The main house felt charged with tension the moment Elena slipped back inside through the side entrance, rain dripping from her robe onto the polished hardwood. Victoria’s voice echoed faintly from upstairs—unpacking, humming to herself, oblivious. Marcus had taken the longer route around the property to give them separation. Elena’s heart still raced from the narrow window of their escape, but the warmth between her thighs and the memory of his arms around her grounded her.

She barely had time to change into dry clothes before her phone buzzed.

Marcus: Study. Now. Need you.

Her body responded before her mind could protest the risk. She padded downstairs quietly, the oversized...