Dr. Morgenson turned to Nathan and leaned toward him a little. “Seven months ago, you two had just gone through the equivalent of an atom bomb in your relationship. I was there, helping you pick up the pieces and put everything back together. Four months ago, I had a strong feeling that you were finally headed in the right direction after some very hard months and encouraged you to move forward. You were strong and united together. Lila has blossomed and stands up for herself and her wants, whereas you’ve relinquished a lot of fear of the Marconi and guilt over Grace.”

“The Marconi will always be watching and waiting.”

“But you’re better prepared this time. They will always be there, so why would you let them hold you back from being happy?”

“So, you don’t think we’re moving too fast?” Nathan took my hand and squeezed it.

“No, not at all. Especially for you two.” He leaned forward a little more and smiled. “I do, however, expect an invitation to the blessed event.”

“Wouldn’t be a party without you,” Nathan said, smiling, but it wasn’t at Dr. Morgenson—it was at his friend, Darren.


I chewed at my nail—a bad habit I seemed to be picking up. Granted, said nail had broken earlier in the day, so I was really just trimming it with my teeth.

My stomach was in knots because of the anticipation—the next morning, I’d be giving my deposition.

My eyes scanned over the document, but my mind was too distracted to focus on anything. I needed to talk to Nathan about what I was feeling, but it was so hard to put it into words. I was drowning in worry, but there was also another issue clawing at me.

Knowing it was sometimes easier for me to communicate via email, I opened up my Outlook and composed a short message.

To: Nathan Thorne

From: Delilah Palmer

Date: 2/4/2014 9:47 am

Subject: Are you sure?

Why don’t we just go to the courthouse?

I returned to biting my nail, telling myself I was just trying to make it straight again when I knew it was really because I was nervous. Not only that, I was scared of the deposition and the wedding.

To: Delilah Palmer

From: Nathan Thorne

Date: 2/4/2014 9:49 am

Subject: RE: Are you sure?

No. You want a wedding. Stop stressing. Plus, I want you walking down the aisle to me. Or are you saying you don’t want to marry me?

I blew out a breath as I read. I never meant to imply that.

To: Nathan Thorne

From: Delilah Palmer

Date: 2/4/2014 9:53 am

Subject: RE: Are you sure?

I want to marry you. Very much so.

I was just scared out of my wits and trying to find the easy way out.

To: Delilah Palmer

From: Nathan Thorne

Date: 2/4/2014 9:54 am

Subject: RE: Are you sure?

Good. Now stop stressing or I’m going to force you to relax.

I gasped as I read over a seemingly innocent sentence. It was anything but. Since Nathan and I no longer shared an office, our romps in and around the office had slowed to an almost halt. The thought of him finding me and taking me away was enough to wash away my panic and replace it with a need for him.

Time to flirt.

To: Nathan Thorne

From: Delilah Palmer

Date: 2/4/2014 9:56 am

Subject: RE: Are you sure?

And how would you force me to relax?

To: Delilah Palmer

From: Nathan Thorne

Date: 2/4/2014 10:01 am

Subject: RE: Are you sure?

Are you asking me to spell out in detail and dirty words the ways I would make you come over and over again until your body feels like Jell-O and you can’t walk?

Fuck!

To: Nathan Thorne

From: Delilah Palmer

Date: 2/4/2014 10:02 am

Subject: RE: Are you sure?

Promises, promises. Where’s the proof?

I bit my lip and sat back in my seat, staring at the screen, waiting for his response. Nathan was the exact distraction I needed. Only he could make it all go away.

To: Delilah Palmer

From: Nathan Thorne

Date: 2/4/2014 10:04 am

Subject: RE: Are you sure?

Conference room, 6th floor. NOW!

I sat up straight and quickly locked my computer. “Hey, Owen, I’m going to go get some coffee.”

He looked at me, then down at my desk and back up. “Uh-huh. Have fun. If anyone comes looking for you, I’ll tell them you’re in the bathroom.” I gaped at him. He shook his head and gave a little smile. “I’m not stupid. You’ve been distracted the last hour, and you have a full cup of coffee sitting on your desk.”

I looked down and cursed under my breath at the untouched mug. Heat flooded my face, and I tried to find some response.

