Her mouth hung slack for a second as her hips involuntarily rocked on my leg. My stomach twisted and everything I’d been trying to hide rose up completely out of control.

Heat.

Wetness.

Hardness.

An ache so fucking brutal in my chest it almost brought tears to my eyes.

Then pain.

I reared back as Nila’s sharp teeth punctured my bottom lip. I licked the tender flesh. She’d broken the skin.

Blood.

Metallic.

Life.

Her chest rose and fell; her eyes wild and sending messages that tripped and conflicted. She felt what I did. But she hated me for it.

Too bad. I had to have more.

I grabbed her, smashing our bodies together and reclaiming her mouth. Offering my blood, forcing her to drink my injury and share my bone-deep pain.

She wriggled and fought, but beneath her rage echoed the same mind-crippling desire that turned us from enemies into something more.

“Stop—” she moaned before my tongue danced with hers, stealing her curses. In her arms, feeling nothing but heat and passion, I could pretend life was simpler. There were no debts, no arguments, no families, no hatred.

Just us.

Just this.

Nila stopped fighting and kissed me back. She vibrated in my arms, her hands pushing and pulling at once. Her lips opened to scream or beg, but I silenced her by tangling my tongue deeper with hers.

She fought me.

She encouraged me.

She confused the shit out of me.

My mind roared and instinct took over reason. I thrust against her, grinding my aching cock, seeking relief from the annihilating greed to consume her.

Her back arched as I shoved her against the wall—harder and harder. I wanted to crawl inside her. I wanted to own her every thought.

Agony erupted in my balls.

“Fuck!” My stomach swooped and my gut roiled as if to vomit. Stumbling away, I clutched my cock, willing the blistering pain to ebb.

She kneed me!

Over the stupefying pain, I barely noticed Nila encroaching on me. Her breath was ragged, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes blazed with an odd mixture of lust and hate. “Don’t touch me, Jethro Hawk. You might have been between my legs. I might’ve let you inside my body, but I will never let you inside my soul. Not now.”

I hissed between my teeth, riding the waves of torrid agony. I couldn’t stand straight.

Nila bent over to whisper in my ear. “I might not have fangs, but I do have a sharp knee.” With infinitesimal softness, she brushed away the hair that’d flopped over my forehead. Her touch was tender, loving, but beneath it lurked the truth.

Something was missing inside her.

Something that drew me to her and made me believe.

Once again, my family had destroyed any hope of me finding salvation by breaking the one woman who might’ve been strong enough to help me.

Nila murmured, “I don’t kiss men who I find abhorrent. Whatever happened between us is over.”

Gritting my teeth, I unfolded. “Quiet!”

She froze.

My outburst sliced through our bullshit, granting a smidgen of clarity. “Don’t lie to me. You will let me inside you. And you will let me own you.” Snatching her wrist, I jerked her close. “You will because we don’t have a choice. You’re inside me. Don’t you get it? You’re inside me. And it’s only fair that I’m inside you.”

Silence.

Breathing hard, I growled, “You know as well as I do the dangerous game we’re playing. I won’t retaliate from what you just did, but don’t push me any further. And don’t you dare fucking say it’s over.” Pressing my nose against hers, I hissed, “Because it’s not.”

Her eyes flared. “Believe me, it is over. I have no intention of ever touching you again.”

My temper boiled at the thought of her denying me more of this—whatever this was. I’d tasted her; I refused to believe we were through.

Cupping her jaw, I murmured, “The moment this morning is done, I’ll show you how wrong you are. I’ll show you how deep I am inside you. How fucked both of us are.” I pressed my lips against her cheekbone. “You want to win? What if I told you it would be better if you lost? Better for both of us if you submitted and stopped fighting for a change.”

She laughed. “Stop fighting? That’s all we have. Don’t you see? If I don’t fight you—then what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to be okay with all of this?”

“Yes.”

She snorted, anger sharpening her features. “Delusional as well as insane.” Shoving me, she demanded, “Tell me why you’re here before I knee you in the balls again.”

God, I wanted to strike her.

I wanted to antagonise her to the point of giving in just so I could fuck her again. My blood was lava; my cock rock hard.

Trying to get myself under control, I snapped, “I forgot to complete a part of the First Debt. My father just reminded me.”

She stiffened. “Didn’t I pay enough for that monster? Twenty-one lashings complete with scars that will last a lifetime. Or did he find out you didn’t freeze me before making me bleed?”

Resentment radiated on her face.

How could I handle her like this? This belligerent?

“No matter what you think of me, I’m doing my best to protect you. I told you I would be in equal trouble for disobeying. I have no intention of explaining the truth.”

Despite herself, some of her temper dispersed, leaving resigned tolerance in her gaze. “If it’s not that…then what?”