Mack felt like his chest had been ripped wide open, revealing a gaping hole of despair. He’d known it was there, of course, but he’d never willingly stared into the abyss. Why had he told her about his past? He never talked to anyone about his past, about his wife’s death or Cooper’s hatred.

He’d never wanted to until now. Great waves of emotion rippled over him, trying to pull him down into that deep, dark hole. He should have known . . . he should have known about Barbara’s illness. He was the worst kind of bastard—he’d chosen his job over his family. And his son had turned his back on him, leaving Mack to do the only thing he knew how. To be a soldier.

He’d shoved those memories down deep and proceeded to pretend none of it had ever happened. Sure, he reached out to Cooper now and again, but when was the last time he’d really tried? Part of him thought Cooper was better off without his father in his life.

“You’ll find a way back to Cooper, I know it.” Marley was looking up at him with nothing but love and support in her eyes. There was no sign of the contempt he’d expected.

He couldn’t question it now, not when his need was so great. If he didn’t bury himself inside her and let her goodness wrap around him, the despair would eat him alive. Another great shudder racked his body as if he stepped into a blizzard of pain. “I need you.”

Marley took his hand and he allowed her to lead him back into the cave. She slowly drew his T-shirt up and over her head, leaving him to stare at her glorious naked body. Her breasts weren’t huge, but they were full and perfect for his hands, and her trim waist flared above her perfectly rounded hips. Her features were extraordinary and they radiated kindness and caring and understanding. He needed all of her right now.

Mack circled her hips and pulled her against his chest, closing his eyes the moment her hard nipples brushed against his flesh. He was a monster; he was a man without any remaining humanity, but Marley made him feel like he had hope for the first time. Unable to resist her goodness, he dipped his head to hers and gently took her lips, pleasure racking his body when she opened to him willingly, moaning into his mouth. She didn’t hide or shy away from the fact that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her—and that left him reeling.

His mouth slid over hers, desperate with the need to dominate and take every ounce of her possible. Marley’s nails dug into his shoulders and she pulled herself up on her toes, meeting him in passion.

He broke away and raked his teeth down the side of her neck, savoring the rash of chill bumps left by his rough touch. There was an edge of violence to his movements as he bit down at the hollow between her shoulders, drawing a cry from her lips. The monster inside him savored her cries. His fingers dug into her ass and jammed her hard against his cock, straining to get inside her.

Fuck! He needed to be inside, hammering into her tight pussy so he could forget the pain. Marley rose to him and he let go of her shoulder, seeking out those tight buds. His control was a thousand miles away as his lips closed over her hard nipple. He needed to take over and dominate her; he needed to pound into her. Marley raked her nails on his skin, going from his shoulders to his scalp. It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. He let go of her nipple, the animal side of him admiring the rosy red flesh and the mark of the forceful kiss he had just given her.

Aching, he took her other nipple, his spine tingling from the intense cries and whimpers that echoed through the cave. But he still couldn’t get his emotions to quell or quiet. Desperately, he bit his way up to her neck, pulling on her tender skin with enough force to leave a bruise. He needed to mark her inside and out. He needed to take her so he could forget. His hands encircled her hips, and when he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around his waist. Needing her now, Mack got to his knees and lowered her to the ground. He shoved her legs apart and her knees fell open without any resistance. He lined his cock up with her entrance and was ready to shove inside, to do anything to ease this burning intensity . . .

“Mack.” Her softly whispered word licked around him, drawing him out of the abyss of darkness that had taken hold. Mack blinked, coming back to reality as he stared down at her, seeing hickeys already forming along her neck and on her breasts, where he had taken her so roughly with his mouth.

He was a monster.

Mack shoved himself backward and speared his fingers through his hair. “Christ, Marley, there’s no excuse. I’m sorry.” He stumbled to his feet, blind and lost. He’d never lost it like that before; he felt like he was tumbling out of control. What the fuck was wrong with him?

“Mack, don’t leave me.” Marley shot to her feet and grabbed his arm, but he flinched away, avoiding her gaze. He couldn’t bear to see the judgment there.

“Marley, I need some distance. I lost it and you don’t deserve that.”

“You didn’t hurt me. I wouldn’t have let you. Can’t you see how much I want you, too?” She circled to stand in front of him and gently pressed her lips directly over his heart.

Mack searched her gaze for any hint of a lie, but the sincerity shining up at him stole his breath. So did the red and purple bruise in the hollow of her neck. Mack’s hands fisted at his sides and he stared straight over her head into the blackness of the cave. “I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, so I won’t ask for it.”

