Melissa’s Reviews > Savage Hearts > Status Update

I don’t speak to him for two days. I can’t. I’m too angry.
I’m not sure which one of us I’m more angry with, however, him or me.

“I have to go to work today.” He pauses. “I’ll be back late.”
I suspect there’s more he wants to say. The pause felt significant. I wait, my heartbeat going even faster.
After a while, he speaks again. This time, his tone has changed. It’s grown dark. “Don’t try to run away.”
I whisper, “I won’t.”
“You should.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”

When I wake up in the morning, Mal is sleeping on his side next to me in bed, his arm under my neck, a leg thrown over both of mine, his big warm hand splayed over my belly.
Right over my scar.

He slept next to her instead of in the chair.

Malek has a giant pet crow named Poe

Riley asks Malek about his tattoos

I fall asleep with my silent assassin caretaker watching over me, keeping me safe.
This time when I dream of gunfire, he’s there to protect me with a shield and a flaming sword.

Riley about Malek

He’s a consent king who washes her hair.
Gah!
I’m melting!

Oh, that’s wonderful. What the hell must my face have been telling him when he was strutting around with his damn shirt off? I hope it wasn’t the same thing my ovaries were saying, because those horny little egg producers have only one thing on their minds.
Riley

“Yes, there’s a sofa. No, I’m not going to sleep on it. I need to be in this room. I need to hear if you cry out. I have to know if you’re in pain or you need anything. Don’t ask me why, because I won’t tell you. Now go to fucking sleep.”

Malek to Riley at his cabin

I blink to clear my vision, but all I see swimming before my eyes are acres of muscular flesh decorated by a constellation of tattoos. His bulk is surpassed only by his height, which is surpassed only by the gut punch of that V thing leading from his washboard abs downward, like a pair of muscle arrows pointing to the goodies in his crotch.

First time Riley sees Malek with his shirt off