She sighed as she closed her eyes. She shouldn’t be here. She knew she shouldn’t be here. She should be strong and brave enough to be in her own apartment. But somehow, even though she hadn’t known Zane for long, he’d become this safe person for her. Maybe because he was just down the hall. Maybe because he’d already protected her more than once.
Whatever it was, she was grateful. And it made her care a little less that she was somewhere she shouldn’t be.
She thought sleep would come to her. It didn’t. Which was annoying because she wassotired. She’d barely slept the previous night, and if she didn’t sleep tonight that would be two nights in a row of basically no sleep.
How was she supposed to function at work tomorrow?
She rolled to her left side. A few minutes passed and she rolled to her right.
Nope. Nothing.
The creak of a floorboard sounded behind her from the hall. She nibbled her bottom lip, suddenly nervous. Nervous for Zane to be so close. When he’d answered the door, he’d only worn briefs. Was he going to sleep like that?
The mattress dipped behind her. And if she’d thought the bed smelled like Zane before, that was nothing compared to now. His scent surrounded her, so strong that all she breathed was him.
Go to sleep, Bonnie. Rest.
She closed her eyes again, but the second she did, she felt that hand yanking her hair again. The stranger’s breath against her cheek. And those words snarled into her ear.
Her skin pricked with fear, and some of that warmth left her body.
She wasn’t sure if her breathing changed or if she’d made some kind of sound, but the mattress suddenly moved behind her, then a warm body pressed to her back.
A silent gasp escaped her throat at the warm hand on her hip. A breath suddenly whispered against her cheek, so different from the one that had just been in her head. Softer. Warmer.
Then four words whispered into her ear. Kind words. Safe words.
“Sleep, Bonnie. You’re safe.”
And just like that, her muscles relaxed, and she leaned back into Zane’s strength. He surrounded her, held her, allowing her to feel secure enough to sleep.
CHAPTER 11
Zane’s feet pounded the hard concrete path as he ran, the cold air slapping him in the face. But even the morning chill did nothing to cool his body.
His skin burned. Hell, not just his skin. His blood. His bones. Heat fromher. From sleeping an entire night with her hot little body pressed against him.
He pushed himself to move faster, arms pumping at his sides.
All night he’d held Bonnie. And fuck, he’d slept well. But then waking with her ass pushed into his cock…it had taken everything, every damn speck of strength he possessed, to not kiss her shoulder. Not roll her over and see if she tasted as good in the morning as she had that night in his gym.
He rounded a corner, passing an elderly couple on the sidewalk.
He felt like a fucking creep. She’d come to him for safety, and all he’d been able to think about was what he wanted to do to her.
So what had he done? He’d gotten his ass out of bed at the crack of dawn and left. Run to the gym like a coward becauseit was the only way to stop himself from doing something he shouldn’t.
He was nearing his gym when his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket to see his friend’s name on the screen. “Ethan, you got what I need?”
“No.” There was an edge to Ethan’s voice.
Zane stopped. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s dead.”
“Who’s dead?”
“My source inside the prison. Cause of death has been declared a fucking suicide. It’s bullshit.”
