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“What is it?”

Rising up on my tiptoes, I level my mouth at his ear and murmur, “Thank you. What you did for me tonight, what you said—it meant a lot.”

He turns, his mouth aligning with mine. “And I meant every word I said. She can’t treat you like that anymore, Sin. Not with me by your side.”

I melt against him, loving that he’s still fully clothed while I’m just in my panties. He grabs hold of the back of my thighs and lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his hips, fusing my mouth with his as he carries me…not to the bed, where I thought he was going, but to the door, pressing me to it, pinning me there with his body.

“August—” I start to protest but he cuts me off with his lips and I moan when his tongue licks at mine. His hands are on my waist, and he’s grinding his erection against the throbbing spot between my thighs, and I know my panties must already be soaked.

“You don’t belong to them anymore,” he whispers against my neck after he ends our kiss. “You belong to me.”

He’s referring to my parents, and he’s right. I’m not theirs any longer—I’m August’s. And while I should be against the archaic thought of women being men’s property, I know August doesn’t fully mean that. He believes in me. Readily supports me, and I love that about him.

I love him.

“I thought about being nice and fucking you slow on the bed.” He lifts away from my neck, his dark gaze meeting mine as he unbuckles his belt and kicks off his shoes before he sheds his pants and boxer briefs. “But I decided I’d rather fuck you hard and fast against the door. Do you have a problem with that?”

His words, the look on his face and the sound of his voice have my entire body turning to jelly. “No.” I slowly shake my head. “It’s what I want, August. I want you.”

He wastes zero time, impatient as always, tearing at my panties. Frustrated, he jerks them to the side and slides into my welcoming body, filling me to the hilt. I groan, thumping the back of my head against the door and he immediately slides his hand beneath my head, protecting me.

My heart soars. This man who tries to act like he doesn’t care about anyone else but himself cares about me with his whole heart. He’s protective and strong and my defender. He stands by my side and reassures me that everything is going to be all right as long as I’ve got him. He loves me.

And I love him too.

I cling to him as he fucks me steadily, his hips moving, his cock going deep until I swear it hits my soul. I am breathless, unable to think. All I can do is feel. Our bodies moving together, his hand cupping my breast, his cheek pressed to mine as he pants dirty things into my ear.

“This fucking cunt is mine and goddamn, Sin. You grip me so tight. I’m going to come. I’m going to fill that pussy with my cum and I’m going to wreck you just like you wrecked me.”

I go still at his words, resting my hand on his chest. He pauses, lifting his head from mine, so he can look into my eyes. “I wrecked you?”

August nods, removing his hand from my breast so he can cup the side of my face. “For the better. You came into my life and disrupted it completely but I needed that. I needed you.”

I smile, my chest tight, my eyes glassy with unshed tears. I see the faint panic on his face and I know he didn’t expect me to become emotional in a moment like this, but what we’re saying, what we’re doing, everything we’ve experienced today feels monumental.

Life-changing.

“I love you, August,” I whisper, shocked that I could be so overcome with emotion for someone else. This has to be love. What else could it be? “I appreciate what you did for me tonight. How you stood up for me.”

“I always stand up for what’s mine. And that’s what you are, Sinclair. All mine.” He goes still and ducks his head almost like he’s embarrassed. “I let you down before but I vow to never do that again.”

“You’ve never let me down. Not since we’ve been together like this.” He lifts his head, his gaze meeting mine and I cup my hand around the back of his head, tugging down. Our mouths meet in a soft, sweet kiss. “I forgive you, August.” For what, I’m not exactly sure but it feels like he needs this from me. “But you’ll have to make it up to me for the rest of your life.”

“I will.” He starts to move again, steadily thrusting inside me, ratcheting up that familiar feeling, my orgasm imminent. “I swear to God, Sin. I’ll do my best to make sure you’ll never want for anything.”

“All I want is you,” I say, gasping when the orgasm sweeps over my body.

“You’ve got me, baby,” he whispers against my cheek. “You’ve got me.”

Epilogue

August

May

As I watch my girlfriend, the love of my life, talk animatedly with her best friend Elise, all I can think is, I am a lucky man. That Sinclair is mine.

All mine.