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went to bed with Rufus following me. Zolt walked me to the guest room, kissing me good night.
    “Good night, baby. Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?” His hand cupped my face, and he kissed me.
    “No. But it’s best for now.” I still needed my space, though part of me needed Zolt more.
    I turned off the lights, and Rufus and I crawled into bed. I fell asleep easily, but before long, the night terrors struck. I was in the room where Marcus held me but instead of the pictures and the footage of Zolt’s injury, both of them were there with me, in living color. Zolt’s leg was positioned at an unnatural angle, and Chris stared skyward with that empty, dead look in his eyes.
    Marcus stood off to the side with a smug and exultant expression. With his arms crossed over his chest, his gray eyes—now black— glittered with impudence, daring me to challenge him. Then, the scene changed, and I was cuffed to the cross with Marcus in front of me, slapping the flogger in his hands. The joyous smile his thin lips curved into turned my blood cold. Just before the flogger connected with my breasts, I woke screaming.
    Even when strong arms surrounded me, cradling me to a firm chest, I couldn’t stop my screams.
    “It’s all right, Irelyn. I’ve got you. You’re safe. I’m here,” he cooed as he stroked my sweat-dampened hair.
    “It’s not all right. It will never be all right again,” I cried.
    Zolt brushed wet strands of hair from my face. “It will be. I’ll make it all right.”
    “How? How can you fix it? He won’t stop until he wins. He’s already taken so much.”
    “Baby, look at me. I won’t let him hurt you ever again. I swear. No matter what, I promise.”
    Brody came in with a syringe in hand. “How about a sedative?”
    I wanted to say no, but I knew I had to if I wanted to sleep. “I take Ambien, but I don’t have it with me.”
    “Let him sedate you. You need to rest. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep. Okay?” Zolt kissed my forehead.
    Rufus barked as if he understood and needed to put in his two cents. Ben came running in the room and sat next to Rufus. The two dogs and their cuteness instantly relaxed me.
    “Okay,” I relented; they were right. I did need to rest, and to be honest, I seriously didn’t think I could take more terrors.
    Brody gave me a shot and left the room.
    Zolt lay down, and I found my favorite spot on his chest, laying my head down. I breathed him in, loving his familiar warm-and-spicy male scent.
    “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, petting my hair.
    “No.”
    Zolt sighed. “Okay. You can tell me anything.”
    I yawned, my eyelids growing heavy. “I know.”
    Wrapped in his arms, his feelings for me came through; I felt safe and secure. I also felt guilty because I didn’t deserve this. Until Kenna and Delaney were free from Marcus’s evilness, my contentment added to my guilt, trapping me in a vicious circle.
    “I won’t let you slip away from me, Irelyn,” Zolt said as if he could read my mind. “I can see the struggle and guilt in your eyes. It’s okay that you’re here, away from him. We had to save you. It’s the only way you can help them. You have to know that, Irelyn.”
    I lifted my heavy lids and glanced at Zolt. “I do,” I said drowsily. “Kenna’s in trouble because of me. And I’m having trouble reconciling that.”
    “Lean on me.” Zolt caressed my cheek with his finger. “Let me help you.”
    “Okay.” Wrapped in Zolt’s arms, I closed my eyes and let sleep claim me.

I slipped out of the bed, leaving Irelyn fast asleep. In the hall, I met up with Brody on his way to bed.
    “Is she asleep?” Brody asked.
    “Yep.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “She needs to talk, Brody. She won’t talk to me, but it’s clear Marcus’s injuries weren’t just physical.”
    “I’m sure,” he agreed. “Give her time, Zolt. It’s only been a few days.”
    “I hate feeling powerless, but I don’t want to push because I