“I can’t let you go. I brought you here instead of locking you in a safe house until all this shit was over because I believed Drake and the team could protect you. I believed that. I know Drake. He’s the best there is, and he was certain this was the best place to keep you safe. I agreed with his assessment, but maybe I wanted you so much I didn’t think it through.”

His tone was a sensual rasp. His hard cock pressed tight against her mound, and against her will she felt an answering heat in her core.

“You have to know who I am, Siena.”

His hands framed her face, forcing her head around until she had no choice but to look at him. That was a mistake, just as she’d known it would be. He looked ravaged with pain. So much. Her heart broke for him, compassion and caring slithering through her own heartbreak and humiliation in spite of her desire to stay strong and hard against him.

She tried to shake her head, to stop him from telling her things he should never tell anyone. He should never ever say aloud.

“I’m a killer. Straight up. That’s who I am. That’s what they made me. My own flesh and blood. My grandfather. My father. My uncle. I was never a little boy playing baseball with my friends. I was the little boy learning how to beat the brains out of someone with the baseball bat. I was learning the ropes of the family business and how to defend it. How to hurt others and scare and intimidate them into doing whatever the family wanted or needed. So you have to know, baby, you’re in my bed and I’m touching you, you’re in bed with that man. The hands touching your beautiful body are hands that beat people. That hurt them. That killed.”

“Elijah.” Her voice broke. Tears blurred her vision. “You have to stop.”

“I can’t say any one of those I was sent after was innocent, because they weren’t, but still, that’s what they made me into, my own family, that’s what they made me into.”

She could barely breathe with the pain she saw in his eyes. On his face. It was raw and terrible. “Honey.” She breathed it, trying to find balance. Trying not to wrap him up in her. She needed to help him, but she was terrified of losing herself again in him and being torn apart. She didn’t think she could put herself back together.