Marcus’s hands tightened on the marks. His voice came low against her hair. “She’s sensing the truth without having the facts. That’s the most dangerous version of this. You’re going to have to keep giving her the careful quiet and hope it’s enough to stop her from digging harder.”

One hand slid down, opened the front of her joggers, and found the thick, slick evidence still between her legs. Two fingers pushed into her slowly, working the afternoon’s load deeper while his other hand kept steady pressure on the lower bruises. Elena’s hips moved against his hand without permission. The guilt and the heat and the love sat tangled so...