“Galloway, stop.” Her fingers touched my forearm. “You’ll hurt yourself if we go any farther.”

Hurt myself?

I couldn’t do it.

Didn’t she get it?

Didn’t she see how goddamn stupid that was? How dare she put herself in harm’s way without telling me? What if something happened to her? What if whatever she’d tried killed her?

My temper exploded.

Letting her go, I rounded on her.

Her eyes bugged as she stumbled backward for every hop of my crutch. “Galloway, it’s nothing...honestly.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

One step.

Another.

“That wasn’t your call to make.”

She frowned. “It’s my body. I can do what I want with it.”

My fists curled. “Wrong.”

“Whatever. You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do.”

I bared my teeth. “Think again, Estelle.”

“I don’t have to think. I know.” She pointed a finger in my face, still retreating as I backed her into the tree. “Just like I can’t stop you from overdoing it when you should be resting. Just like I can’t stop anything that might happen to us on this island.”

I didn’t reply, just kept pushing her. She wasn’t watching where she was going. But I was. And I wanted her flush against the tree so I could teach her a goddamn lesson.

“I’m going to lay it out for you so listen closely.”

Colour spotted her cheeks. I didn’t know if that meant she was angry or embarrassed or turned-on.

I don’t care.

My voice turned into a snarl. “First, you belong to me. To us. Me, Pip, and Conner. Everything you do affects us. That includes stupid things that you think benefit us but only benefit you.”

“Me?” Her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. “You think I want to have an allergic reaction?”

“I think you want to be the goddamn hero.”

Her lips pulled back. “That’s it. I’ve had enough of you.” Shoving my chest, she grunted as I didn’t move. “You can’t speak to me that way. You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’m trying to do. You don’t know what I think or how I feel—”

“You’re right.” I pushed her shoulder, crushing her against a tree. “I don’t. But I do know how I feel. I know what would happen to us if you died from some asinine attempt at looking out for us.”

My voice hissed. “Want to know what would happen? It would fucking kill me. That’s what would happen. You’re the only reason why any of us are coping in this godforsaken place. You’re the only reason why I get up in the morning even with my ankle bloody screaming.” I panted. “You’re the reason why I’m in so much goddamn pain.”

“Don’t blame me for your discomfort, Galloway. I did my best to splint your injury. I never said I was a doctor and knew how to fix—”

“Shut up and listen.” I slapped a hand over her mouth, doing my best to ignore the delicious puffs of breath on my knuckles and the slight dampness of her lips against my palm. “I haven’t finished.”

Now that I’d started, I couldn’t stop. I hated spilling such things. But my mouth wouldn’t shut it. “Christ, Estelle. Don’t you see? These weeks have been torture. I’ve kissed you. I’ve tasted you. I’ve slept beside you every night and I’m not allowed to touch you.”

She was mute, wide eyes glistening.

“I know you want me, too. I see it in the way you watch me, care for me, make me feel like I’m worthy. But you’re afraid of me.” My hand slid from her mouth to her cheek, grazing her bottom lip with my thumb. “What are you afraid of that you’d rather scratch yourself with an unknown substance than dare to be alone with me?”

The fight between us paused, swirling with passion and questions.

Her chest rose and fell, agitated and primed for a fight. Retorts gleamed in her gaze and I waited for her to shove me back, scream some backhanded comment, and storm off.

But...she didn’t.

She stayed against the tree, watching me.

The fight switched to lust. Insane, undeniable lust.

I could barely speak; it came out more like a feral growl. “If you can’t answer me, then you should probably run.”

She sucked in a breath. “Run?”

“You’re not safe with me. Not right now.”

She stopped breathing but didn’t move.

My cock thickened, my heart thundered, and every molecule turned heavy. “Too late.”

My hand darted from her cheek to the back of her neck, yanking her lips to mine. “Don’t you dare hate me for this.”

She stiffened the moment we kissed; her fingers scratched at my t-shirt, her legs squirming for purchase.

But I’d reached my limit.

She was mine. And she had to be taught that her life wasn’t hers anymore. She didn’t get to decide what risks she took. She owed me because she was the only person to look inside me and see redemption.

I didn’t wait for her to submit. My tongue darted past her lips, taking what I wanted, no needed. I needed her. I needed her so damn much I felt unhinged. Dangerous. Not entirely human.

She moaned as I slammed her against the tree, sandwiching her body with mine.

The kiss turned ravenous.

Something inside her switched and she returned my violence, sweeping me away by the righteous feel of having her in my arms, her scent in my nose, and taste in my mouth.