After a violent night protecting Stella, Christian Harper returns home shaken by more than adrenaline. He wants her, but fears his darkness will destroy the light in her—the kindness and trust she shows everyone, even him. Stella, unaware of what he does, greets him warmly, pressing kisses to his face, but Christian cannot return them. Torn between desire and restraint, he stands silent and distant, determined to keep her safe from himself. As their connection grows, the tension between her inno