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She couldn’t breathe Her insides cra the explicit sound his eyes flared like a sun going supernova “But it won’t be enough Only chaining you toaway the key will be”

And he considered that—what? Punishment?

She tried to talk, found that sandpaper had replaced her vocal cords

“Feeling the after-effects of intubation still?” He placed one knee on the bed,his hands to the curtains as if he was feeling walls he was about to s At least she knew her body was functioning if it was rioting this hen he was clearly furious, too “That’s what you get for playing Superwoman Surprise The boulder didn’t bounce off you”

She found her voice for this, or so as it didn’t hit you”

He tore the curtains away, loo copper in his extreme Oh, God, what had she said?

“And ould you care, when you al there, broken and bloody! The one reason I didn’t keel over was because I had to take care of you first Because you were alive If you weren’t—if …” He clenched and unclenched his fists, as if he was struggling not to grab her and shake her “You could have just shouted forEllahi … you could have died”

“That’s why you’re so angry?” Tension seeped out of her “I thought it was so serious”

“Al yourself isn’t serious?” he exploded

She winced at his thundering volu myself is one of your hot buttons, isn’t it?”

“One of?” She’d bet that snarl could perforate steel “Endangering yourself? You risked your life for mine!”

She ran her hands over her head, her ar that ht as I woke up here was that I must be in heaven”

“You risked your life for mine That you’re still alive is because God chose not to accept your sacrifice”

“I think you had a say in canceling that sacrifice” She sat up and he seemed to lose all explosive retorts in his alarood as new, really, just sore fro in bed too” Her words petered out She was in a sleeveless, low-cut, satin nightdress the sa around her

Her heat rose as she iuorous detail, saw hi her out of it A breath shuddered out of her as the crea the heavy throb between theether to contain the ache, looked up at hiht of desire

“So, how bad was it?” she al out a sound that made her dizzy “Severe concussion, scalp wound, six badly bruised ribs, lacerated intercostals , massive hemopneuot off pretty lightly”

“Lightly? Do you want to rid me of what little reency bag you so love, which you held up as a shield at the last nition, a paralyzed vegetable!”