Pure, honest need. For her. For Siena Arnotto. She couldn’t accept that, not with the blood on her hands. She closed her eyes again and leaned forward, silently asking him to remove the pillows so she could lie down for a few minutes.

She was supposed to get up and move around for ten minutes at a time and then rest for fifteen. But it hurt. Especially her leg. Right now, it was her emotions that hurt more than her body. She needed to turn everything off for a little while. Take a break from facing reality and just hopefully go to sleep.

“I’m tired, Elijah,” she said, not lying. “Really tired.”

“I know, baby,” he answered immediately, pulling the pillows from behind her back and laying them flat for her. He helped her slide down in the bed and turn on her side.

His shirt was warm and comforting. She was very aware she wasn’t wearing any underwear, but there was no material rubbing over her hip or pulled tight against her back, and honestly, the pain had been reduced mostly to a dull ache.

“Jake Bannaconni and his woman will be here shortly. His ranch neighbors mine. He wants you to meet Emma.”

She touched her fingertips to the bandage on her cheek. She wasn’t ready to meet anyone, least of all Jake Bannaconni’s wife. She turned her face into the pillow and closed her eyes, surprised when Elijah pulled the cover up over her shoulders and tucked her in.

7

HEART pounding, Siena turned and ran, knowing she was fleeing for her life. Knowing the large, hideous cat with its evil eyes would run her down. It was faster and stronger and she was already injured. Her ribs hurt with every step she took. Her breath came in raw, burning gasps, but she tried anyway. She burst through the dense underbrush, branches scraping her naked body. She made it seven steps. Seven. That was all. In her mind she was counting, and she felt hot breath on her back at number seven.

A giant claw ripped down her back, taking off skin, the pain so excruciating she actually saw stars. Willing herself to pass out, she half turned toward the cat. A claw slapped at her face, knocking her sideways, tossing her body through the air as if she weighed no more than a feather. Her face tore open, a deep laceration, blood running into her eye, making it impossible to see.

She landed hard on her belly and curled into the fetal position as the cat leapt on her, sinking his teeth into her shoulder, twin ice picks driving deep, a savage move that held her immobile while those yellow, malevolent eyes stared down at her with fury. Watching her face, the cat raked its claw from her hip to her knee, the claw curving deep into her body, tearing through skin and muscle to try to get to the bone.