“I live in hell, Siena. That’s my world and I have no fucking right to drag you down with me, but I can’t stop myself. You’re the one thing in my life that’s worth anything. I can’t let go of you, no matter how much I know I should. I’m not that strong. I can’t come to you as an innocent. You are innocent and beautiful. Your body is. Your mind is. Your heart and soul. You think I don’t feel the weight of that every fucking minute I spend with you? You gave yourself to me, Siena. You chose me and I’m going to do everything in my power, with everything that I am, to protect you. To cherish you. To keep you exactly the way you are. Innocent and beautiful. But I can’t give you up. Don’t ask that of me, because, baby, I swear, I’m not that strong.”

There were tears in his eyes. He blinked them away, but she saw them. He couldn’t take that back any more than he could take back the things he’d revealed to her. She was more confused than ever. Her arms slid around him, holding him to her and already, her body had softened, melting a little so that he sank into her. She took his weight because she needed to.

“So, I’m telling you, baby. I’m not fucking asking. Tell me what the hell you overheard that has you this upset. Right now, before I lose my mind.”

She took a breath. Let it out. “You’re asking me to put myself in your hands all over again, Elijah. You hurt me.”

“No, baby, you’re still not getting it.” He ground the words out between his teeth. His body moved against hers and there was nothing subtle about what it was saying. “You’re already in my hands. I’m holding you to me and I’m never letting you go. It isn’t going to happen, so we work this shit out now. You promised me, Siena, and you’re going to keep that promise no matter what you hear, what you think you hear or what kind of bastard you think I am.”

She stared up at his face, her heart beating fast. His mask was back, the tortured look gone. He was back to hard. Implacable. He meant what he said. “Do you think scaring me is going to make me want to stay, Elijah?”