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“And you want to do this here? Now? Aren’t we going to Pandemonium tonight?”

“Exactly,” I retort with a smug smirk. “What better way to show that you’re mine than to put my diamonds in your pretty little nipples.” I reach out and drag my knuckles over her tits, and her nipples are already hard as glass.

“Some people use collars to claim their partners. Or rings,” I shoot her an accusing glare, and she has the decency to look slightly embarrassed, “but I like something with a bit more creativity. And as an added bonus, I’ll get to hurt you too.”

She nibbles on her bottom lip, and I’d like nothing more than to replace her teeth with my own. Maybe make her bleed a little. “You really want to pierce me?” she asks, her brows knitted in indecision..

“I’m rock fucking hard just thinking about it,” I growl, stroking my growing cock for emphasis.

Still, she hesitates. “I don’t know, Grey.”

“What’s wrong, angel? Suddenly scared of a little pain?”

“No,” she answers, although she doesn’t sound sure. There’s nothing Angélica loves more than pain, so I know something else has her worried.

“Then what’s the problem?” Ipress.

“A piercing is kind of,” she pauses, biting down hard on her lip, “permanent.”

I glare at her, angry that she would suggest we’re anything less. First the freak-out when she thought I was proposing, and now this—I’m starting to think she has commitment issues that need to be addressed very thoroughly before we go any further.

“You and Iarepermanent, angel,” I snarl, pushing forward until I’ve got her back slammed up against the counter. “I’m never letting you go, and putting a couple holes in your tits isn’t going to change that.” I capture her jaw in a tight grip and press my fingers into her cheeks until she’s forced to look at me. “Keep talking like that, and I’ll consider giving you a clit hood piercing too just so you can be reminded of who you belong to every time you touchmyfucking cunt.”

“You wouldn’t,” she gasps.

“Oh yes Igoddamnwould,” I hiss, my lips mere inches from hers. “So test me. I dare you. I would absolutely love to punish you for it.”

“Grey,” she whimpers. Her eyes flutter shut as she grinds her body against me and brushes her mouth over mine.

Instead of kissing her, I run my tongue between her parted lips, tasting the salty sweat of her fear, the heat of her adrenaline. “Yes, little ruin?” I purr into her mouth.

“I’m scared.”

“I know you are, angel. The way I feel about you—that desperate need to always have you close, always touch you and feel your heartbeat against mine so I know you’re safe—that terrifies me. Ineedyou, and I’ve never had to depend on anyone but myself before. I don’t know what the fuck I’d do if I ever lost you, and that scares the shit out of me.”

“Me too,” she whispers. Her warm eyes flick open, and I see the same desperate madness reflected back at me.

“Then it’s you and me to the end, angel. No take backs.” Ihold up my pinky, prepared to seal the deal in the most binding way I know.

“No take backs,” she agrees with a grin, wrapping her pinky around mine and squeezing hard. Then she holds up the box I gave her and waves it in front of my face. “So, we doing this?”

“Fuck yes, we are.” I bend down to capture her lips with mine, spearing my tongue inside her and devouring her until she’s just as breathless and aching as I am. I pull back and rub my thumb over her lips. “But first, I need to get some liquor in you.”

“What are we drinking, chef?” she asks with an insatiable smile on her pretty lips. I snatch the bottle from the counter and hold it up. Her face scrunches up in distaste. “Whisky? Can’t I have something sweet?I’mthe one about to get holes jabbed into their nipples.”

“You know you’re going to love it, so don’t be such a baby.”

“Oh really?” She arches a brow in challenge. “So are you next in line to get your nipples pierced? I have a pretty steady hand with a needle.”

I shrug. “If you want to, sure.” And I mean it. I have no issues with taking what I dish out, especially if she’d enjoy it.

“You’re being serious,” she balks.

“I don’t lie, remember?”

“Fine, what about your cock?” she snaps, thinking that she’s caught me. She hasn’t.

“Have at it,” I quip as I lean back against the counter. “Although I’m not sure you’d be willing to wait the recovery time on that one.”