Hot sex had turned into a calamity. Her passion cooled to leave a bitter aftertaste. Fury didn’t hold her after sex, no tender words came from him unless an apology for making her bleed counted. And he washed away the evidence of passion he’d left on her, as cold as the wet cloth he used to do it with. She suddenly wanted to leave in the worst way and forget what had happened between them.

She attempted to hide how embarrassed it made her feel that she’d come apart under him when Fury probably still hated her. It had all just been an act of revenge regardless of what he’d claimed though it had meant a hell of a lot more to her. She wanted to get away from him before she fell apart. It would happen soon. She hoped he had found the kind of justice he had been looking for.

“We’re even now, right?” She fought back the wave of tears that threatened. Don’t cry, damn it. She kept repeating that a few times. Her emotions were too close to the surface and she felt vulnerable. She also didn’t want him to feel worse for the nick he’d given her. He could mistake her tears for physical pain. A remorseful expression marred his grim features. They had enough misunderstandings between them to last a lifetime. She didn’t want to add to them.

His dark gaze lifted to hers. He studied her for a long moment and an emotion she couldn’t read flickered in his dark eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but he never got the words out. Loud pounding suddenly fractured the silence.

“Damn it,” Fury snarled.

He stood from the bed and stormed toward the bathroom door. It shocked Ellie how quickly he could move. He threw the wet hand towel through the open bathroom door. He spun, returned to the bed, and reached down to grab the blanket he’d removed from her earlier. He spread it over her once again to cover her from breast to feet. In the next heartbeat he yanked on his sweats before he lunged out of the room. The bedroom door slammed closed behind him.

Ellie lay there wondering if she should yell for help. If she drew attention by calling out they’d find her tied na**d to his bed with the injury from his teeth. It would appear really bad. They probably would assume he’d sexually assaulted her. She didn’t want anyone to arrest him for a crime he hadn’t committed.

He’d already paid dearly for a crime he didn’t commit. She’d never suffered a moment for killing Jacob. She remained silent so that whoever had come to his home wouldn’t hear her. She’d rather take her chances of facing whatever else Fury wanted to dish out than get him into any kind of trouble. We have to be even now, she reasoned. He’ll release me after his company leaves.

The door to the room was suddenly flung wide open. The blood drained from Ellie’s face and dread filled her when Justice stomped into the bedroom. He wore a yellow T-shirt and blue jeans and his long hair was pulled back in a ponytail so his features weren’t hidden. She couldn’t miss the look of shock and horror that transformed them. Ellie flinch from the certainty that he made all kinds of wrong assumptions. After a stunned moment he moved forward, snarled and paused at the side of the bed. Fury filled the bedroom door, pale and silent. He wouldn’t meet her gaze but instead had his chin lowered, staring at the carpet.

Justice grabbed the blanket and tore it back. Ellie made a horrified sound, startled at having her body totally exposed to a stranger. Another snarl erupted from Justice’s throat. He threw the blanket back over Ellie to shield her nakedness before dropping to sit on the edge of the bed. His outraged glare fixed on Fury while he reached for her arm. He yanked the ties at her wrist, freeing it when he broke the material from the headboard.

“How could you do this?” Justice growled in a very harsh voice.

He stood, rounded the bed and freed Ellie’s other arm. He placed his body between her and Fury, his back to her. Ellie sat up, rubbed her wrists, and carefully kept the blanket shielding her body. She couldn’t see Fury at all with the big male between them.

“How could you do this, Fury? How? She saved us. She put her life on the line to help us. You are alive regardless of what it was she did to you. You are breathing! We are trying to prove to humans that we are more than animals and you take her by force? You raped her in your bed as if you are a rabid dog? Damn it! They are going to lock you up for this. I don’t think I can protect you and I don’t know if I want to at this point. How could you do this? You know what is at stake. Our people need guidance and protection! You’re my second in command. If I fall, you lead.” Justice’s voice lowered, calmed. “You are breaking my heart. You hurt this woman. I smell her blood, and because you injured her, it will cause untold problems for us. What the hell do you think you were doing? Have you lost your mind? This just reinforces the belief that we’re mindless animals, too dangerous to run free.”

Shame burned through Fury while he stared into Justice’s shocked gaze. He knew he’d let his people down when he’d kidnapped Ellie. He had taken the responsibility of leadership yet he’d allowed his feelings for the woman to make him do things he knew were wrong. He’d chosen her over them, something he swore he’d never do when he’d taken the job as Justice’s second in command.

“I’m sorry,” Fury whispered.

Justice softly growled. “What is wrong with you? Have you lost it? Did something make you snap? I can’t and won’t allow you to get away with this. You must be disciplined harshly to set an example.”

“I expect nothing less.” Fury took a deep breath. He had known he would be punished before he’d touched Ellie, and he would accept any consequences that came his way. He’d wanted Ellie more than the most important thing in his life—his people.