It wasnotan option.

Now that she was in his bed, in his arms, no one else was allowed near her. She was his. Whether she admitted it or not—his girlfriend, his woman, and soon enough, she’d be his wife.

Anya stirred slightly, the fog of sleep lifting from her features. She tilted her face up, blinking at him with drowsy eyes. “You don’t have to do this,” she said kindly, her voice low and slightly raspy. “No need to think I’m your responsibility just because you slept with me.”

Her fingers clenched against his bare chest, a faint crease forming on her forehead. “You and I… we’re not the same.”

Dante’s jaw tightened, the muscles flexing with every word she spoke. His eyes darkened with a storm of emotion.

She tried to ignore the shift in him and kept speaking, even though her voice shook a little. “I don’t want to look like some gold-digger, not when I’m already in such a bad place.”

She looked away, starting to sit up, avoiding his gaze.

“And honestly…” she muttered under her breath, just to push him away, “I wouldn’t even commit to a man who wasn’t good enough. You might want to work on your skills a little more. I wasn’t exactly satisfied last night.”

That was the last straw.

Dante’s patience snapped.

He grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back down, making her fall flat onto the bed beneath him as he climbed over her, trapping her with his tall, muscular frame. His grip found her jaw, firm and commanding, forcing her to look into his eyes.

“Say that again,” he growled.

His body pressed against hers, close, dangerous, hot—and she stopped breathing for a second. Her heart pounded in her chest, the tension between them sparking to life.

He leaned down, his voice low and deadly quiet. “Then let me try again. And this time, I won’t stop until you admit you’re satisfied.”

“What—no!” Anya gasped, eyes wide with panic.

‘Is he out of his mind? I’m still sore from last night!’ Her heart raced as her thoughts spiraled. ‘I didn’t mean it seriously. I only said all that to push him away! I didn’t want him to feel obligated to stay after a one-night stand. I have nothing. No money, no home, no future. The last thing I want is to be someone else’s burden. But this goddamn man took my words as a challenge, and an invitation?’

Dante’s mouth found her skin again, scorching and possessive. His lips trailed over her neck in slow, maddening circles—kissing, licking, teasing, leaving a trail of fire that made her shiver uncontrollably. Each breath she drew came out shaky, breathless, caught between want and surrender. Her body betrayed her with every gasp and tremble, muscles tightening under his touch like electricity was coursing through her veins.

“Dante—oh God—I’m sorry! I’m satisfied. I promise. I swear—!” she gasped, voice trembling with desperation, hoping to stop him before she lost herself again.

But the man was relentless. Without breaking contact, his hands moved with ruthless precision. He slid down her body, his fingers ghosting over the curve of her thighs before spreading them wide. She barely had time to process it before his fingers slid between her slick folds, parting her as if she belonged to him. In the next moment, his fingers thrust inside her, stretching her wide.

“Ahhh…,” her cry echoed through the room, sharp and desperate, her back arching off the bed as she tried to pull away, overwhelmed by the intensity.

“You are so fucking troublesome,” Dante growled, his voice thick with raw desire and something darker beneath it.

Before she could react, his hands were on hers, grabbing and twisting expertly. In seconds, he had bound her wrists to the bed with a rough silk tie, tight but not cruel, his movements so practiced it was as if he’d done this a hundred times before.

“Dante, I—I spoke too much. I didn’t mean it,” she tried to reason, voice shaky, pleading for mercy.

His dark eyes narrowed, sharp and unreadable, a slight smirk curling the edge of his lips. He tilted his head, assessing her like a predator sizing up his prey. Then, one hand gripped her hips firmly while the other’s fingers slipped back inside her, thrusting deep and slow at first.

His fingers curled expertly, rubbing against the tender skin inside her, searching, teasing—and then finding her G-spot with precision. She gasped, trembling, her body unraveling faster than she thought possible.

Within seconds, she came apart—harder and deeper than ever before.

“Ahh…” she cried out, body shaking violently, limbs weak beneath him.

But Dante wasn’t done.

His fingers slid from her core, gliding lower to her ass. A single finger pressed against her tight, hesitant entrance before slipping inside. Her eyes flew open, mouth parting in a silent, shocked cry. She tried to hold herself steady, but the finger pulled out only to thrust back in again, slowly at first, then building into a relentless rhythm.

Moaning uncontrollably, she tried to tame herself down, but the pleasure only intensified, her mind slipping into a haze. She was coming on his fingers again, waves crashing over her in quick succession, body trembling, overwhelmed by the raw, filthy sensation.