Isis closed her eyes for a moment within Alex’s embrace, finally feeling the full weight of what had just happened.

Her body was still trembling slightly. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself, her fingers tightening around the fabric of his shirt as though she needed that contact to remain on her feet.

“They grabbed my arm. That was all,” she replied. “But they said horrible things to me.”

Alex’s fists clenched instantly.

His jaw tightened, the sharp line of it betraying the explo