“Go on. Don’t want him to wait, do you?”

I shook my head and stood to walk out the door. The cubes were bustling with chatter as I made my way past. Each step drew me closer to my goal, making my pussy twitch in anticipation.

I was in desperate need for him to take it all away.

My foot tapped as I waited for the elevator, half expecting Nathan to be waiting with me, but he wasn’t. When I got off on the sixth floor, I meandered through the mostly empty cubes. The sixth floor was a recent addition to Holloway and Holloway, and not many employees were currently working on it. All that made it perfect for a midday romp.

I turned the handle and stepped in, closing the door behind me. I wasn’t able to turn around when he grabbed me by the waist, his hand clamping down over my mouth.

“Shhh,” he whispered in my ear. His hips rocked against me, pushing his cock against my ass as I leaned into him. My desperation rose.

He let go of me and I turned around, latching my arms around his neck and bringing him down for a kiss. It took him a second to respond—the surprise was evident in his eyes. He was grabbing and groping, drawing up the hem of my dress with his fingers.

I reached between us, popped the button on his pants, and lowered the zipper, then reached in the opening and pulled his hard cock out. He drew in a shuddered breath, his eyes fluttering as I pumped up and down his length.

“Fuck, baby.” He gritted his teeth and picked me up, setting me down on the conference table a few feet away. He pushed my panties aside and slapped the head of his cock against my clit. “Something you want?”

“Please!” I was needy, desperate for our connection. He ran the length of his cock against my pussy, pushing the tip in, then out, torturing me. “Nate, please.” I was a whimpering mess.

He pulled on the back of my neck and smashed his lips to mine, then lined up and thrust in. My eyes rolled back in my head, shivers running through my skin as flames licked the inside. I groaned against him.

“I’ll take care of you, baby,” he whispered.

His hips rocked, pulling out and pushing back in until he was all the way in. For a minute he sat like that, as close as we could be. The tension started to leave me—the world was coming back into focus. One hand still held my neck while the other gripped tight on my ass as he moved in a slow, steady rhythm.

My hips moved against him, a plea for more. Harder. Faster. Everything.

His hand on my neck moved away, sliding down my back, and I grabbed tight on his shoulders. When he reached my other ass cheek, I knew the message was received. His eyes met mine, desire and lust clouding them and sending another shiver through me.

He kissed down my jaw to my neck as he pulled out, then slammed back in. I drew in a hard breath of surprise and bit back a moan. My nails dug into his shirt, wishing it was skin to pierce, driving him as the pounding picked up.

He leaned back and used the leverage on my body to pull and push me like a ragdoll with each of his thrusts. It was what I asked for, what I needed. Each thrust fanned the fire, whiting out everything around me. I was gasping for breath, muscles coiled tight, on the edge of falling.

It wasn’t enough.

I let out a strangled, muffled sob. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to mine.

“Come for me, baby.” He trailed kisses down to my neck, then turned them into tiny bites.

His teeth sunk into my shoulder right as his cock slammed in. I crumbled, shaking in his arms as I came, his body rocking with mine. He was still latched onto my neck, marking me, as he tensed and shuddered.

I stayed curled in his arms, my legs holding him securely to me. Once we were breathing steadier, he leaned back and looked me in the eyes.

He brushed away a strand of my hair with his fingers. “What was this really about, Honeybear?”

My brow scrunched, and I looked at his chest. “It was about the wedding, but it was also about the—”

“Deposition?” I nodded and snuggled into his neck. He ran soothing strokes up and down my back. “I won’t lie to you—tomorrow is going to suck, and in the worst way possible. The wedding is going to be easy compared to the trial and all the shit that goes along with it, but you know what?” I shook my head in the crook of his neck. His voice softened. “At the end of it all, you and I will be together, husband and wife, and that piece of shit will be locked up. It’s not going to be pretty, but it will be worth it in the end. I promise.”

I wanted to believe him, and I hoped he was right. Could it really be my first step to ending my nightmares?


I was drained. My mental state was affecting my physical state as I stumbled out of a conference room at the prosecutor’s office. It felt like my limbs were filled with lead, all the while my brain was drifting in the waves of the ocean.