Chapter 6

Jaclyn didn't back away from his threatening posture.

She tilted her chin up, forcing herself to maintain eye contact with him. She wanted him to see the absolute sincerity in her eyes.

But the massive emotional toll of the rebirth, combined with the physical trauma of falling down the stairs, suddenly crashed down on her.

A violent wave of dizziness slammed into her brain.

The room spun wildly. Gaines's face blurred into two overlapping images. A high-pitched, piercing whine echoed in her ears.

All the color drained from her face in a split second. Her skin turned the color of ash.

Her knees simply stopped working. She collapsed sideways, falling directly toward the jagged, exposed wires of the broken piano.

Gaines thought it was another act. His lips parted to deliver another cruel insult.

But his eyes registered the terrifying pallor of her skin and the way her eyes rolled back into her head.

His brain didn't have time to process the logic. His body took over.

Gaines lunged forward. His long arm shot out, his large hand wrapping firmly around her waist just inches before she hit the sharp wood.

He yanked her hard against his body.

Jaclyn slumped against his chest. Her forehead cracked against his collarbone with a dull thud. A soft moan of pain escaped her lips.

Her skin was freezing cold.

Gaines's heart seized. The impenetrable wall of ice he had built around himself cracked right down the middle.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. The panic in his voice was raw and unfiltered.

He bent his knees, slipped one arm under her legs, and scooped her up into his arms in one fluid motion.

The sudden loss of gravity made Jaclyn's stomach drop. Instinct took over. She threw both of her arms around his neck, clinging to him for dear life.

She buried her face deep into the crook of his neck.

Her warm breath washed over the sensitive skin of his pulse point.

Every single muscle in Gaines's body locked up. His jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached.

He crossed the hallway in three long strides and threw the double doors open with such force that they slammed against the interior walls.

The room was pitch black, illuminated only by the faint orange glow of the streetlights outside.

Gaines didn't bother turning on the lights. He walked straight to the massive king-sized bed.

His movements were stiff, but he lowered her onto the mattress with agonizing care.

The moment her back hit the soft sheets, the tension in her face eased. But her arms remained locked tightly around his neck.

Gaines was forced to bend over her, his hands braced on the mattress on either side of her head.

Their faces were inches apart. He could feel the soft flutter of her breath against his lips.

In the dim light, he watched her long eyelashes tremble against her pale cheeks.

"Let go," Gaines ordered. His voice was a harsh, raspy whisper, vibrating with suppressed danger.

Jaclyn didn't let go.

Instead, she shifted her weight, pulling herself slightly closer to his chest.

"My head is spinning," she mumbled, her voice thick with exhaustion.

The total lack of defense in her posture hit Gaines like a physical blow to the stomach. His legendary self-control was crumbling into dust.

He closed his eyes, took a ragged breath, and reached up. He grabbed her wrists and began to pry her fingers off his neck, one by one.

Just as he pulled her hands away, Jaclyn flipped her palm and grabbed a fistful of his shirt sleeve. Her grip was surprisingly strong.

She opened her eyes halfway. Her gaze was unfocused, hazy with pain.

"Don't leave," she whispered.

Gaines froze.

Those two words pinned him to the floor.

He gritted his teeth. "I need to call Dr. Alan," he said coldly, desperate for an excuse to escape the gravitational pull of her bed.

Jaclyn shook her head stubbornly. A single tear leaked from the corner of her eye and soaked into the pillow.

"I don't need a doctor," she said softly. "I just need you."

A low, tortured groan ripped from Gaines's throat.

He gave up.

He didn't walk away. He collapsed onto the edge of the mattress, sitting with his back to her. He let her keep her grip on his sleeve.

He stared into the darkness of the room, his chest heaving, completely consumed by a terrifying, agonizing doubt.