Rhapsody (The Bellator Saga Book 5) by Cecilia London Page A

no longer liked the dark, because according to the staff she’d flipped out every time they turned off the light while she was in the hospital. He saw her flailing on the bed.
    “No,” she mumbled, her face tightening. “Stop. Please stop.”
    Jack touched her shoulder. “Caroline, wake up.”
    “No, please,” she whimpered. “Please stop. Don’t hurt them.” She curled up in the sheets and started to scream.
    Watching her like this was unbearable. He laid down next to her and tried to shake her awake. She continued to thrash, kicking away from him.
    “Caroline,” he said, stroking her face. “Sweetheart, wake up.”
    Suddenly, unexpectedly, her eyes flew open. She stared at him, her entire body shaking. Sweat was pouring down her face and she was breathing far too fast. She started wriggling in his arms.
    “Get away from me!” she screamed. “Get away!”
    He pulled her tighter. “It’s Jack. You’re safe. It’s just a dream.” He whispered into her ear, doing his best to think of soothing, comforting words, hoping she’d come to her senses. After a few moments she seemed to realize where she was and grabbed his shirt and leaned against his chest.
    “Breathe, sweetheart,” he said. “Big deep breaths. Come on, now. Calm down.”
    He could feel her heartbeat returning to its normal cadence. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “Jack?”
    “It’s okay, Caroline. You were having a nightmare. Take a deep breath. Exhale. Again. Good.” He kept his arms wrapped around her until she gazed up at him and repeated his name again. “I’m right here,” he said softly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
    She closed her eyes, tracing her fingers along the stubble on his jawline. “Monty,” she whispered.
    Jack wasn’t sure what it was that made him tip her chin up. He reminded himself that he was supposed to have boundaries. That she should come to him. That he wasn’t supposed to try a damn thing, even if he could practically taste her desire. He could see the passion in her eyes. The heat. The longing. He heard the desperate way she spoke her pet name for him. Her terror had faded, replaced with a refreshing blend of emotions he hadn’t expected.
    Just one kiss. It wouldn’t hurt anything. They both wanted it. It would make her feel good. Make them both feel good.
    “Caroline,” he said softly, and brought his lips to hers.
    His confidence hadn’t been completely restored. Not yet. He half expected her to stop him but she pulled him closer. The kiss was gentle. Loving, but firm. He kept going and soon his kisses were insistent. He wanted more. Needed more. He teased her with his tongue and heard her moan his name softly. Fuck, there was no way he could stop after that. Her lips parted and his tongue merged with hers.
    It was as if no time had passed. Their bodies fit together perfectly as they lay side by side, and he drew himself on top of her, starting to get aroused. Not that it took much anymore. He generally sported a raging hard-on the instant she got near him.
    “I love you,” he said. “God, I miss you so much.” He caressed her neck, trailing kisses along her jawline and toward her collarbone.
    She curled her fingers up in his hair, her eyes closed, softly calling out to him, caught up in the moment. Her voice was like music. She clung to him and his kisses grew deeper, stronger, more intense. Almost by reflex, he slid a hand under her shirt. But when he drifted his fingers up her abdomen and felt a jagged scar under her ribcage, he knew he’d made a mistake.
    Caroline froze momentarily before speaking. “Stop.” She shoved him in the chest. “Don’t.”
    Jack rolled to the other side of the bed. He’d tried not to picture what those men had done to her when she was being interrogated, afraid his imagination would be worse than reality. She’d been slashed open and crudely stitched back together like a rag doll. He seriously underestimated her captors’ depravity and