I felt hot and cold at the same time. And raw. As if the physical barricades had been burned away, leaving me exposed. Helpless. All I could think about was ending this night so we could get back to normal—at least our version of normalcy.

The room was silent except for our breathing, and I had the inappropriate urge to giggle. I managed to restrain myself. All I needed was another bout of hysteria for him to peg me as crazy, not that he’d be wrong.

Colin broke the silence. “Was I too rough?”

“No.” And before he could ask anything else, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

For the second time in our relationship, I retreated to the bathroom after sex. I slammed the door to let him know he wasn’t invited this time. To ask him to follow me again.

From on top of the toilet seat, I watched the doorknob. My ears listened for footsteps or the turn of the knob, but none came. I wanted for him to come, but he never did.

I should be grateful that he’d listened to me. After feeling invisible at Philip’s, after raging for control over my body for years, the fact that he’d granted my request should be bliss.

For the first time since I’d met him, I felt truly alone.

*     *     *

Thank you for reading! I hope you loved meeting Allie and Colin. The next book in the Chicago Underground series is HARD. Find out what secret Colin has been keeping from Allie…

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And if you enjoyed ROUGH, you’ll love the sexy, emotional Trust Fund duet. The prequel novella Trust Fund is FREE to download!

“Wickedly brilliant, dark and addictive!”

– Jodi Ellen Malpas, #1 New York Times bestselling author

The price of survival… Don’t miss the USA Today bestselling Endgame trilogy, starting with the critically acclaimed THE PAWN! Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm.

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Turn the page for a short excerpt from Hard…

Excerpt from HARD

“Do you want pancakes?” I asked Colin, imploring him with my eyes. Let’s be normal. Just pretend.

His eyes narrowed, but he nodded.

Thank you.

I couldn’t talk about what had happened last night, not when it was so fresh. More than that, I wasn’t even sure what had happened.

I’d gone cold during sex before. In fact, I’d been cold during every sexual encounter I’d ever had, except with Colin. Never with Colin, until last night.