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“Christ, are you alright?” he says. When he reaches for me, I back up on instinct and slap his hand. “Don't touch me!”

“I didn't mean to hurt you,” he says. “Fuck.”

“Stay away from me.” I’m rubbing at the marks on my neck. “You were screaming in your dream, and I was trying to wake you. That’s all.”

He runs a hand through his mussed-up hair.

“Christ. I’m sorry. Sleep’s been shite since Mountjoy. That's partly why I took the couch. Didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Well, you did!”

His jaw clenches as he reaches for me. “Let me see.”

“No.”

“Valentina.” His voice is stern. “Let me see. Now. You either let me look, or I'll pick you up and hold you myself so I can find out if I hurt you.”

“Well, you did fucking hurt me,” I say, my voice sounding petulant. But I let him look.

He touches my neck tenderly, scowling. “It’s alright. Thank Christ I stopped. How did you finally wake me up?”

“I don't know.” I shake my head. I can’t tell him it was his name. He looks at my throat.

“That'll bruise. For fuck's sake.” He shakes his head. “This was a terrible idea.”

“What?”

“Me thinking I could handle this,” he says.

I'm still panting. “What are you talking about?”

My breathing is better now, but he takes a moment before answering my question. “These nightmares,” he says. “I had them in prison too. More than once, I was assaulted while I was asleep in there.”

“Fuck,” I say under my breath.

“Right,” he says, shaking his head. “When I heard my name, it somehow shook me out of the trance.” He freezes, pauses, and slowly brings his gaze to mine.

Oh shit.

A beat passes.

“My name,” he says quietly. “I didn't tell you my name. Even the men at the auction tonight didn't have my fucking name.”

He reaches for me and yanks me over to him.

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

My heart is racing.

His eyes are a stormy blue as he simmers. “How did you know my name?”

Chapter Seven

TORIN

I watch her throat work, still marked from my hand. I tell myself I feel nothing about that. Years at Mountjoy teach you to feel nothing about many things, and I was a good fucking student before they put me in.

She's trembling, her chin lifted as I step closer.