“It’s going to be all right,” Ellie promised softly. “We’re together and I’m going to sit here with you for however long it takes for you to feel better. You aren’t going to hurt me. I know you won’t because you love me as much as I love you.”

His face brushed against her stomach. His tongue came out and he licked the underside her breast. It tickled. Ellie jerked away so he couldn’t do it again.

“That tickles.”

“You’re naked.”

“Well, yeah. I needed to get your attention.”

“You always have that.”

Ellie’s gaze ran down Fury’s body and noticed that he’d torn open the front of his jeans—the source of that ripping sound when she’d heard material tear when he’d pinned her to the wall. She shivered. If she hadn’t calmed him down, hadn’t reached him emotionally, he would have taken her against the wall aggressively without care or regard to her pain or his injuries. Ellie continued rubbing him as her fingers brushed through his hair.

“Talk to me. I’m fighting to stay with you but the blackness is so near.”

Ellie peered down at Fury’s head resting on her lap to discover him staring at her. His dark gaze was filled with confusion when their gazes met.

“I’m right here, Fury.” She forced a smile, trying to hide her alarm and worry. “I’m going to hold you until you feel like yourself again.”

“Did I hurt anyone? I’m having a difficult time thinking and remembering.”

“Everyone is fine.” She hoped Breeze wasn’t too hurt but she wouldn’t bring that up.

He squeezed his eyes closed. “I want you.” He growled softly.

Ellie tensed. “Fury? Let me go put some clothes on.”

He shook his head. “It distracts me from my rage and it wouldn’t matter. I’d still scent you no matter what you wore. You’re bleeding. Did I hurt you?”

“No. I got some cuts and scrapes from climbing the back fence to reach you.” She turned her foot until she could view it more easily. The cut looked bigger than she thought and she saw a smear of her blood on the carpet. “My foot is bleeding. If you move a little I think I can reach something to put under it. Otherwise I’ll get blood on the carpet.”

“I don’t give a shit.”

Ellie laughed. “You say that now when you’re not feeling like yourself but wait until tomorrow when we’re trying to find a piece of furniture to put over the stain to hide it.”

Fury groaned. “I love you, Ellie.”

“I love you too. How are you feeling?”

“Rage,” he growled. “So much rage and pain. My skin feels on fire.”

“Just hold me.”

“I don’t think I could let you go. Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”

“I’m sure. You didn’t hurt me. You just scared the―”

The bedroom door cracked open. Ellie glanced over to the door. Fury tensed, growling.

Trisha’s face appeared as she peeked inside. “Are you okay?”

Ellie rubbed Fury’s back, trying to calm him. “We’re good now,” Ellie spoke loudly for all of their benefits, hoping it was true. Her voice softened. “Relax, Fury. It’s just Doctor Trisha.”

“May I come in?” Trisha whispered. “I need to examine him if I can.”

Ellie wasn’t sure if he could take other people being close to him as she studied him. “Just hold onto me, Fury. Trisha really needs to examine you so she can help.”

“No,” he growled. His arms tightened painfully around Ellie as he turned his head to stare up at her. “You’re mine. They can’t take you from me.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I won’t move, okay? Please let the Doctor check on you. We’ll just stay this way while she does.”

Fury took a shaky breath and blinked up at Ellie. He jerked his head in a nod and turned his face into her stomach. Ellie glanced at Trisha.

Trisha stepped into the room slowly and eased out from behind the door. “I need Ted in here too, Ellie. He might be able to identify whatever drug Fury was given by his symptoms.”

Ellie winced over her na**d state. “Could you hand me something first?”

Trisha stepped over debris to reach the bed. She yanked the sheet from the mattress and hesitantly approached them. She tried to wrap it around Ellie carefully, making sure she didn’t touch Fury. Ellie hesitated, realized that to cover herself, the sheet would have to cover Fury too since he molded to her body and wrapped tightly around her.

“That’s not going to work. How about giving me one of the shirts in the dresser?” She suddenly remembered that the dresser was facedown. She sighed. “How about the one he took off? Do you see it anywhere?”

Trisha tossed the sheet at the bed and made her way to the corner, carefully stepping on the broken mirror that crunched under her shoes. She picked up Fury’s torn shirt and carried it to Ellie. Ellie had to release Fury to put it on. The second her hands left his hair and back, he tensed, hugging her harder, and buried his face deeper into her stomach. Ellie shoved the shirt over the front of her to cover her br**sts then caressed Fury again. His hold eased instantly at her soothing touch and he relaxed enough that he wasn’t digging his face painfully into her belly anymore.

“I’m right here,” Ellie whispered in assurance. “You just hold me. They will figure this out and make you better.” Ellie glanced up at Trisha. “I think you can bring him in now. My br**sts are covered and you can’t see the rest of me with Fury wrapped around me, can you?”