that she passed out. She couldn’t even get herself off anymore. It was unacceptable. This was it—the beginning of her new life, and Marcus was the key.

She grasped a handful of his slick hair, completely destroying his hairdo. She yanked his head down so their lips brushed as she spoke. “Fuck me hard.” He opened his mouth, and she bit his bottom lip. “Fuck. Now.”

For a moment, she wasn’t sure he would comply. She could feel him pulsing inside her. Her muscles feathered around him, and his jaw clenched. He closed his eyes for a moment before he leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss.

“Marcus?”

He planted his fists above her shoulders a moment before he thrust. She collided with his wrists, which were caging her in. She grabbed his forearms, which felt like heated steel and braced herself, her mouth watering in anticipation.

Marcus fucked her. No finesse or fancy moves—it was fucking at its rawest and exactly what she needed. The slap of their flesh was loud and carnal, and she could feel ecstasy rushing toward her, but she needed more. She reached up and dragged his face down to hers. The taste of classy sin pushed her closer to the edge. Kissing wasn’t allowed in hookups, but she didn’t care about the rules. Marcus didn’t push her away, so she drank deep. He spread her legs wide as she kissed him. She bucked as sensation upon sensation crashed around her.

Nora let out a mewling cry.

Reality ripped her climax from her grasp. Some semblance of rationality penetrated her desperate, lust hazed brain. She was fucking in Nora’s nursery. She was the worst godmother in the world. She turned her face to the side, breaking their kiss.

“Nora,” she huffed.

“She’ll settle,” he said and didn’t budge. She shoved against his chest, and he went solid. “You said you wouldn’t stop this time.”

“It’s not me; it’s her.” She was proud that she could string a coherent sentence together when her body was begging for release.

Marcus sat back on his heels, suit jacket and shirt spread wide, revealing a delectable body gleaming with sweat. She rolled on her hands and knees, then paused when his hand pressed on her lower back, keeping her in place.

“Marcus!”

She tried to scoot forward, but he gripped her hips and yanked her backward and tried to slip his cock inside her. She straightened and tried to get to her feet, but he wrapped his arms around her, keeping her on her knees. His hands slid beneath her oversized sweater. He stroked her quivering belly before one hand skated up her chest, and the other went to her pussy. He pressed two fingers against her clit, and she grabbed his wrist in a desperate bid for sanity.

“We can’t—” She gasped and jerked as he squeezed her nipple, sending a thunderbolt of lust to her pussy.

“No backing out,” he growled in her ear. “You promised.”

“But she—”

His fingers slipped into her pussy. She gasped and tried to stand, but he wouldn’t let her. His hand left her breast and collared her throat. It felt so good that she couldn’t resist rocking against his wicked fingers.

“We’re finishing this time.”

“But Nora ...” she began before his hand clamped over her mouth.

“She’s fine. Look.”

It was hard to focus on anything when her body was shaking with need, but she saw Nora in her crib, and she was silent once again. Still. They couldn’t fuck in front of Nora. It was wrong—

Marcus maneuvered her so she was on all fours. Her heart leaped into her throat. Who knew he had a caveman lurking beneath the slick businessman façade? He reverently ran his hands down the length of her spine, and she arched into his touch like a cat in heat. Her body was on fire, and she was lightheaded with desire. He gripped her ass and kneaded again before he pressed his head against her entrance.

She rocked back to take his dick. He hissed and slapped her ass. The sting felt great. She laughed and rotated her hips. A hand clenched in her hair and tugged as he draped himself over her. One hand gripped her breast as he bit her ear.

“Ready?”

“Yes,” she panted. She felt as if she had been waiting for this her whole life.

He planted his hands on the floor beside hers. His first hard thrust made her teeth slam together. She grasped the carpet as Marcus gave his beast free rein. She tipped her head down and held on for the ride. It was raw and elemental and everything she could have hoped. His teeth dug into her shoulder for three thrusts before he buried his face in her hair. His pants made her even hotter. She sacrificed one hand to jam it between her legs to massage her clit. His thrusts shoved her hand against her sweet spot, pushing her closer to the edge. She let out a loud moan. A moment later, his hand covered her mouth.

“Quiet.”

She whimpered into his hand, which tightened over her mouth. She liked it hard and rough, and Marcus was delivering beautifully. She spoke urgently into his hand when she felt her climax coming.

“Do it. Come for me,” he growled into her ear.

She erupted with a scream that would have been horror-movie worthy. He lost his rhythm as her vagina milked his dick.

“Oh, fuck,” he moaned.

He dropped his hand from her mouth to wrap his arm around her waist and haul her tight against him as he came. He ground himself against her ass as the spasms passed. She collapsed face first onto the lush cream carpet as he folded on top of her and got his breath back. His head settled at the top of her spine, and everything in her settled. Yes, this was exactly what she needed.

“Okay?” Marcus huffed.

