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A crack of breath, a crooked smile, the old mask tilting back into place. “Well.” I shifted to sit up. “That was⁠—”

Stas’s hand tightened at the back of my neck, pulling me back down on top of him. “Don’t.”

Heat shot through me. I laughed off the panic building inside me and tried again, pushing at his shoulder. “Easy, big man. If we start cuddling, I’ll have to invoice you.”

He didn’t release his hold on me.

“Did you mean it?” he asked, voice low.

I went very still.

“Mean what?” I’d said a lot of nonsense while temporarily crazed by lust.

“That I’ll be the only one you fuck from now on.”

“Stas.” My mouth went dry around his name. “Come on.”

Didn’t he know people said all kinds of things in the heat of the moment and not to take them seriously?

“You said it.” He shifted, levered me back into the pillows with a slow, implacable strength that stole any chance I had at pretending this was still a joke. “Did you mean it?”

I reached for the nearest weapon—humor. “You don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you. That’s our charming foundation, remember?”

“Answer me, Yuriy.”

I looked anywhere but at him, the candle flickering on the nightstand, the pale crescent of a healing scar near his collarbone I was pretty sure I was responsible for. My heart was beating too fast. This was not the plan. The plan was to bed, breed, brag, then beat it.

“Yuriy.” His tone softened in a way that made it harder to ignore him. “Don’t retreat behind that sarcastic tongue of yours. Tell me you didn’t mean it, and I’ll thank you for the best sex I’ve ever had and walk away.”

My eyes shifted to his, and for a second, I was at a loss for words. Without him having said anything, I already knew this was the best sex he’d had—I’d had. Given Stas’s pride and temperament, I didn’t expect him to admit it.

“Stas, you know why this has to be incredible sex only.” I brushed the scar on his collarbone. “Do I have to remind you why?”

“That’s not what I’m asking you, Yuriy.” He slammed his forehead against mine, scraping his teeth over my bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. The metallic taste flooded my mouth as he dug his fingers into my jaw, forcing me to look at him. “Since you don’t want to answer, I’ll make it crystal fucking clear for you.”

He closed his hand around my throat, pressing his thumb directly over my pulse point until my vision swam at the edges. I hardened instantly, cock twitching against his thigh despite having just emptied myself inside him. His voice dropped to a growl that vibrated through my chest. “Anyone you fuck, I will gut while you watch. Then I’ll carve my name into your flesh, Yuriy, so everyone knows you fucking belong to me.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, my stomach fluttering at the possessiveness in his tone. “While you’re at it, why don’t you piss on me and call it a day?”

“Not my kink, but if it gets the message across, I’ll do it now.”

Stas pushed up on his arms, and I gave a yell, grabbing his shoulders. “Don’t you fucking dare piss on me. I was kidding. Jesus, do you have to be so fucking intense?”

He settled back on the bed beside me, our feet tangled. “If you think about it, things have always been intense with us.”

I propped my arm up to support my neck as I looked down at him. “So what happens when we’re back in Chicago? We play enemies when our men are watching, then sneak off for a quick fuck?”

“Better prepare for twenty-four hours at least.”

Chuckling, I lowered my hand to cup his ass. Obsessed much? Definitely. I pressed a finger between his cheeks, smearing the wetness of my cum around his bruised hole.

“It was that good for you?” I asked.

“Fishing for compliments? Isn’t your ego big enough?”

“Hey, you’re the one hooked on my big dick.” I rose to my knees, shoved him over onto his stomach, and ran my hands down his back. His muscles shifted beneath my touch, and he groaned, hissing when I spread his cheeks to bare his cum-glazed hole.

“Yuriy, I don’t think I can take you again.”