"I'm not walking out," she whispered fiercely against his mouth.
And then she kissed him back.
This time, she was the one who closed the distance. This time, she wasn't a pawn being pushed across a chessboard by her uncle, or a frightened girl hiding from a sniper, or a disposable widow waiting for an executioner's needle.
This time, she chose.
Nico made a low sound in his throat… something rough, caught between a growl and a groan, and then his control slipped.
He lifted her off her feet in one smooth motion. His large hands gripped her bare thighs, hauling her up against his chest as he carried her away from the heavy oak door. The room spun in a blur of dim light and shadows before he laid her down on the massive bed.
He set her onto the dark, expensive sheets like she was something precious and fragile, which was a complete lie, because absolutely nothing about the way his mouth crashed back down onto hers was gentle.
It was a claim… a hungry, possessive claiming.
