Bucking wildly against him, she screamed out again and again.

“Careful, sweet,” he whispered in her ear. “You’re going to throw me out.”

“Not possible as large as you are.”

It was more than possible as she’d done it to him before, and he knew from experience that it hurt her when she did. Which right now was the last thing he wanted.

So he held himself still and let her take control of their pleasure. He wanted to wait on her to come again, but it wasn’t possible. She felt too good under him.

Before he could stop himself, he came.

Zarya laughed in triumph as she felt him finally shuddering from his own orgasm. That, and a subtle intake of breath in her ear was her only clue that she’d sated him. He was always so quiet whenever he made love to her that in the beginning of their relationship, she’d feared he wasn’t enjoying it. Rarely did he make even the slightest sound.

But she had no doubts about his pleasure tonight as he buried his hand gently in her curls, then kissed the nape of her neck. “I think I’ve died and gone to paradise.”

She was still getting used to his new voice. How odd to know his touch so well and to have all the rest of him be a stranger to her.

He lay himself over her body so that she could feel his heart pounding against her shoulder in a frantic rhythm.

“Are you all right, back there?” she teased, wanting to keep him in his current playful mood.

“Never better.” He brushed her hair across her shoulders before he nuzzled her neck and breathed her in. “I didn’t hurt your ankle, did I?”

“No.”

Grateful for that, Darling pulled away enough so that he could admire her beautiful skin. But he frowned as he saw the marks on her that his beard had left behind. Her skin looked so irritated from it. He brushed his hand over the rash as guilt stabbed him.

Damn…

“I’ll be right back.”

Zarya rolled over with a contented sigh to watch him walk naked toward the bathroom. Though he still wasn’t as muscular as he’d been before his torture, his lean muscles were well defined and prominent.

Even scarred, he was gorgeous, and that predacious walk…

It made her hot all over again.

Smiling, she lay there lost in thought until she heard a loud, resounding curse ring out from the bathroom. It was followed by the sounds of things crashing to the floor and breaking.

What in the known universe?

Worried that an assassin might be attacking Darling, she pushed herself up and went to see what was happening. As she opened the door, her worry turned to horror. There was blood everywhere. On the counter, the towels, and all over the sink.

Darling sat on the floor with his legs pulled tight against his chest, his forehead resting on his knees and his head covered by his muscular arms. He was so still that she wasn’t sure he was breathing.