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“Will that make you behave?” he growls. “My cock?”

I hate that those needs are coming back. No, they’reroaringback. “Can I get dressed, please?”

“That wasn’t a no. And you’ll not leave this bedroom dressed inappropriately. My brothers, cousins, and guards are in and out of the house. You are mine, Ava.” He pulls at his shirt, which now hammers that point home. “No one fucking sees what’s mine.”

“Caveman,” I hiss. “Summer is coming. What if I want to sunbathe in the yard?”

“Let me guess, in a bikini?” He licks his swollen lip from when I punched him.

“I’m from a country where topless sunbathing for women is normal.” I cross my arms, knowing I’m playing with fire. But the warmth feels so delicious. “But I’d never do that. A few of my bottoms are thongs, though.”

Griffin’s eyes turn murderous. “If I catch you in the yard or anywhere with your ass cheeks hanging out, I will hold you down, pull that thong aside and fuck your back hole.”

The blatant threat should scare me. Sicken me. But it doesn’t. It sends warm shivers down my spine. And, fuck, my back hole just throbbed.

“Careful with your threats, fiancé.” I poke his chest.

“These are not threats.” He reaches around and grabs my ass. “My only regret is that I didn’t take you here that night.” A finger sinks into my panty, searching, and then...

“Uhhhh,” I gasp, pressed harder against his chest.

“Fuck,” he mutters, his finger circling my hole. “Christ, I want to fuck you again so bad. Now you’re mine, you belong to me.”

This is insane. I want him inside me just as much. It feels so damn good. My clit throbs, but I can’t give in. Not yet.

I know once we’re married, I’ll have no recourse to say no.

Heart pounding, I remember something he said earlier.

Pacify me. With his cock. He’ll use my need for hot, dirty, primal sex to control me.

I go to kiss him, but push away and fake him out.

Griffin steps back, rubbing his hard-on. “Minx.”

That’s what cold showers are for...

“Remind me to order some embroidered Q’s, and I’ll have Bridget sew them on all my new clothes.”

“I have a better way to mark you as mine without looking like you’re in a cult.” He reaches into a tall bachelor chest in the corner, and from the top drawer, takes out a black velvet cube. “Wear this.”

I eye it like it’s a hand grenade. “What is this?”

He tilts his head and looks down at the box. “You have no idea what this is?”

“An engagement ring?” I fold my arms to hide my raging nipples.

Griffin can talk me into getting his name tattooed on my clit right now, I’m so turned on.

“That’s exactly what it is.” He opens the box and shows me. “We’re engaged.”

I fight the tight throat at how lovely the damn thing is. It’s an emerald-cut stone that has to be over five carats set in a halo of smaller round stones that can blind me.

“No, we’re not,” I keep arguing with him.

“What do you mean, we’re not?” Griffin cinches his eyebrows and looks in the cube like maybe he was showing me his cufflinks by mistake.

“I don’t recall you asking me.”