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Just as he predicted, her body craved what her mind rejected. By the time he was through with her, there would be no more objections.

In a gentle, lazy caress, he feathered his fingertips along her spine.

“Holy Moses,” she groaned, head rolling back.

As her knees buckled, he caught her, sweeping her up. He imagined carrying her this way every night, placing her in his bed, and sinking into his mate’s welcoming heat. His heart squeezed.Thiswas how he wanted to live out the rest of his days. Unlike the Council with their twisted laws and clan leaders who’d lost their way,thiswas something worth fighting for—something tolivefor.

He settled her on the bed, undressed, and stretched out beside her. Lightning flashed, illuminating the room, banishing the warm candlelight glow. Thunder followed, and she jolted at the noise. Clarity sparked in her eyes.

“Jericho, just… Wait a minute,” she stammered, drawing her elbows beneath her. “What are you doing? Is this—”

“Nothing you don’t want me to do.” His voice turned hard, rasping with the searing need to possess her. Elongated fangs punched his bottom lip. The urge to mark her, to claim her, burned at his core.

Her eyes narrowed on his mouth, then flared wide. “Ohhh, no. No. You. Don’t.” She rolled away and lurched to her knees, grumbling, “Stupid men and their stupid back rubs.”

Before she could make her escape, he snagged her ankle and pushed her to her stomach, pinning her beneath him. Thunder cracked, blending with her yelp of outrage.

“Let me go,” she demanded, turning her cheek to the mattress.

Static prickled over his skin with her rising anger.

He stilled. When he formulated this plan, he’d understood the risk. Still, he believed in his mate. Put his faith in how fiercely she loved. He remembered how she’d protected him in that cell and trusted she would do so now.

He pressed his chest against her back, keeping his weight on his forearms so he wouldn’t crush her. Against her ear, he spoke in gentle tones, “Easy, sweetheart. We don’t know what you’re capable of yet. If you unleash your anger, you could injure me.” Hell, possibly even kill him. Still, he’d risk death in her arms to not live one more day without her.

Her thrashing stopped, and the air grew heavy with her fear. Her sob threatened to break him. “All the more reason to let me go. Please. I don’t want to hurt you. I can’t be your Bride.”

Tears wet her cheeks, and he steeled himself against the sight. “Then tell me you don’t want me.” He nuzzled the curve of her jaw before following its shape to the shell of her ear.

She shivered, gasping. Gods, how he loved the way her body reacted. He nipped the tender lobe and lifted his head, pleased by the goosebumps rising on her flesh.

“Tell me you don’t want me inside of you,” he demanded with a sensuous stroke of his shaft.

Her curvy ass cradled his erection, and her generous hips rose eagerly beneath him. He thrust against her, telling her with his body exactly what he planned to do to her.

“Jer-i-cho.” His name on her lips was a three-syllable benediction. “This is madness. Release me,” she ordered in a husky voice.

She squirmed beneath him, still resisting while her body begged for more. Stubborn female. She denied them both with her foolishness.

Once more, he swooped in, brushing his lips against theglyphon the back of her neck. “Tell me you don’t ache for my touch.”

Alex shuddered from head to toe, then drew in a sharp breath, holding it while he nuzzled her nape. Merciless, he trailed his mouth the length of herglyphin a slow, teasing caress.

Inch by inch, he took his time. Kiss. Taste. Caress. He waged an assault on her senses. Swirling his tongue, savoring her sweet, strawberry flesh. Then he blew a heated breath against her skin.

She writhed beneath him, fisting the black sheets. “Please. I can’t. I can’t take any more,” she sobbed as he neared the base of her spine.

Her desperation called to him, and he rolled her to her back, settling his weight between her thighs. Beautiful silver eyes flashed beneath her thick lashes. He groaned at the sight, a vampire trait and a sure sign his mate was losing control. Good thing since his own restraint hung by a thread.

He pushed his shaft against her slick entrance, holding back when she ground her hips into him. Sweat beaded his brow while every muscle in his body strained with the need to bury himself in her silken heat.

She thrashed on the pillow. Tangled locks formed a halo of fire around her head. “Now, Jericho. I need you.”

No words had ever sounded so sweet, and still, it wasn’t enough. He ran his fingers along her jaw, then spanned the column of her throat. “I want more than your body, my love. Give yourself to me, heart and soul.”

She tensed, and her frantic pulse hammered against his palm.

He stroked his thumb over the thrumming vein. “Trust your instincts. Trust this feeling. You know this is right. Say it, Alex, say you’ll be my Bride.”