Stunned by the bluntness of his question, I shook my head. “No. He wanted to. He tried. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.” Memories filled my head, and it was almost like I was there again, hearing Mario’s grunts and curses as he wrestled me onto the bed and tore the clothes from my body. I blinked fast, bringing myself back to the here and now.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “He couldn’t?” There was a spark of genuine curiosity in his eyes. I’d have been hurt if I didn’t also hear the underlying fury in his voice.

I thought about it for a few seconds. “I...