Marley kissed his chest again and it took every ounce of willpower inside him not to move. Her lips spread fire through him.

“You didn’t hurt me Mack, not even close. The only one hurting in here is you. Let me soothe you.”

Marley peppered kisses across his torso, her lips whispering over his skin like a thousand butterflies. She kissed her way down to his navel and then went down on her knees in front of him. Mack drew in a ragged breath, fighting for even an ounce of control. He refused to look at her, instead focusing on how close he had come to harming her.

But Marley would not be ignored. He felt her hot breath a second before her tongue snaked up his length and then her soft lips wrapped around the head of his cock. He bucked involuntarily and hissed in pleasure.

Mack finally allowed himself to look down at her and the sight before him stole his ability to think.

Marley was on her knees, her hand and mouth circling him, staring up at him wide-eyed and gorgeous. Forgetting everything, Mack watched as she deliberately took him deeper into her mouth, her hot tongue dancing underneath to stroke the sensitive nerves bundled under the tip of his cock. Lightning tingled down his spine, and with a groan, Mack buried his hands in her hair. Marley kept going, taking him in inch by inch until he felt himself butt up against the back of her throat. She swallowed, the pleasure nearly taking him to his knees. Slowly, she dragged her lips back up his length, licked his tip, and then took him fully inside once more—showing him that she was in control.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He’d never seen anything so earth-shatteringly beautiful as this woman on her knees before him. She told him with her mouth and with her gaze that she would take care of him, all he had to do was let her.

Mack loosened his hold on her head and allowed her to fully take charge. With every lick, he felt a bit of the pain give way as he let himself get lost in Marley. He was too big for her to take all of him, so she worked him with her hand and her mouth, increasing the pace until the base of his spine tingled and his balls drew up. “Marley, I’m close.”

She hummed, the vibrations carrying straight down his length into his gut. Instead of slowing or stopping, she increased the pressure and pace.

“Marley, stop.”

She looked up with defiance and sucked him harder. He erupted, his cum jetting out into her mouth. Marley swallowed every single drop, leaving Mack completely empty himself, unable to think about anything but the pleasure of her mouth and the warmth of her heart. She sucked him softly, licked his length, and then kissed his thigh. Sitting back on her heels, she looked up at him with a soft smile.

“Christ.” Mack went down to his knees so that he could be eye level with her. He didn’t care that his hands were still trembling from the roller coaster ride of emotions as he gently clasped her face in his palms. He didn’t know what to say—there weren’t any words—so he did the only thing he could. He took her lips in a fierce kiss, showing her his utter amazement and passion.

Marley threw her arms around his neck and their tongues danced. He tasted himself on her, something that made the blood pound in his ears. This time he gently kissed his way down her neck, and he was unable to stop himself—his hand found the juncture between her legs. His nostrils flared when he felt her wetness. Had pleasuring him turned her on?

Marley took his shoulders and mounted his hand, rocking her hips so that they grazed over his fingers. She was needy for him. With a groan, Mack lowered her to her back and shoved her knees apart. Then he buried his face in her sex, lapping her up. The pleasure of her taste, her soft mewling cries echoing off the walls of the cave, her legs sealed around his ears—it all sent him into a vortex of pleasure. She had taken his uncontrollable lust and tamed the beast. She had soothed a darkness inside him with a gentleness that had left him shaken. Now he would return the pleasure a thousand-fold.

Mack lapped at her, strong steady strokes, savoring every satiny inch of her skin.

“Mack, I’m close…” Her breathy cry spurred him to gently shove his fingers inside her. She clenched around him as he pumped her with his fingers and licked her with his tongue, her walls tightening and spasming as she moaned out her orgasm. Mack licked up every single drop as her juices coated his face, his tongue, and his fingers.

He dropped to his knees and plunged inside. Her orgasm continued and she milked him, her tight walls squeezing him like a fist. Mack rode her, thrusting into her tight depths, savoring her cries of pleasure as he drove them both to another orgasm.

When they finished, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled onto his back so that Marley lay on top of them, both of them breathing hard and sweating and absolutely replete with pleasure. He didn’t know why or how, but Marley had cleansed him. She’d offered herself up and taken his pain. Warmth spread from his chest and down his arms and he hugged her tight, tucking her head into the hollow of his neck so she wouldn’t see the depth of his caring. He didn’t think he could feel love anymore—not after everything he’d done, what he’d become—but whatever he felt for Marley right now was the closest thing to it he could imagine. He wrapped one arm around her waist and buried his face in her hair. And until he fell asleep, they were locked together.