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"Stop pushing it, Alexis," he rumbles, his voice dropping into a low, warning growl. "You're deliberately provoking something you already know is dangerous."

I take a step closer to him, tilting my chin up to meet his dark, suffocating gaze, letting my voice drop to a soft whisper. "Maybe I like seeing how long you can control yourself."

Cain freezes, the muscle in his jaw ticking violently as he towers over me. He steps directly into my personal space, trapping me against the shadow of his massive frame.

"You think this is a game, doll?" he growls softly, his dark eyes boring right into mine. "Do you have any idea what you're actually asking for?"

"I know exactly what I'm asking for," I whisper, refusing to back down.

My heart is thundering against my ribs, but I hold his lethal gaze, letting every ounce of defiance show in my eyes.

Cain’s breath hitches, his gaze dropping to my mouth before snapping back to mine. The restraint holding him together fractures, replaced by something wild, dark, and utterly untamed.

"Last chance, Alexis," he growls, his voice thick and low, vibrating through the quiet foyer. He reaches out, his hand cupping the back of my neck, thumb pressing against my racing pulse. "Tell me to stop right now or accept that you don't get a say in what happens next."

"You’re all bark and no bite, Cain," I breathe.

That single sentence shatters the last thread of his control.

Before I can even blink, Cain lunges. A sharp gasp escapes my throat as his hands lock onto my waist, slamming my back against the oak paneling of the hallway wall. The impact knocks the air from my lungs, but the sheer thrill of it sends a surge of fire straight through my veins.

He pins me there, his massive frame trapping me entirely, blocking out the light, the room, and the rest of the world. His chest heaves against mine, radiating a suffocating, terrifying heat.

I don't make it easy for him.

The moment his grip shifts, I bring my hands up against his broad shoulders, pushing against him with everything I have. I twist my body, attempting to slip out from beneath his weight, intentionally testing his strength.

I know Cain. I know the predator living beneath his tailored exterior, and I know nothing drives him crazier than having to physically master what he claims as his.

Cain lets out a dark, breathless chuckle against my ear—a sound that is pure danger.

"Fascinating," he rumbles, his voice rough and predatory. "You push the button, and then you try to run?"

"I'm not running," I pant, bracing my feet against the wall to shove him back again, my nails digging into the fabric of his jacket. "You have to take control, Cain. I'm not giving it to you."

"Good," he growls. "Because I prefer taking it."

In one swift, fluid movement, he grabs both of my wrists in a single iron-like fist, dragging them up over my head and pinning them flat against the wall. The raw, effortless strength in his grip is absolute.

I twist my arms, trying to wrench them free, but his grip doesn't budge an inch. He leans his full weight into me, crushing my body beneath his, completely neutralizing my resistance.

The sudden loss of control sends a violent spark through my nervous system. My breath hitches as he tilts his head down, his lips brushing the sensitive line of my jawline.

"Still want to fight me, doll?" he whispers against my skin, his chest rising and falling heavily against mine.

I arch my back, fighting against the restraint of his hand, refusing to yield. “I will not surrender to you, Cain.”

His jaw tightens. He shifts his grip, using his free hand to clamp around my throat—not stopping my air, but firmly asserting his dominance, tilting my head back to expose the long curve of my neck to him. His dark eyes burn down into mine, completely consumed by the primal hunger he’s been burying all night.

He drops his mouth to my neck, his lips hot and harsh against my skin. I gasp as his teeth graze my collarbone, pressing firmly into the sensitive flesh. He bites down—hard enough to leave a bruise, hard enough to mark me permanently as his—and a sharp, breathless cry tears from my throat.

The pain bleeds instantly into a heavy, dark pleasure that makes my knees buckle. Cain catches my weight effortlessly with his body, his teeth dragging over the mark he just left, soothing it with a fierce, possessive kiss.

"Look at me," he commands softly, his voice a low, rough order against my skin.

I force my eyes open, dazed and flushed, meeting the intense, stormy darkness in his eyes.

"You belong to me," Cain rumbles, his fingers tightening possessively where he holds me pinned. "Every bite, every bruise, every inch of you. Say it."