“Abagail.”

I blink. Lines and lines of meaningless black symbols come into focus.

“Abagail.”

I clear my throat, and look up at my boss. The cringe working its way into my muscles won’t be held back, but I answer to Abagail despite my actual name being clearly displayed on the plaque in front of me. “Yes, Mr. Kane.”

His nostrils flutter, and I clench my jaw. “My patience with you is running thin today.”

His patience? Really. Mine seems ready to splinter.

“Where is my—”

“On your desk.” My fingers clench around the computer mouse.

His eyes widen. “I didn’t even finish the question—”

I release the mouse, and lean back in my chair. All the blood seems to be rushing to the surface of my skin. “Because whatever it is you want, it’s on your desk, Mr. Kane. Just like everything is every-single-time.”

He blinks as though I just spoke gibberish.

My lips shake. I’m losing my mind.

He adjusts his tie with one sharp tug. “You and I will be having a chat when I get back from this meeting.”

His clipping footsteps retreat.

My fists close on top of the desk and I shut my eyes, rolling my neck. I’m getting fired today. I suck in air.

A scent catches on my breath.

My eyes snap open.

No.

There he stands. As big and wicked and bearded as yesterday, but now…but now, it’s not just attraction propelling my pulse to wildness. There’s longing and pain so deep, there’s hardly room inside me to take a second breath. “How’d you get in here?”

“I told the receptionist I’m your mechanic, and here to take your car.” He moves closer to my desk.

I fly out of my seat, and get behind it. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Why not?” He advances.

“This is where I work.” My pulse seems to thicken my tongue. How’d he even find me here?

He takes another step, and my heart gives a pop. I dart around the desk, and make a dash for the hallway, and push open the door to the ladies room.

I shove the door closed, and reach for the lock. An opposing force pushes back. I throw my weight into the door, but it slides, my shoes slip on the tiles.

Then he’s in.

The sound of the lock flicking into the latch, echoes into my bones.

There’s no escaping him now.

* * *

I turn to her.

We’re not pretending anymore. She knows exactly who I am. I saw it the moment she realized.

Her horror was a hook to my guts—nearly tore me apart.

“You shouldn’t be here.” She grabs the sides of her head. “You shouldn’t—”

“Why?” I go after her.

She backs against the wall. Fuck me. She’s the sexiest thing that ever lived. That tumbling hair, and those expressive eyes.

Her hands fall to her sides.

She makes a sound. A soft moan of heartache that’s worse than any torture any man could inflict on me. “It’s too dangerous.”

“He’s gone, Gabriella.” I close the space between us.

Her stepfather died five years ago.

My hand almost moves to the side of my head, but I stop it. The scar is buried in my hair, but the memory is always with me.

The scar from where they had to open my head to treat the blood clot that formed from where Jeramiah’s blow landed my temple.

“He almost killed you.” She squeezes herself up against the tiled wall. “Because of me.”

My mind flashes. Vivid and pulsing. Of taking this girl in her stepfather’s workroom. My belt wrapped around her throat. Not tight, just enough to get her off.

Exactly how she’d asked for it.

I reach her, bend and whisper. “I’m alive.”

Her chest heaves. Panic’s in her eyes. She’s not afraid of Jeramiah anymore.

She’s afraid of her. Of the terrible things she’s capable of.

Of how I can deliver all of those things.

There was a time she’d sneak out and cross the road to crawl in my window every single night. Nights when she spilled her secrets so sweetly that there was nothing she could reveal, nothing so dark, that I wouldn’t set myself on fire to bring life to them.

“I know who you are.” I grab a handful of her hair. I went so easy on her yesterday. Not today. “I remember what a fucking filthy girl you are.”

“I’m at work.” Her breath shudders.

“You used to like that.”

“I need this job.” Her chest shakes, but her gaze is hooked on mine, her chin rising.

“Do you?” My gaze narrows on her.

Someone would’ve told her that Jeramiah left everything to her. If she could just find the nerve to come home, it’d all be hers.

The old asshole must’ve had a conscience after all.

“I can’t…” She quivers.

I pull her head back sharply. Her neck exposes. “Why?”

“Because everyone knows…” she whispers.

I press myself up against her. She’s so soft, that my hardness gets harder. So sweet that my hunger gets sharper. So desperate that my need swells more violently.

I could break us both into pieces, and it wouldn’t be destructive enough to satisfy this pain.

I know what she means. Not that they knew about us. But that they knew what we were doing.

Dirty things.

It all came out into the open when I ended up in a coma.

“Then come home with me,” I breathe to her, and then, I can’t manage another breath.

I stare at her face. Scan her expression. Wait to know how she feels.

She’s like a sparrow in my hands, but this little girl could crush me with a word.

Her brow wrinkles, her confusion over how coming home would help playing out. But I know. “And what?”

I smile at her, then reach my free hand down and grasp the hem of her sensible work skirt. “And be shameless.”

Her lashes flare and I see the dream in her eye. The yearning to be herself. But…she won’t.

Yet.

I’ll just have to remind her what it can really be like. I yank up her skirt, and release a growl.

“No underwear….” I yank her hair harder, and cup her cunt. “You really are a little slut.”

Her breath gushes out at her favorite endearment.

She reaches for me, curling her fingers into my shirt.

I slam her against the wall and sink my tongue into her sweet mouth, and kiss her with every bit of need, every speck of yearning I’ve stored up—and drive my fingers into her cunt, capturing her scream.

Her heat soaks my fingers.

My horny dirty girl.

My control splitters. I yank open my fly and then, I’m lifting her up and driving home. After all these years, back where I’m meant to be.

She holds on to me, teeth sinking into my shoulder, clawing at my back. She’s a ferocious little animal.

I fuck her back the same way—like a wild creature. My cock driving into her soaked pussy. Making my way through her skin and delivering myself into her blood where she will never be rid of me again.

The sting of her teeth makes my balls squeeze, and my cock stiffens. She knows how to get to me too.

Her pussy starts to tighten. I grab her throat, squeezing only the sides of her neck, and fuck her into the wall.

My chests explodes in rushing adrenaline and blinding pleasure.

She comes, and I press my mouth over hers, sucking the cries I give her back into me. She twitches and jerks.

Her cunt squeezes and clenches, and absorbs the last of my control. I release her throat and bliss steals away my soul.

I come inside her, hard and deep.

We collapse. I brace myself with a hand on the wall and hold her with the other.

Her forehead rubs against mine slowly.

I’m as weak as a baby, and vulnerable as a lamb.

My girl…