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What escaped him was something between an agonized howl of pain and a bitter growl of frustration.
But he yielded. Setting her on her feet gently, Duke separated them. Then he took an unsteady step back, pivoted so his back was to her and took a seat on the side of the bed. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, then fell back to stare blankly at the ceiling, his chest heaving and ropey veins standing out along his neck and shoulders, down into his tattooed forearms. His eyes slammed closed and he exhaled a sharp breath.
He could have overpowered her like he had at the door. But he’d given her his word, and he’d kept it.
Now he’d given her infinitely more.
He’d set her free. Liberated her from her own insecurities. Unshackled the bonds of the past that had kept her prisoner. Elated, Caitlynn pushed herself off the wall and stumbled to the side of the bed.
Duke’s breath left him with a soft ‘oophf’ as she fell upon him, but there was no tim
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