His dark blue eyes moved over my face, taking me in inch by inch, and relief coursed through my veins. Having him close to me felt amazing.

I threw myself into him without hesitation. He wrapped me in his thick arms, pulling me into his large chest and making me feel safer than I had in a long time.

He massaged my cheek with his thumb, touching me everywhere and nowhere all at once. And then reality set in, and I knew something wasn’t right.

I pulled away, and he looked down at me longingly. “You’re here. How are you here right now?” I asked.

“I had to, Lyla. I did it for you.”

“Wait, what did you do, Christopher?” Panic rushed down my spine.

“I escaped.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. How? Fulton had COs posted everywhere, and everything ran like clockwork.

He pulled me to him again, my face burrowed into his chest. “I had to, Lyla. You’re not safe. I had to make sure you were safe.”

“What are you talking about? I’m so confused right now.” I was beyond happy to see him, but the pieces weren’t fitting together.

“The green-light was extended past the prison walls. Whoever they are, they want you dead no matter what.”

Cold struck me deep, moving through my veins and freezing me from within.

“I don’t care what I have to do, I’ll keep you safe. I’ve already lost one person; I can’t lose you, too.”

Cupping his cheek in my hand, I ran my thumb beneath his eyes and enjoyed the feel of him. “What do you mean? Who did you lose?”

His expression dropped and sadness filled his eyes. “Scoop. He hung himself.

“Why would he do that?” I whispered, my mind going back to the happy-go-lucky guy I remembered.

“Jose. He and his gang held me down and raped him in front of me. He wasn’t the same after that.”

His voice trailed off, and I could hear a twinge of sadness and guilt in it. It tore my soul to pieces. I pulled his face to mine and made him look into my eyes.

“Christopher, it wasn’t your fault.” I watched his face darken, and I couldn’t bear it anymore.

I ran my finger across the arch of his brow and down his rugged jaw line. His teeth clenched beneath my touch, making his jaw muscle pop against my fingertip. His eyes softened and he closed them gently, turning his face into my palm.

When he opened them, strong emotions swirled in the depth of his blue irises, consuming my soul and pulling me under with him. Calloused fingers slipped around my waist beneath my shirt, and chills lifted my skin. I moaned when his lips found mine, sucking and tasting. It was slow and erotic, temptation at its finest.

He kissed me tenderly, his hands moving up and down my back beneath my shirt, until he finally lifted it, breaking our kiss to pull my top over my head. He tossed it to the floor, and his eyes moved over my flesh like it was the first time he’d ever seen a naked woman.

“So fucking beautiful,” he said as his finger whispered across my cleavage.

Leaning down, he pressed heated kisses along the side of my neck, working his way down to just above my bra. He sucked softly at the flesh billowing over the top of my C cups, and his fingers worked deftly at the latches on the back. Once he freed me completely, he moved lower, sucking my nipple between his lips and lavishing it will gently licks.

I panted loudly, pressing my palms into the back of his head to hold him to me. His mouth felt amazing, feeding on my body like I was a delicious morsel and pushing me to the brink of madness.

Things picked up. His kisses became more hurried, our passion a flurry of hands and mouths. Clothes fell to the floor as we uncovered each other like we’d never been able to before. Our eyes moved over each other’s bodies, taking in every dip and curve. I’d never felt more beautiful in my life. The way Christopher looked at me—it was as though he was worshipping me. And when he dropped to his knees in front of me, pushed my panties to the side, and buried his face into my wet heat, he did exactly that. He worshiped me.

My hands roamed across his head, his wide, muscled shoulders, and anything I could reach, feeling his naked skin in a way I never got a chance to before. The sounds of my wetness and him tasting it filled my living room, followed by my loud moans. It was erotic before when we had to be quiet. I enjoyed the feel of his hand over my mouth, holding in my pleasured noises, but this was different. Hearing myself was turning me on even more.

Finally, I crumbled. My knees weakened and my back fell against the door, keeping me from falling to the floor. He continued, licking and sucking my juices as they flowed from my body until I was shaking and begging him to stop.