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The first touch of the needle makes her stir, a faint whimper slipping from her lips, but she doesn’t wake. She’s too deep, too lost in the haze of the pill in her system. I work slowly, carefully, every line of ink sinking into her skin with deliberate precision.Property of Eli.A declaration. A promise. A warning.

Her breathing hitches, her body instinctively shifting beneath me, but she doesn’t fight. Shecan’t.Seeing the ink makes my cock leak in my boxers.

This is so damn hot.

I press my palm to her stomach, keeping her still, my other hand guiding the needle as I finish the final curve of the last letter. The ink settles into her skin, dark and perfect, a permanent reminder that no one will ever touch her the way I do.Not even Caleb.

I exhale sharply. The sight of my name etched onto her making my cock ache. She’s mine now in every way that matters.

I set the machine aside, wiping away the excess ink, my gaze locked on the fresh mark. My fingers graze over it, feeling the slight heat of her skin beneath my touch.

Perfect.

Leaning down, I press a slow, deliberate kiss over the new tattoo, letting my lips linger against the raw skin. My tongue flicks out, tasting the salt of her sweat and the faint metallic tang of ink. She sighs again, her body relaxing completely beneath me. She’s so trusting. Somine.

I drag my mouth back up her stomach, my lips skimming her ribs, her sternum, the hollow of her throat. When I reach her ear, I whisper the only truth that matter. “You belong to me.”

She doesn’t stir.

And when she wakes…

She’ll know.

There won’t be a damn thing she can do about it.

The pressure builds, hot and insistent, as my boxers cling to me. I run a hand through my hair, trying to steady my breathing, but the tension only seems to grow.

I can’t hold back any longer. With a sharp exhale, I slip my pants and my boxers down, the relief flooding over me, but it’s not enough. The ache remains, pulsing deep inside. My balls are heavy with the need to come.

My hand has spots of ink on it.

I smile as I wrap it around my cock.

My grip tightens as I stroke myself, slow and steady at first, watching her—the rise and fall of her chest, the faint glisten of sweat on her collarbone, the curve of her lips still parted from sleep. The sight of the tattoo, my name carved into her skin like a brand, pushes me closer to the edge.

I shift, moving between her thighs again, careful not to wake her. My hand works faster now, gliding over the slick length of my cock, thumb swiping the precum from the tip.I imagine it’s her hand. Her mouth. Her pussy. I picture her moaning beneath me, crying out my name, and fuck, my rhythm falters.

I glance at the tattoo, ink still fresh, red around the edges. It’s perfect. She’s perfect.

I lean in and kiss the top of her mound, right where her soft skin meets the edge of the tattoo, just above her slit. I want to bury myself inside her so fucking bad. But not now. Not like this.

This moment is mine.

I grip the base of my cock, hand pumping with purpose now, jaw tight. My breaths come faster, rougher. Her scent is everywhere — on my lips, my tongue, in my head — and it’s driving me mad.

She shifts slightly in her sleep, murmuring something incoherent, and the soft and sweet sound undoes me.

A strangled groan rips from my throat as I come, thick ropes spilling across her stomach, her hip, her tattoo. I jerk in my own hand, letting the pleasure burn through me, consuming every dark, twisted part of me that needs to own her.

My cum glistens on her skin, sticky and warm, a final mark of possession.

I stare down at the mess I’ve made, chest heaving, pulse slowing. I reach for the cloth beside the bed, wiping her clean with careful, reverent hands. My touch is soft now, gentle. I clean the inked skin last, running my fingers over the words again like a prayer.My property.

She sighs, lashes fluttering briefly before settling again. Still deep in sleep.

I kiss her one last time, her temple, her cheek, the tip of her nose.

Then I tuck the blanket over her bare body and slide down beside her, pulling her into my chest. Her back to my front, her warmth sinking into me.