Page 84 of Fierce Pursuit

What mattered was that she understood it now.

That she accepted it.

That she stopped fighting the truth she had been running from for years.

No more shame.

No more hesitation.

No more pretending she could fight this, that she could escape me, that she could deny what had always belonged to us.

I had spent too long fighting this, shoving my desires into the coldest, deepest part of myself and locking them away, convincing myself that resisting her was the right thing to do. That keeping my hands off her, even when she was the only thing I ever fucking wanted, made me a good man. That ignoring this hunger would absolve me of my sins.

It had all been a fucking lie.

Because this moment, this act, this collision of bodies was always going to happen.

Her nails dragged against the glossy tiles as she arched, her back a perfect, graceful curve. Water trailed down her spine, pooling at the small of her back before sliding lower. She lifted her hips, offering herself to me without even realizing she was doing it.

My greedy girl wanted it all.

And this was where I was meant to be.

Right here.

Inside her.

Claiming her completely.

And now that I had, there was no going back.

I was done denying myself. Done resisting. Done pretending.

She was mine.

And I was never letting her go.

I would deal with Solovyov—through reason, business, negotiation, or bloodshed. I didn’t care what it took.

He was not taking her from me.

For the rest of my life, Marina would be mine.

She would be in my bed, her body tangled with mine, where I would spend every moment learning her all over again.

I pressed my fingers against her clit, firm and knowing, controlling the pace, dragging her exactly where I wanted her to go.

It took her a moment to adjust to me inside her again, to take all of me, but when she did—Fuck.

She didn’t just take me.

She demanded me.

Grinding back, meeting my thrusts, moaning for me with a desperation that sent my blood boiling.

She could lie to herself all she wanted.

She could pretend this was a mistake.

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