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She clenched the robe against her chest and sputtered at his retreating back. The sound of running water had her gritting her teeth. “At least he’ll be clean when I murder him, then set fire to his funeral pyre.”

While she waited, she ditched her borrowed robe and retrieved her smoky dress. The scent of Dante’s fragrant herbs wafted from the fabric, and she scrunched her nose. No wonder she’d practically screwed Liam on the fire demon’s throne. She’d been high as a kite. She dressed then sat on the bed, heel hammering the floor.

Think, Vivian, think.There had to be a way out of this. No way she and Liam were mated for all of eternity.

“The fuck?” Liam’s shout rattled the walls.

He stomped from the bathroom. Towel clenched around his waist. Water trickled over his thick pectorals. Fury and outrage darkened his face. “What the hell is this?” He stabbed a finger at his neck.

She folded her arms. “You tell me.”

“What did you do to me?”

“What did I do to you?” She launched from the bed, raked her hair back, and pointed to her neck. “What didyoudo tome?”

He paled and thrust a finger in her direction, eyes wide and horrified. “No way. No way I marked you last night. This is all your fault,” he bellowed.

“My fault?” she shouted at him, too angry to fear the dark look he cast her.

He stormed closer, lowering his face to hers. “Yeah, that’s right. Your. Fault. What with the stripping and you sitting in my lap, rubbing your sweet ass against my cock. That was allyou, honey.”

Fury pounded between her temples, and she jabbed a finger in his chest. “You think I baited you into claiming me?”

“Damn right, you did. I’m thinking this was your plan from the beginning.” He mocked her, saying in a squeaky tone, “Two weeks of your submission, Liam. That’s all I ask.”

Her eyes went wide, nostrils flaring. “How dare you blame me for this.” She planted her hands on her hips, lowering her voice to imitate him. “Want you feeding from me as you fuck me, Viv.” Despite the lust-filled fog,thatshe remembered perfectly.

He glowered at her, then stomped to his pile of discarded clothing, grabbing his pants. “I never said that.”

“You most certainly did. Do you honestly think I’d want to spend all of eternity bonded to a low-bred bar owner?”

When he turned to her with murder in his eyes, she realized too late she might have gone too far. “Know plenty of females out there who would kill to be my Bride. Instead, I’m saddled with a stuck-up shrew who thinks her shit don’t stink. You didn’t seem to mind slumming with me last night while you were grinding on my dick.”

At his harsh words, her insides shriveled. Oh, but that razor tongue of his had barbs. For a moment, all she could do was stare and choke back tears, stunned by how much that hurt. Then a spark of rage lit her shriveled insides on fire.

How dare he speak to her that way?

She curled her hands into fists and scanned the room, looking for something to chuck at this thick skull. “It’s because of males like you I’m building twenty-foot walls around my shelter.” Once it was done, she’d lock herself inside and dare Liam to set foot on her property.

“So now I’m an abusive asshole to boot?” He snagged the leather sheath from the floor. Before she could call out a warning, he grabbed the hilt of the dagger and jammed it back into place.

The strangeness of that action washed over her. Breath rushed from her lungs. “Liam,” she whispered.

He threaded the belt through the loops in his pants. “I’ll have you know, not once have I ever raised a hand to a woman in anger. And right now, I’ve never been so tempted.”

He buckled the straps around his thigh.

“Liam!”

“What!”

“You touched the dagger.”

“Course I did. You knocked it loose when you were ripping my clothes off last night.”

She gritted her teeth, saying in a slow, steady tone, “Liam, you touched it.”

Finally, she got through to him, and his brows shot high on his forehead. “I did, didn’t I.” He held his hand over the hilt.