Page 36 of Haunted By the Mountain Man
He thrust in hard, no warning, no gentleness. I screamed, the stretch almost too much, but my body adjusted, welcomed him.
"That's it," he growled, setting a punishing pace. "Take it. Take all of me."
One hand tangled in my hair, tugging my head back. The other gripped my hip hard enough to bruise. This wasn't lovemaking. This was claiming. Possession. Desperation.
"You think I can just let you go?" He pulled almost all the way out, slammed back in. "You've ruined me. No one else will ever be enough. No one else will ever be you."
"Then stop trying to push me away!"
He pulled out, spun me around, lifted me onto the counter. Before I could protest, he was back inside me, this angle deeper, more intense.
"Look at me," he commanded. When I did, his eyes were wild. "You're not leaving. Say it."
"I'm not leaving."
"You're mine. Forever. Say it."
"I'm yours. Forever."
"And I'm never letting you go." He kissed me, brutal and possessive. "Even if you try to leave, I'll follow you. Hunt you down. Bring you back. You're mine, Raven. Mine to protect. Mine to fuck. Mine to keep."
His thumb found my clit, and I shattered, screaming his name. He followed immediately, grinding deep as he came inside me, marking me from the inside out.
We stayed like that, him still inside me, both of us panting. Finally, he pulled back enough to look at me.
"I already turned Netflix down," I said quietly.
His whole body went rigid. "What?"
"Three hours ago. I sent them a nice rejection email and told them I was pursuing other opportunities." I showed him the laptop screen—the sent email clear as day.
"You gave up seven figures. For me."
"For us. For Walt. For the life we're building here." I cupped his face. "I'm not going anywhere, Shane. You're stuck with me."
He stared at me for a long moment, then lifted me off the counter, carrying me to his bedroom. This time when he took me, it was slower but no less intense. Possessive but also worshipful. He mapped every inch of my body with his mouth and hands, marking me with bites and bruises, claiming me so thoroughly that I'd feel it for days.
"You're going to marry me," he said against my skin. "Not asking. Telling. You're going to be my wife. Have my babies. Build our life here."
"Is that a proposal?"
"That's a promise." He thrust deep, making me gasp. "You chose me over seven figures. You chose us. So now you get all of me. Forever. No escape clause. No running. You're mine, and I'm yours, and that's final."
"Deal," I gasped, then couldn't speak anymore because he was doing something with his fingers that made me see stars.
Later, tangled together and exhausted, he said quietly, "I need to tell you something."
"If it's another attempt to push me away—"
"No. The opposite." He pulled me closer. "My brothers don't know this, but... I'm not broke. Not even close."
I pulled back to look at him. "What?"
"Remember I mentioned investing? I've been doing it since I was sixteen. Every penny I could save, I invested. Compound interest is a beautiful thing. I could write a check for Walt's care for the next twenty years and not feel it."
"Shane, are you telling me you're secretly rich?"
"I'm telling you that you didn't just give up financial security for love. I can take care of you. Of us. Of our family." His hand splayed possessively over my stomach. "You gave up Netflix for me, but I'm going to give you the world."
