Still didn’t make a shred of sense though. I kept replaying his words, trying to find the angle that clicked into something recognizable, but I only went in circles. Jax was the son of Perrone, who’d proposed to Alex. Perrone was behind all of this, but he also had ties to Abbott De Luca, who could easily be involved too.

How the fuck did Jax fit into the equation?

Maybe I couldn’t figure it out because I couldn’t fucking see beyond the darkness trying to choke the monster in me.

Fisting the tube, I squirmed out from underneath her and maneuvered to my knees, depressing the mattress on each side of her legs. I unscrewed the cap and squirted what I hoped was the right amount into my hand, then I palmed her firm, round ass. “Was it this dark in the cellar?” I asked as I rubbed in the ointment.

“Mmm-hmm,” she hummed, the pressure of my hands inducing a relaxed state. I finished applying the cream and glided my palms upwards. Brushing her hair to the side, I massaged her shoulders.

“God, that feels good.”

Her words tingled down my spine, heating my blood to simmering. I was a pussy, fucking terrified of remembering, but I couldn’t help but want to. I wanted to know what it felt like to own every part of her.

“Tell me more about the cellar.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to know. I need to know everything.” I pressed my fingers deep into her muscles and worked out the knots.

“You left me naked in the cage. I didn’t have a blanket or any clothes. The thing I remember most is the cold. And the shame. You hated me, but I couldn’t blame you for it.”

“Me hating you…I find that hard to believe.” I lifted my leg and rolled her out from under me, onto her side, then stretched beside her on my back. I draped her over my body, not thinking, only acting on instinct as I embraced her, my fingers moving in slow circles down her spine. She caged me between her knees, and my dick nestled at the opening of her sex, fully erect and begging for entrance.

“Rafe,” she whispered, letting out a strangled moan.

Our captors could burst through that door at any moment, and I was sick for wanting to fuck her like this.

While being held captive.

While the remnants of Brock’s cane still sent unbearable amounts of pain through her system.

She couldn’t move without sucking air through her teeth. I only knew this because I heard her trying to hide it every time she shifted. I feared they’d do it again, that they were giving her time to heal so they could inflict more damage.

It’s what I’d do…if I were a psychotic bastard.