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He curled his hands around the railing as he gazed down at the city starting to wake up, lorries andthe narrow, ancient streets Laurel would wake up soon too, and then what? They needed to have a conversation, so he hadn’t anticipated He’d expected a simple transaction, and one that elcoot, what he deht he’d encountered resistance, aniure out as going on, and who Laurel was, before he made his next move

A sound fro Over the ain, a sound almost like a moan or a cry Quickly Cristiano strode fro the doors behind him In the sudden,to listen

There it was again—an anguishedfrom Laurel’s room Was she hurt? In pain? Every protective instinct Cristiano had rose to the fore, propelling hi room and down the hall

He knocked sharply on the bedroom door ‘Laurel?’

Silence—and then a whi it uselessly, as he knew the door was locked ‘Laurel Answer me Are you hurt?’

The only response was a shuddering sob Cristiano didn’t think—he just acted Backing up a few steps, he rammed the door with his shoulder It took a few tries, and would create a few bruises, but the lock finally busted and the door sprang open

With the curtains drawn against the dawn light it took Cristiano’s eyes a few desperate seconds to adjust, and then he saw Laurel lying in bed, the sheets twisted around her slender body, her eyes clenched shut, her face an agonised grihtmare

‘Laurel’ Cristiano spoke gently now as he crept towards the bed and touched her shoulder ‘Laurel, you’re dreaht Wake up’

Laurel’s body shuddered with the force of e her features as if she were in agony ‘Don’t…’ she murmured brokenly ‘Please don’t… I don’t want to…’ Another cry and she pressed her face into the pillow

It took Cristiano a few shocked seconds to realise, with icy horror, that she was reliving Bavasso’s attack He felt sick—sickened not just by Bavasso, but by hiant self-assurance that Laurel would welcorateful

‘Laurel’ His voice was soft as he gently touched her shoulder again ‘Laurel, cara Please wake up’ He shook her shoulder, carefully, not wanting to startle or scare her

And then she did wake up with a sudden gasp, as if she were co Her face was pale and shocked, her eyes wide and unfocused

Relief pulsed through hi time ‘Laurel, cara, you’re okay It was just a dream’

She blinked a few times, and Cristiano couldn’t tell if she had fully cohtmare

‘It wasn’t a dream,’ she whispered, and she let out a broken little cry ‘It was real’

‘Oh, cara’ Cristiano reached for her, not even thinking about what he was doing as he hauled Laurel against his chest, ainst hi into his chest, her body curled into his—felt supreht didn’t exist A place he’d excised long ago ‘It’s okay,’ he whispered ‘You’re safe here’ And he knew he meant it

CHAPTER SIX

THE VESTIGES OF the night her vision Obliterating rational thought Laurel felt Cristiano’s ar her in a way that made her feel safe Protected Cherished

Some small part of her brain whispered for her to resist this new offensive of his but the night face, his hands pawing at her—and Cristiano wasin her chest Then he gently shifted her over so he was lying on the bed and she was in his arht