She nodded because she wasn’t capable of speech. He tipped them on their side. He was still inside her and seemed content to stay there. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears while her body pulsed with vitality. He stroked his hand down her arm, side, and hip. He reversed and swept up until his hand gripped her breast. She mewled and arched.

“I didn’t use anything,” Marcus said.

Her eyes opened. She stared at the crib where Nora slept, blissfully unaware that her godparents hooked up ten feet away. “I have an implant in my arm.”

“I figured, but I needed to ask,” he said. “I’m clean.”

“So am I.”

“You sure?”

“Haven’t been with anyone since Vinny.”

He came up on one elbow, and she looked up at him.

“What about that celebrity Kody Singer?”

“Kody?” She frowned. “What about him?”

“You went on a date with him the day the hospital was attacked. You have a history.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw you two at Incognito.”

She forgot about that. That felt like years ago instead of mere months. “Nothing happened with him.” She didn’t mention that they had a heavy petting session in the bathroom at the hospital. She didn’t actually sleep with him, so that was neither here nor there.

The sound of a ringing phone destroyed her serenity as effectively as a gunshot. She leaped to her feet as reality came back in a terrible rush. Lyla, Gavin, Hell. This was the call she’d been dreading. She snatched her ringing phone from the dresser and saw Blade’s name on the screen. She fumbled with the simple mechanism to unlock the phone and closed her eyes as she put it to her ear.

“Blade?” she breathed.

“Carmen, it’s me.”

“Lyla?” She couldn’t believe it. The breathy, feminine voice on the other end of the line was the last thing she expected. “Lyla?” she screamed and flapped her hand at Marcus who stood nearby, watching intently.

“It’s me,” Lyla said.

She clutched the phone with both hands. “Are you okay?”

“No.”

“Are you hurt?”

“N-no. A-are you guys okay?”

She assessed Lyla’s voice, which was shaky but clear. “Yes. Did Gavin get him?”

“Yes. It was Steven Vega.”

“Vega? Rafael’s brother? Are you sure?” Her mind conjured up an image of an emaciated, tiny creep. She could have strangled him with her bare hands. Her body flashed with heat that instantly faded when she heard a man’s drawling voice. It wasn’t Gavin. “Who’s that?”

“Fucking Lucifer.” Lyla sounded annoyed.

“Lucifer? Oh my God, Lyla. Get away from him.”

“I’m trying.” Lyla sounded out of breath, and there was someone laughing maniacally in the background. “Asshole.”

Lyla just called Lucifer, the king of Hell, an asshole and didn’t sound remotely afraid. Did she not know who he was? “Lyla, he’s a sociopath. He runs Hell. You have to—”

“It’s fine.” Lyla sounded supremely unconcerned. “Are you okay? How’s Nora?”

Now that she knew Lyla was fine, she was fantastic. “You took ten years off my life, but I’m okay. Nora’s asleep. Are you coming home?”

“Yes.”

Carmen squeezed her eyes tight, unable to believe that God had spared her cousin. “Lyla, is it really over?”

“Yes.”

It was over. Vinny’s killer was gone, and Lyla and Gavin were alive. “I love you.”

“I love you too. I’ll see you soon.”

After they hung up, she clasped the phone to her chest and bowed her head. She took a long, deep breath as tears of gratitude and relief filled her eyes. It was over.

“Carmen?”

She blinked and brushed away a tear. “They’re alive!”

His mouth quirked. “Yeah, I got that. They’re all right?”

“Yes. I can’t believe it.”

She was lightheaded with relief. She swayed on her feet, and Marcus pulled her against him.

“Did I hear you say Vega?” he asked.

“Yeah. The nerdy brother. If I’d known, I would have killed him myself.”

“Vega,” he mused as he ran a hand down her back. “He tried to accomplish what his father never could … overthrow the Pyres. His family has the reputation and power to pull it off.”

“How do you know this shit?” Her words slurred as exhaustion took over.

Marcus scooped her up in his arms. “I’ll tell you another time.”

“Where are you taking me?”

“You need to rest.”

“I don’t want to leave Nora.”

“I’ll wait with her until they get back. You’re crashing. When’s the last time you slept?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ate?”

“I ate marshmallows an hour ago.”

He paused as he settled her in the guest bedroom. How did he know that this was the room she’d been staying in?

“Marshmallows?”

“Comfort food.”

He smiled as he tucked her into bed as gently as if she was a toddler. “Your idea of comfort food is marshmallows?”

“What other kind is there?”

He chuckled as he leaned down and kissed her. It was slow, gentle, drugging. When he lifted his head, his eyes were heavy lidded and glittering.

“Do you feel alive?” he asked.

“Yes.”

His thumb stroked her cheek. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

“Thank you,” she said with as much sincerity as she could muster.

“The pleasure was all mine.”

He kissed her again—a short, unsatisfying kiss—before he eased away.

“I still want to know why Gavin trusts you,” she mumbled.

“The same reason you trust me,” he said.

She fought sleep. “I don’t trust you.”

He chuckled. “Yes, you do.”

Marcus said something else, but she couldn’t make it out because she was crashing.