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A large leather sofa dominated the center of the room, its dark surface gleaming softly in the firelight. Along one wall stood floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, packed tightly with old, leather-bound books. Some looked ancient, their spines cracked and faded with age, while others were immaculate, as though they had been purchased more for appearance than for reading.

Then, in the far corner opposite of the fireplace, a mahogany bar was built into the stone wall, expensive bottles stocking its shelves.

This room was cozy and timeless. It was a room where families had probably gathered for generations to share stories or read a good book while men enjoyed a glass of whiskey.

Until this mobster became the owner.

Now it would be a luxurious prison, just like he said, but prison nonetheless.

“This place looks like it belongs to an old man,” I retorted wryly, unwilling to show him I actually liked it.

“Baby, I am an old man. A very angry and horny old man.”

“Go find someone to fuck, then, so you can just be angry.”

“I don’t think so.” He smiled darkly. “I’m not the cheater type.”

I scoffed. “As one of the people who saw your club’s books, I would have to disagree.”

“Touché.” His expression turned sour. “What I meant is that I don’t cheat on my women, and I certainly won’t cheat on my wife.”

Oh, God, there he goes with the wife shit again.

“I’m not your woman or your wife⁠—”

“Yet,” he added.

“Okay, yet,” I continued, carefully choosing my words. “So it might be prudent to find a woman and get your fill of… sex.”

He tilted his head. “Well, this has to be a first. A woman asking her soon-to-be lover and husband to fuck someone else.”

I scoffed, hating his crude words. “I sincerely doubt it.”

“Why do you want me to fuck someone else?” he demanded. “Five years ago, you wanted me to kiss, touch, and fuck you. In fact, you begged me.”

I didn’t want to admit to him that I was scared shitless that if we ever found ourselves in a situation like the one in the woods again, he might be too far gone to stop if I freak out.

“Sienna, I’m waiting for an answer.”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“No, not to me.”

I wrapped my arms around myself and folded my legs underneath me while he stood over me like a dark shadow.

“You might get too lost in your…” My voice faltered. I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes, so I stared into the fire instead, its flickering warmth doing nothing to cool the heat burning beneath my skin. “… needs. You’ll be so consumed by the urge to satisfy them and I’ll…” My chest constricted, just the idea of him on top of me driving me to panic. “And you’ll hurt me.”

God, it felt so lame to voice that after what I’d done to him. Maybe I should let him hurt me so he could get his anger out. He was after revenge, and it was pointless to fight him on it. As long as he didn’t touch my family.

“Sienna, look at me.” I met his dark blue eyes. “I won’t hurt you in that way.”

“But you’ll hurt me.”

A sinfully dark expression flickered in the depths of his eyes. “Maybe you’ll like it.”

I tilted my head. “Why would I like it?”

He shrugged, but a strange kind of energy brimmed under his skin. I couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but it reminded me of the night I met him in that sex club.