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“You did, baby.” I pulled her back against my chest, running my hands through her hair.

“I can’t play like this,” she said, a soft sigh leaving her.

“I know.” I fisted her hair and turned her head to meet the hard impact of my mouth. “Just need my hands on you, pet.”

Slipping my tongue between her lips, I controlled the kiss, but she was in control of everything else. As much as I craved her submission, I had to earn it. Didn’t matter that I was already in love with her and had her trusting me enough where she could now talk to me. Everything else would come over time.

“Cyrus,” she whispered, shivering against me.

I cupped her jaw and deepened the kiss. I kept my other hand locked around her throat. A power play slid between us. While I dominated her, she still had the upper hand and always would.

A moan escaped her as my fingers traveled over her jugular.

Breaking the kiss, I lifted my head and stared down at her.

Her eyes were glassy, and her lips were swollen from my rough kiss.

“I love you, Ainsley. I know we’re still learning things about each other and we’ll continue to learn, but I promise to never let us go to bed angry. I promise to take care of you and protect you but also push you just the same. I promise to be yours and only yours.”

She nodded, her breath catching. She sat up, turned toward me, and lifted her hands.I love you too, Cyrus.

I turned off the TV and pulled her back into my arms. Standing with her wrapped around me, I headed to the wall where the light switch sat and flicked it off. I made my way down the hall with her in my arms where she was safe. I sat her on her bed and helped her undress, no words passed between us.

“Make love to me,” she murmured, a yawn trembling through her.

I smirked, placing a soft peck on her nose. “You need rest.”

She pouted but never argued and slid beneath the covers.

I joined her and pulled her into my arms. She fell asleep rather quickly, her breathing becoming even. I never realized how much I could love another person until meeting Ainsley. I loved the club, my family, my job, but with her, it was a different kind of love. It went deeper than that.

My phone buzzed, bouncing on the nightstand. I took a breath and braced myself, knowing it was probably Sammy.

Sammy: You coming home tonight?

Me: No.

Sammy: Do you love her?

My heart stuttered. He had never questioned my feelings for a woman before. Never asked what my intentions were or how I felt about them. So why now?

Me: Why?

When no response came, I kissed Ainsley’s cheek and left her warmth. Quickly slipping into my jeans, I left her bedroom and quietly shut the door behind me.

Heading back to the living room, I called my brother.

“Yeah,” he grunted.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Sam, you’ve been off ever since I met Ainsley. What’s your—”

“We are not doing this over the fucking phone, Cyrus.”

My back stiffened. “You are the one who texted me shit, so yeah, we are doing this over the fucking phone.”