home wa

ng to say, but the kind that throbbed with u

hed her since that

even loo

ust undone her in the shadows, like he hadn't made

even as her thighs trembled beneath the folds of her dress. She felt exposed

n't ta

t

she felt owne

ied her more th

eepened into something cool and still. The sky above was velvet and stars, the kind of quiet

door harder than necessary. The noise

, refusing to rush, refusing to t

n't give

toni

ed. Only the low flicker of sconces lit the grand hall as she passed thro

two at a time, his broad back rigid, mus

om door and hesitated

tur

eyes l

d," he sa

ifted her

s eyes n

N

to kiss me like that and walk away. You don't get to make me fe

and her heart kicke

you explanations?

owe me someth

. "That's what I owe you.

is space. "You gave me a cage. A

ce steady as he stared into her eyes with something p

father. I took you because I knew what it would do to him. Because I wanted to

her stomach twisting,

, you talk back, you test me at every turn. And instead of breaking you..." He stepp

Then why not do it? Why not take what y

urned awa

think he wo

th

ou again," he said qu

her like a f

d, looked at her

I've done things that don't deserve

hispered, "

won't pretend that if I fuc

eath c

pped c

in you. Not because I want to-

id, throat raw. "I'm

voice like velvet over st

standing in

ai

, it wasn't a

as h

ed an

her more than

a didn'

ai

he engagement ring around her finger and wondering if it was p

g, she ha

't going

't going

to make him

him in the

thedral of vines and orchids and heat. The air smelled like

g to a row of white roses. Dirt

im from the d

look up wh

following

aid. "I cam

air els

the vi

t his a

hing but a silk slip the color of midnight and bare

ped the

in three slow,

g a dangerous

f games," she whi

close she could feel the heat

g a strand of hair from her face

ow what you'r

ow me,"

d her into the wall of the greenhouse, one hand b

't be

oo

slammed i

there was n

tea

con

utal. Hun

evour her, and she kissed him bac

hes

s ro

ll against her back, the heat of his mouth a

ga

sti

e pulle

e rasped. "No

ed up at

hy

ecause you'll never forget your first time. And I w

lammed agai

e to be

es dar

idea what y

teac

to the mansi

ns

ody a

kin b

om, he opened the door and

e

h a soft click that sounded loude

des, stopping in front of her. His hands found

ance to

ned to

his

t over her r

ant

traint

was not what

n't vi

sn't

s wor

hing sacred. He kissed every inch of her, tasted every

d into her, it wasn

a cla

er body trembling as he moved inside

hispered int

he whisp

e followed moments later with a low, broke

s sur

them

satisfaction, she lay with her head on his ch

ching her pos

imply ho

et it?" she

N

osed h

il

ing sold into this marriage

se she wa

hing in him had b

ck, she saw som

ing be

ing li