“Yeah, honey. He’s gone.” Aldo’s own voice sounded like it was miles away.

He pulled her into the kitchen away from the lights, the badges, the questions. Opening the back door, they slipped outside into the night.

He needed a minute, ten minutes, a lifetime with her.

“Aldo,” her voice was steady, soothing.

But nothing short of murder could soothe the beast that raged in him.

Never again, he vowed. Never again would Gloria be left alone to face her demons.

He didn’t realize how tightly he was holding her when he backed her into the wall next to the door. The siding bit into his knuckles. Aldo wanted to be gentle, wanted to stroke and comfort. But he wasn’t in control.

Gloria’s hands came up between them, but instead of pushing him away, her fingers dug into his chest, holding on tight.

“I’m okay, Aldo,” she whispered.

He crowded into her, pressing her against the wall of the house, trying to reassure his body that she was safe. His cock, raging hard, found the juncture of her thighs. He searched out her mouth with his own as he thrust against her.

With a whimper, she wrapped her arms around his neck, locking him to her. Craving the contact as much as he was. She kissed him, lips devouring his with a hunger that matched his own.

He should slow down. Stop. She’d had enough violence in her life. He didn’t need to be man-handling her to calm himself down. She needed sweetness on satin sheets, not a ham-handed mauling in a dark backyard.

But then Gloria was moaning against his mouth. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Aldo.” His name. Her lips. A perfect combination. She was surrendering to him as if she knew instinctively what he needed.

He rocked his hips into hers, and she gave a breathy little moan. He had one hand in her hair, the other roaming the slim curve of her hip. His fingers kneaded the soft skin under the hem of her shirt.

And then she was reaching between them and cupping the painful length of his shaft, and he lost his damn mind. He rutted into her, rocking and thrusting as if they were naked. As if there were no barriers between them.

“Oh my God,” she gasped against his mouth.

He needed to stop. Needed to take care of her. But he couldn’t stop taking.

“Gloria.”

Her slim hand was slipping under the waistband of his shorts. Fingers wrapping around his goddamn aching dick, and his world went black for a minute. She pulled him free, lined the head of his cock up between her legs, just under the hem of her loose shorts. There was one more layer between them, and Aldo tried to hang on to that. He had to stop this.

But his body had other ideas. He thrust himself into her grip.

“God, yes,” she breathed, biting his lower lip.