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“Is this one of your hot-and-cold games? Sleep with me, make me think you’ve changed your mind about our past family history until you realize you can’t?” My heart tightens. “Because I’m done with that.”

Gently, he holds my cheek in his palm, staring right at me. “This isn’t a game, Dinara. And I’ll spend however long it takes to prove that to you.”

“Whatever, Cillian. I don’t want this, and I don’t want you. Konstantin said I only had to be in this sham of a marriage for a year, and then I’ll be done with you once and for all. But if you know what’s good for you, I suggest you tell Konstantin you wanna divorce me now.”

“Never.” The word is firm. Commanding.

“Then I’ll make your life hell.”

He smirks, fisting my hair as he brings his mouth close to mine. “Go for it, baby. Do your worst.”

“That seems like a challenge.”

His chuckle is dark. “I like a good challenge.”

“We’ll just see about that.” I quirk a brow, enjoying this little game.

“Things would go much easier if you stopped resisting.” His voice is like a soft caress with jagged edges.

Lies. All lies.

I let out a laugh, shaking my head. “Stop resisting? You broke my heart, Cillian.” The words are thick and raw. “And now you want me to believe that you’ve somehow changed your mind about hating my family? That all this time apart has made you realize what an ass you were and you regret it?”

I escape out of his grasp.

“Well, too bad. You haven’t earned my forgiveness. You haven’t earned a damn thing except my distrust. And that’s all you’re gonna get every day, everyhour, that you’re my husband.” My mouth tilts up. “If that’s not good enough for you, you know what to do. Walk away. You’re good at that.”

His hand tightens around my throat, his lips hovering dangerously close to mine. “I’ll never leave you. No matter how much you hate me. Because I’d rather spend every single moment as your husband, even if you despise me, than be without you again.”

My heart squeezes painfully, but I fight it, refusing to let him see the crack in my armor.

He steps back, letting me go, but his presence still suffocates me. “So suck it up, baby, because I’m not going anywhere.”

“Then enjoy sleeping alone, because I sure as hell am not sharing a bed with you. Ever!”

“Never said I wanted you to.” His arms cross over his chest. “In fact, I had a cozy bedroom made for you.”

“Great.” My gaze narrows. “Where? ’Cause the sight of you is making me nauseous.”

“Right next door, wife. Where I can keep tabs on you.”

“Still stalking me, I see.”

“It's part of my charm.”

“More like part of your abhorrence.”

“That’s not what you said the last time I was inside you.”

My face heats up.

“Nothing to say?” The back of his hand feathers across my jaw, and that grin on his face deepens, as if he’s savoring this twisted game between us. “If you get lonely or cold, you have my permission to crawl into my bed, love.” That smug look on his face is begging me to erase it. “I’ll always keep you warm.”

“I’d rather freeze to death.”

Then I’m storming off, not even sure where the hell I’m going.

* * *